Multi-floor object positioning system and method based on ultra wide band positioning

Abstract

The invention discloses a multi-floor object positioning system and method based on ultra wide band positioning. The system comprises an ultra wide band base station, a label module, a central data processing module and a positioning visualization module. The base station module is deployed at a preset position, is in two-way communication with the label module in a target range and is used for measuring the distance between the base station module and the label module and altitude data of the base station module; and the label module is deployed on a to-be-positioned object and is used for responding to the ranging signal of the base station module and measuring target altitude data of the object. And the central data processing module determines a target floor according to the altitude data of the base station module and the label module, calculates three-dimensional coordinate data in combination with the distance information and the preset position of the base station module, and carries out visual display by the positioning visualization module. The problems of large Bluetooth positioning error and ultra-wideband cross-layer misjudgment are solved, and the method is suitable for high-precision positioning and visual display in a multi-floor complex environment.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The embodiments of the present application relate to, but are not limited to, the field of positioning, and in particular to a multi-floor object positioning system and method based on ultra-wideband positioning. Background Art

[0002] Indoor positioning systems play a vital role in fields such as intelligent building management. Currently, Bluetooth-based indoor positioning systems estimate distance by receiving signal strength indicators. However, this technology is susceptible to interference from factors such as multipath effects and obstruction by obstacles, resulting in large positioning errors. Furthermore, its limited communication bandwidth makes it difficult to meet the needs of high-real-time positioning. Furthermore, ultra-wideband (UWB) positioning systems have significant drawbacks in multi-floor environments. Specifically, to locate tags within a floor, base stations must be deployed on each floor. However, base station signals easily penetrate floors, leading to cross-floor tag misscanning, seriously affecting the accurate determination of the target object's floor location and greatly limiting the positioning accuracy and reliability in multi-floor scenarios. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The following is a summary of the subject matter described in detail herein. This summary is not intended to limit the scope of the claims.

[0004] The embodiments of the present application provide a multi-floor object positioning system and method based on ultra-wideband positioning, which solves the problems of large Bluetooth positioning errors and ultra-wideband cross-layer misjudgment, and is suitable for high-precision positioning and visualization display in complex environments with multiple floors.

[0005] In a first aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a multi-floor object positioning system based on ultra-wideband positioning, comprising: an ultra-wideband base station module, an ultra-wideband tag module, a central data processing module, and a positioning visualization module; the ultra-wideband base station module is deployed at a preset position and performs bidirectional communication with the ultra-wideband tag module located within a target range centered at the preset position; the ultra-wideband base station module is used to measure the distance information between itself and the ultra-wideband tag module, and to measure its own base station altitude data; the ultra-wideband tag module is deployed on the object to be positioned, and is used to respond to the ranging signal sent by the ultra-wideband base station module and measure the target altitude data of the object to be positioned; the central data processing module communicates with the ultra-wideband base station module and the ultra-wideband tag module respectively, and is used to calculate the target floor of the object to be positioned based on the base station altitude data and the target altitude data, and calculate the three-dimensional coordinate data of the object to be positioned based on the distance information, the target floor, and the preset position of the ultra-wideband base station module; the positioning visualization module is used to visualize the three-dimensional coordinate data of the object to be positioned.

[0006] In combination with the first aspect, in one embodiment of the present application, the ultra-wideband base station module includes a first communication unit, a first signal ranging unit and a first altitude sensor; the first communication unit is used to search for the ultra-wideband tag module located in the target range centered on the preset position, and establish communication between the first signal ranging unit and the searched ultra-wideband tag module; the first signal ranging unit is used to measure the distance information between the ultra-wideband base station module and the ultra-wideband tag module based on the communication time with the ultra-wideband tag module; the first altitude sensor is used to obtain the base station altitude data of the ultra-wideband base station module based on the measured air pressure value.

[0007] In combination with the first aspect, in one embodiment of the present application, the ultra-wideband tag module includes a second communication unit, a second signal ranging unit and a second altitude sensor, the second communication unit is used to establish communication between the second signal ranging unit and the ultra-wideband base station module; the second signal ranging unit is used to receive the ranging signal sent by the first signal ranging unit, and send a response signal to the ultra-wideband base station module according to the ranging signal, so that the first signal ranging unit obtains the communication time according to the response signal; the second altitude sensor is used to obtain the target altitude data of the object to be located according to the measured air pressure value.

[0008] In combination with the first aspect, in one embodiment of the present application, the multi-floor object positioning system also includes a data transfer module, which communicates with the ultra-wideband base station module and the ultra-wideband tag module respectively, and is used to receive the three-dimensional coordinate data of the object to be positioned uploaded by the central data processing module, the target altitude data uploaded by the ultra-wideband tag module, and the distance information and the base station altitude data uploaded by the ultra-wideband base station module.

