Intrasonics S.a.r.l.

Intrasonics Limited

Omnisense Limited

U-blox Ag

Scientific Generics Limited

Sagentia Limited

David Bartlett

Michael Raymond Reynolds

Peter John Kelly

Aled Wynne Jones

Daniel Reginald Ewart Timson

Ian Michael Hosking

Robert John Morland

Alan Michael Hart

Nicolas Vasilopolous

Donald Glenn Guy

Paul Smith

Nicolas Vasilopoulos

Andy Thurman

Scott Hommel

David Alexander Butler

Peter Duffett-Smith

Paul Joseph Bearpark

Andrew Michael Rhodes

Peter Duffet-Smith

Daniel R E Timson

A method is provided whereby a group of receivers local to one another make GNSS measurements of a number of satellites, from one or multiple different GNSS's, and by combining the measurements of the same satellites made by the different receivers it is possible given sufficient conditions to determine the positions of the receivers and the satellite errors such that the positions obtained are equivalent to those obtained from a traditional differential GNSS system, without the need for a static reference receiver at a known location.

Positioning systems

We describe a device that is able to compute its range and time offset relative to another similar device, and thereby also a three-dimensional position, speed and time relative to other similar devices provided that at least four are present and within range. It does so by transmitting at least two signals at different frequencies and by receiving similar signals transmitted by the other devices. The signals are constructed so that they are independent of the radio band used and so that they lead to cancellation of common-mode effects in the transmitter and receiver circuits. No fixed infrastructure of transmitters, receivers or local measurement units is required and the devices do not need to be synchronized. The system scales to very large networks of devices in which they work collectively each solving a part of the problem that describes the relative positions of all interconnected devices.

There is described a communication system in which data is received by and/or transmitted to a telecommunications apparatus using an acoustic data channel. In embodiments, the data is encoded within the audio track of a media broadcast or other public broadcast. The invention has particular, but not exclusive, relevance to a cellular communication system. There are also described acoustic position detection systems for determining the position of a telecommunications apparatus.

Communication system

A tag transmits signals having at least two different frequency components. The signals are receivable by at least some of a plurality of spaced receivers. Each receiver, in response to receiving a signal, measures respective phases of the first and second frequency components and a frequency offset between the tag and the receiver. The frequency offset is dependent upon a difference in frequencies of respective clocks in the tag and the receiver. A position processor obtains a difference in phases of the first and second frequency components for a signal, a frequency offset between the receiver and tag and determines the position of the tag in dependence upon the difference between respective phases of the first and second frequency components and in dependence upon the frequency offset.

Determining a position of a tag

Communication system for receiving and transmitting data using an acoustic data channel

A signalling system is provided which can be used to update the prices of goods which are electronically displayed on supermarket shelves (). The signalling system comprises a first signalling device having an input terminal for receiving electrical message data received from a central computer system (), a spread spectrum encoder for encoding the received message data and an electroacoustic converter () for converting the encoded data into corresponding acoustic signals and for transmitting the acoustic signals into a transmission medium. The signalling system also comprises a second signalling device () having means for receiving acoustic signals from said transmission medium and for converting the received acoustic signals into corresponding electrical signals, a spread spectrum decoder for decoding the received signals and a message regenerator for regenerating the message data transmitted by the first signalling device from the signals output by the decoder.

Acoustic communication system

There is described a number of encoders for encoding a data signal within an audio signal. In some of the encoders, the audio signal is separated into a tonal part and a residual part, and the data signal is shaped based on the residual part. In other encoders, the data signal is separated into a tonal part and a residual part, and the data signal is combined with the audio signal independence upon the residual part. In other encoders, the rate at which the data is encoded within the audio signal is varied in dependence upon the audio signal. There are also described various decoders associated with the described encoders.

System and method for shaping a data signal for embedding within an audio signal

The present invention provides a tracking system in which a mobile tag having an unknown position, which tag is to be tracked in space over time, transmits a signal comprising a pair of tones at different frequencies. The transmitted signal is received at each of three receivers, each having a known location, where the phase of each of the tones within the signal is measured. The measured phases are passed to a processing unit which determines the position of the tag at the time of transmission of the signal on the basis of the difference between the measured phases of the two tones. The tracking system operates over a defined finite range to track the position of the mobile tag uniquely in space.

Tag tracking

A position determining system in which a mobile tag having an unknown position is tracked in space over time. In use, the mobile tag either transmits or receives signals including a pair of tones at different frequencies from a number of base stations having known locations. The phase of each of the received signals is then measured and the measured phases are then passed to a processing unit which determines the position of the tag at the time of the transmission of the signals on the basis of the difference between the measured phases of the two tones. In one embodiment, this system is combined with a conventional phase-based position measurement which is derived from phase measurements of similar tones transmitted between the mobile tag and different base stations.

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Harston, United Kingdom

David Bartlett