Systems, apparatus and methods for variable rate ultra-wideband communications

• US 9,953,195 B2
• Filed: 06/04/2015
• Issued: 04/24/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zebra Technologies Corporation
• Original Assignee: ZIH Corp. (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Inventors: Turner, Belinda, Ameti, Aitan, Richley, Edward A., Mueggenborg, Alexander
• Primary Examiner(s): Odom, Curtis
• Application Number:
  US14/731,210
• Publication Number:
  US 20150356332A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,055 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2205/08 Sport
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/017 Detecting state or type of motion
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0226 Transmitters
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/06 Position of source determined by co-ordinating a plurality of position lines defined by path-difference measurements G01S5/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/14 Determining absolute distances from a plurality of spaced points of known location
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10306 ultra wide band
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/026 using orientation information, e.g. compass
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/027 using movement velocity, acceleration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication

Abstract

Systems, methods, apparatuses, and computer readable media are disclosed for providing variable blink rate ultra-wideband (UWB) communications. Some embodiments may provide for a radio frequency (RF) tag including a motion sensor, processing circuitry, and a UWB transmitter. The motion sensor may be configured to generate one or more motion data values indicating motion of the RF tag. The UWB transmitter may be configured to transmit blink data at variable blink rates. The processing circuitry may be configured to receive the one or more motion data values from the motion sensor, determine a blink rate for the UWB transmitter based on the one or more motion data values, and control the UWB transmitter to wirelessly transmit the blink data at the blink rate. In some embodiments, the RF tag may include a UWB receiver and the blink rate may be controlled remotely by a system.

Claims

1. A radio frequency (RF) tag, comprising:

a motion sensor configured to generate one or more motion data values indicating motion of the RF tag, wherein the RF tag is configured to be carried by a participant having a role;

an ultra-wideband (UWB) transmitter configured to transmit blink data at a first blink rate or a second blink rate, wherein the first blink rate is different than the second blink rate; and

processing circuitry configured to;

receive the one or more motion data values from the motion sensor;

obtain role data indicative of the role of the participant; and

control the UWB transmitter to wirelessly transmit the blink data at the first blink rate or the second blink rate based on the one or more motion data values and the role data.

2. The RF tag of claim 1, wherein the UWB transmitter is further configured to transmit the blink data at a third blink rate, wherein the third blink rate is different than the first blink rate and the second blink rate, and wherein the processing circuitry is configured to control the UWB transmitter to wirelessly transmit the blink data at the first blink rate, the second blink rate, or the third blink rate based on the one or more motion data values and the role data.

3. The RF tag of claim 1, wherein the motion sensor includes an accelerometer configured to generate the one or more motion data values.

4. The RF tag of claim 1, wherein:

the processing circuitry is further configured to determine the blink data; and

the blink data includes at least one of a blink rate status change indication or an orientation status change indication.

5. The RF tag of claim 1, wherein:

the motion sensor includes a three axis accelerometer configured to generate the one or more motion data values;

the one or more motion data values include an X axis acceleration value, a Y axis acceleration value, and a Z axis acceleration value; and

the processing circuitry is further configured to control the UWB transmitter to wirelessly transmit the blink data at the first blink rate or the second blink rate by determining an acceleration magnitude value based on one or more of the X axis acceleration value, the Y axis acceleration value, and the Z axis acceleration value.

6. The RF tag of claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to:

determine an acceleration magnitude value based on the one or more motion data values;

adjust the blink rate based on the acceleration magnitude value; and

control the UWB transmitter to wirelessly transmit the blink data at the adjusted blink rate.

7. The RF tag of claim 6, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to:

determine an acceleration magnitude threshold value;

determine whether the acceleration magnitude value exceeds the acceleration magnitude threshold value; and

in response to determining that the acceleration magnitude value fails to exceed the acceleration magnitude threshold value, control the UWB transmitter to stop wirelessly transmitting the blink data.

8. The RF tag of claim 1, wherein the UWB transmitter is configured to wirelessly transmit the blink data via a tag signal having a bandwidth of greater than at least one of 500 MHz and 20% of a center frequency of the tag signal.

9. The RF tag of claim 1, wherein the blink data includes a tag identifier.

10. The RF tag of claim 1, wherein UWB transmitter is configured to transmit the blink data at the first blink rate or the second blink rate via a tag signal recognizable by a receiver such that the location of the RF tag may be determined by a tag locating system.

11. The RF tag of claim 1, further comprising a receiver configured to receive blink rate control data and wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to determine the first blink rate or the second blink rate for the UWB transmitter based on the blink rate control data.

12. The RFID tag of claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to:

determine a live motion signature based on motion data values received over time from the motion sensor;

compare the live motion signature with one or more motion signatures, wherein the one or more motion signatures each includes one or more motion data threshold values and associated duration values; and

in response to identifying a match between the live motion signature a first motion signature, control the UWB transmitter to wirelessly transmit the blink data at the first blink rate or the second blink rate.

13. A machine-implemented method of communicating with a wireless receiver, the method comprising:

receiving, by circuitry of a radio frequency (RF) tag, one or more motion data values from a motion sensor, wherein the RF tag includes the motion sensor and an ultra-wideband (UWB) transmitter, the RF tag carried by a participant having a role;

obtaining role data indicative of the role of the participant;

determining, by the circuitry and based on the one or more motion data values and the role data, a blink rate for the UWB transmitter; and

controlling, by the circuitry, the UWB transmitter to wirelessly transmit the blink data at the blink rate.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the motion sensor includes an accelerometer configured to generate the one or more motion data values.

15. The method of claim 13 further comprising determining the blink data and wherein the blink data includes at least one of a blink rate status change indication or an orientation status change indication.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein:

the motion sensor includes a three axis accelerometer configured to generate the one or more motion data values;

the one or more motion data values include an X axis acceleration value, a Y axis acceleration value, and a Z axis acceleration value; and

determining the blink rate includes;

determining an acceleration magnitude value based on one or more of the X axis acceleration value, the Y axis acceleration value, and the Z axis acceleration value; and

determining the blink rate based on the acceleration magnitude value.

17. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

determining an acceleration magnitude value based on the motion data;

adjusting the blink rate based on the acceleration magnitude value; and

controlling the UWB transmitter to wirelessly transmit the blink data at the adjusted blink rate.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising:

determining an acceleration magnitude threshold value;

comparing the acceleration magnitude value with the acceleration magnitude threshold value; and

in response to determining that the acceleration magnitude value fails to exceed the acceleration magnitude threshold value, controlling the UWB transmitter to stop wirelessly transmitting the blink data.

19. The method of claim 13 further comprising wirelessly transmitting, by the UWB transmitter, the blink data via a tag signal having a bandwidth of greater than at least one of 500 MHz and 20% of a center frequency of the tag signal.

20. The method of claim 13, wherein the blink data includes a tag identifier.

21. The method of claim 13 further comprising wirelessly transmitting, by the UWB transmitter, the blink data via tag signal recognizable by a receiver such that the location of the RF tag may be determined by a tag locating system.

22. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

determining a live motion signature based on motion data values received over time from the motion sensor;

comparing the live motion signature with one or more motion signatures, wherein the one or more motion signatures each includes one or more motion data threshold values and one or more associated duration values; and

in response to identifying a match between the live motion signature and a first motion signature, control the UWB transmitter to wirelessly transmit the blink data at the blink rate.

23. The method of claim 13, wherein the RF tag further includes a UWB receiver and further including:

wirelessly receiving, with the UWB receiver, blink rate control data; and

determining the blink rate for the UWB transmitter based on the blink rate control data.