Acoustical system and method for simultaneously locating and tracking multiple personnel in rooms of a building

Abstract

A radio frequency (RF) sync pulse is transmitted throughout a building having a plurality of rooms to be traversed by a plurality of players during, for example, an assault training exercise. Ultra-sound pulses are transmitted from fixed piezoelectric transducers mounted at each corner of each room. The ultra-sound pulses with encoded room identity information are generated in a predetermined timed sequence by different ultra-sound transducers after each RF sync pulse. Each player carries an RF receiver for receiving the RF sync pulses. Each player also carries multiple microphones for receiving the ultra-sound pulses transmitted in a room in which the player is currently located. Timing circuitry carried by each player generates signals representative of the delays between each RF sync pulse and the receipt of each of the ultra-sound pulses sequentially received thereafter. Each player carries an RF transmitter for transmitting an RF tracking signal representing an identity of the room an identity of the player and the respective delays that each ultra-sound pulse is received after each RF sync pulse. A control facility receives all of the RF tracking signals from all of the players and determines each player's current position within one of the rooms based upon the room identity code and the delays that each ultra-sound pulse is received after each RF sync pulse for each player. The control facility displays the identity and current location of each player as each player moves within the rooms and moves from room to room. The azimuth and elevation of each player along with the articulation of a weapon held by each player can also be determined and displayed.