[0009] In combination with the first aspect, in one embodiment of the present application, the central data processing module includes a data processing unit, a positioning estimation unit and a historical data storage unit that communicate with each other, the data processing unit is used to subscribe to the distance information, the base station altitude data and the target altitude data from the data transfer module, the positioning estimation unit is used to calculate the target floor of the object to be located based on the base station altitude data and the target altitude data, and calculate the two-dimensional coordinate data of the object to be located based on the distance information and the preset position of the ultra-wideband base station module, and calculate the three-dimensional coordinate data of the object to be located based on the target floor and the two-dimensional coordinate data of the object to be located; the historical data storage unit is used to subscribe to and store the distance information, the base station altitude data and the target altitude data from the data transfer module.

[0010] In combination with the first aspect, in one embodiment of the present application, the positioning visualization module includes a monitoring unit, which communicates with the data transfer module and is used to subscribe to the three-dimensional coordinate data of the object to be located from the data transfer module and visualize the three-dimensional coordinate data.

[0011] In combination with the first aspect, in an embodiment of the present application, the positioning visualization module includes a history backtracking unit, which is used to obtain historical coordinate data of the object to be located from the historical data storage unit and visualize the historical coordinate data.

[0012] In a second aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a multi-floor object positioning method based on ultra-wideband positioning, which is applied to the previous multi-floor object positioning system based on ultra-wideband positioning. The method includes: obtaining base station altitude data of an ultra-wideband base station module deployed at a preset position, and distance information between the ultra-wideband base station module and the ultra-wideband tag module, the ultra-wideband tag module being deployed on the object to be positioned and located within the target range of the preset position; obtaining target altitude data of the ultra-wideband tag module; calculating the target floor of the object to be positioned based on the base station altitude data and the target altitude data, and calculating the three-dimensional coordinate data of the object to be positioned based on the distance information, the target floor and the position of the ultra-wideband base station module on the target floor; and visually displaying the three-dimensional coordinate data of the object to be positioned.

[0013] In combination with the second aspect, in an embodiment of the present application, the three-dimensional coordinate data of the object to be located is calculated based on the distance information, the target floor, and the position of the ultra-wideband base station module on the target floor, including: calculating the target floor of the object to be located based on the base station altitude data and the target altitude data; calculating the two-dimensional coordinate data of the object to be located based on the distance information and the position of the ultra-wideband base station module on the target floor; and calculating the three-dimensional coordinate data of the object to be located based on the target floor and the two-dimensional coordinate data.

[0014] In combination with the second aspect, in one embodiment of the present application, the ultra-wideband base station module includes a first base station module, a second base station module and a third base station module, and the distance information includes first distance data between the first base station module and the ultra-wideband tag module, second distance data between the second base station module and the ultra-wideband tag module, and third distance data between the third base station module and the ultra-wideband tag module; the two-dimensional coordinate data of the object to be located is calculated based on the distance information and the position of the ultra-wideband base station module on the target floor, including: establishing a position equation based on the first distance data, the second distance data, the third distance data and the position information of the first base station module, the second base station module and the third base station module; solving the position equation to obtain the two-dimensional coordinate data of the object to be located.

[0015] The embodiment of the present application provides a multi-floor object positioning system based on ultra-wideband positioning, including an ultra-wideband base station module, an ultra-wideband tag module, a central data processing module, and a positioning visualization module. The ultra-wideband base station module is deployed at a preset position and performs bidirectional communication with an ultra-wideband tag module located within a target range centered at the preset position. The ultra-wideband base station module is used to measure the distance information between itself and the ultra-wideband tag module, as well as to measure its own base station altitude data. The ultra-wideband tag module is deployed on the object to be positioned and is used to send a response signal for responding to a ranging signal to the ultra-wideband base station module, and to measure the target altitude data of the object to be positioned, wherein the ranging signal is sent by the ultra-wideband base station module. The central data processing module communicates with the ultra-wideband base station module and the ultra-wideband tag module respectively, and is used to calculate the target floor of the object to be positioned based on the base station altitude data and the target altitude data, and calculate the three-dimensional coordinate data of the object to be positioned based on the distance information, the target floor, and the preset position of the ultra-wideband base station module. The positioning visualization module is used to visualize the three-dimensional coordinate data of the object to be positioned. The embodiment of the present application uses ultra-wideband pulse technology to achieve centimeter-level ranging, and integrates the altitude data of the base station and the tag to accurately determine the target floor where the object to be located is located. It solves the problems of large Bluetooth positioning errors and ultra-wideband cross-layer misjudgment. Through data fusion and real-time calculation, it meets high real-time requirements and is suitable for high-precision positioning and visualization display in complex environments with multiple floors. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] Figure 1 This is an overall module structure diagram of a multi-floor object positioning system based on ultra-wideband positioning provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0017] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the two-way ranging principle provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0018] Figure 3This is a floor positioning principle diagram provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0019] Figure 4 This is a flow chart of a multi-floor object positioning method based on ultra-wideband positioning provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0020] Figure 5 This is an embodiment of the present application. Figure 4 Specific flow chart of step 430;

