IP Library Granted Patent US 10,917,755
Granted Patent B2
US 10,917,755 · App. 16/844,824 · Granted Feb 9, 2021

Object tracking using a cognitive heterogeneous ad hoc mesh network

Inventors: Matthew David Perdew (Anchorage, AK); Ryan Scott Luther (Tacoma, WA)
Assignee: QUIXOTIC HOLDINGS LLC
H04W4/029H04B7/18504H04B7/18506H04W4/023H04W4/027H04W4/06H04W4/40H04W40/22H04W84/12H04W84/18
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,917,755
App. No.
16/844,824
Granted
Feb 9, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

Embodiments described herein are directed to a tracking objects using a cognitive heterogeneous ad hoc mesh network. Participant objects transmit notification signals to inform other participant objects in line-of-sight of their position and movement. The participants also utilize echoes of the notification signals to detect and estimate the position and movement of non-participant objects. Participant objects can then share this positional information with one another to refine the estimated position and movement of non-participant objects. The position of each other participant and non-participant object is updated based on an individualized update rate that dynamically changes based on the distance and velocity of closure between the participant and the other participant or non-participant object.

Claims (110)

1. A system, comprising:

a transmitter;

a receiver;

a memory that stores computer instructions; and

a processor that executes the computer instructions to perform actions, including:

determining positional information of a first mobile participant;

transmitting, via the transmitter, a line-of-sight notification signal that includes the positional information of the first mobile participant;

receiving, via the receiver and from the notification signal bouncing off an object, an echo signal that includes the positional information of the first mobile participant; and

determining a position of the object based on first object positional information using the received echo signal;

determining an accuracy of the determined position of the object;

requesting second object positional information of the object from a second mobile participant when the accuracy is below a threshold value;

receiving the second object positional information of the object from the second mobile participant; and

determining an updated position of the object based on a combination of the first and second object positional information.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the positional information of the first mobile participant includes a position and kinematic information of the first mobile participant.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the processor executes the computer instructions to perform further actions, comprising:

providing the updated position of the object to the second mobile participant.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the processor executes the computer instructions to perform further actions, comprising:

receiving a request for third object positional information of the object from the second mobile participant to update a position of the object determined by the second mobile participant; and

providing the determined position of the object to the second mobile participant as the third object positional information.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the processor executes the computer instructions to perform further actions, comprising:

receiving a request for positioning information of the object from a third mobile participant; and

providing the updated position of the object to the third mobile participant.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the processor executes the computer instructions to perform further actions, comprising:

setting an update rate for updating the determined position of the object;

determining a distance and a velocity of closure between the object and the first mobile participant based on the determined position of the object and the positional information of the first mobile participant;

modifying the update rate to update the determined position of the object based on a combination of the distance and the velocity of closure; and

determining an updated position of the object at the modified update rate.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the processor executes the computer instructions to perform further actions, comprising:

determining a relationship between a distance and a velocity of closure between the object and the first mobile participant based on the determined position of the object and the positional information of the first mobile participant;

increasing an update rate to update the determined position of the object at a higher rate in response to the relationship exceeding a first threshold,

decreasing the update rate to update the determined position of the object at a lower rate in response to the relationship being less than a second threshold; and

determining an updated position of the object based on the update rate.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the processor executes the computer instructions to perform further actions, comprising:

transmitting, via the transmitter, a second notification signal having the positional information of the first mobile participant;

receiving, via the receiver and from the second notification signal bouncing off the object, a second echo signal having the positional information of the first mobile participant; and

updating the determined position of the object based on the second echo signal.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the processor executes the computer instructions to perform further actions, comprising:

setting an update rate for updating the determined position of the object;

modifying the update rate to update the determined position of the object based on at least one of the following:

a distance between the object and the first mobile participant,

a velocity of closure between the object and the first mobile participant,

a probability of crossing trajectories between the object and the first mobile participant,

a maneuverability of the object,

a maneuverability of the first mobile participant, or

one or more environmental conditions associated with the object and the first mobile participant; and

updating the determined position of the object based on the modified update rate.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the processor executes the computer instructions to perform further actions, comprising:

determining an updated accuracy of the updated position of the object;

increasing an update rate when the updated accuracy is below the threshold value;

decreasing the update rate when the updated accuracy is above the threshold value; and

updating the determined position of the object based on the update rate.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the processor executes the computer instructions to perform further actions, comprising:

performing a maneuver based on the determined position of the object with respect to the positional information of the first mobile participant.

12. The system of claim 1 , wherein determining the position of the object includes:

identifying a time-of-flight value from sending the notification signal to receiving the echo signal;

identifying an angle-of-arrival value of the echo signal; and

determining the position of the object relative to the first mobile participant based on the time-of-flight value and the angle-of-arrival value.

