A robotic mapping and tracking system including a robot and boundary posts are disclosed. The robot includes an ultrasonic transmitter, a processor and a camera component. The boundary posts are configured to be placed adjacent to a boundary of a working region. Each boundary post of the plurality of boundary posts includes an ultrasonic receiver. Time-of-flights of the ultrasonic waves are measured to identify distances in between the robot and boundary posts. The camera component of the robot captures an image of an environment of the robot. The processor of the robot analyzes the image of the environment and identifies at least a portion of the working region in front of the robot from the image. The processor of the robot determines a moving route based on the identified portion of the working region in front of the robot and the distances in between the robot and the boundary posts.

A detection system for detecting an electrical discharge in an electrical apparatus includes a first sensing device that senses an acoustic wave and an electromagnetic wave and generates a first combined signal. A signal processing device processes the first combined signal and determines the occurrence and properties of an electrical discharge.

A detection system for detecting an electrical discharge in an electrical apparatus includes a first sensing device that senses an acoustic wave and an electromagnetic wave and generates a first combined signal. A signal processing device processes the first combined signal and determines the occurrence and properties of an electrical discharge.

A system and methods for estimating the location of a mobile device are disclosed. In accordance with one embodiment, a mobile device receives, at a first time t.sub.1, a wireless electromagnetic signal, where the wireless electromagnetic signal comprises a first identifier that identifies a first beacon that transmitted the wireless electromagnetic signal. The mobile device receives, at a second time t.sub.2, t.sub.2>t.sub.1, an ultrasound signal lacking an identification of the source of the ultrasound signal. A time difference of arrival (TODA) t.sub.2−t.sub.1 is compared to a maximum TDOA. A location of the mobile device is estimated based on the TDOA only when the TDOA is less than or equal to the maximum TDOA.

Dual channel wireless communication system for monitoring and/or control of a machine (112), such as a press brake, by a remote interface device (10, 12) that communicates data with a machine controller (18) over two channels CH1, CH2 in parallel. Also, a system and method to determine whether a remote interface device (10, 12) is within a range or zone of a machine (112) that the remote interface device wirelessly monitors and/or controls, uses an ultrasound transmitter-receiver arrangement (100, 102) and an electromagnetic (EM) transmitter-receiver arrangement (104, 106, 108, 110) to determine difference in ultrasound and EM time of flight and therefore whether or not the remote interface device is permitted to monitor and/or control the machine or is within range to monitor and/or control the machine.

Dual channel wireless communication system for monitoring and/or control of a machine (112), such as a press brake, by a remote interface device (10, 12) that communicates data with a machine controller (18) over two channels CH1, CH2 in parallel. Also, a system and method to determine whether a remote interface device (10, 12) is within a range or zone of a machine (112) that the remote interface device wirelessly monitors and/or controls, uses an ultrasound transmitter-receiver arrangement (100, 102) and an electromagnetic (EM) transmitter-receiver arrangement (104, 106, 108, 110) to determine difference in ultrasound and EM time of flight and therefore whether or not the remote interface device is permitted to monitor and/or control the machine or is within range to monitor and/or control the machine.

A method includes recording a first timestamp of a detection of an event with a first array of an array of light sensors or an array of acoustic sensors. The array of light sensors and the array of acoustic sensors are mounted on a same chassis. The method further includes determining a direction of the event, based on the detection with the first array; recording a second timestamp of a detection of the event by a second array of the array of light sensors or the array of audio sensors; determining a distance of the event from the arrays of light and audio sensors, based on the first timestamp and the second timestamp; and controlling a vehicle, based on the event, the vehicle including the chassis.

A method includes recording a first timestamp of a detection of an event with a first array of an array of light sensors or an array of acoustic sensors. The array of light sensors and the array of acoustic sensors are mounted on a same chassis. The method further includes determining a direction of the event, based on the detection with the first array; recording a second timestamp of a detection of the event by a second array of the array of light sensors or the array of audio sensors; determining a distance of the event from the arrays of light and audio sensors, based on the first timestamp and the second timestamp; and controlling a vehicle, based on the event, the vehicle including the chassis.

A range-finding and/or object-positioning system comprises one or more target devices; one or more reference devices communicating with said one or more target devices via one or more wireless signal sets, each wireless signal set comprising at least a first-speed signal having a first transmission speed and a second-speed signal having a second transmission speed, and the first transmission speed being higher than the second transmission speed; and at least one processing unit performing actions for determining at least one distance between one target device and one reference device based on the time difference between the receiving time of the first-speed signal and the receiving time of the second-speed signal of the wireless signal set communicated between said reference and target devices.

A range-finding and/or object-positioning system comprises one or more target devices; one or more reference devices communicating with said one or more target devices via one or more wireless signal sets, each wireless signal set comprising at least a first-speed signal having a first transmission speed and a second-speed signal having a second transmission speed, and the first transmission speed being higher than the second transmission speed; and at least one processing unit performing actions for determining at least one distance between one target device and one reference device based on the time difference between the receiving time of the first-speed signal and the receiving time of the second-speed signal of the wireless signal set communicated between said reference and target devices.