[0021] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the positioning principle provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0022] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of a positioning and tracking scenario provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0023] Figure 8 This is a real-time positioning visualization diagram provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0024] Figure 9 This is a real-time positioning visualization diagram provided by another embodiment of the present application;

[0025] Figure 10 This is a visualization diagram of the historical positioning trajectory of a forklift provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0026] Figure 1: Ultra-wideband base station module 110; Ultra-wideband tag module 120; Central data processing module 130; Positioning visualization module 140; Data transfer module 150; First wireless network module 160; Second wireless network module 170; First communication unit 111; First signal ranging unit 112; First altitude sensor 113; Second communication unit 121; Second signal ranging unit 122; Second altitude sensor 123; Data processing unit 131; Positioning estimation unit 132; Historical data storage unit 133; Monitoring unit 141; Historical backtracking unit 142. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0027] In order to make the purpose, technical solutions and advantages of this application more clear, the following further describes this application in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only used to explain this application and are not intended to limit this application.

[0028] It should be noted that although a logical order is shown in the flowchart, in some cases, the steps shown or described may be performed in an order different from that in the flowchart. The terms "first" and "second" in the specification, claims, and the above-mentioned figures are used to distinguish similar objects and are not necessarily used to describe a specific order or sequence. It should be noted that the structures, proportions, sizes, etc. illustrated in the drawings of this specification are only used to match the content disclosed in the specification for people familiar with this technology to understand and read, and are not used to limit the limitations of the implementation of this application. Therefore, they have no technical significance. Any modification of the structure, change in the proportional relationship, or adjustment of the size should still fall within the scope of the technical content disclosed in this application without affecting the efficacy and purpose of this application. At the same time, the terms such as "upper", "lower", "left", "right", "middle", and "one" cited in this specification are only for the convenience of description and are not used to limit the scope of the implementation of this application. Changes or adjustments in their relative relationships should also be considered as the scope of the implementation of this application without substantially changing the technical content.

[0029] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by those skilled in the art to which this application pertains. The terms used herein are for the purpose of describing the embodiments of this application only and are not intended to limit this application.

[0030] Currently, Bluetooth-based indoor positioning systems estimate distance based on received signal strength indicators. However, this technology is susceptible to interference from factors such as multipath effects and obstruction by obstacles, resulting in large positioning errors. Furthermore, its limited communication bandwidth makes it difficult to meet the requirements of high-speed real-time positioning. Furthermore, ultra-wideband positioning systems have significant drawbacks in multi-story environments. Specifically, to locate tags within a floor, base stations must be deployed on each floor. However, base station signals easily penetrate floors, leading to cross-floor tag misscanning. This seriously affects the accurate determination of the target object's floor location and significantly limits the accuracy and reliability of positioning in multi-story scenarios.

[0031] In light of this, embodiments of the present application provide a multi-floor object positioning system and method based on ultra-wideband positioning. This positioning system utilizes ultra-wideband pulse technology to achieve centimeter-level ranging, integrating base station and tag altitude data to accurately determine the target floor of the object to be positioned. This addresses the issues of large Bluetooth positioning errors and ultra-wideband cross-layer misjudgment. Through data fusion and real-time computing, it meets high real-time requirements and is suitable for high-precision positioning and visualization in complex multi-floor environments.

[0032] The embodiments of the present application are further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0033] Reference Figure 1 , Figure 1 FIG1 is an overall module structure diagram of a multi-floor object positioning system based on ultra-wideband positioning provided by an embodiment of the present application. The positioning system includes an ultra-wideband base station module 110, an ultra-wideband tag module 120, a central data processing module 130, and a positioning visualization module 140. The ultra-wideband base station module 110 utilizes a three-dimensional ultra-wideband positioning base station configuration and can be deployed at a known geographic coordinate location according to a preset distribution pattern. It communicates bidirectionally with the ultra-wideband tag module 120 within a target range (e.g., a 50-meter radius) centered at that location. Its function is to measure the distance between itself and the ultra-wideband tag module 120 and obtain its own base station altitude data. The ultra-wideband tag module 120 utilizes a three-dimensional ultra-wideband positioning tag configuration and can be deployed on an object to be located (e.g., a user or object). It can send a response signal (for responding to the ranging signal sent by the base station module 110) to the ultra-wideband base station module 110 while simultaneously measuring the target altitude data of the object to be located. The central data processing module 130 communicates with the ultra-wideband base station module 110 and the ultra-wideband tag module 120, respectively. It can first calculate the target floor of the object to be located based on the obtained base station altitude data and target altitude data, and then calculate the three-dimensional coordinate data of the object to be located by combining the distance information, the target floor, and the preset position of the base station module 110. The positioning visualization module 140 is used to visualize the three-dimensional coordinate data of the object to be located.

