An input device can include a housing defining an internal volume and a lower portion, the lower portion defining an aperture, an input sensor disposed in the internal volume, and a haptic assembly disposed in the internal volume. The haptic assembly can include an actuator and a foot coupled to the actuator and aligned with the aperture. The actuator can be configured to selectively extend the foot through the aperture to vary a sliding resistance of the input device on a support surface.

A method is provided for aligning a gun barrel. The method includes disposing a signal transmitter at the barrel's muzzle, distributing sensors around the barrel to receive the muzzle's signal, calculating the muzzle's coordinate position based on the signal, aiming an electro-optical sensor at a target to determine a miss distance, and calibrating the gun barrel based on the electro-optical sensor based on the miss distance.

Provided is a method for estimating a signal generation position based on signal strength, including: measuring a first signal strength which is a strength of a signal propagated from a generation position of the signal at a first measurement point; measuring a second signal strength which is a strength of the signal propagated from the generation position of the signal at a second measurement point distinguished from the first measurement point; calculating an attenuation constant of a medium to which the signal is propagated from the generation position up to the first measurement point and the second measurement point; and estimating the generation position by using the first signal strength, the second signal strength, and the attenuation constant, wherein the first measurement point, the second measurement point, and the generation position are present on one straight line. This method can be extended to estimate a signal generation point in 2D plane or 3D space.

A method for determining a spatial correction of a primary ultrasonic emitter (2) by evaluating the ultrasonic signal emitted by the primary ultrasonic emitter (2) and received by at least three ultrasonic receivers (8, 9, 10) calibrated in space (11) is described, wherein the primary ultrasonic emitter (2) is arranged in a coplanar emitter array (5) with at least two secondary ultrasonic emitters (3, 4) and the nominal emission direction of the primary ultrasonic emitter (2) is known relative to the coplanar emitter array (5), and wherein the ultrasonic receivers (8, 9, 10) are positioned to receive ultrasonic signals from the primary ultrasonic emitter (2) and the at least two secondary ultrasonic emitters (3, 4) of the emitter array (5). The description is also concerned with a respective measurement device.

An indoor position system, includes a plurality of anchor stations each configured to transmit a radio frequency signal and an acoustic signal. A mobile station includes a radio frequency receiver configured to receive a radio frequency signal from at least one of the plurality of anchor stations and an acoustic receiver configured to receive an acoustic signal from at least one of the plurality of anchor stations. A processing unit is configured to determine position information of the mobile unit based upon the received radio frequency signal and acoustic signal.

An indoor position system, includes a plurality of anchor stations each configured to transmit a radio frequency signal and an acoustic signal. A mobile station includes a radio frequency receiver configured to receive a radio frequency signal from at least one of the plurality of anchor stations and an acoustic receiver configured to receive an acoustic signal from at least one of the plurality of anchor stations. A processing unit is configured to determine position information of the mobile unit based upon the received radio frequency signal and acoustic signal.

A method and system for determining a location of a seismic event is described which comprises detecting three or more seismic signals in seismic activity associated with the seismic event that is monitored by three or more seismic signal detectors and for each of the detected signals detected by a respective signal detector then classifying, by the respective signal detector a corresponding detected signal with a respective frequency content classification based on determining whether a frequency content of the corresponding detected signal exceeds a frequency content threshold. The method and system further includes determining for each of the classified signals a respective seismic signal onset timing corresponding to an arrival time of the classified signal at the respective detector and determining the location of the seismic event based on the respective seismic signal onset timings and the respective frequency content classifications of each of the classified signals.

A method and system for determining a location of a seismic event is described which comprises detecting three or more seismic signals in seismic activity associated with the seismic event that is monitored by three or more seismic signal detectors and for each of the detected signals detected by a respective signal detector then classifying, by the respective signal detector a corresponding detected signal with a respective frequency content classification based on determining whether a frequency content of the corresponding detected signal exceeds a frequency content threshold. The method and system further includes determining for each of the classified signals a respective seismic signal onset timing corresponding to an arrival time of the classified signal at the respective detector and determining the location of the seismic event based on the respective seismic signal onset timings and the respective frequency content classifications of each of the classified signals.

A system and method for determining a presence of a mobile device located in a predetermined detection zone within a vehicle may include a plurality of transmitters located within the vehicle, in which each of the plurality of transmitters is configured to transmit an acoustic signal into an acoustic environment within the vehicle, and in which each of the acoustic signals comprises at least one ultrasonic pulse, a mobile device configured to periodically record sounds in the acoustic environment, and a processor configured to determine that a periodically recorded sound by the mobile device comprises each of the acoustic signals transmitted by the plurality of transmitters, determine a location of the mobile device within the vehicle based on the acoustic signals recorded by the mobile device, and determine that the location of the mobile device matches the predetermined detection zone.

This invention provides a system and methods for tracking the positions and behaviors of moving objects such as animals. In one embodiment, the system comprises one or more tracking unit, one or more base nodes, one or more remote data hubs, and one or more remote processor with display. Each tracking unit (e.g. attached or inserted into the tracked animals) could transmit acoustic signal with a unique signature. The base nodes, after time stamping the received signals, relate the signals to the remote processors where the signals will be processed and the 3-dimensional spatial coordinates of the tracking units, and hence the animals, can be identified. Further processing of the positional information would reflect the activities and behaviors of each animal. Additional sensors included in the tracking unit provide further information about the states of the animals such as temperature, heart rate or blood pressure etc.