13. A method, comprising:

determining, by a computing device, positional information of a first mobile participant;

transmitting, by the computing device, a line-of-sight notification signal that includes the positional information of the first mobile participant;

receiving, by the computing device and from the notification signal bouncing off an object, an echo signal that includes the positional information of the first mobile participant; and

determining, by the computing device, a position of the object based on first object positional information using the received echo signal;

determining, by the computing device, an accuracy of the determined position of the object;

requesting, by the computing device, second object positional information of the object from a second mobile participant when the accuracy is below a threshold value;

receiving, by the computing device, the second object positional information of the object from the second mobile participant; and

determining, by the computing device, an updated position of the object based on a combination of the first and second object positional information.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:

setting, by the computing device, an update rate for updating the determined position of the object;

determining, by the computing device, a distance and a velocity of closure between the object and the first mobile participant based on the determined position of the object and the positional information of the first mobile participant;

modifying, by the computing device, the update rate to update the determined position of the object based on a combination of the distance and the velocity of closure; and

determining, by the computing device, an updated position of the object at the modified update rate.

15. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:

determining, by the computing device, a relationship between a distance and a velocity of closure between the object and the first mobile participant based on the determined position of the object and the positional information of the first mobile participant;

increasing, by the computing device, an update rate to update the determined position of the object at a higher rate in response to the relationship exceeding a first threshold,

decreasing, by the computing device, the update rate to update the determined position of the object at a lower rate in response to the relationship being less than a second threshold; and

determining, by the computing device, an updated position of the object based on the update rate.

16. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:

setting, by the computing device, an update rate for updating the determined position of the object;

modifying, by the computing device, the update rate to update the determined position of the object based on at least one of the following:

a distance between the object and the first mobile participant,

a velocity of closure between the object and the first mobile participant,

a probability of crossing trajectories between the object and the first mobile participant,

a maneuverability of the object,

a maneuverability of the first mobile participant, or

one or more environmental conditions associated with the object and the first mobile participant; and

updating, by the computing device, the determined position of the object based on the modified update rate.

17. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:

determining, by the computing device, an updated accuracy of the updated position of the object;

increasing, by the computing device, an update rate when the updated accuracy is below the threshold value;

decreasing, by the computing device, the update rate when the updated accuracy is above the threshold value; and

updating, by the computing device, the determined position of the object based on the update rate.

18. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored computing instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:

determine positional information of a first mobile participant;

transmit a line-of-sight notification signal that includes the positional information of the first mobile participant;

receive, from the notification signal bouncing off an object, an echo signal that includes the positional information of the first mobile participant; and

determine a position of the object based on first object positional information using the received echo signal;

determine an accuracy of the determined position of the object;

request second object positional information of the object from a second mobile participant when the accuracy is below a threshold value;

receive the second object positional information of the object from the second mobile participant; and

determine an updated position of the object based on a combination of the first and second object positional information.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18 , wherein the computing instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the at least one processor to:

determine a relationship between a distance and a velocity of closure between the object and the first mobile participant based on the determined position of the object and the positional information of the first mobile participant;

increase an update rate to update the determined position of the object at a higher rate in response to the relationship exceeding a first threshold,

decrease the update rate to update the determined position of the object at a lower rate in response to the relationship being less than a second threshold; and

determine an updated position of the object based on the update rate.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18 , wherein the computing instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the at least one processor to:

determine an updated accuracy of the updated position of the object;

increase an update rate when the updated accuracy is below the threshold value;

decrease the update rate when the updated accuracy is above the threshold value; and

update the determined position of the object based on the update rate.

Assignments (5)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Dec 13, 2022
From: QUIXOTIC HOLDINGS, LLC
To: SUSQUEHANNA PRIVATE EQUITY INVESTMENTS, LLLP
Reel/Frame 062070/0426 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 22, 2022
From: PERDEW, MATTHEW DAVID
To: QUIXOTIC HOLDINGS, LLC
Reel/Frame 059345/0033 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 7, 2021
From: PERDEW, MATTHEW DAVID
To: QUIXOTIC HOLDINGS, LLC
Reel/Frame 057734/0657 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 17, 2021
From: PERDEW, MATTHEW DAVID
To: QUIXOTIC HOLDINGS, LLC
Reel/Frame 057520/0127 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 17, 2021
From: LUTHER, RYAN SCOTT
To: QUIXOTIC HOLDINGS, LLC
Reel/Frame 057520/0157 →
Continuity (4)
Division 16203270 · Nov 28, 2018
Continuation 15892259 · Feb 8, 2018
Provisional Application 62467572 · Mar 6, 2017
Related Publication 20200236510A1 · Jul 23, 2020