PULSED WIRELESS GPS-DENIED POSITIONING/NAVIGATION/TIMING SYSTEM

Abstract

This invention describes a Spatial Intelligence System that provide radio positioning/navigation with additional spatial data in support of automation, machine learning and inference-based systems. More specifically and in particular, the present invention, is such a radio positioning/navigation system that integrates, correlates with or obviates the need of the global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) with a Pulsed Wireless Location System (PWLS) to provide positioning/navigation/timing data either within a line-of-sight barrier using an ad-hoc coordinate system, a direct line of sight of GNSS beacon geographic coordinate system or a ad-hoc translation to geographic coordinate system. The system generically offers the ability to use a low cost tag or location device with anchor processing or a higher cost, higher capability tag or location device with local processing simultaneously.

Claims

1. A method of synchronizing timing to ensure coarse multi-nanosecond accuracy generated by an anchor device wherein at least one reference transmitter incorporates timing information in its pulsed location data and signals, said method comprising: receiving and interpreting at least one anchor pulsed location signal; updating a delay locked loop to maintain synchronization stability; determining a relative differential timing between periodic transmitted signals and received signals to establish a propagation delay between said reference transmitter and said anchor device; and communicating relative anchor delays to anchors in range.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the at least one anchor pulsed location signal comprises: receiving the at least one anchor pulsed location signal through a line of sight path.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the at least one anchor pulsed location signal comprises: receiving the at least one anchor pulsed location signal through a non-line of sight path.

4. The method of claim 3, the non-line of sight path comprising a line of sight barrier.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising: receiving and interpreting at least one global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) signal.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising: calculating a distance to a source of the anchor pulse location signal; and communicating the calculated distance to the anchors in range.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising: calculating a distance to a source of the anchor pulse location signal; and communicating the calculated distance to a cloud server.

8. The method of claim 1, the anchor device comprising at least one of a pulse wireless location system (PWLS) tag, radio frequency identification (RFID) tag, a cell phone, a computer, a personal data assistant (PDA).

9. The method of claim 1, the received anchor pulse location signal comprising a radio frequency signal.

10. The method of claim 1, the anchor device and the anchors in range being co-planar.

11. An anchor device comprising: a non-transitory storage memory storing computer program instructions; and a processor configured to execute the computer program instructions to cause operations comprising: receiving and interpreting at least one anchor pulsed location signal from a reference transmitter; updating a delay locked loop to maintain synchronization stability; determining a relative differential timing between periodic transmitted signals and received signals to establish a propagation delay between said reference transmitter and said anchor device; and communicating relative anchor delays to anchors in range.

12. The anchor device of claim 11, wherein receiving the at least one anchor pulsed location signal comprises: receiving the at least one anchor pulsed location signal through a line of sight path.

13. The anchor device of claim 11, wherein receiving the at least one anchor pulsed location signal comprises: receiving the at least one anchor pulsed location signal through a non-line of sight path.

14. The anchor device of claim 13, the non-line of sight path comprising a line of sight barrier.

15. The anchor device of claim 11, the operations further comprising: receiving and interpreting at least one global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) signal.

16. The anchor device of claim 11, the operations further comprising: calculating a distance to the source of the anchor pulse location signal; and communicating the calculated distance to the anchors in range.

17. The anchor device of claim 11, the operations further comprising: calculating a distance to a source of the anchor pulse location signal; and communicating the calculated distance to a cloud server.

18. The anchor device of claim 11 comprising at least one of a pulse wireless location system (PWLS) tag, radio frequency identification (RFID) tag, a cell phone, a computer, a personal data assistant (PDA).

19. The anchor device of claim 11, the received anchor pulse location signal comprising a radio frequency signal.

20. The anchor device of claim 11, the anchor device and the anchors in range being co-planar.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

[0047] FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of the present invention wherein location and time data is used by transceiver/processors to determine positioning/navigation information. Within the line-of-sight barrier the PWLS mobile device may transmit or receive pulsed transmissions from the PWLS anchors. The transceiver/processors may use a data link to communicate with another transceiver/processor, and/or optional host computer to provide enhanced information services. When operating in direct line of sight LOS of GNSS anchors the GNSS capability of the transceiver/processor can be used and shared with the PWLS system.

