A method for locating a tool in a work space via ultrasound includes associating an ultrasound transmitter to a tool and calculating a position of the tool on the basis of determination of the position of the transmitter. At least three ultrasound receivers for receiving ultrasound signals from the transmitter are set in positions relative to the work space. A calculation of a position of the transmitter includes using a trilateration procedure that includes a change of reference of the positions of the receivers and is carried out to reference them in a second simplified reference system. An unknown point in the second simplified reference system is obtained. A rototranslation of the position of the unknown point obtained from the second simplified reference system is carried out into a first reference system, and a corresponding rototranslation matrix is calculated such that the unknown point is used as position of the transmitter.

A method for locating a tool in a work space via ultrasound includes associating an ultrasound transmitter to a tool and calculating a position of the tool on the basis of determination of the position of the transmitter. At least three ultrasound receivers for receiving ultrasound signals from the transmitter are set in positions relative to the work space. A calculation of a position of the transmitter includes using a trilateration procedure that includes a change of reference of the positions of the receivers and is carried out to reference them in a second simplified reference system. An unknown point in the second simplified reference system is obtained. A rototranslation of the position of the unknown point obtained from the second simplified reference system is carried out into a first reference system, and a corresponding rototranslation matrix is calculated such that the unknown point is used as position of the transmitter.

A tracking system includes a first device and a second device. The second device comprises an optical module, an ultrasonic module and a processor. The optical module is configured to capture image data in a first detection field. The ultrasonic module is configured to collect ultrasonic data in a second detection field different from the first detection field. The processor is configured to determine a relative position of a target device relative to the tracking device in a third detection field according to the image data and the ultrasonic data. The third detection field is larger than the first detection field and larger than the second detection field.

A tracking system includes a first device and a second device. The second device comprises an optical module, an ultrasonic module and a processor. The optical module is configured to capture image data in a first detection field. The ultrasonic module is configured to collect ultrasonic data in a second detection field different from the first detection field. The processor is configured to determine a relative position of a target device relative to the tracking device in a third detection field according to the image data and the ultrasonic data. The third detection field is larger than the first detection field and larger than the second detection field.

A hybrid infrared-ultrasound real time location system includes at least one emitter having an infrared transmitter and a plurality of ultrasound transmitters and at least one tag. The tag receives an infrared signal from the infrared transmitter and ultrasound signals from the ultrasound transmitters. The time between the time-of-arrival of the IR signal and the time-of-arrival of each ultrasound signal is calculated and used to measure the respective time-of-flight of each of the US transmissions from the US transmitters to the tag and compute location.

A positioning system and method thereof are provided in this disclosure. The positioning method includes steps of: emitting a radiation from a first electronic apparatus to a second electronic apparatus and starting to accumulate a time count; sensing the radiation on the second electronic apparatus and sending a first ultrasonic signal from the second electronic apparatus to the first electronic apparatus; sensing the first ultrasonic signal by a plurality of ultrasound sensors on the first electronic apparatus and calculating a plurality of first time periods started from the radiation is emitted until the first ultrasonic signal is sensed by the ultrasound sensors; calculating a plurality of first relative distances between the ultrasound sensors and a first ultrasound emitter on the second electronic apparatus; and locating a first relative position of the second electronic apparatus relative to the first electronic apparatus according to the first relative distances.

A tracking system includes a first device and a second device. The first device includes plural ultrasonic sources and an inertial measurement unit configured to detect inertial data. The second device includes at least one ultrasonic receiver and a processor. The processor is configured to receive the inertial data, estimate an orientation of the first device according to the received inertial data, determine a first ultrasonic transmitter from the ultrasonic transmitters according to the orientation of the first device and a location of the first device, and send an enablement command about the first ultrasonic transmitter to the first device. The enabled transmitter of the ultrasonic transmitters sends ultrasounds according to the enablement command, the at least one ultrasonic receiver is configured to receive the ultrasounds from the first ultrasonic transmitter, and the processor determines the location of the first device according to the received ultrasounds.

A tracking system includes a first device and a second device. The first device includes plural ultrasonic sources and an inertial measurement unit configured to detect inertial data. The second device includes at least one ultrasonic receiver and a processor. The processor is configured to receive the inertial data, estimate an orientation of the first device according to the received inertial data, determine a first ultrasonic transmitter from the ultrasonic transmitters according to the orientation of the first device and a location of the first device, and send an enablement command about the first ultrasonic transmitter to the first device. The enabled transmitter of the ultrasonic transmitters sends ultrasounds according to the enablement command, the at least one ultrasonic receiver is configured to receive the ultrasounds from the first ultrasonic transmitter, and the processor determines the location of the first device according to the received ultrasounds.

Disclosed are devices suitable for connection to a light fixture, that in some embodiments are useful as components of a network and/or position-determining system.

Disclosed are devices suitable for connection to a light fixture, that in some embodiments are useful as components of a network and/or position-determining system.