Method and system for calculating and assigning use coordinates to stationary radio transceivers of a localization system

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for calculating and assigning use coordinates to stationary radio transceivers of a localization system, the localization system comprising a plurality of stationary radio transceivers, the localization system determining multiple first relative location references between the radio transceivers, in particular by means of ultra-wideband radio technology, wherein additional information is provided, the additional information including multiple planar coordinates, wherein use coordinates are calculated and assigned for each of the stationary radio transceivers by means of the additional information and the first relative location references.

Description

[0001] Method and system for calculating and assigning usage coordinates to fixed radio transceivers of a localization system

[0002] The invention relates to a method and device for calculating and assigning usage coordinates to stationary radio transceivers of a localization system.

[0003] Furthermore, the invention relates to a system for calculating and assigning usage coordinates to stationary radio transceivers of a localization system.

[0004] From DE102018110145A an indoor positioning system with spatially fixed transmitter-receiver units and mobile transmitter-receiver units is known.

[0005] Localization systems are based on calculating distances and / or angles to spatial points with known coordinates. These spatial points with known coordinates are typically stationary radio transceivers, also known as anchors. When setting up the localization system, it is therefore necessary to determine the coordinates of the anchors.

[0006] The object of the invention is to simplify the determination of the coordinates of the anchors.

[0007] This object is achieved according to the invention by a method for calculating and assigning usage coordinates to stationary radio transceivers of a localization system, wherein the localization system comprises a plurality of stationary radio transceivers, wherein the localization system determines a plurality of first relative location references between the radio transceivers, in particular by means of an ultra-wideband radio technology, wherein additional information is provided, wherein the additional information contains a plurality of plan coordinates, wherein usage coordinates are calculated and assigned for the stationary radio transceivers by means of the additional information and the first relative location references.

[0008] The relative initial spatial references can be determined as distances and / or angles. The distance between two stationary radio transmitters can be determined, for example, by measuring the propagation time of radio signals between the stationary radio transmitters. Particularly when using ultra-wideband radio technology, very precise distance measurements are possible. Alternatively or in addition to the distance, the reception angles of radio signals can be determined. A stationary radio transmitter with multiple antennas or an antenna array can determine the angle from which a radio signal is received.

[0009] From the initial relative location references, a map can be created, for example, using trilateration and / or triangulation, that indicates the relative positions of the stationary radio transmitters. A map created in this way can be unambiguous or ambiguous.

[0010] Plan coordinates indicate coordinates where stationary radio transmitters are preferably located. It is understood that plan coordinates may remain unoccupied. Likewise, stationary radio transmitters may be located at other coordinates that are not plan coordinates. Preferably, a majority of the stationary radio transmitters are located essentially at one of the plan coordinates.

[0011] Based on the plan coordinates, the usage coordinates of the fixed radio transceivers are calculated and the usage coordinates are assigned to the fixed radio transceivers.

[0012] The usage coordinates are the coordinates assigned to the stationary radio transceivers used when using the localization system. Based on the usage coordinates of the stationary radio transceivers, the positions of mobile radio transceivers can be determined. The plan coordinates are preferably taken from a reference map. The reference map specifies the planned positions of the stationary radio transmitters. Other objects, such as walls, can be recorded on the reference map. The plan coordinates are thus directly related to surrounding objects. Preferably, at least one wall is recorded on the reference map, and the wall is extracted from the reference map using image processing, whereby the wall is taken into account when calculating and assigning the usage coordinates. Reflections of the radio signals from the wall can thus be taken into account.

[0013] In one embodiment, a graphical user interface is provided for entering the plan coordinates into the reference map. When entered into a digital map, the positions can be used directly as plan coordinates.

[0014] In an alternative embodiment, the plan coordinates are extracted from the reference map using image processing. The plan coordinates can, for example, be recorded in the reference map in the form of predetermined symbols, so that the predetermined symbols are recognized using image processing and their position on the map is determined. This enables very simple determination of the plan coordinates from a representation that is understandable to humans.

[0015] In a further embodiment, the plan coordinates originate from a previous setup of the localization system. The method then checks whether the fixed radio transmitters have remained in their old positions. This makes it very easy to check and correct the localization system setup. Preferably, a warning is issued if the usage coordinates deviate from the plan coordinates by more than a predefined threshold. The warning informs the user that the usage coordinates do not match the plan coordinates and, consequently, that the localization system setup has changed. This can occur, for example, if fixed radio transceivers have been relocated.

[0016] In a preferred embodiment, the usage coordinates are calculated such that second relative spatial references between the usage coordinates essentially correspond to the first relative spatial references. "Essentially" here means that the measured first relative spatial references have measurement uncertainties. It may therefore be impossible to perfectly satisfy all first relative spatial references. In this case, the usage coordinates are calculated such that the deviation is as optimal as possible for the application. Deviations are weighted by the measurement uncertainties if necessary, i.e., with a large measurement uncertainty, a larger deviation is tolerated than with a small measurement uncertainty.