[0048] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the transceiver/processor used in the present invention

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0049] The present invention is now described with reference to the figures wherein like reference numbers denote like elements. The present invention is a system which can locate transceiver/processors 150 in real-time, with sub-meter accuracy when operating within a line-of-sight barrier 100 using PWLS anchors 130, 131, 132, 133. The PWLS anchors 130, 131, 132, 133 are shown outside or inside the line-of-sight barrier 100. In the present invention, positioning/navigation is accomplished using a transceiver/processor 150 which utilizes PWLS hardware but optionally standard and/or modified GNSS hardware. The PWLS and GNSS systems can be integrated and correlated using commercially available software with a data processor or cloud Processor. The data processor is part of the transceiver/processor 150 which is described fully in FIG. 2.

[0050] In describing the present invention, those skilled in the art and familiar with the instant disclosure of the present invention will recognize additions, deletions, modifications, substitutions, and other changes which will fall within the purview of the subject inventions and claims.

[0051] FIG. 1 illustrates the general configuration of the present invention of a positioning/navigation system which is operating within a line-of-sight barrier 100 utilizing PWLS anchors. The line-of-sight barrier 100 may be a solid or non-solid barrier. Examples of a solid line-of-sight barrier 100 include, but not limited to, the roof of a structure, a heavy tree canopy, steep and narrow canyon walls, the walls of tall buildings, or within any enclosure. Examples of non-solid line-of-sight barriers 100 would include, but are not limited to, atmospheric anomalies, magnetic fields, etc. The basic necessary elements of this system used to determine the positioning and navigational coordinates of a transceiver/processor 150 operating within a line-of-sight barrier 100 by using PWLS anchors 130, 131, 132, 133 accurately surveyed, relatively surveyed or arbitrary to locations relative to the user's choice of system coordinates, and transceiver/processors 150 operating within a line-of-sight 100 by using PWLS anchors 130, 131, 132, 133 and optionally transceiver/processors 150 operating in direct line of sight of GNSS anchors 101, 102, 103, 104,.

[0052] These PWLS anchors 130, 131, 132, 133 may be located outside, or within a line-of-sight barrier 100. For clarity, the PWLS anchors 130, 131, 132, 133 are shown both located inside or outside the line-of-sight barrier 100, mounted on walls or poles. The PWLS anchors 130, 131, 132, 133 are arranged in a geometrical pattern that is important for accurate multi-lateration with either a two or three-dimensional positioning/navigation system, as applicable. Specifically, it should be noted that in a two-dimensional system the operating centers of the anchors can be located co-linear, and in a three-dimensional system the operating centers of the anchors are not all located co-linear or co-planar.

[0053] The transmission paths 140, 141, 142, 143 are the shortest distances from the fixed, known location, PWLS anchors 130, 131, 132, 133 to any transceiver/processor 150 which is operating within the line-of-sight barrier 100. The transceiver/processor 150 uses the positioning/navigation data received from the PWLS anchors 130, 131, 132, 133 to collect data for positioning and navigation.

[0054] This positioning and navigation data may be optionally transmitted via radio transmission path 410 to a host computer 420 for further analysis or use. Unlike GNSS systems, radiating PWLS signals simultaneously from multiple anchors is subject to a near-far problem. This problem arises because of the large variation of the user-to-broadcast beacon range. The broadcast power from PWLS anchors 130, 131, 132, 133 varies a great deal; it is inversely proportional to the square of the transceiver/processor's 150 distance from the broadcast anchors 130, 131, 132, 133, and can overwhelm incoming PWLS beacon signals. The PWLS system overcomes the rear-far problem by sequencing PWLS in Beacon transmitting versions of the invention or through multiple access methods in a Beacon receiving versions of the invention using anchors 130, 131, 132, 133 wirelessly communicating to processor resources 420.

