Positioning devices and methods integrating UWB and BLE technologies

Abstract

This invention discloses a positioning device and method integrating UWB and BLE technologies. The positioning device includes a BLE omnidirectional antenna, a BLE directional antenna, a switching switch, a BLE communication module, several UWB omnidirectional antennas, a UWB positioning module, and an MCU module. The MCU module controls the switching switch to connect to the BLE omnidirectional antennas. After scanning the target terminal using the BLE omnidirectional antennas and the BLE communication module, the distance and angle of arrival between the target terminal and the positioning device are determined using the UWB omnidirectional antennas and the UWB positioning module. Then, the MCU module controls the BLE communication module to connect the switching switch to the BLE directional antennas. The orientation of the target terminal relative to the plane of the BLE directional antennas is determined using the BLE directional antennas and the BLE communication module. Finally, the positioning result of the target terminal is obtained based on its orientation, distance, and angle of arrival. Using this invention, omnidirectional real-time accurate positioning of the target terminal can be achieved. It has a simple structure, small footprint, and low energy consumption and cost.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of positioning technology, and in particular to a positioning device and positioning method that integrates UWB and BLE technologies. Background Technology

[0002] Due to its high time resolution, strong resistance to multipath interference, low power consumption, and strong penetration capability, UWB (Ultra Wide Band) indoor positioning technology has unique advantages in short-range accurate positioning. Electronic products based on UWB indoor positioning technology have attracted increasing attention from researchers.

[0003] Currently, UWB technology conventionally uses the PDoA (Phase Difference of Arrival) algorithm to calculate the phase difference between the transmitted and received information from multiple antenna arrays to determine the angle of arrival of a target. Unfortunately, existing multi-antenna array designs are based on directional antenna schemes, which cannot achieve omnidirectional, real-time, and accurate positioning of the target.

[0004] To address this issue, a common approach is to place multiple UWB positioning antenna arrays close together in an omnidirectional manner. However, this approach leads to the following five drawbacks: 1. Increased material costs; 2. Larger space occupied by the positioning device, hindering miniaturization; 3. The placement and installation of multiple UWB positioning antenna arrays require advance planning, making debugging difficult; 4. Mutual interference between adjacent positioning antenna arrays operating at the same frequency, increasing design complexity; 5. Different antenna arrays correspond to different planes, and the target terminal needs to switch between different antenna arrays at different locations, requiring more complex algorithms and greater computational load to obtain precise angles. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The present invention aims to provide a positioning device and positioning method that integrates UWB and BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy) technologies to solve the problems of high cost, complex design and large footprint in the existing technology when performing omnidirectional real-time accurate positioning of target objects.

[0006] To address the aforementioned technical problems, the embodiments of the present invention provide the following technical solutions:

[0007] According to one aspect of the present invention, a positioning device integrating UWB and BLE technologies is provided. The positioning device includes a BLE omnidirectional antenna, a BLE directional antenna, a switching switch, a BLE communication module, a plurality of UWB omnidirectional antennas, a UWB positioning module, and an MCU (Micro Controller Unit) module. The BLE communication module is connected to the BLE omnidirectional antenna or the BLE directional antenna through the switching switch. The UWB omnidirectional antenna is connected to the UWB positioning module. The BLE communication module and the UWB positioning module are connected to the MCU module.

[0008] The MCU module is used to control the BLE communication module to connect the switching switch to the BLE omnidirectional antenna, and scan for the target terminal through the BLE omnidirectional antenna and the BLE communication module. After scanning the target terminal, the distance and angle of arrival between the target terminal and the positioning device are determined through the UWB omnidirectional antenna and the UWB positioning module. The MCU module controls the BLE communication module to connect the switching switch to the BLE directional antenna, and determines the orientation of the target terminal relative to the plane of the BLE directional antenna through the BLE directional antenna and the BLE communication module. After the orientation is determined, the MCU module controls the BLE communication module to reconnect the switching switch to the BLE omnidirectional antenna. The positioning result of the target terminal is obtained based on the orientation of the target terminal, the distance, and the angle of arrival.