[0034] It is understandable that ultra-wideband is a wireless communication technology whose core feature is the use of an extremely wide frequency band (≥500MHz) for data transmission, and the typical operating frequency band is 3.1-10.6GHz. This technology achieves communication by emitting short nanosecond pulse signals, and has both centimeter-level high-precision positioning and high-speed data transmission capabilities. Different from Bluetooth / Wi-Fi (meter-level accuracy), ultra-wideband is based on two-way ranging (TWR) technology, which can control the positioning error to the centimeter level. In addition, its extremely wide frequency band and low power spectral density give it strong anti-interference ability and can work stably in complex electromagnetic environments. This embodiment achieves high-precision real-time tracking of the target object position by deploying an ultra-wideband base station module 110 and a tag module 120.

[0035] It should be noted that the ultra-wideband base station module 110 supports POE power supply, and a distributed local positioning system can be constructed through cascade networking. Each base station module 110 can preset three-dimensional coordinates to form a global spatial reference frame. At the communication architecture level, the positioning system can adopt a dual-mode communication architecture. Specifically: the communication unit is responsible for device discovery, initial connection establishment and control command transmission; the signal ranging unit is based on 6.5GHz ultra-wideband pulse technology, and achieves centimeter-level high-precision ranging through two-way time of flight (ToF) ranging. In addition, in order to further improve the positioning accuracy, this positioning system integrates barometric altimeter data and adopts a hybrid positioning algorithm of arrival time difference and arrival frequency difference. Through comprehensive analysis and calculation of multi-source data, the system can accurately obtain three-dimensional coordinate data and finally output three-dimensional space coordinate positioning results.

[0036] In a feasible embodiment, the ultra-wideband base station module 110 integrates a first communication unit 111, a first signal ranging unit 112 and a first altitude sensor 113, wherein the first communication unit 111 is used to search for the ultra-wideband tag module 120 in a target area centered on a preset position and establish a stable communication link. For example, the base station module 110 located at the corner of the stairs on the first floor of the warehouse can search for the tag module 120 carried by the user within 10 meters and establish a connection; the first signal ranging unit 112 calculates the distance to the tag module 120 based on the communication time, such as calculating that the two are 8 meters apart through the round-trip time of the signal; the first altitude sensor 113 obtains the base station altitude data by measuring the air pressure value, such as converting the measured air pressure of 101.3 kPa to an altitude of 50 meters on the first floor.

[0037] In a feasible embodiment, the ultra-wideband tag module 120 integrates a second communication unit 121, a second signal ranging unit 122 and a second altitude sensor 123. The second communication unit 121 is used to establish communication with the ultra-wideband base station module 110, such as automatically responding to the base station signal to establish a communication link when the user holds the tag module 120 and enters the warehouse; the second signal ranging unit 122 receives the base station ranging signal and sends a response signal, and cooperates with the first signal ranging unit 112 of the ultra-wideband base station module 110 to complete time measurement, such as feeding back a signal with a timestamp within 50 milliseconds; the second altitude sensor 123 obtains the target altitude data based on the air pressure value, such as measuring 50 meters when the user is on the first floor.

[0038] It should be noted that both the first communication unit 111 and the second communication unit 121 can be implemented based on Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) technology. The first communication unit 111 of the base station module 110 is responsible for scanning the surrounding ultra-wideband tag modules 120 and establishing a dedicated measurement and control channel; the second communication unit 121 of the tag module 120 is used to respond to base station instructions. The ranging module adopts a dual-end UWB architecture: the first signal ranging unit 112 of the base station module 110 and the second signal ranging unit 122 of the tag module 120 both use a two-way time-of-flight ranging (TW-TOF) mechanism, achieving centimeter-level positioning accuracy through nanosecond pulse signals (formula: d = c·Δt / 2, where c is the speed of light and Δt is the signal round-trip time). The second signal ranging unit 122 uses a delayed response mechanism to complete ranging and supports multi-base station collaborative positioning. In addition, the first altitude sensor 113 and the second altitude sensor 123 can both use barometric altimeters and output the altitude of the base station and tag in real time (dynamic response time <50ms), effectively eliminating interference from air pressure fluctuations.

[0039] In a feasible embodiment, the first signal ranging unit 112 measures the distance between the ultra-wideband base station module 110 and the tag module 120 based on the two-way time of flight principle. The specific process is as follows: Figure 2 As shown in the figure: the base station sends a ranging signal (i.e., ranging pulse) carrying a T1 timestamp at time T1, the tag receives and records the time at time T2, and after processing the delay Td (assuming it is known), it sends a response signal (i.e., response pulse) containing a [T2, T3] timestamp at time T3, and the base station receives and records the time at time T4; the one-way flight time T is calculated by the formula T = [(T4-T1)-(T3-T2)-Td] / 2, and then the spatial distance d is solved according to d = c×T / 2 (where c is the speed of light).

