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US 11,536,821 B2Granted
Apparatus and method for reducing collision risks
AssigneeSaronikos Trading and Services, Unipessoal LDA
InventorRobert James
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus and a method for reducing collision risks between an entity and at least an obstacle, wherein the apparatus includes a transmitter adapted to emit a first beacon signal apt to avoid a collision, a receiver adapted to receive at least a second beacon signal that can be emitted by another apparatus which could dangerously approach to the apparatus, a processor configured for detecting at least the second beacon signal received through the receiver, detecting at least a property of at least the second beacon signal, determining, on the basis of the at least one property of the second beacon signal, at least a property of the first beacon signal, and emitting the first beacon signal through the transmitter in order to reduce collision risks.
Claims15
An apparatus configured to reduce a risk of a physical collision between the apparatus and a second apparatus, said apparatus comprising:
- transmitting means adapted to emit a first beacon signal;
- receiving means adapted to receive a second beacon signal that is intermittently emitted by the second apparatus, which is physically approaching said apparatus, said second apparatus being a peer in a peer group in which the apparatus is also included, wherein the apparatus joins the peer group by:
- causing the receiving means to be tuned, for at least a full period of a frequency hopping sequence, to one transmission channel that is included in a plurality of transmission channels;
- during the full period of the frequency hopping sequence in which the receiving means is at least tuned to the one transmission channel, causing the receiving means to additionally receive all beacon signals that are emitted on other transmission channels included in the plurality of transmission channels;
- and
- based on an analysis said all beacon signals, selecting the peer group to join;
- processing means in signal communication with said transmitting and receiving means, wherein said processing means is configured to:
- detect a second beacon signal received through the receiving means;
- detect a second property of the second beacon signal;
- determine, on a basis of the second property, a first property of the first beacon signal;
- intermittently emit the first beacon signal through the transmitting means based on the first property, wherein the first beacon signal and the second beacon signal are structured to not overlap one another;
- determine a power of the second beacon signal;
- determine a transmit power of the second beacon;
- determine a distance between said apparatus and said second apparatus based on the determined power and the transmit power of the second beacon signal;
- and
- in response to the distance being less than a threshold distance, trigger an alert to alert a user of the apparatus regarding a potential physical collision with the second apparatus,
- wherein the first property of the first beacon signal comprises first timing information defining a timing of the first beacon signal,
- wherein the second property of the second beacon signal comprises second timing information defining a timing of the second beacon signal,
- wherein the first and second beacon signals are aligned in different time slots in a period,
- wherein a third property of the first beacon signal comprises first channel information defining a first sequence of communication bands in which the first beacon signal will be emitted, and
- wherein a fourth property of the second beacon signal comprises second channel information defining a second sequence of communication bands on which the second beacon signal has been received.
18 more elements
A method for reducing a risk of a physical collision between a first apparatus and a second apparatus, said method being performed by the first apparatus and comprising:
- emitting a first beacon signal;
- receiving a second beacon signal that is intermittently emitted by the second apparatus, which is physically approaching the first apparatus, wherein the second apparatus is a peer in a peer group in which the first apparatus is also included, and wherein the first apparatus joins the peer group by:
- causing the first apparatus to be tuned, for at least a full period of a frequency hopping sequence, to one transmission channel that is included in a plurality of transmission channels;
- during the full period of the frequency hopping sequence in which the first apparatus is at least tuned to the one transmission channel, causing the first apparatus to additionally receive all beacon signals that are emitted on other transmission channels included in the plurality of transmission channels;
- and
- based on an analysis said all beacon signals, selecting the peer group to join;
- detecting a second beacon signal;
- detecting a second property of the second beacon signal;
- determining, on a basis of the second property, a first property of the first beacon signal;
- intermittently emitting the first beacon signal based on the first property, wherein the first beacon signal and the second beacon signal are structured to not overlap one another;
- determining a power of the second beacon signal;
- determining a transmit power of the second beacon;
- determining a distance between the first apparatus and the second apparatus based on the determined power and the transmit power of the second beacon signal;
- and
- in response to the distance being less than a threshold distance, triggering an alert to alert a user of the first apparatus regarding a potential physical collision with the second apparatus.
12 more elements
A computer system comprising:
- one or more processors;
- and
- one or more hardware storage devices that store instructions that are executable by the one or more processors to cause the computer system to:
- emit a first beacon signal;
- receive a second beacon signal that is intermittently emitted by a second system, which is physically approaching the computer system, wherein the second system is a peer in a peer group in which the computer system is also included, and wherein the computer system joins the peer group by:
- tuning, for at least a full period of a frequency hopping sequence, to one transmission channel that is included in a plurality of transmission channels;
- during the full period of the frequency hopping sequence in which the computer system is at least tuned to the one transmission channel, receiving all beacon signals that are emitted on other transmission channels included in the plurality of transmission channels;
- and
- based on an analysis said all beacon signals, selecting the peer group to join;
- detect a second beacon signal;
- detect a second property of the second beacon signal;
- determine, on a basis of the second property, a first property of the first beacon signal;
- intermittently emit the first beacon signal based on the first property, wherein the first beacon signal and the second beacon signal are structured to not overlap one another;
- determine a power of the second beacon signal;
- determine a transmit power of the second beacon;
- determine a distance between the computer system and the second system based on the determined power and the transmit power of the second beacon signal;
- and
- in response to the distance being less than a threshold distance, trigger an alert to alert a user of the computer system regarding a potential physical collision with the second system.
15 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.