[0009] Optionally, the MCU module is further configured to determine whether the orientation of the target terminal needs to be redefined during the next positioning. If so, during the next positioning, the MCU module controls the BLE communication module to connect the switching switch to the BLE directional antenna to redefine the orientation of the target terminal. After the orientation is redefining, the MCU module controls the BLE communication module to reconnect the switching switch to the BLE omnidirectional antenna.

[0010] Optionally, the MCU module determines whether the orientation of the target terminal needs to be re-determined during the next positioning process, including:

[0011] Determine whether the velocity component of the target terminal perpendicular to the plane where the BLE directional antenna is located is in the same direction as the orientation of the target terminal. If so, the orientation of the target terminal does not need to be re-determined during the next positioning.

[0012] If not, it is determined whether the arrival angle of the target terminal is greater than the threshold angle. If yes, the orientation of the target terminal needs to be re-determined during the next positioning. If no, the orientation of the target terminal does not need to be re-determined during the next positioning. The threshold angle is determined by the magnitude of the velocity component of the target terminal perpendicular to the plane where the BLE directional antenna is located, the preset positioning period, and the distance.

[0013] Optionally, the UWB positioning module includes multiple radio frequency ports, one of which is a transmit / receive port, and the rest are receive ports.

[0014] Optionally, the UWB omnidirectional antenna includes a first UWB omnidirectional antenna for transmitting and receiving UWB radio frequency signals and a plurality of second UWB omnidirectional antennas for receiving UWB radio frequency signals only. The first UWB omnidirectional antenna is connected to the transmit / receive port, and each of the second UWB omnidirectional antennas is connected to each of the receive ports.

[0015] Optionally, the MCU module is further configured to control the UWB positioning module to enter a working state when a target terminal is detected, and to control the UWB positioning module to enter a sleep state when no target terminal is detected.

[0016] According to another aspect of the present invention, a positioning method integrating UWB and BLE technologies is provided, applied to the positioning device described above, the method comprising:

[0017] The BLE communication module controls the switching switch to connect to the BLE omnidirectional antenna, and the target terminal is scanned through the BLE omnidirectional antenna and the BLE communication module;

[0018] After the target terminal is detected, the distance and angle of arrival between the target terminal and the positioning device are determined by the UWB omnidirectional antenna and the UWB positioning module.

[0019] The BLE communication module is controlled to connect the switching switch to the BLE directional antenna. The orientation of the target terminal relative to the plane where the BLE directional antenna is located is determined by the BLE directional antenna and the BLE communication module. After the orientation is determined, the BLE communication module is controlled to reconnect the switching switch to the BLE omnidirectional antenna.

[0020] The positioning result of the target terminal is obtained based on the orientation of the target terminal, the distance, and the angle of arrival.

[0021] Optionally, the method further includes:

[0022] Determine whether the orientation of the target terminal needs to be re-determined during the next positioning.

[0023] If so, during the next positioning, the BLE communication module will be controlled to connect the switching switch to the BLE directional antenna to redetermine the orientation of the target terminal, and after the orientation is redetermined, the BLE communication module will be controlled to reconnect the switching switch to the BLE omnidirectional antenna.

[0024] Optionally, the step of determining whether the orientation of the target terminal needs to be re-determined during the next positioning includes:

[0025] Determine whether the velocity component of the target terminal perpendicular to the plane where the BLE directional antenna is located is in the same direction as the orientation of the target terminal. If so, the orientation of the target terminal does not need to be re-determined during the next positioning.

[0026] If not, it is determined whether the arrival angle of the target terminal is greater than the threshold angle. If yes, the orientation of the target terminal needs to be re-determined during the next positioning. If no, the orientation of the target terminal does not need to be re-determined during the next positioning. The threshold angle is determined by the magnitude of the velocity component of the target terminal perpendicular to the plane where the BLE directional antenna is located, the preset positioning period, and the distance.

[0027] According to another aspect of the present invention, a computer-readable storage medium is provided, the computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program, which, when executed by a processor, performs the steps of any of the methods described above.