[0040] In one feasible embodiment, the multi-floor object positioning system also includes a data transfer module 150. This module serves as the system's communication hub, establishing bidirectional communication links with the ultra-wideband base station module 110, the ultra-wideband tag module 120, and the central data processing module 130. Its primary functions include: receiving 3D coordinate data of the object to be positioned from the central data processing module 130; acquiring target altitude data collected in real time by the ultra-wideband tag module 120; and aggregating distance measurements and base station altitude benchmark data uploaded by each ultra-wideband base station module 110. By integrating multi-source data, this module achieves standardized processing and efficient transmission of cross-floor positioning information, ensuring accurate and real-time positioning.

[0041] It should be noted that the data transfer module 150, as the system's core communication hub, can adopt a publish / subscribe architecture to centrally dispatch and distribute multi-source heterogeneous data. Through a bidirectional communication interface, this module can perform the following functions: It receives real-time 3D coordinate data from the central data processing module 130, altitude data from the ultra-wideband tag module 120, and distance measurements and altitude benchmark data from each base station module 110; it accurately distributes multi-source data to the corresponding processing units based on preset rules; and it unifies data formats across different communication protocols to ensure cross-system compatibility.

[0042] In a possible embodiment, if Figure 1 As shown, the ultra-wideband base station module 110 can publish the measured distance information and its own base station altitude data to the data transfer module 150 through the first wireless network module 160. Similarly, the ultra-wideband tag module 120 can publish its own altitude data to the data transfer module 150 through the second wireless network module 170, so that other modules can subscribe to related data information from the data transfer module 150.

[0043] In one feasible embodiment, the central data processing module 130 is composed of three core units: a data processing unit 131, a positioning estimation unit 132, and a historical data storage unit 133. These units work together through internal interfaces. The data processing unit 131 is responsible for subscribing to raw data from the data transfer module 150, including distance information, base station altitude data, and target altitude data, and performing data preprocessing. The positioning estimation unit 132 performs the following calculations based on the subscribed data: It calculates the target floor of the object to be located based on the base station altitude data and the target altitude data. It combines the ranging data in the distance information with the preset coordinates (i.e., the preset position) of the base station module 110 to first calculate the two-dimensional plane coordinates, and then overlays the target floor information to obtain the three-dimensional coordinates. The historical data storage unit 133 stores all subscribed raw data in real time, providing data support for tracing positioning results.

[0044] In a feasible embodiment, after calculating the three-dimensional coordinates of the object to be located, the central data processing module 130 can send this coordinate data to the data transfer module 150 so that other modules can subscribe to the relevant coordinate data from the data transfer module 150.

[0045] In a possible embodiment, if Figure 3As shown, the floor positioning principle is as follows: multiple 3D ultra-wideband base station modules 110 are distributed on floors 1 to 4. Their base station altitude data includes the real-time benchmark altitudes for the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th floors. A 3D ultra-wideband tag module 120 is deployed on the object to be positioned, and its target altitude data is the real-time altitude of the tag module 120. By comparing the base station altitude data with the target altitude data, it can be determined that the target floor of the object to be positioned is the 2nd floor because the real-time benchmark altitude of the 2nd floor is greater than the target altitude data, and the target altitude data is less than the real-time benchmark altitude of the 3rd floor.

[0046] In a feasible embodiment, the positioning visualization module 140 is a three-dimensional visualization platform, which is equipped with a monitoring unit 141. The unit establishes a connection with the data transfer module 150 through a communication interface, and can subscribe to the three-dimensional coordinate data of the object to be located from the data transfer module 150 in real time, and display it through a visualization interface so that users can track and monitor the positioning information of the located objects corresponding to each tag module 120 in real time.

[0047] In a feasible embodiment, the positioning visualization module 140 also integrates a historical backtracking unit 142, which can extract the historical coordinate data of the object to be located (i.e., the positioning history data of the object within a specified time period in the past) from the historical data storage unit 133 according to user needs, and visualize the historical coordinate data in the form of a positioning trajectory.

[0048] See also Figure 4 , Figure 4 This is a flow chart of a multi-floor object positioning method based on ultra-wideband positioning provided by an embodiment of the present application. The method is applicable to the multi-floor object positioning system based on ultra-wideband positioning described above, and may include but is not limited to steps 410 to 440.

