An omni-directional precision positioning device and method

Abstract

The embodiment of the application discloses an omnidirectional accurate positioning device and method. The positioning device comprises a positioning antenna array, a switch and a positioning module. The directional antenna and the first omnidirectional antenna of the positioning antenna array are connected to the transmitting and receiving port of the positioning module through the switch, and the second omnidirectional antenna is connected to the receiving port of the positioning module. The positioning unit of the positioning module controls the switch to connect the transmitting and receiving port and the first omnidirectional antenna, determines the distance and the arrival angle of the target terminal from the positioning device through the first omnidirectional antenna and the second omnidirectional antenna, controls the switch to connect the transmitting and receiving port and the directional antenna, determines the orientation of the target terminal relative to the plane where the directional antenna is located through the directional antenna, and finally obtains the positioning result of the target terminal according to the orientation, the distance and the arrival angle. The omnidirectional accurate positioning device has the beneficial effects of low profile design, simple structure, small occupied space and low cost.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of positioning technology, and in particular to an omnidirectional precision positioning device and method. Background Technology

[0002] To achieve omnidirectional precise positioning of electronic products based on TOF (Time of Flight) / PDoA (Phase Difference of Arrival) algorithms, the research and design of the omnidirectional positioning antenna array used in conjunction with it is an indispensable part.

[0003] However, current research on omnidirectional precision positioning antenna arrays is limited, and most studies employ traditional design methods: arranging multiple directional antenna arrays in a three-dimensional configuration and switching them with single-pole multi-throw (SPMW) switches to achieve the equivalent function of an omnidirectional precision positioning antenna array. This design suffers from five drawbacks: 1. The use of multiple SPMWS switches increases electronic component costs and complicates the circuit design due to the introduction of additional power supply lines; 2. To ensure the impedance bandwidth of the positioning antenna array for precise positioning, the profile of each individual antenna array is relatively high; 3. The three-dimensional arrangement of multiple directional antenna arrays increases the size of the positioning system and significantly increases the difficulty of antenna design and debugging due to the mutual interference of multiple antenna arrays operating at the same frequency; 4. Since the multiple directional antenna arrays are located in different planes, and different positioning antennas may be needed when the target object is in different positions, this not only complicates the algorithm but also increases the computational load of data processing; 5. It cannot achieve simultaneous positioning of multiple targets at different angles. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The present invention aims to provide an omnidirectional precise positioning device and method to solve the problems of high cost, complex design, high profile, and large footprint of positioning antenna arrays in the prior art when performing omnidirectional precise positioning.

[0005] To address the aforementioned technical problems, the embodiments of the present invention provide the following technical solutions:

[0006] According to one aspect of the present invention, an omnidirectional precision positioning device is provided. The positioning device includes a positioning antenna array, a positioning module, and a switching switch. The positioning antenna array includes a directional antenna, a first omnidirectional antenna, and a plurality of second omnidirectional antennas. The positioning module includes a positioning unit, a transmit / receive port, and a plurality of receive ports. The directional antenna and the first omnidirectional antenna are connected to the transmit / receive port through the switching switch, and the second omnidirectional antennas are connected to the receive ports.

[0007] The positioning unit is configured to control the switching switch to connect the transmit / receive port and the first omnidirectional antenna, and determine the distance and angle of arrival between the target terminal and the positioning device through the first omnidirectional antenna and the second omnidirectional antenna; control the switching switch to connect the transmit / receive port and the directional antenna, and determine the orientation of the target terminal relative to the plane where the directional antenna is located through the directional antenna; and after the orientation is determined, control the switching switch to reconnect the transmit / receive port and the first omnidirectional antenna; and obtain the positioning result of the target terminal based on the orientation, the distance, and the angle of arrival.

[0008] Optionally, the directional antenna is a patch antenna or its variant, and the first omnidirectional antenna and the second omnidirectional antenna are single / dipole antennas or their variants.

[0009] Optionally, the positioning antenna array is designed on a single-layer double-sided board, which includes a front metal layer, a PCB dielectric layer, and a back metal layer.

[0010] Optionally, each antenna of the positioning antenna array is disposed on the front metal layer and connected to the transmit / receive port / receive port via a rear-feed configuration.