[0028] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows: Unlike existing technologies, this invention employs a positioning device integrating UWB and BLE technologies. This device includes a BLE omnidirectional antenna, a BLE directional antenna, a switching switch, a BLE communication module, several UWB omnidirectional antennas, a UWB positioning module, and an MCU module. The MCU module controls the switching switch to connect to the BLE omnidirectional antenna. After scanning the target terminal using the BLE omnidirectional antenna and the BLE communication module, the distance and angle of arrival between the target terminal and the positioning device are determined using the UWB omnidirectional antenna and the UWB positioning module. Then, the MCU module controls the BLE communication module to connect the switching switch to the BLE directional antenna. The orientation of the target terminal relative to the plane containing the BLE directional antenna is determined using the BLE directional antenna and the BLE communication module. Finally, the positioning result of the target terminal is obtained based on its orientation, distance, and angle of arrival. Using this invention, omnidirectional real-time accurate positioning of the target terminal can be achieved. It has a simple structure, small footprint, and low energy consumption and cost. Attached Figure Description

[0029] One or more embodiments are illustrated by way of example with reference numerals in the accompanying drawings. These illustrations do not constitute a limitation on the embodiments. Elements with the same reference numerals in the drawings are denoted as similar elements. Unless otherwise stated, the figures in the drawings are not to be limited by scale.

[0030] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a positioning device integrating UWB and BLE technologies provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0031] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram illustrating distance and angle of arrival measurement based on the PDoA algorithm provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0032] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the threshold angle determination method in scenario 1 provided by the embodiment of the present invention;

[0033] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the threshold angle determination method in scenario 2 provided by the embodiment of the present invention;

[0034] Figure 5 This is a flowchart illustrating a positioning method that integrates UWB and BLE, as provided in an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0035] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0036] Furthermore, the technical features involved in the various embodiments of the present invention described below can be combined with each other as long as they do not conflict with each other.

[0037] It should be noted that the steps shown in the flowchart in the accompanying drawings can be executed in a computer system such as a set of computer-executable instructions, and although a logical order is shown in the flowchart, in some cases the steps shown or described may be executed in a different order than that shown here.

[0038] Example 1

[0039] According to an embodiment of the present invention, a positioning device integrating UWB and BLE technologies is provided. See also... Figure 1This is a schematic diagram of a positioning device integrating UWB and BLE technologies provided in an embodiment of the present invention. The positioning device includes a BLE omnidirectional antenna 20, a BLE directional antenna 30, a switch 40, a BLE communication module 60, several UWB omnidirectional antennas 10, a UWB positioning module 50, an MCU module 70, and a memory 80. The BLE communication module 60 is connected to either the BLE omnidirectional antenna 20 or the BLE directional antenna 30 via the switch 40. The UWB omnidirectional antennas 10 are connected to the UWB positioning module 50. The BLE communication module 60, the UWB positioning module 50, and the memory 80 are connected to the MCU module 70.

[0040] In this embodiment of the invention, the BLE omnidirectional antenna 20 is used to determine whether there is a target terminal within the effective positioning range and to establish a communication connection with the target terminal to transmit data. The BLE directional antenna 30 is used to confirm whether the target terminal is in front of or behind the BLE directional antenna 3. The UWB omnidirectional antenna is used to measure the distance and angle of arrival between the target terminal and the positioning device. There are multiple UWB omnidirectional antennas 10, including at least one first UWB omnidirectional antenna for transmitting and receiving UWB radio frequency signals and several second UWB omnidirectional antennas for receiving UWB radio frequency signals only. When the number of UWB omnidirectional antennas 10 is two, two-dimensional spatial positioning of the target terminal is possible. When the number of UWB omnidirectional antennas 10 is greater than or equal to three, three-dimensional spatial positioning of the target terminal is possible. The larger the number, the more accurate the positioning, but the higher the hardware requirements and the more complex the corresponding software algorithm. The implementation of the UWB omnidirectional antenna 10 includes, but is not limited to, single / dipole antennas and their variants.

[0041] In one example, multiple UWB omnidirectional antennas 10 are arranged in an antenna array on the same plane based on the PDoA algorithm.