[0055] An alternative and possibly preferred method of operation uses a transmission from the transceiver/processor 150 to the anchors 130,131,132,133. This enables a low power, low cost transceiver/processor 150. The anchors can communicate via 160,161,162 to anchor 131 for location determination or use access link 410 to utilize cloud/server resource 420.

[0056] PWLS anchors 130, 131, 132, 133 are selectively located at fixed, known or relative locations relative to the user's choice of system coordinates. The radio transmission paths 140, 141, 142,143 are the shortest distances from the PWLS anchors 130, 131, 132, 133 to the transceiver/processor 150 which is operating within a line-of-sight barrier 100. In order to calculate the position of a transceiver/processor 150 operating within a line-of-sight barrier 100, normal vector geometry techniques are utilized by the PWLS portion of the transceiver/processor 150. The position/navigation solution of the transceiver/processor 150 operating within a line-of-sight barrier 100, is relative to the location of the PWLS anchors 130, 131, 132, 133. The solution may be output to any global or local co-ordinate system in any standard Cartesian X,Y,Z coordinates, latitude/longitude/altitude, or any other customized coordinate system.

[0057] The coordinates which represent position, or discreet locations, which can be averaged over time for navigation purposes, may be transferred via data link 410 to the optional host computer 420. The following are examples, but not limited to, the enhanced information services provided by the optional host computer 420: [0058] GIS maps for two-and/or three-dimensional positioning and navigational purposes. [0059] Database for positioning and navigational analysis.

[0060] Optionally, the system's accuracy and integrity can be verified and calibrated by comparing the transceiver/processors 150 calculated position to a fixed, known position at scheduled or random intervals when located in direct line of sight of GNSS anchors 101, 102, 103, 104, and within or without a line-of-sight barrier 100 when using PWLS anchors 130, 131, 132, 133.

[0061] While the present invention describes a system for providing integrated and correlated GNSS and PWLS data to transceiver/processor 150 operating either in direct line of sight of GNSS anchors 101, 102, 103, 104, or within a line-of-sight barrier 100 when using PWLS anchors 130, 131, 132, 133 it is contemplated that variations and modifications will be developed within the teaching of the present disclosure.

[0062] FIG. 2 illustrates the general configuration of a transceiver/processor 150 used in the present invention. The PWLS transceiver 153 portion of the transceiver/processor 150 receives PWLS beacon signals 130, 131, 132, 133 via radio transmission paths 140, 141, 142,143 via transceiver antenna 151. The PWLS transceiver 153 processes the PWLS beacon signals 130, 131, 132, 133 received via radio transmission paths 140, 141, 142, 143 or initiates the transmission for the purpose of determining positioning/navigation data. This data if locally determined is transmitted to the solution software 155 for integrating and correlating or transmitting the data in coordination or not with the optional GNSS receiver data. The GNSS receiver 154 portion of the transceiver/processor 150 receives GNSS beacon signals 101, 102, 103, 104 via radio transmission paths 105, 106, 107, 108, 113 via GNSS receiver antenna 152. The GNSS receiver 154 processes the direct line of sight GNSS beacon signals 101, 102, 103, 104 via radio transmission paths 105, 106, 107 and 108. This data is transmitted to the solution software 155 for integrating and correlating with PWLS receiver 153 data. The solution software 155 integrates and correlates the PWLS and GNSS data, and transmits to an optional host computer via data link 410. The solution software 155 can be programmed to define a three-dimensional space which encompasses at a minimum the line-of-sight barrier 100. This space is continuously monitored by the transceiver/processor 150 and used to activate the PWLS transceiver 153 for use within a line-of-sight barrier 100, and to activate the GNSS receiver 154 indirect line of sight of GNSS anchors 101, 102, 103, 104.