IP Library Granted Patent US 10,505,630
Granted Patent B2
US 10,505,630 · App. 15/810,286 · Granted Dec 10, 2019

Determining position via multiple cameras and VLC technology

Inventors: Thomas Alexander Knapp (Cleveland, OH); Colin Drew McKibben (East Cleveland, OH); Philip James Ellis (Willoughby, OH)
Assignee: CURRENT LIGHTING SOLUTIONS, LLC
H04B10/116
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,505,630
App. No.
15/810,286
Granted
Dec 10, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

A position determination system is disclosed, which comprises a mobile device comprising at least two transducers, wherein each transducer is operably connected to at least one single board processor; and a plurality of markers, each associated with a position of an area of interest, the plurality of markers at least one of: operable to transmit signals recognizable by the at least two transducers, and comprising at least one feature recognizable by the at least two transducers.

Claims (32)

1. A position determination system, comprising:

a mobile device comprising at least two transducers each mounted to an adjustable carrier, wherein each transducer is operably connected to at least one single board processor; and

a plurality of markers, each associated with a position of an area of interest, the plurality of markers at least one of: operable to transmit signals recognizable by the at least two transducers, and comprising at least one feature recognizable by the at least two transducers.

2. The position determination system of claim 1 , wherein the at least two transducers comprise an array of cameras.

3. The position determination system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of markers comprises a plurality of light fixtures.

4. The position determination system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of markers comprises a plurality of modulators for modulating the light fixtures.

5. The position determination system of claim 1 , further comprising at least one router configured to wirelessly communicate with the at least one single board processor and to receive position data associated with the mobile device.

6. The position determination system of claim 1 , further comprising a materials management computer configured to wirelessly communicate with the router and to receive position data associated with the mobile device.

7. The position determination system of claim 1 , wherein the mobile device is at least one of mounted to a movable machine or carried by a user.

8. The position determination system of claim 1 , wherein the mobile device further comprises at least one motor operably connected to at least one transducer and configured to adjust a sensing angle of the at least one transducer.

9. The position determination system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one single board processor includes instructions for determining the position of the mobile device based on data provided by the at least two transducers.

10. The position determination system of claim 1 , wherein the at least two transducers comprise an array of acoustic detectors and the plurality of markers comprises a plurality of acoustic transmitters.

11. The position determination system of claim 1 , wherein the at least two transducers comprise an array of thermal signature detectors and the plurality of markers comprises a plurality of thermal transmitters.

12. A mobile device assembly, comprising:

a mobile device comprising at least two transducers each mounted to an adjustable carrier, the at least two transducers for recognizing a plurality of markers via recognizable feature of the markers or signals transmitted from the markers, and

at least two single board processors operably connected to at least two transducers respectively.

13. The mobile device assembly of claim 12 , wherein the at least two transducers comprise an array of cameras.

14. The mobile device assembly of claim 12 , wherein the markers are enabled to produce recognizable feature or transmit signals by at least two modulators.

15. The mobile device assembly of claim 12 , further comprising at least one motor operably connected to at least one transducer and configured to adjust a sensing angle of the at least one transducer.

16. The mobile device assembly of claim 12 , wherein the at least one single board processor includes instructions for determining the position of the mobile device based on data provided by the at least two transducers.

17. A mobile device assembly of claim 12 , comprising:

a mobile device comprising at least two transducers for recognizing a plurality of markers via recognizable feature of the markers or signals transmitted from the markers,

at least two single board processors operably connected to at least two transducers respectively;

wherein the at least two transducers comprise an array of acoustic detectors and the plurality of markers comprises a plurality of acoustic transmitters.

18. A mobile device assembly, comprising:

a mobile device comprising at least two transducers for recognizing a plurality of markers via recognizable feature of the markers or signals transmitted from the markers,

at least two single board processors operably connected to at least two transducers respectively;

wherein the at least two transducers comprise an array of thermal signature detectors and the plurality of markers comprises a plurality of thermal transmitters.

19. A positioning method of a mobile device comprising at least two transducers each mounted to an adjustable carrier, the method comprising:

recognizing signals or a feature of at least one marker via the at least two transducers each mounted to an adjustable carrier; and

decoding the signals or the feature via one or more single board processors of the mobile device to receive a position of the mobile device.

20. The positioning method of claim 19 , comprising moving the transducers via the adjustable carriers when the position of the mobile device is not received.

Assignments (11)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE PATENT NUMBER PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 059034 FRAME: 0469. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE SECURITY INTEREST. Recorded Jan 25, 2024
From: HUBBELL LIGHTING, INC.; LITECONTROL CORPORATION; CURRENT LIGHTING SOLUTIONS, LLC; DAINTREE NETWORKS INC.; FORUM, INC.
To: ATLANTIC PARK STRATEGIC CAPITAL FUND, L.P., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 066372/0590 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE PATENT NUMBER 10841994 TO PATENT NUMBER 11570872 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 058982 FRAME 0844. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE SECURITY AGREEMENT. Recorded Jan 19, 2024
From: HUBBELL LIGHTING, INC.; LITECONTROL CORPORATION; CURRENT LIGHTING SOLUTIONS, LLC; DAINTREE NETWORKS INC.; FORUM, INC.
To: ALLY BANK, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 066355/0455 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 17, 2022
From: ALLY BANK
To: CURRENT LIGHTING SOLUTIONS, LLC; FORUM, INC.
Reel/Frame 059432/0592 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 17, 2022
From: ALLY BANK
To: CURRENT LIGHTING SOLUTIONS, LLC; FORUM, INC.
Reel/Frame 059392/0079 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Feb 11, 2022
From: HUBBELL LIGHTING, INC.; LITECONTROL CORPORATION; CURRENT LIGHTING SOLUTIONS, LLC; DAINTREE NETWORKS INC.; FORUM, INC.
To: ATLANTIC PARK STRATEGIC CAPITAL FUND, L.P., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 059034/0469 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Feb 2, 2022
From: HUBBELL LIGHTING, INC.; LITECONTROL CORPORATION; CURRENT LIGHTING SOLUTIONS, LLC; DAINTREE NEETWORKS INC.; FORUM, INC.
To: ALLY BANK, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 058982/0844 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded May 27, 2020
From: CURRENT LIGHTING SOLUTIONS, LLC
To: ALLY BANK, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 052763/0643 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jun 28, 2019
From: CURRENT LIGHTING SOLUTIONS, LLC
To: ALLY BANK, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 051047/0210 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jun 28, 2019
From: CURRENT LIGHTING SOLUTIONS, LLC
To: ALLY BANK, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 049672/0294 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 3, 2019
From: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
To: CURRENT LIGHTING SOLUTIONS, LLC F/K/A GE LIGHTING SOLUTIONS, LLC
Reel/Frame 048791/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 14, 2017
From: KNAPP, THOMAS ALEXANDER; MCKIBBEN, COLIN DREW; ELLIS, PHILIP JAMES
To: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
Reel/Frame 044114/0194 →