[0042] The UWB positioning module 50 is a functional module that uses ultra-wideband technology to locate a target terminal. The UWB positioning module 50 includes multiple radio frequency ports, one of which is a transmit / receive port for connecting to the first UWB omnidirectional antenna mentioned above, and the others are receive ports for connecting to the second UWB omnidirectional antennas mentioned above (each second UWB omnidirectional antenna is connected to each receive port). The UWB positioning module 50 supports establishing a connection with the target terminal through a UWB positioning channel and transmitting information using BLE technology to achieve positioning. When transmitting a positioning signal, the UWB positioning module 50 transmits the UWB band radio frequency signal through the first UWB omnidirectional antenna. When receiving a signal, the UWB positioning module 50 acquires the UWB band radio frequency signal through the first and second UWB omnidirectional antennas, transmits the radio frequency signal to the MCU module 70 for processing, and transmits the processing result to the memory 80 for later retrieval.

[0043] The BLE omnidirectional antenna 20 can scan the target terminals (the number of target terminals can be one or more) within the positioning range on the front and back of the positioning device, and establish a communication connection with the BLE communication module of the target terminal and transmit data through the BLE communication module 60.

[0044] The BLE directional antenna 30 can only communicate with target terminals located on the same side of the BLE directional antenna 30.

[0045] Each of the BLE omnidirectional antenna 20 and the BLE directional antenna 30 is a single unit, both employing a planar antenna design and positioned on the same plane as the UWB omnidirectional antenna 10.

[0046] The BLE communication module 60, connected to the BLE omnidirectional antenna 20 and the BLE directional antenna 30 via a switch 50, supports establishing a Bluetooth communication channel with the target terminal, transmitting data with the target terminal, and assisting the UWB positioning module 50 in positioning. The switch 50 can be a single-pole double-throw switch. When transmitting data, the BLE communication module 60 receives the baseband signal generated by the MCU module 70, converts it into a Bluetooth frequency band radio frequency signal, and transmits it through the BLE omnidirectional antenna 20 or the BLE directional antenna 30. When receiving data, the BLE communication module 60 acquires the Bluetooth frequency band radio frequency signal through the BLE omnidirectional antenna 20 or the BLE directional antenna 30, converts the radio frequency signal into a baseband signal, and transmits it to the MCU module 70 for processing.

[0047] In one example, the BLE communication module 60 can also be used as a trigger to activate the UWB positioning module 50 because BLE has lower power consumption and a longer detection range than other short-range communication technologies (such as UWB). For example, the target terminal can act as a broadcaster, sending Bluetooth signals, while the positioning device, as an observer, can periodically scan for Bluetooth signals. When the BLE communication module 60 scans for the target terminal, the MCU module 70 controls the UWB positioning module 50 to enter the working state; when the BLE communication module 60 does not scan for the target terminal, it controls the UWB positioning module 50 to enter the sleep state.

[0048] In one example, the detection of a target terminal can be determined by the received signal strength. For instance, the UWB positioning module 50 can be activated when the received signal strength (e.g., the Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI)) is greater than a specified threshold.

[0049] The MCU module 70 is connected to the UWB positioning module 50, the BLE communication module 60, and the memory 80. The memory 80 stores the positioning-related computer program and calibration files, as well as the data generated during program execution. The MCU module 70 reads the program from the memory 80, executes it, and stores the data generated during program execution in the memory 80. For example, the MCU module 70 processes the positioning information, storing information such as the orientation of the target terminal, its distance from the positioning device, and its angle of arrival obtained from each positioning in the memory 80.

[0050] After the positioning device is activated, the MCU module 70 controls the BLE communication module 60 to connect the switch 40 to the BLE omnidirectional antenna 20, and scans for the target terminal through the BLE omnidirectional antenna 20 and the BLE communication module 60. After the target terminal is scanned, the UWB positioning module is controlled to enter the working state, and the distance and arrival angle between the target terminal and the positioning device are determined through the UWB omnidirectional antenna 10 and the UWB positioning module 50.

[0051] Figure 2 A schematic diagram is shown illustrating the measurement of the distance and angle of arrival between the target terminal and the positioning device based on the PDoA algorithm. As can be seen from the diagram, the difference p in the signal path length p of the UWB radio frequency signal transmitted by the target terminal reaching the two UWB omnidirectional antennas 10 can be calculated using the following formula (1):

[0052] p=dsinθ (1)

[0053] Where d is the distance between the two UWB omnidirectional antennas 10, and θ is the angle of arrival. The phase difference α between the two UWB radio frequency signals and p has the following relationship:

[0054]

[0055] Where λ is the wavelength, combining formulas (1) and (2), we can obtain:

[0056]

[0057] In the derivation of the above formula, it is assumed that the two UWB omnidirectional antennas 10 have the same radiation pattern, the beams reaching the two UWB omnidirectional antennas 10 are parallel, and the mutual coupling effect of the antenna array can be solved by high isolation.

