An imaging system for accurately determining a pointing direction of a directional antenna, which comprises a digital camera for capturing an elevation-view image of surroundings of a rotatable directional antenna, where the camera is suitably connected to the antenna such that the field of view of the camera is parallel to a primary transmission direction of the antenna; a processing unit for receiving and processing image data generated by the camera; and an input device for selecting a landmark that is visible in the captured image. The processing unit is operable to determine a true azimuth of the selected landmark, sufficiently process the image data so as to output therefrom an angle in plan view from the antenna to the landmark, and to combine the output angle to the true azimuth of the selected landmark to determine a pointing direction of the antenna.

Techniques described herein, which may provide for a location determination of a mobile device, can also provide for the determination of a viewing direction of a user of the mobile device. In particular, a user can wear a head-mountable apparatus with one or more light sensors configured to detect light from one or more modulated light sources. Using this information, not only may a location of the head-mountable apparatus be determined, but also an orientation, which can enable a determination of an approximate direction the user is looking.

Disclosed is an interactive spatial orientation method and system. The method includes: sequentially scanning, by a scanning apparatus, a receiving apparatus in a first direction and a second direction perpendicular to each other; converting, by the receiving apparatus, received optical signals generated from the first scanning and the second scanning into radio waves carrying results of the first scanning and the second scanning, and transferring the radio waves to a processing apparatus; synthesizing, by the processing apparatus, the results of the first scanning and the second scanning to obtain six degrees of freedom information of the receiving apparatus. The system includes a scanning apparatus; a receiving apparatus; and a processing apparatus.

Disclosed are methods, systems, devices, apparatus, computer-/processor-readable media, and other implementations, including a method to process one or more light-based signals that includes determining mobile device data and coarse previous field-of-view (FOV) data representative of pixels of a light-capture device of a mobile device that detected light-based signals from at least one light device located in an area where the mobile device is located, determining, based on the mobile device data and the coarse previous FOV data, predicted one or more pixels of the light-capture device of the mobile device likely to receive light signals from one or more light devices, in the area where the mobile device is located, capable of emitting one or more light-based communications, and activating the predicted one or more pixels of the light-capture device.

An optical navigation system comprising a camera oriented to face towards a plurality of markers located at spaced apart locations from the camera, calculating means adapted to calculate an angle subtended between pairs of markers, the subtended angles being calculated by monitoring the pixel locations of the markers in a series of images captured by the camera, the optical navigation system additionally comprising means for creating a three-dimensional model whereby the location of the camera relative to the markers is determined by triangulating the subtended angles in the three-dimensional model.

One innovation includes an imaging device having an image sensor, a lens having a movable optical element, and an actuator operative to move the one optical element to a plurality of lens positions. The imaging device further includes an electronic display, a power source electrically coupled to the camera system and to the display, the power source (e.g., voltage regulator) configured to provide power to the display and the camera system, a memory circuit configured to store information representing an actuator control value that corresponds to a low-power focus position, and an electronic hardware processor coupled to the memory circuit, the actuator and the electronic display. The processor may retrieve the actuator control value from the memory circuit and controls the actuator to move the optical element to the lens position that corresponds to the low-power focus position when the camera system is in a deactivated state.

A method and apparatus for ranging finding of signal transmitting devices is provided. The method of signal reception is digitally based only and does not require receivers that are analog measurement devices. Ranging can be achieved using a single pulse emitting device operating in range spaced relation with a minimum of a single signal transmitter and a single digital receiver and processing circuitry. In general a plurality of transmitting pulsed emitters may be ranged and positioned virtually simultaneously in 3-dimensions (XYZ coordinates) using a configuration of a plurality of digital receivers arranged in any fixed 3-dimensional configuration. Applications may involve at least one single transmitter to receiver design to determine range, or at least one transmitted reflecting signal off from an object to determine range.

Systems, methods, mobile computing devices and computer-readable media are described herein relating to light-based positioning. In various embodiments, light sources (106) may be commissioned to selectively energize one or more LEDs (520) to emit light carrying a coded light signal. The coded light signal may convey information about a location of a lighting effect (102) projected by the one or more LEDs onto a surface (104). In various embodiments, mobile computing devices (100) such as smart phones or tablets may detect these coded light signals from the lighting effects and/or from the light sources, extract the location information, and utilize it to determine their locations within an environment.

Systems and methods that provide a framework for location tracking of a movable target component or device (e.g., an automated device or a hand-operated device) to accurately cover an area of interest along a specified path or in a specified region. Grid patterns are projected onto a surface of a workpiece or a part. The projected grid lines may be straight or curved. Straight grid lines can be parallel or intersecting. The grid pattern may include a path to be followed. The lines of the projected grid pattern are detected by a grid detection sensor which is mounted onboard the movable target component or device. Information from the grid detection sensor is fed to a location mapping program. The systems and methods also enable navigation for use in automated and autonomous manufacturing and maintenance operations, as well as other tracking-based applications.

A method and apparatus for ranging finding of signal transmitting devices is provided. The method of signal reception is digitally based only and does not require receivers that are analog measurement devices. Ranging can be achieved using a single pulse emitting device operating in range spaced relation with a minimum of a single signal transmitter and a single digital receiver and processing circuitry. In general a plurality of transmitting pulsed emitters may be ranged and positioned virtually simultaneously in 3-dimensions (XYZ coordinates) using a configuration of a plurality of digital receivers arranged in any fixed 3-dimensional configuration. Applications may involve at least one single transmitter to receiver design to determine range, or at least one transmitted reflecting signal off from an object to determine range.