[0049] Step 410: Acquire base station altitude data of an ultra-wideband base station module deployed at a preset location, and distance information between the ultra-wideband base station module and an ultra-wideband tag module, wherein the ultra-wideband tag module is deployed on the object to be located and is within a target range of the preset location;

[0050] Step 420: Acquire a response signal from the ultra-wideband tag module and target altitude data, where the response signal is used to measure distance information;

[0051] Step 430: Calculate the target floor of the object to be located based on the base station altitude data and the target altitude data, and calculate the three-dimensional coordinate data of the object to be located based on the distance information, the target floor, and the position of the ultra-wideband base station module on the target floor;

[0052] Step 440: Visually display the three-dimensional coordinate data of the object to be located.

[0053] In a feasible embodiment, step 410 is intended to establish a positioning reference and initial measurement. The specific operations include: reading the altitude data of the ultra-wideband base station module 110 deployed at a known location (such as a fixed point on each floor of a building) (such as the base station at the first floor is 50 meters above sea level, and the base station at the second floor is 53 meters above sea level); through two-way communication between the base station and the tag module 120 on the object to be located, measuring the signal flight time to calculate the distance (such as the distance between base station A and the tag is 8.5 meters). It is worth noting that the base station position can be pre-calibrated, and the distance measurement can achieve centimeter-level accuracy based on UWB pulse technology.

[0054] In a feasible embodiment, in step 420, after the tag module 120 receives the ranging signal from the base station module 110, it can generate a response signal with a timestamp and return it to the base station module 110. The altitude sensor built into the tag module 120 can measure the air pressure at the current location and convert it into altitude data (such as the tag module 120 is at an altitude of 50.2 meters), thereby obtaining the altitude data of the object to be located (i.e., the target altitude data).

[0055] It should be noted that in actual operation, it is generally necessary to pre-establish the precise altitude benchmark of the base stations on each floor (such as through GPS static measurement). At least three base stations that are not in the same straight line are required to achieve two-dimensional positioning, and four base stations are required to achieve three-dimensional direct positioning.

[0056] In a possible embodiment, if Figure 5 As shown, the sub-steps of step 430 may include but are not limited to steps 510 to 530.

[0057] Step 510: Calculate the target floor where the object to be located is located based on the base station altitude data and the target altitude data;

[0058] Step 520: Calculate the two-dimensional coordinate data of the object to be located based on the distance information and the position of the ultra-wideband base station module on the target floor;

[0059] Step 530: Calculate the three-dimensional coordinate data of the object to be located based on the target floor and the two-dimensional coordinate data of the object.

[0060] In one feasible embodiment, in step 510, the target floor of the object to be located can be determined by comparing the tag altitude (i.e., target altitude data) with the altitude threshold of the base station at a preset location (e.g., each floor) (e.g., the tag altitude is 50.2 meters, and the base station altitude on the first floor is within the range of 50 meters ± 1.5 meters). For example, if the base station altitude on the first floor is 50 meters, the altitude on the second floor is 53 meters, and the tag altitude is 50.2 meters, then the object to be located can be determined to be on the first floor.

[0061] In a feasible embodiment, in step 520, based on the distance information between at least three base station modules 110 and the tag module 120 (such as base station A is 8.5 meters away, base station B is 7.2 meters away, and base station C is 9.1 meters away), the plane coordinates, that is, the two-dimensional coordinates (X, Y) of the object to be located, can be solved by a triangulation positioning algorithm.

[0062] In one embodiment, in step 530, the two-dimensional coordinates (X, Y) are combined with the floor height (Z) determined in step 510 to generate three-dimensional coordinates (X, Y, Z). For example, if the height of the first floor is 50 meters and the two-dimensional coordinates are (10, 20), then the three-dimensional coordinates are (10, 20, 50).

[0063] In a feasible embodiment, the ultra-wideband base station module 110 includes a first base station module, a second base station module, and a third base station module. The corresponding distance information includes the first distance data between the first base station module and the ultra-wideband tag module 120, the second distance data between the second base station module and the ultra-wideband tag module 120, and the third distance data between the third base station module and the ultra-wideband tag module 120. When calculating the two-dimensional coordinate data of the object to be located based on the distance information and the position of the ultra-wideband base station module on the target floor, a position equation can be first established based on the first distance data, the second distance data, the third distance data, and the position information of the first base station module, the second base station module, and the third base station module. Then, the two-dimensional coordinate data of the object to be located is obtained by solving the position equation. For example, assuming that the two-dimensional coordinates of the object to be located are (x, y), the coordinates of the three base stations A, B, and C are known to be (X1, Y1), (X2, Y2), and (X3, Y3), respectively, and the distances between the three base station modules 110 and the tag module 120 are measured to be d1, d2, and d3, respectively, the equation group can be obtained: (X1-X) 2 +(Y1-Y) 2 =d1 2 、(X2-X) 2 +(Y2-Y) 2 =d2 2 、(X3-X) 2 +(Y3-Y) 2 =d3 2 By combining the curve equations of the three circles, the values ​​of x and y can be estimated, i.e., the coordinates of the tag module 120. It should be noted that, ideally, the three curves will intersect at one point, which is the coordinate of the tag module 120; however, in practice, due to the existence of errors, it is usually only possible to determine that the tag module 120 is located in the common area where the three circles intersect (e.g., Figure 6 As shown, it is estimated that the tag module 120 is positioned in the gray area X defined by three circles).