[0011] Optionally, the positioning unit 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 unit controls the switching switch to connect the transmitting and receiving port and the directional antenna to redefine the orientation of the target terminal. After the orientation is redefining, the unit controls the switching switch to reconnect the transmitting and receiving port and the first omnidirectional antenna.

[0012] Optionally, the positioning unit determines whether the orientation of the target terminal needs to be re-determined during the next positioning process, including:

[0013] Determine whether the velocity component of the target terminal perpendicular to the plane where the 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.

[0014] 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 of the directional antenna, the preset positioning period, and the distance.

[0015] According to another aspect of the present invention, a positioning method is provided, the method being applied to the positioning device described above, the method comprising:

[0016] The control switch connects the transmit / receive port and the first omnidirectional antenna, and the distance and arrival angle between the target terminal and the positioning device are determined by the first omnidirectional antenna and the second omnidirectional antenna.

[0017] The switch is controlled to connect the transmit / receive port and the directional antenna. The orientation of the target terminal relative to the plane where the directional antenna is located is determined by the directional antenna. After the orientation is determined, the switch is controlled to reconnect the transmit / receive port and the first omnidirectional antenna.

[0018] The positioning result of the target terminal is obtained based on the orientation, the distance, and the angle of arrival.

[0019] Optionally, the method further includes:

[0020] Determine whether the orientation of the target terminal needs to be re-determined during the next positioning.

[0021] If so, during the next positioning, the switch is controlled to connect the transmit / receive port and the directional antenna to re-determine the orientation of the target terminal, and after the orientation is re-determined, the switch is controlled to reconnect the transmit / receive port and the first omnidirectional antenna.

[0022] Optionally, the step of determining whether the orientation of the target terminal needs to be re-determined during the next positioning includes:

[0023] Determine whether the velocity component of the target terminal perpendicular to the plane where the directional antenna is located is in the same direction as the orientation of the target terminal;

[0024] If so, then the orientation of the target terminal does not need to be re-determined during the next positioning.

[0025] If not, then determine whether the arrival angle of the target terminal is greater than the threshold angle. If yes, then the orientation of the target terminal needs to be re-determined during the next positioning. If no, then 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 directional antenna is located, the positioning period, and the distance.

[0026] 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.

[0027] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows: Unlike the prior art, in this invention, the positioning device includes a positioning antenna array, a switching switch, and a positioning module. The directional antenna and the first omnidirectional antenna of the positioning antenna array are connected to the transmit / receive port of the positioning module via the switching switch, and the second omnidirectional antenna is connected to the receive port of the positioning module. The positioning unit of the positioning module controls the switching switch to connect the transmit / receive port and the first omnidirectional antenna, and determines the distance and angle of arrival between the target terminal and the positioning device through the first and second omnidirectional antennas. It also controls the switching switch to connect the transmit / receive port and the directional antenna, and determines the orientation of the target terminal relative to the plane where the directional antenna is located through the directional antenna. Finally, the positioning result of the target terminal is obtained based on the orientation, distance, and angle of arrival. The omnidirectional precise positioning device of this invention adopts a low profile design, which has the advantages of simple structure, small footprint, and low cost. Attached Figure Description

[0028] 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.

[0029] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an omnidirectional precision positioning device provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0030] Figure 2 This is a top view of an omnidirectional precision positioning antenna array provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0031] Figure 3 yes Figure 2 The rear view of the omnidirectional precision positioning antenna array shown.

[0032] Figure 4 yes Figure 2 The side view of the omnidirectional precision positioning antenna array shown.

[0033] Figure 5 yes Figure 2 Simulation results of the reflection coefficients of each antenna in the positioning antenna array shown;

[0034] Figure 6 yes Figure 2 Simulation results of the isolation between antennas in the positioning antenna array shown;

[0035] Figure 7 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;

[0036] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the threshold angle determination method in scenario 1 provided by the embodiment of the present invention;

[0037] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the threshold angle determination method in scenario 2 provided by the embodiment of the present invention;

[0038] Figure 10 This is a flowchart illustrating a positioning method provided in an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0039] 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.

[0040] 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.

[0041] 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.

