System and method of determining real-time location
View Patent ↗A system and method to determine location information with respect to a plurality of portable devices, with potentially a large number of portable devices such as 40 or more portable devices in proximity to the system. The system may connect to and locate each of the plurality of portable devices in proximity to the system. The location information may be determined with respect to an object, such as a vehicle or building, and optionally within a larger system of objects, such as a mass transit system.
1 . A system for obtaining sensor information to locate a plurality of portable devices, said system comprising:
a first controller operable to communicate with a first portable device via a first communication channel of a first communication link, wherein the plurality of portable devices includes the first portable device;
a second controller operable to communicate with a second portable device via a second communication channel over a second communication link, wherein the plurality of portable devices includes the second portable device;
a communication supervisor configured to direct the first controller to communicate via the first communication link over a first channel, the communication supervisor configured to direct the second controller to communicate via the second communication link over a second channel, the communication supervisor operable to direct the first and second controllers to coordinate timing of communications respectively with the first and second portable devices, the communication supervisor configured to coordinate the timing of a first communication with the first portable device relative to a second communication with the second portable device during a second time period different from the first time period; and
a plurality of sensor devices, each sensor device of the plurality of sensor devices configured to obtain a sensed characteristic with respect to communications of the first communication link and the second communication link, wherein the communication supervisor directs the plurality of sensors to obtain the sensed characteristic for communications with the first device during the first time period and associate the sensed characteristic obtained during the first time period with the first device, and wherein the communication supervisor directs the plurality of sensors to obtain the sensed characteristic for communications with the second device during the second time period and associate the sensed characteristic obtained during the second time period with the second device.
2 . The system of claim 1 wherein at least one of the communication supervisor and first controller is configured to direct a transfer of the first communication link from the first controller.
3 . The system of claim 1 wherein the first communication with the first portable device is communicated to the first controller via the first communication link over the first channel, and wherein the second communication with the second portable device is communicated to the second controller via the second communication link over the second channel.
4 . The system of claim 1 wherein a first sensor device of the plurality of sensor devices includes the first controller and the second controller.
5 . The system of claim 1 wherein the first controller is operable to receive communications via the first communication link over the first channel, and wherein the second controller is operable to receive communications via the second communication link over the second channel, whereby communications with the first and second portable device involves receiving communications respectively via the first and second communication links.
6 . The system of claim 5 wherein the first controller is operable to transmit communications via the first communication link over the first channel, and wherein the second controller is operable to transmit communications via the second communication link over the second channel, whereby communications with the first and second portable device involves receiving and transmitting communications respectively via the first and second communication links.
7 . The system of claim 1 comprising a third controller operable to communicate with at least one of the first portable device and the second portable device via a third communication channel over a third communication link, wherein the communication supervisor is configured to direct the third controller to communicate via the third communication link over a third channel, and wherein the communication supervisor is configured to coordinate the first communication with the first portable device relative to the second communication with the second portable device and a third communication with at least one of the first and second portable devices via the third communication link.
8 . The system of claim 1 wherein the first and second channel correspond to Ultra-wide band channels.
9 . The system of claim 1 wherein the first and second channel are based on Bluetooth or Bluetooth Low Energy communication channels.
10 . The system of claim 1 wherein the communication supervisor coordinates at least one of connection event timing and channel selection conducted by the first and second controllers.
11 . The system of claim 1 comprising a main device configured to communicate with at least one of the plurality of portable devices, wherein the main device includes the first controller and the communication supervisor.
12 . The system of claim 1 wherein the communication supervisor is configured to direct a sensor device of the plurality to receive communications from the first portable device relative to communications from the second portable device.
13 . The system of claim 1 wherein the communication supervisor is configured to direct a first sensor device of the plurality to receive communications from the second portable device relative to communications from the first portable device and to direct a second sensor device of the plurality to receive communications from the first portable device relative to communications from the second portable device.
14 . The system of claim 1 wherein the first controller and the second controller are provided in a common location within an electronic system component.
15 . The system of claim 1 comprising a locator operable to determine a location of the first portable device relative to at least one of the plurality of sensor devices based on a sensed characteristic obtained with respect to communications of the first communication link, the locator operable to determine a location of the second portable device relative based on a sensed characteristic obtained with respect to communications on the second communication link.
16 . The system of claim 1 wherein the communication supervisor directs the first controller to conduct communications via the first communication link at a time different from communications transmitted during the second communication link between the second controller and the second portable device.
17 . A system for obtaining sensor information to locate a plurality of portable devices, said system comprising:
a first controller operable to communicate with a first portable device via a first communication channel of a first communication link;
a second controller operable to communicate with a second portable device via a second channel over a second communication link;
a communication supervisor configured to direct the first controller to communicate via the first communication link over a first channel, the communication supervisor configured to direct the second controller to communicate via the second communication link over a second channel, the communication supervisor operable to direct the first and second communication controllers to coordinate timing of communications respectively with the first and second portable devices, the communication supervisor configured to coordinate timing of a first communication with the first portable device relative to a second communication with the second portable device;
a plurality of sensor devices, each of the plurality of sensor devices configured to obtain a sensed characteristic with respect to communications transmitted via the first communication link and the second communication link, wherein the communication supervisor directs the plurality of sensors to obtain the sensed characteristic for communications with the first device during the first time period and associate the sensed characteristic obtained during the first time period with the first device, and wherein the communication supervisor directs the plurality of sensors to obtain the sensed characteristic for communications with the second device during the second time period and associate the sensed characteristic obtained during the second time period with the second device; and
a locator operable to determine location information about the first portable device based on the sensed characteristic obtained with respect to communications on the first communication link, the locator operable to determine location information about the second portable device based on the sensed characteristic obtained with respect to communications on the second communication link.
18 . The system of claim 17 wherein the first controller is operable to receive communications via the first communication link over the first channel, and wherein the second controller is operable to receive communications via the second communication link over the second channel, whereby communications with the first and second portable device involves receiving communications respectively via the first and second communication links.
19 . The system of claim 18 wherein the first controller is operable to transmit communications via the first communication link over the first channel, and wherein the second controller is operable to transmit communications via the second communication link over the second channel, whereby communications with the first and second portable device involves receiving and transmitting communications respectively via the first and second communication links.
20 . The system of claim 17 wherein the first and second channel correspond to Ultra-wide band channels.
21 . The system of claim 17 wherein the first and second channel are based on Bluetooth or Bluetooth Low Energy communication channels.
22 . The system of claim 17 wherein the communication supervisor coordinates at least one of connection event timing and channel selection conducted by the first and second controllers.
23 . The system of claim 17 wherein at least one of the first controller and the communication supervisor is configured to direct a transfer of the first communication link from the first controller to another controller to enable the other controller to communicate with the first portable device via the first communication channel of the first communication link.
24 . The system of claim 17 wherein the first communication with the first portable device is communicated to the first controller via the first communication link over the first channel, and wherein the second communication with the second portable device is communicated to the second controller via the second communication link over the second channel.