[0064] In a feasible embodiment, in step 440, when visually displaying the three-dimensional coordinate data, it can be achieved by: mapping the three-dimensional coordinates to an electronic map; dynamically displaying the object position trajectory (such as the movement path of a person); supporting multi-perspective switching and zooming (such as floor plans, 3D stereo views).

[0065] The following uses a forklift positioning and tracking scenario in a multi-story factory as an example to further illustrate this application.

[0066] The purpose of this embodiment is to track the location information of a forklift in a multi-story factory building. The specific implementation method is as follows:

[0067] like Figure 7 As shown, three or more three-dimensional ultra-wideband base station modules 110 (hereinafter referred to as base stations 110) are fixedly installed in a series of locations on different floors of the factory. The installation locations need to ensure that the distance between base stations 110 is not too large, so that the working range of at least three base stations 110 can cover the forklift's activity area. When tracking the location of the forklift, it is necessary to pre-measure the coordinates of the installation location of each base station 110 and establish a coordinate reference system for the factory for subsequent calculation reference. When the base station 110 is in operation, it can search for and communicate with nearby ultra-wideband tag modules 120 (hereinafter referred to as tags 120). It then measures the distance of the tags 120 at a certain frequency and continuously publishes the ranging results to the data transfer module 150 using a publish / subscribe architecture model. At the same time, the base station 110 will also publish the real-time baseline altitude data of the floor to the data transfer module 150 when it is in operation. All forklifts moving through each floor are equipped with tags 120, which can be searched by nearby base stations 110 and establish two-way communication. After establishing two-way communication, the base station 110 can measure the distance of the tag 120 at a certain frequency and continuously publish the ranging results to the data transfer module 150.

[0068] exist Figure 7 In the data transfer module 150, the data transfer module 150 can be deployed in the cloud. The base station 110, as a publisher, can publish the ranging data of each tag 120 and the real-time benchmark altitude data of each floor to the data transfer module 150. Each tag 120, as a publisher, can publish the real-time altitude data of the tag 120 to the data transfer module 150. The central data processing module 130, as a subscriber, can subscribe to the real-time altitude data of each tag 120 and the real-time benchmark altitude data of the base station 110 on each floor from the data transfer module 150 for floor resolution of the tag 120, and subscribe to the ranging data of the tag 120 published by each base station 110 for multi-point positioning estimation of the tag 120. At the same time, the central data processing module 130, as a publisher, can publish the real-time three-dimensional positioning data of each tag 120 to the data transfer module 150.

[0069] like Figure 8 The 2D scene visualization shown and Figure 9 As shown in the three-dimensional scene visualization, the positioning visualization module 140 acts as a subscriber and can subscribe to the real-time three-dimensional positioning data of each tag 120 in the data transfer module 150 and visualize it to the user. In addition, according to the user's needs, such as Figure 10 As shown, the positioning visualization module 140 can query and extract the historical positioning tracking data of the corresponding forklift in the central data processing module 130 and visualize it.

[0070] The above description of the disclosed embodiments is intended to enable one skilled in the art to implement or use the present application. Various modifications to these embodiments will be readily apparent to one skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be implemented in other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the present application. Therefore, the present application is not limited to the embodiments shown herein, but is intended to conform to the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A multi-floor object positioning system based on ultra-wideband positioning, characterized in that: include: An ultra-wideband base station module, an ultra-wideband tag module, a central data processing module and a positioning visualization module; the ultra-wideband base station module is deployed at a preset position and performs two-way communication with the ultra-wideband tag module located within a target range centered at the preset position; the ultra-wideband base station module is used to measure the distance information between itself and the ultra-wideband tag module, and to measure its own base station altitude data; the ultra-wideband tag module is deployed on the object to be located, and is used to respond to the ranging signal sent by the ultra-wideband base station module, and to measure the target altitude data of the object to be located; the central data processing module communicates with the ultra-wideband base station module and the ultra-wideband tag module respectively, and is used to calculate the target floor of the object to be located based on the base station altitude data and the target altitude data, and calculate the three-dimensional coordinate data of the object to be located based on the distance information, the target floor and the preset position of the ultra-wideband base station module; The positioning visualization module is used to visualize the three-dimensional coordinate data of the object to be positioned.