[0058] The arrival angles of the target terminal and the positioning device measured by the PDoA algorithm are mirror images, making it impossible to determine whether the target terminal is in front of or behind the positioning device. To determine whether the target terminal is in front of or behind the positioning device, the MCU module 70 controls the BLE communication module 60 to connect the switch 40 to the BLE directional antenna 30. The orientation of the target terminal relative to the plane containing the BLE directional antenna 30 is determined through the BLE directional antenna 30 and the BLE communication module 60. Specifically, when the BLE communication module 60 is connected to the BLE directional antenna 30, if the BLE communication module 60 can communicate with the BLE communication module of the target terminal, the target terminal is determined to be in front of the plane containing the BLE directional antenna 30; if the BLE communication module 60 cannot communicate with the BLE communication module of the target terminal, the target terminal is determined to be behind the plane containing the BLE directional antenna 30.

[0059] Finally, the MCU module 70 obtains the positioning result of the target terminal based on the determined orientation, distance and arrival angle.

[0060] Generally, the positioning device performs periodic positioning of the target terminal based on a preset positioning period. In some examples, the orientation of the target terminal is determined each time it is positioned using the BLE directional antenna 30. This method is suitable for situations with long positioning periods.

[0061] In other examples, when real-time positioning of a target terminal is required, to improve positioning efficiency, before the next positioning, it is determined whether the orientation of the target terminal needs to be redefined based on the target terminal's position and movement information in the current positioning. Specifically, the MCU module 70 is also used to determine whether the orientation of the target terminal needs to be redefined in the next positioning. If so, in the next positioning, the BLE communication module 60 is controlled to connect the switch 40 to the BLE directional antenna 30 to redefine the orientation of the target terminal. After the orientation of the target terminal is redetermined, the BLE communication module 60 is then controlled to connect the switch 40 to the BLE omnidirectional antenna 20. If not, in the next positioning, the switch 40 remains connected to the BLE omnidirectional antenna 20.

[0062] In one example, determining whether the orientation of the target terminal needs to be redefined during the next positioning includes: determining whether the velocity component of the target terminal perpendicular to the plane where the BLE directional antenna 30 is located is in the same direction as the orientation of the target terminal. If yes, then the orientation of the target terminal does not need to be redefined during the next positioning; if no, then determining whether the arrival angle of the target terminal is greater than a threshold angle. If yes, then the orientation of the target terminal needs to be redefined during the next positioning; if no, then the orientation of the target terminal does not need to be redefined during the next positioning. The threshold angle is determined by the magnitude of the velocity component of the target terminal perpendicular to the plane where the BLE directional antenna 30 is located, the positioning period, and the distance.

[0063] like Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, the distance between the target terminal 200 and the positioning device 100 is s, the arrival angle is θ, and the target terminal moves at a constant speed V. The positioning period of the positioning device 100 is t. Based on V, the velocity component V in the Z-axis direction can be calculated. z When V z When the orientation is the same as that of the target terminal 200 (e.g., the target terminal is located in the +Z axis direction, V... z If the target terminal 200 is also located in the +Z axis direction, then the orientation of the target terminal 200 in the next positioning will be the same as the current orientation; when V z When the orientation is opposite to that of the target terminal 200 (e.g.) Figure 3 The target terminal 200 is located on the front of the positioning device 100, V z Negative, or Figure 4 The target terminal 200 is located on the back of the positioning device 100, V z If the orientation is positive, the target terminal 200 may be the same as or opposite to the current orientation in the next positioning.