[0017] In a further preferred embodiment, the usage coordinates for a plurality of stationary radio transmitters are calculated in such a way that differences between the respective usage coordinates and the nearest plan coordinates are minimized. In other words, the usage coordinates are calculated in such a way that as many usage coordinates as possible are as close as possible to the plan coordinates. The method thus ensures that the usage coordinates correspond to the plan coordinates as closely as possible.

[0018] Particularly preferred is to simultaneously minimize the differences between the first and second relative location references and between the respective usage coordinates and the nearest plan coordinates. The calculated usage data then represent a compromise between the best possible replication of the first relative location references and the approximation to the plan coordinates.

[0019] Preferably, the differences between the respective usage coordinates and the nearest plan coordinates and / or the first and second relative spatial relationships are minimized according to a linear or quadratic metric, in particular the least squares metric.

[0020] Preferably, at least one of the plan coordinates is assigned to one of the stationary radio transceivers. For this stationary radio transceiver, the difference between the usage coordinates and the assigned plan coordinates is minimized. The assigned plan coordinate is not necessarily the nearest plan coordinate. In a preferred embodiment, the usage coordinates are visualized on a control map. The control map can be based on the reference map. The visualization enables very simple monitoring of the calculated and assigned usage coordinates. Particularly preferably, the plan coordinates are visualized in addition to the usage coordinates. This enables easy monitoring of the deviation of the usage coordinates from the plan coordinates.

[0021] In a further preferred embodiment, at least one of the stationary radio transceivers emits an acoustic or visual signal, and the usage coordinates of the signal-emitting stationary radio transceiver are visualized on the control map. Preferably, a stationary radio transceiver can be selected and triggered to emit a signal using a user interface.

[0022] In a preferred embodiment, a mobile radio transceiver is moved in an environment of the stationary radio transmitters, whereby third relative spatial references between the stationary radio transmitters and the mobile radio transmitter are determined, whereby the third relative spatial references are taken into account when calculating the usage coordinates. How the third relative spatial references can be used is known from the dissertation "Automated Integration of Radio-Based Sensor Networks Based on Simultaneous Localization and Map Creation" by Richard Weber, available at https: / / nbn-resolvinq.Org / urn : nbn :de: bsz: The content of the

[0023] The dissertation is hereby incorporated in its entirety by reference.

[0024] The invention further comprises a system for calculating and assigning usage coordinates to fixed radio transceivers of a localization system, wherein the system comprises a plurality of fixed radio transceivers and a computing unit, wherein the computing unit is communicatively coupled to the fixed radio transceivers, wherein the computing unit has at least one interface for reading in additional information, wherein the computing unit is provided and configured to carry out a method described above. In a preferred embodiment, the interface is a user interface, in particular a graphical user interface. Via the user interface, for example, plan coordinates can be entered or maps such as a reference map or a control map can be output.

[0025] In a preferred embodiment, the interface is connected to a memory, wherein plan coordinates, in particular in the form of a reference map, are stored on the memory.

[0026] Furthermore, the invention comprises a computer program product, wherein the computer program product can be loaded directly into the internal memory of a digital computer and comprises software sections with which the steps according to a method according to the invention are carried out when the computer program product is executed on the computer.

[0027] Preferably, the computer program product is stored on a memory, in particular a non-volatile memory.

[0028] The following description of preferred embodiments, taken in conjunction with the drawings, serves to further explain the invention. They show:

[0029] Fig. 1a is a schematic representation of fixed radio transceivers and relative first location references between the radio transceivers;

[0030] Fig. lb shows a further schematic representation of stationary radio transceivers and relative first location references between the radio transceivers;

[0031] Fig. 2 is a schematic representation of a reference map with plan coordinates;

[0032] Fig. 3 is a schematic representation of a control map; Fig. 4 is a schematic representation of the determination of a position of a mobile radio transceiver;

[0033] Fig. 5 is a schematic representation of the use of a mobile radio transmitter to improve the usage coordinates; and

[0034] Fig. 6 is a flow chart.

[0035] Identical or functionally equivalent elements are provided with the same reference numerals in all figures.

[0036] Figures 1a and 1b show a localization system 100 with a plurality of stationary radio transceivers 102. The stationary radio transceivers 102 are configured to transmit and receive radio signals and to determine distances between the radio transceivers from the propagation time of the radio signals between the radio transceivers 102. In a variant not shown, reception angles of the radio signals can be determined instead of the distances or in addition to the distances. Angle determination is possible, for example, with multiple receiving antennas on a radio transceiver or an antenna array. Distances and / or angles are referred to as the first relative spatial relationship 104.

[0037] Based on the first relative spatial relationships 104 between the stationary radio transceivers 102, the relative positions of the stationary radio transceivers to one another can be determined. Figures 1a and 1b show two possible relative positions of the stationary radio transceivers 102 with identical first relative spatial relationships 104. Whether unambiguous relative positions of the stationary radio transceivers 102 can be determined from the first relative spatial relationships 104 between the stationary radio transceivers 102 depends on the individual case.