[0042] Example 1

[0043] According to an embodiment of the present invention, a positioning device is provided. This positioning device can be implemented using positioning technologies such as BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy) or UWB (Ultra Wide Band). Please refer to [link to relevant documentation]. Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a positioning device provided in an embodiment of the present invention. The positioning device includes a positioning antenna array 10, a positioning module 20, and a switching switch 30. The positioning antenna array 10 includes a directional antenna 101, a first omnidirectional antenna 102, and a second omnidirectional antenna 103. The positioning module 20 includes a positioning unit 201, a transmit / receive port 202, and a receive port 203. The directional antenna 101 and the first omnidirectional antenna 102 are connected to the transmit / receive port 202 via the switching switch 30, and the second omnidirectional antenna 103 is connected to the receive port 203.

[0044] In this embodiment of the invention, the directional antenna 101 is used to determine whether the target terminal is in front of or behind the positioning antenna array 10. Since it is not necessary to test the distance and angle of the target terminal, the impedance bandwidth requirement is low and can be less than the operating bandwidth of the positioning channel. The first omnidirectional antenna 102 and the second omnidirectional antenna 103 are used to determine whether there is a target terminal within the effective positioning range, as well as the distance and angle of the target terminal. The impedance bandwidth must be greater than the operating bandwidth of the positioning channel to obtain accurate angle information of the target object. The first omnidirectional antenna 102 is used for both transmitting and receiving signals, while the second omnidirectional antenna 103 is only used for receiving signals. When the number of second omnidirectional antennas 103 is one, two-dimensional spatial positioning of the target terminal is possible. When the number of second omnidirectional antennas 103 is greater than or equal to two, three-dimensional spatial positioning of the target terminal is possible. A larger number of antennas results in more accurate positioning, but also higher hardware requirements and more complex software algorithms.

[0045] like Figure 2-4 The diagram shown is a schematic representation of a positioning antenna array according to an embodiment of the present invention. The positioning antenna array includes a directional antenna, an omnidirectional antenna 1, an omnidirectional antenna 2, and an omnidirectional antenna 3, wherein the omnidirectional antenna 1 is a first omnidirectional antenna 102, and the omnidirectional antennas 2 and 3 are second omnidirectional antennas 103. Figure 4 As can be seen, the positioning antenna array is designed on a single-layer double-sided board, which includes a front metal layer, a PCB dielectric layer, and a back metal layer. The PCB dielectric layer of this single-layer double-sided board can be designed to be ultra-thin (e.g., 0.4mm thick), and the copper thickness of the top and bottom metal layers is small and negligible. With this design, the thickness of the positioning antenna array can be less than 0.5mm, which is much smaller than the vacuum wavelength at the center frequency, resulting in a low profile effect.

[0046] In one example, the first omnidirectional antenna 102 and the second omnidirectional antenna 103 are implemented in, but are not limited to, single / dipole antennas and their variants. The directional antenna 101 is a patch antenna and its variants; preferably, the directional antenna 101 is a microstrip patch antenna.

[0047] like Figure 2-3 As shown, the directional antenna, omnidirectional antenna 1, omnidirectional antenna 2, and omnidirectional antenna 3 are all mounted on the front metal layer of a single-layer double-sided panel and connected to the transmit / receive ports 201 / 203 of the positioning module 20 via back-feed. Specifically, omnidirectional antenna 1 is located in the lower right corner, omnidirectional antenna 2 in the lower left corner, omnidirectional antenna 3 in the upper right corner, and the directional antenna in the upper left corner. Because the omnidirectional antenna requires clearance, the metal near the back area perpendicular to the omnidirectional antenna needs to be removed. Therefore, the back surface is no longer a metal surface that can completely cover the dielectric layer. Figure 3 The dark gray areas represent metal, while the light gray areas represent areas where the metal has been removed.

[0048] Will Figure 2 The positioning antenna array shown operates on the CH9 channel of UWB, and the following results are obtained: Figure 5 The simulation results for the reflection coefficients of each antenna are shown.