[0064] In one example, when V z When the orientation of the target terminal is opposite to that of the target terminal, the distance (|V) moved by the target terminal within the positioning period t can be compared. z The distance (scosθ) between |t) and the current position of the target terminal in the Z-axis direction is used to determine whether the orientation of the target terminal needs to be re-determined for the next positioning. Specifically, when scosθ > |V z When |t, it is inferred that the orientation of the target terminal in the next positioning will be the same as the current orientation, and there is no need to redetermine the orientation of the target terminal in the next positioning; when scosθ≤|V z When |t, it is inferred that the orientation of the target terminal in the next positioning should be opposite to the current orientation. To ensure accurate positioning, the orientation of the target terminal needs to be re-determined in the next positioning.

[0065] In other examples, when Vz When the orientation of the target terminal is opposite to that of the target terminal, it can be determined whether the orientation of the target terminal needs to be re-determined in the next positioning by comparing the arrival angle of the target terminal with a threshold angle. Specifically, when scosθ = |V z |t, the threshold angle θ can be obtained. max :

[0066]

[0067] Specifically, when the arrival angle of the target terminal is greater than the threshold angle θ max If the predicted orientation of the target terminal is opposite to the current orientation, then the orientation of the target terminal needs to be re-determined during the next positioning. If the arrival angle of the target terminal is less than or equal to the threshold angle θ... max If the target terminal's orientation is assumed to be the same as its current orientation, then the target terminal's orientation does not need to be re-determined during the next positioning.

[0068] The positioning device integrating UWB and BLE technologies provided in this invention includes a BLE omnidirectional antenna, a BLE directional antenna, a switching switch, a BLE communication module, several UWB omnidirectional antennas, a UWB positioning module, and an MCU module. The MCU module controls the switching switch to connect to the BLE omnidirectional antenna. After scanning for the target terminal using the BLE omnidirectional antenna and the BLE communication module, the distance and angle of arrival between the target terminal and the positioning device are determined using the UWB omnidirectional antenna and the UWB positioning module. Then, the MCU module controls the BLE communication module to connect the switching switch to the BLE directional antenna, and the orientation of the target terminal relative to the plane of the BLE directional antenna is determined using the BLE directional antenna and the BLE communication module. Finally, the positioning result of the target terminal is obtained based on its orientation, distance, and angle of arrival. Using this invention, omnidirectional real-time accurate positioning of the target terminal can be achieved. It has a simple structure, small footprint, and low energy consumption and cost.

[0069] Example 2

[0070] According to embodiments of the present invention, a positioning method integrating UWB and BLE technologies is provided. Please refer to... Figure 5 This figure is a schematic flowchart illustrating a positioning method integrating UWB and BLE technologies provided in an embodiment of the present invention. The positioning method is applied to a positioning device according to one embodiment, and more specifically, to the MCU module of the positioning device. The method specifically includes the following steps:

[0071] Step S501: Control the BLE communication module to connect the switching switch to the BLE omnidirectional antenna, and scan the target terminal through the BLE omnidirectional antenna and the BLE communication module;

[0072] Step S502: After scanning the target terminal, the distance and arrival angle between the target terminal and the positioning device are determined by the UWB omnidirectional antenna and the UWB positioning module.

[0073] Step S503: Control the BLE communication module to connect the switching switch to the BLE directional antenna, determine the orientation of the target terminal relative to the plane where the BLE directional antenna is located through the BLE directional antenna and the BLE communication module, and after the orientation is determined, control the BLE communication module to reconnect the switching switch to the BLE omnidirectional antenna;

[0074] Step S504: Obtain the positioning result of the target terminal based on the orientation of the target terminal, the distance, and the arrival angle.

[0075] The positioning device periodically positions the target terminal based on a preset positioning cycle. In some examples, the orientation of the target terminal is determined each time it is positioned using a BLE directional antenna. This method is suitable for situations with long positioning cycles.

[0076] In other examples, when real-time positioning of a target terminal is required, to improve positioning efficiency, before the next positioning operation, it is determined whether the target terminal's orientation needs to be redefined based on its position and movement information in the current positioning. Specifically, it is determined whether the target terminal's orientation needs to be redefined in the next positioning operation. If yes, then in the next positioning operation, the BLE communication module is controlled to connect a switch to the BLE directional antenna to redetermine the target terminal's orientation. After the target terminal's orientation is redefined, the BLE communication module is then controlled to connect a switch to the BLE omnidirectional antenna. If not, then in the next positioning operation, the switch remains connected to the BLE omnidirectional antenna.

