Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Other

David Cyganski

R James Duckworth

William R Michalson

John A Orr

Benzun Wisely Babu

Antti E Koski

Vincent Thomas Amendolare

A ranging and tracking system and method employs a Coherent Array Reconciliation Tomography (CART) approach that benefits from a series of samples gathered from deployed receivers in an area of interest, and applies a sequence of matrix operations and transformations to data defining locations in a Cartesian grid space for summing constructive characteristics in a received waveform for identifying a leading edge indicative of a time of arrival (TOA) from a signal source, and computing a metric based on the distance to the signal source. Sampled waveform information (data) from multiple locations in the area of interest allows computation of a likelihood metric for each location in the grid space of containing the signal source. Rendering of the grid space location having the highest likelihood metric illustrates a position of the signal source, and may be graphically depicted clustering of the locations depicting a high likelihood.

Locating and ranging using coherent array reconciliation tomography

An indoor localization system uses Visual Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (VSLAM) aided by gyroscope sensor information. Indoor environments pose several challenges which could cause a vision only system to fail due to tracking errors. Investigation revealed significant feature loss in a vision only system when traversing plain walls, windows and staircases. However, the addition of a gyroscope helps in handling such difficult conditions by providing additional rotational information. A portable system consisting of an Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) and a stereo camera has been developed for indoor mapping. The images and gyroscope rates acquired by the system are stored and post-processed using Gyroscope Assisted Scalable Visual Simultaneous Localization and Mapping Algorithm.

Gyroscope assisted scalable visual simultaneous localization and mapping

Systems and methods for locating an object are disclosed herein. The locator system includes a plurality of reference units and a processor in communication with the reference units. The reference units are positioned about a region in which a mobile unit is located, and each reference unit includes a transceiver for transmitting and receiving a transaction-based location signal to and from the mobile unit. The processor is configured for estimating time offsets between the mobile unit and reference units and aligning the transaction-based location signals from the reference units by removing the time offsets. The processor is further configured for collectively processing data representative of the aligned location signals based on a plurality of potential locations to identify at least one of the potential locations as a likely mobile unit location.

Precision location method and system

A method for locating a transmitter using a receiver which include, but are not limited to the steps of transmitting a plurality of distinctive and orthogonally polarized signals from a transmitter; receiving the transmitted signals at a pair of separated antennas; demodulating the distinctive orthogonal signals received at each of the pair of separated antennas; and determining a direction to the transmitter from the signals received at the pair of antennas. The system for determining the location of a transmitter using a receiver includes, but is not limited to, having a transmitter adapted for orthogonally transmitting a plurality of distinctive signals; a receiver having a pair of separated antennas for receiving the orthogonally transmitted signals; separate demodulators in the receiver for each antenna of the pair of separated antennas for demodulating the distinctive signals; and signal processing circuitry in the receiver adapted for using the demodulated distinctive signals for determining a direction to the transmitter.

Search and rescue method and system

Methods and systems that use the time-wise stability of RF location systems and the short time accuracy and spatial stability of inertial tracking system to increase the accuracy of tracking method.

Enhanced RF location methods and systems

Systems and methods are described herein for determining the location of a transmitter by jointly and collectively processing the full sampled signal data from a plurality of receivers to form a single solution.

Precision location methods and systems

The invention relates to a method of signal analysis that determines the location of a transmitter and to devices that implement the method. The method includes receiving by at least three receivers, from a transmitter, a first continuous-time signal having a first channel. The first channel includes a first plurality of signal carriers having known relative initial phases and having known frequencies which are periodically spaced and which are orthogonal to one another within a first frequency range. The signal analysis method also includes determining the phase shifts of the carriers of the first channel resulting from the distance the carriers traveled in reaching the first receiver. Analysis of the phase shifts yields time difference of arrival information amongst the receivers, which is further processed to determine the location of the transmitter.

Growing community of inventors

Holden, MA, United States of America

David Cyganski