[0049] Simulation results of the reflection coefficients show that the omnidirectional antennas 1, 2, and 3, used for locating the distance and angle of the target terminal, all have reflection coefficients less than -10dB within the CH9 channel of UWB (7.737-8.237GHz), which meets the impedance bandwidth requirements for accurate target terminal positioning. The directional antennas used to determine whether the target terminal is in front of or behind the positioning antennas do not have strict impedance bandwidth requirements; generally, an absolute bandwidth greater than 25MHz is sufficient. The positioning antenna array has an impedance bandwidth range of 7.962-8.066GHz that is better than -10dB, falling within the CH9 passband and having an absolute bandwidth of 104MHz, thus meeting the requirements.

[0050] like Figure 6 As shown, Figure 2 The simulation results show the isolation between the antennas in the positioning antenna array. Omnidirectional antennas 1, 2, and 3 require precise positioning of the target terminal's distance and angle, and they receive signals simultaneously at the same frequency. Therefore, the isolation between the three antennas must be greater than 10 dB within the CH9 passband. The simulation results show that the isolation between the three antennas meets the requirements.

[0051] Although directional and omnidirectional antennas operate in a time-division multiplexing manner, they still require good isolation to ensure accurate determination of whether the target object is in front of or behind the positioning antenna array. To achieve high isolation between the directional and omnidirectional antennas, this invention employs a design where the polarization of the directional and omnidirectional antennas is perpendicular. Simulation results show that there is excellent isolation between the directional and omnidirectional antennas, with passband isolation exceeding 21.5 dB.

[0052] Furthermore, the applicant conducted simulations of the radiation patterns of the four antennas at 8 GHz. The results showed that the radiation patterns of omnidirectional antennas 1, 2, and 3 were relatively uniformly diverged in all directions (360°), and the gain was greater than -5 dBi in almost all areas, with only a few points in the antenna array plane having a gain less than -5 dBi. The front gain of the positioning antenna array was much greater than the back gain, which also enabled the determination of whether the target terminal was in front or behind.

[0053] In summary, the positioning antenna array 10 proposed in this embodiment of the invention can meet the requirement of omnidirectional precise positioning, and the wide impedance bandwidth design of the omnidirectional antenna can ensure precise positioning of the target terminal; the narrow impedance bandwidth design of the directional antenna can achieve a low profile of the positioning antenna array on the premise that the target terminal is on the front or back of the positioning antenna array.

[0054] The positioning module 20 is a functional module that uses algorithms such as TOF or PDoA to accurately locate the target terminal. The positioning module 20 includes multiple radio frequency ports, one of which is a transmit / receive port 202, and the others are receive ports 203. The directional antenna 101 and the first omnidirectional antenna 102 are connected to the transmit / receive port 202 through a switch 30, and the second omnidirectional antenna 103 is connected to each of the receive ports 203.

[0055] As mentioned above, the first omnidirectional antenna 102 and the second omnidirectional antenna 103 are used to determine whether there is a target terminal within the effective positioning range, as well as the distance and angle of arrival of the target terminal. Therefore, after the positioning device is activated, the positioning unit 201 first controls the switching switch 30 to connect the transmit / receive port 202 and the first omnidirectional antenna 102, and then scans the target terminal through the first omnidirectional antenna 102 and the second omnidirectional antenna 103 to determine the distance and angle of arrival between the target terminal and the positioning device. The switching switch 30 can be a single-pole double-throw switch.

[0056] Figure 7 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 radio frequency signal transmitted by the target terminal reaching the two omnidirectional antennas can be calculated using the following formula (1):

[0057] p=dsinθ (1)

[0058] Where d is the distance between the two omnidirectional antennas, and θ is the angle of arrival. The phase difference α between the two RF signals and p has the following relationship:

[0059]

[0060] Where λ is the wavelength, combining formulas (1) and (2), we can obtain:

[0061]

[0062] In the derivation of the above formulas, it is assumed that the two omnidirectional antennas have the same radiation pattern, the beams reaching the two omnidirectional antennas are parallel, and the mutual coupling effect of the antenna arrays can be ignored.

[0063] The arrival angle between the target terminal and the positioning device measured by the PDoA algorithm is mirrored, 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 positioning unit 201 also controls the switching switch 30 to connect the transmit / receive port 202 and the directional antenna 101. The directional antenna 101 is used to determine the orientation of the target terminal relative to the plane containing the directional antenna 101. After the orientation is determined, the switching switch 30 is controlled to reconnect the transmit / receive port 202 and the first omnidirectional antenna 102. Specifically, when the positioning unit 201 can locate the target terminal through the directional antenna 101, it is determined that the target terminal is in front of the plane containing the directional antenna 101 (i.e., in front of the positioning antenna array 10); when the positioning unit 201 cannot locate the target terminal through the directional antenna 101, it is determined that the target terminal is in the back of the plane containing the directional antenna 101 (i.e., in front of the positioning antenna array 10).