[0077] In one example, determining whether the orientation of the target terminal needs to be redefined during the next positioning includes: determining whether the velocity component of the target terminal perpendicular to the plane where the BLE directional antenna is located is in the same direction as the orientation of the target terminal; if yes, then the orientation of the target terminal does not need to be redefined during the next positioning; if no, then determining whether the arrival angle of the target terminal is greater than a threshold angle; if yes, then the orientation of the target terminal needs to be redefined during the next positioning; if no, then the orientation of the target terminal does not need to be redefined during the next positioning. The threshold angle is determined by the magnitude of the velocity component of the target terminal perpendicular to the plane where the BLE directional antenna is located, the positioning period, and the distance.

[0078] The aforementioned positioning method integrating UWB and BLE technologies can be executed by the MCU module included in the positioning device integrating UWB and BLE technologies provided in Embodiment 1. It shares the same inventive concept as the positioning device integrating UWB and BLE technologies provided in Embodiment 1 and has the technical features corresponding to the positioning device integrating UWB and BLE. For details not described in detail in this embodiment, please refer to the description of the positioning device integrating UWB and BLE in Embodiment 1 of this application.

[0079] Example 3

[0080] According to embodiments of the present invention, a computer-readable storage medium is provided, the type of which may include: a USB flash drive, a portable hard disk, a read-only memory (ROM), a random access memory (RAM), a magnetic disk, or an optical disk, and other media capable of storing program code. The computer-readable storage medium stores a computer program, and when the computer program is executed by a processor, the processor executes the steps of the positioning method integrating UWB and BLE as described in any of the embodiments of the second embodiment.

[0081] Through the above description of the embodiments, those skilled in the art can clearly understand that each embodiment can be implemented using software plus a general-purpose hardware platform, or of course, using hardware. Based on this understanding, the above technical solutions, in essence or the parts that contribute to the related technology, can be embodied in the form of a software product. This computer software product can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium, such as ROM / RAM, magnetic disk, optical disk, etc., and includes several instructions to enable a computer device (which may be a personal computer, server, or network device, etc.) to execute the methods described in the various embodiments or some parts of the embodiments.

[0082] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, and not to limit them; under the concept of the present invention, the technical features of the above embodiments or different embodiments can also be combined, the steps can be implemented in any order, and there are many other variations of different aspects of the present invention as described above, which are not provided in detail for the sake of brevity; although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some of the technical features; and these modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application.

Claims

1. A positioning device integrating UWB and BLE technologies, characterized in that, The positioning device includes a BLE omnidirectional antenna, a BLE directional antenna, a switching switch, a BLE communication module, several UWB omnidirectional antennas, a UWB positioning module, and an MCU module. The BLE communication module is connected to the BLE omnidirectional antenna or the BLE directional antenna through the switching switch. The UWB omnidirectional antenna is connected to the UWB positioning module. The BLE communication module and the UWB positioning module are connected to the MCU module. The MCU module is used to control the BLE communication module to connect the switching switch to the BLE omnidirectional antenna, and scan for the target terminal through the BLE omnidirectional antenna and the BLE communication module; after scanning the target terminal, it determines the distance and arrival angle between the target terminal and the positioning device through the UWB omnidirectional antenna and the UWB positioning module; it controls the BLE communication module to connect the switching switch to the BLE directional antenna, and determines the orientation of the target terminal relative to the plane where the BLE directional antenna is located through the BLE directional antenna and the BLE communication module; after the orientation is determined, it controls the BLE communication module to reconnect the switching switch to the BLE omnidirectional antenna. The positioning result of the target terminal is obtained based on the orientation of the target terminal, the distance, and the angle of arrival; Specifically, determining the orientation of the target terminal relative to the plane where the BLE directional antenna is located using the BLE directional antenna and the BLE communication module involves the following steps: if the BLE communication module can communicate with the BLE communication module of the target terminal, then the target terminal is determined to be in front of the plane where the BLE directional antenna is located; if the BLE communication module cannot communicate with the BLE communication module of the target terminal, then the target terminal is determined to be behind the plane where the BLE directional antenna is located.

