IP Library Granted Patent US 7,423,580
Granted Patent B2
US 7,423,580 · App. 11/375,161 · Granted Sep 9, 2008

Method and system of three-dimensional positional finding

Assignee: Invisitrack, Inc.
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,423,580
App. No.
11/375,161
Granted
Sep 9, 2008
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present invention is an RF system and methods for finding a target T in three dimensional space configured to have a transponder disposed on the target T, a monitoring unit configured as a transceiver for determining or monitoring the location of the target T and an RF wireless communication system configured with a processor to repeatedly determine position, communication and other values between the transponder and monitoring unit and so as to generate a measured distance between units in three dimensional space by determining the measured distance of the target T by a spherical virtual triangulation relationship when successive values of said position information has a predetermined logical relationship relative to said previous values between said monitoring unit and transponder and/or slave unit disposed on the target T.

Claims (17)

1. An RF system for finding a target T in three dimensional space,

comprising:

a slave unit disposed on the target T, said slave unit configured as a transponder;

a monitoring unit configured as a transceiver for monitoring the location of the target T;

a wireless communication system, said wireless communication system operating on a Radio Frequency (RF) bandwidth configured to allow communication between said slave and monitoring units, said monitoring unit configured to transmit a ranging signal to said slave unit, said slave unit responding to said ranging signal by transmitting a reply ranging signal, said wireless communication system further comprising:

a processor for determining position information of the target T, said processor in communication with an antenna, said processor being configured to repeatedly determine values for said position information from:

means for determining a transmission interval between said monitoring unit and said slave unit, said transmission interval being an elapsed time between transmitting said ranging signal and receiving said reply ranging signal,

means for determining a calibration interval between each of said monitoring unit and slave unit said calibration interval being a time interval of a period to normalize the circuitry of said monitoring and slave units, and

means for determining an antenna propagation interval of said units, said antenna propagation interval being an elapsed time of a signal measured as it passes through said antenna of said monitoring and slave units,

and

means for generating a measured distance between units in three dimensional space, said distance generating means determining said measured distance of the target T by a spherical virtual triangulation relationship when successive values of said position information has a predetermined logical relationship relative to said previous values between said monitoring unit and slave unit.

2. The system according to claim 1 , wherein said processor configured to determine said spherical virtual triangulation relationship based on said position information values from at least three points P 1 , P 2 and P 3 determined for said target T respective of said monitoring unit, said target T is located utilizing the point of intersection of at least three circles based on values of said position information relating to said points P 1 , P 2 and P 3 , whereby said points P 1 , P 2 and P 3 have circles with radii R 1 , R 2 and R 3 respective of said monitoring unit to said target T.

3. The system according to claim 2 , wherein said processor is configured to determine said spherical virtual triangulation relationship based on measuring the value of each of said points P 1 , P 2 and P 3 not in a straight line relative to said monitoring unit to reduce ambiguity, each measurement of the value of said radii R 1 , R 2 and or R 3 to pinpoint the target T utilizing a position of said monitoring unit.

4. A method for finding a target in three dimensional space, comprising the steps of:

determining three spheres between successive readings between one of a transponder disposed on the target T and a transceiver each operating using radio frequency (RF), said spheres determined by successive readings each having centers that do not lie on one straight line;

numbering three separate points of an intersection of said spheres as equal either to zero or one, or two; and

calculating a position of the target T from the information of said number of points.

Assignments (5)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 3, 2025
From: QUALCOMM TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: QUALCOMM INCORPORATED
Reel/Frame 069817/0688 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 31, 2022
From: POLTE CORPORATION
To: QUALCOMM TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 061362/0242 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Apr 14, 2016
From: INVISITRACK, INC.
To: POLTE CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 038439/0118 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 15, 2011
From: MARKHOVSKY, RUSS; VITYAEV, EVGENII; MIKHIENKO, EVGENII
To: INVISI TRACK, INC.
Reel/Frame 026135/0272 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 27, 2006
From: MARKHOVSKY, RUSS; VITYAEV, EVGENII; MIKHIENKO, EVGENII
To: INVISITRACK, INC.
Reel/Frame 017849/0548 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 6066199400 · Mar 14, 2005
Related Publication 20060256001A1 · Nov 16, 2006