[0064] Finally, the positioning unit 201 obtains the positioning result of the target terminal based on the determined orientation, distance and arrival angle.

[0065] 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 directional antenna 101. This method is suitable for situations with long positioning periods.

[0066] 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 positioning unit 201 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 switching switch 30 is first controlled to connect the transmit / receive port 202 and the directional antenna 101 to redetermine the orientation of the target terminal. After the orientation of the target terminal is redefined, the switching switch 30 is then controlled to connect the transmit / receive port 202 and the first omnidirectional antenna 102. If not, in the next positioning, the switching switch 30 is controlled to remain connected to the transmit / receive port 202 and the first omnidirectional antenna 102.

[0067] 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 directional antenna 101 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 directional antenna 101 is located, the positioning period, and the distance.

[0068] like Figure 8 and Figure 9 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 8 The target terminal 200 is located on the front of the positioning device 100, V z Negative, or Figure 9 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.

[0069] 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.

[0070] 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 :

[0071]

[0072] 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.

[0073] The positioning device provided in this embodiment of the invention includes a positioning antenna array, a switching switch, and a positioning module. The directional antenna and a first omnidirectional antenna of the positioning antenna array are connected to the transmit / receive port of the positioning module via the switching switch, and the second omnidirectional antenna is connected to the receive port of the positioning module. The positioning unit of the positioning module controls the switching switch to connect the transmit / receive port and the first omnidirectional antenna, and determines the distance and angle of arrival between the target terminal and the positioning device through the first and second omnidirectional antennas. It also controls the switching switch to connect the transmit / receive port and the directional antenna, and determines the orientation of the target terminal relative to the plane where the directional antenna is located through the directional antenna. Finally, the positioning result of the target terminal is obtained based on the orientation, distance, and angle of arrival. The omnidirectional precise positioning device of this invention adopts a low-profile design, which has the advantages of simple structure, small footprint, and low cost.

[0074] Example 2

[0075] According to an embodiment of the present invention, a positioning method is provided. Please refer to... Figure 10 This figure is a schematic flowchart of a positioning method provided in an embodiment of the present invention. The positioning method is applied to the positioning device in Embodiment 1, and more specifically, to the positioning unit of the positioning device. The method specifically includes the following steps:

[0076] Step S1001: Control the switching switch to connect the transmit and receive port and the first omnidirectional antenna, and determine the distance and arrival angle between the target terminal and the positioning device through the first omnidirectional antenna and the second omnidirectional antenna;

[0077] Step S1002: Control the switching switch to connect the transmit / receive port and the directional antenna, determine the orientation of the target terminal relative to the plane where the directional antenna is located through the directional antenna, and after the orientation is determined, control the switching switch to reconnect the transmit / receive port and the first omnidirectional antenna;

[0078] Step S1003: Obtain the positioning result of the target terminal based on the orientation, the distance, and the angle of arrival.

[0079] 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 directional antenna. This method is suitable for situations with long positioning cycles.

[0080] 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 positioning method further includes: determining whether the orientation of the target terminal needs to be redefined in the next positioning; if so, controlling a switch to connect the transmit / receive port and the directional antenna in the next positioning to redetermine the orientation of the target terminal; after the orientation of the target terminal is redefined, controlling the switch to connect the transmit / receive port and the first omnidirectional antenna; if not, controlling the switch to keep the transmit / receive port and the first omnidirectional antenna connected in the next positioning.

[0081] 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 of the directional antenna 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, 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 of the directional antenna, the positioning period, and the distance.

[0082] The above positioning method can be executed by the controller included in the positioning device provided in Embodiment 1. It is based on the same inventive concept as the positioning device provided in Embodiment 1 and has the technical features corresponding to the positioning device. For details not described in detail in this embodiment, please refer to the description of the positioning device in Embodiment 1 of this application.