2. The positioning device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The MCU module is also used to determine whether the orientation of the target terminal needs to be re-determined during the next positioning. If so, during the next positioning, the MCU module controls the BLE communication module to connect the switching switch to the BLE directional antenna to re-determine the orientation of the target terminal. After the orientation is re-determined, the MCU module controls the BLE communication module to reconnect the switching switch to the BLE omnidirectional antenna.

3. The positioning device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The MCU module determines whether the orientation of the target terminal needs to be re-determined during the next positioning process, including: Determine whether the velocity component of the target terminal perpendicular to the plane where the BLE directional antenna is located is in the same direction as the orientation of the target terminal. If so, the orientation of the target terminal does not need to be re-determined during the next positioning. If not, it is determined whether the arrival angle of the target terminal is greater than the threshold angle. If yes, the orientation of the target terminal needs to be re-determined during the next positioning. If no, the orientation of the target terminal does not need to be re-determined during the next positioning. The threshold angle is determined by the magnitude of the velocity component of the target terminal perpendicular to the plane where the BLE directional antenna is located, the preset positioning period, and the distance.

4. The positioning device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The UWB positioning module includes multiple radio frequency ports, one of which is a transmit / receive port, and the rest are receive ports.

5. The positioning device according to claim 4, characterized in that, The UWB omnidirectional antenna includes a first UWB omnidirectional antenna for transmitting and receiving UWB radio frequency signals and several second UWB omnidirectional antennas for receiving UWB radio frequency signals only. The first UWB omnidirectional antenna is connected to the transmit / receive port, and each of the second UWB omnidirectional antennas is connected to each of the receive ports.

6. The positioning device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The MCU module is also used to control the UWB positioning module to enter the working state when a target terminal is detected, and to control the UWB positioning module to enter the sleep state when no target terminal is detected.

7. A positioning method integrating UWB and BLE technologies, applied to the positioning device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that, The method includes: The BLE communication module controls the switching switch to connect to the BLE omnidirectional antenna, and the target terminal is scanned through the BLE omnidirectional antenna and the BLE communication module; After the target terminal is detected, the distance and angle of arrival between the target terminal and the positioning device are determined by the UWB omnidirectional antenna and the UWB positioning module. The BLE communication module is controlled to connect the switching switch to the BLE directional antenna. The orientation of the target terminal relative to the plane where the BLE directional antenna is located is determined by the BLE directional antenna and the BLE communication module. After the orientation is determined, the BLE communication module is controlled to reconnect the switching switch to the BLE omnidirectional antenna. The positioning result of the target terminal is obtained based on the orientation of the target terminal, the distance, and the angle of arrival; Specifically, determining the orientation of the target terminal relative to the plane where the BLE directional antenna is located using the BLE directional antenna and the BLE communication module involves the following steps: if the BLE communication module can communicate with the BLE communication module of the target terminal, then the target terminal is determined to be in front of the plane where the BLE directional antenna is located; if the BLE communication module cannot communicate with the BLE communication module of the target terminal, then the target terminal is determined to be behind the plane where the BLE directional antenna is located.

8. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that, The method further includes: Determine whether the orientation of the target terminal needs to be re-determined during the next positioning. If so, during the next positioning, the BLE communication module will be controlled to connect the switching switch to the BLE directional antenna to redetermine the orientation of the target terminal, and after the orientation is redetermined, the BLE communication module will be controlled to reconnect the switching switch to the BLE omnidirectional antenna.

9. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that, The step of determining whether the orientation of the target terminal needs to be re-determined during the next positioning includes: Determine whether the velocity component of the target terminal perpendicular to the plane where the BLE directional antenna is located is in the same direction as the orientation of the target terminal. If so, the orientation of the target terminal does not need to be re-determined during the next positioning. If not, it is determined whether the arrival angle of the target terminal is greater than the threshold angle. If yes, the orientation of the target terminal needs to be re-determined during the next positioning. If no, the orientation of the target terminal does not need to be re-determined during the next positioning. The threshold angle is determined by the magnitude of the velocity component of the target terminal perpendicular to the plane where the BLE directional antenna is located, the preset positioning period, and the distance.

10. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, The computer-readable storage medium stores a computer program that, when executed by a processor, performs the steps of the method as described in any one of claims 7-9.

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