Positioning and self-calibration mechanism using moving AoA locator
AssigneeSilicon Laboratories Inc.
InventorsSauli Johannes Lehtimaki, Mika Tapio Länsirinne, Jere Knaappila, Joel Kauppo
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Abstract
A system and method for determining a position or a movable device is disclosed. The present system utilizes a movable device equipped with a locator device that has an antenna array such that it may determine the angle of arrival of a plurality of incoming beacon signals. In certain embodiments, the movable device is also able to measure its distance travelled. By knowing its distance moved and the angle of arrival from each beacon, the locator device is able to calculate its position as well as the position of each beacon. This procedure may be executed at regular intervals so that the movable device accurately determines its position.
Claims20
A method of determining a location of a movable device and a plurality of beacons, the method comprising:
- disposing the movable device at a first position, wherein the movable device comprises a locator device, having an antenna array;
- supplying to the movable device a distance between a first beacon and a second beacon;
- using the locator device to determine an angle of arrival of beacon signals transmitted by at least the first beacon and the second beacon while at the first position;
- moving the movable device in any direction to a second position;
- using the locator device to determine an angle of arrival of beacon signals transmitted by the first beacon and the second beacon while at the second position;
- determining an offset, in two dimensions, of the first beacon relative to the movable device, using an equation that requires the distance and the angles of arrival of the beacon signals transmitted by at least the first beacon and the second beacon while at the first position and the second position as five input parameters to the equation;
- and
- determining an offset, in two dimensions, of the second beacon relative to the movable device.
A software program, disposed on a non-transitory storage medium, which when executed by a processing unit disposed on a movable device having a locator device, enables the movable device to:
- receive a distance between a first beacon and a second beacon;
- use the locator device to determine an angle of arrival of beacon signals transmitted by at least the first beacon and the second beacon while at a first position;
- move the movable device in any direction to a second position;
- use the locator device to determine an angle of arrival of beacon signals transmitted by the first beacon and the second beacon while at the second position;
- determine an offset, in two dimensions, of the first beacon relative to the movable device, using an equation that requires the distance and the angles of arrival of the beacon signals transmitted by the first beacon and the second beacon while at the first position and the second position as five input parameters to the equation;
- and
- determine an offset, in two dimensions, of the second beacon relative to the movable device.
A movable device for determining its location and a location of a plurality of beacons, comprising:
- a propulsion mechanism;
- a locator device, comprising:
- an antenna array;
- a processing unit;
- a memory device, comprising instructions, which when executed by the processing unit, enable the movable device to:
- receive a distance between a first beacon and a second beacon;
- determine an angle of arrival of beacon signals transmitted by at least the first beacon and the second beacon while at a first position;
- move in any direction to a second position;
- determine an angle of arrival of beacon signals transmitted by the first beacon and the second beacon while at the second position;
- determine an offset, in two dimensions, of the first beacon relative to the movable device, using an equation that requires the distance and the angles of arrival of the beacon signals transmitted by at least the first beacon and the second beacon while at the first position and the second position as five input parameters to the equation;
- and
- determine an offset, in two dimensions, of the second beacon relative to the movable device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.