[0083] Example 3

[0084] According to an embodiment 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 any of the positioning methods described in Embodiment 2.

[0085] 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.

[0086] 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. An omni-directional precision positioning device, characterized in that, The positioning device includes a positioning antenna array, a positioning module, and a switching switch. The positioning antenna array includes a directional antenna, a first omnidirectional antenna, and several second omnidirectional antennas. The positioning module includes a positioning unit, a transmit / receive port, and several receive ports. The directional antenna and the first omnidirectional antenna are connected to the transmit / receive port through the switching switch, and the second omnidirectional antennas are connected to the receive ports. The positioning unit is used to control the switching switch to connect the transmit / receive port and the first omnidirectional antenna, and to determine the distance and arrival angle between the target terminal and the positioning device through the first omnidirectional antenna and the second omnidirectional antenna; to control the switching switch to connect the transmit / receive port and the directional antenna, and to determine the orientation of the target terminal relative to the plane where the directional antenna is located through the directional antenna; and after the orientation is determined, to control the switching switch to reconnect the transmit / receive port and the first omnidirectional antenna. The positioning result of the target terminal is obtained based on the orientation, the distance, and the angle of arrival; Specifically, determining the orientation of the target terminal relative to the plane where the directional antenna is located using the directional antenna involves the following steps: if the positioning unit can locate the target terminal using the directional antenna, then the target terminal is determined to be in front of the plane where the directional antenna is located; if the positioning unit cannot locate the target terminal using the directional antenna, then the target terminal is determined to be in the back of the plane where the directional antenna is located.

2. The omni-directional precision positioning device according to claim 1, characterized in that The directional antenna is a patch antenna and its variants, and the first omnidirectional antenna and the second omnidirectional antenna are single / dipole antennas and their variants.

3. The omnidirectional precision positioning device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The positioning antenna array is designed on a single-layer double-sided board, which includes a front metal layer, a PCB dielectric layer, and a back metal layer.

4. The omnidirectional precision positioning device according to claim 3, characterized in that, Each antenna of the positioning antenna array is disposed on the front metal layer and connected to the transmit / receive port / receive port via a rear-side feeding method.

5. The positioning device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The positioning unit 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 unit controls the switching switch to connect the transmitting and receiving port and the directional antenna to re-determine the orientation of the target terminal. After the orientation is re-determined, the unit controls the switching switch to reconnect the transmitting and receiving port and the first omnidirectional antenna.

6. The positioning device according to claim 5, characterized in that, The positioning unit 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 directional antenna is located is in the same direction as the orientation of the target terminal. If so, then 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 of the directional antenna, the preset positioning period, and the distance.

7. An omnidirectional precise positioning method, characterized in that, The method is applied to the omnidirectional precision positioning device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, and the method includes: The control switch connects the transmit / receive port and the first omnidirectional antenna, and the distance and arrival angle between the target terminal and the positioning device are determined by the first omnidirectional antenna and the second omnidirectional antenna. The switch is controlled to connect the transmit / receive port and the directional antenna. The orientation of the target terminal relative to the plane where the directional antenna is located is determined by the directional antenna. After the orientation is determined, the switch is controlled to reconnect the transmit / receive port and the first omnidirectional antenna. The positioning result of the target terminal is obtained based on the orientation, the distance, and the angle of arrival; Specifically, determining the orientation of the target terminal relative to the plane where the directional antenna is located using the directional antenna involves the following steps: if the positioning unit can locate the target terminal using the directional antenna, then the target terminal is determined to be in front of the plane where the directional antenna is located; if the positioning unit cannot locate the target terminal using the directional antenna, then the target terminal is determined to be in the back of the plane where the 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 switch is controlled to connect the transmit / receive port and the directional antenna to re-determine the orientation of the target terminal, and after the orientation is re-determined, the switch is controlled to reconnect the transmit / receive port and the first 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 directional antenna is located is in the same direction as the orientation of the target terminal; If so, then the orientation of the target terminal does not need to be re-determined during the next positioning. If not, then determine whether the arrival angle of the target terminal is greater than the threshold angle. If yes, then the orientation of the target terminal needs to be re-determined during the next positioning. If no, then 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 directional antenna is located, the positioning period, and the distance.

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