2. The multi-floor object positioning system based on ultra-wideband positioning according to claim 1, characterized in that: The ultra-wideband base station module includes a first communication unit, a first signal ranging unit and a first altitude sensor; the first communication unit is used to search for the ultra-wideband tag module located in the target range centered on the preset position, and establish communication between the first signal ranging unit and the searched ultra-wideband tag module; the first signal ranging unit is used to measure the distance information between the ultra-wideband base station module and the ultra-wideband tag module based on the communication time with the ultra-wideband tag module; the first altitude sensor is used to obtain the base station altitude data of the ultra-wideband base station module based on the measured air pressure value.

3. The multi-floor object positioning system based on ultra-wideband positioning according to claim 2, characterized in that: The ultra-wideband tag module includes a second communication unit, a second signal ranging unit, and a second altitude sensor. The second communication unit is used to establish communication between the second signal ranging unit and the ultra-wideband base station module; the second signal ranging unit is used to receive the ranging signal sent by the first signal ranging unit and send a response signal to the ultra-wideband base station module based on the ranging signal, so that the first signal ranging unit obtains the communication time based on the response signal; and the second altitude sensor is used to obtain the target altitude data of the object to be located based on the measured air pressure value.

4. The multi-floor object positioning system based on ultra-wideband positioning according to claim 1, characterized in that: The multi-floor object positioning system also includes a data transfer module, which communicates with the ultra-wideband base station module and the ultra-wideband tag module respectively, and is used to receive the three-dimensional coordinate data of the object to be positioned uploaded by the central data processing module, the target altitude data uploaded by the ultra-wideband tag module, and the distance information and the base station altitude data uploaded by the ultra-wideband base station module.

5. The multi-floor object positioning system based on ultra-wideband positioning according to claim 4, characterized in that: The central data processing module includes a data processing unit, a positioning estimation unit, and a historical data storage unit that communicate with each other, the data processing unit is used to subscribe to the distance information, the base station altitude data, and the target altitude data from the data transfer module, the positioning estimation unit is used to calculate the target floor of the object to be located based on the base station altitude data and the target altitude data, and calculate the two-dimensional coordinate data of the object to be located based on the distance information and the preset position of the ultra-wideband base station module, and calculate the three-dimensional coordinate data of the object to be located based on the target floor of the object to be located and the two-dimensional coordinate data; The historical data storage unit is used to subscribe to and store the distance information, the base station altitude data, and the target altitude data from the data transfer module.

6. The multi-floor object positioning system based on ultra-wideband positioning according to claim 4, characterized in that: The positioning visualization module includes a monitoring unit, which communicates with the data transfer module and is configured to subscribe to the three-dimensional coordinate data of the object to be positioned from the data transfer module and visualize the three-dimensional coordinate data.

7. The multi-floor object positioning system based on ultra-wideband positioning according to claim 5, characterized in that: The positioning visualization module includes a history backtracking unit, which is used to obtain the historical coordinate data of the object to be positioned from the historical data storage unit and visualize the historical coordinate data.

8. A multi-floor object positioning method based on ultra-wideband positioning, characterized in that: The method applied to a multi-floor object positioning system based on ultra-wideband positioning according to any one of claims 1 to 7 comprises: Acquire base station altitude data of an ultra-wideband base station module deployed at a preset location, and distance information between the ultra-wideband base station module and the ultra-wideband tag module, wherein the ultra-wideband tag module is deployed on the object to be located and is within a target range of the preset location; Acquiring target altitude data of the ultra-wideband tag module; Calculate the target floor of the object to be located according to the base station altitude data and the target altitude data, and calculate the three-dimensional coordinate data of the object to be located according to the distance information, the target floor, and the position of the ultra-wideband base station module on the target floor; The three-dimensional coordinate data of the object to be located is visually displayed.

9. The multi-floor object positioning method based on ultra-wideband positioning according to claim 8, characterized in that: The calculating and obtaining the three-dimensional coordinate data of the object to be located according to the distance information, the target floor, and the position of the ultra-wideband base station module on the target floor includes: Calculate the target floor where the object to be located is located according to the base station altitude data and the target altitude data; Calculating the two-dimensional coordinate data of the object to be located according to the distance information and the position of the ultra-wideband base station module on the target floor; The three-dimensional coordinate data of the object to be located is calculated based on the target floor where the object to be located is located and the two-dimensional coordinate data.

10. The multi-floor object positioning method based on ultra-wideband positioning according to claim 9, characterized in that: The ultra-wideband base station module includes a first base station module, a second base station module and a third base station module, and the distance information includes first distance data between the first base station module and the ultra-wideband tag module, second distance data between the second base station module and the ultra-wideband tag module, and third distance data between the third base station module and the ultra-wideband tag module; The calculating and obtaining the two-dimensional coordinate data of the object to be located according to the distance information and the position of the ultra-wideband base station module on the target floor includes: Establishing a position equation according to the first distance data, the second distance data, the third distance data, and the position information of the first base station module, the second base station module, and the third base station module; The position equation is solved to obtain two-dimensional coordinate data of the object to be located.

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