[0038] Figure 2 shows a reference map 106. Walls 107 and plan coordinates 108 are shown in the reference map 106. For reasons of clarity, not all walls 107 and not all plan coordinates 108 are provided with reference symbols. The plan coordinates 108 indicate where stationary radio transceivers are to be expected relative to the walls 107. The reference map 106 can be presented as a digital image, for example, as a pixel representation or as a vector graphic. Using image processing, the coordinates of the plan coordinates 108 and the walls 107 can be extracted from the digital image.

[0039] Figure 3 shows a control map 114. The control map 114 shows the usage coordinates 110 of the stationary radio transceivers 102 together with the walls 107 and the plan coordinates 108. Additionally, second relative spatial relationships 112 between the usage coordinates 110 are shown. For clarity, not all second relative spatial relationships 112, plan coordinates 108, and usage coordinates 110 are provided with reference symbols. It can be seen that the usage coordinates 110 do not correspond to the plan coordinates 108. The usage coordinates 110 were calculated such that the differences of as many usage coordinates 110 as possible to each plan coordinate 108 are minimized, while simultaneously minimizing the difference between the second relative spatial relationships 112 and the first relative spatial relationships 104. In a perfect case, all differences would disappear.In most cases, as in this example, the differences will have to be minimized using a suitable metric, in this case the least squares metric.

[0040] The calculation of the usage coordinates 110 from the first relative spatial relationships 104 and the plan coordinates 108 is performed by a computing unit 116. The computing unit 116 receives the first relative spatial relationships 104 and the plan coordinates 108, for example, in the form of the reference map 106 from Fig. 2, and calculates the usage coordinates 110 of the stationary radio transceiver 102. The usage coordinates 110 are output by the computing unit 116 via an output device 118, for example, in the form of a control map 114. It is understood that the usage coordinates 110 can also be output to another computing unit. Alternatively or additionally, the usage coordinates 110 can be stored in a memory and used later by the computing unit 116, for example, when executing an application that requires the usage coordinates.

[0041] In this example, the output device 118 is a touchscreen, via which the computing unit 116 can display a graphical user interface and accept inputs. Using the graphical user interface, a user can, for example, enter or change plan coordinates. Alternatively or additionally, the user can use the user interface to select stationary radio transceivers 102 that should output an acoustic or visual signal. The usage coordinates 110 of the stationary radio transceiver that has output a signal are then visualized via the output device 118.

[0042] A specific plan coordinate 108a is assigned to a specific stationary radio transceiver 102a. For this radio transceiver 102a, the difference between the usage coordinate 110 and the assigned plan coordinate 108a is minimized, and no further plan coordinate is considered.

[0043] In this example, for six of seven fixed radio transceivers 102, the difference between the usage coordinates 110 and the nearest plan coordinates 108 is minimized. The usage coordinate 110 of a fixed radio transceiver 102b is so far away from all plan coordinates that the difference between the coordinates is not minimized. Instead, it is assumed that this fixed radio transceiver 102b was installed deviating from the plan coordinates.

[0044] In this example, a plan coordinate 108b is so far away from the usage coordinates 110 of the fixed radio transceivers 102 that it is assumed that no radio transceiver is present at this plan coordinate 108b.

[0045] The fact that the number of plan coordinates 108 and usage coordinates 110 is identical in this example is coincidental. In general, there can be more or fewer plan coordinates 108 than usage coordinates 110.

[0046] Fig. 4 shows how the position of a mobile radio transceiver 120 is determined based on the usage coordinates 110 of the fixed radio transceiver 102. The fixed radio transceiver 102 and the mobile radio transceiver 120 exchange radio signals, in this case ultra-wideband pulses, and measure the propagation times of the radio signals. From the propagation times of the radio signals, third relative spatial references 122 between the fixed radio transceiver 102 and the mobile radio transceiver 120 are determined. The position of the mobile radio transceiver 120 is determined from the usage coordinates 110 of the fixed radio transceiver 102 and the third relative spatial references 122.

[0047] Fig. 5 shows a mobile radio transceiver 120 being moved along a trajectory 124. During the movement of the mobile radio transceiver 120, third relative spatial references 122 between the mobile radio transceiver 120 and the stationary radio transceivers are determined several times. The third relative spatial references thus obtained are offset against the first relative spatial references 104, thus enabling the calculation of the usage coordinates 110 to be improved.

[0048] Fig. 6 shows a flowchart 200. In a first step 202, first relative location references 104 between the stationary radio transceivers 102 are determined. In a second step 204, additional information is provided. The additional information contains at least a plurality of plan coordinates. In an optional third step 206, third relative location references 122 between the stationary radio transceivers 102 and a mobile radio transceiver 120 are determined. In a fourth step 208, usage coordinates 110 are determined for the stationary radio transceivers 102 and assigned to them. In an optional fifth step 210, the usage coordinates 110 are output.

[0049] List of reference symbols

[0050] Localization system, fixed radio transceiver, first relative location reference map, plan coordinates, usage coordinates, second relative location control map, computing unit, output device, mobile radio transceiver, third relative location trajectory, flow chart, first step, second step, third step, fourth step, fifth step

Claims

Patent claims Method for calculating and assigning usage coordinates (110) to stationary radio transceivers (102) of a localization system (100), wherein the localization system (100) comprises a plurality of stationary radio transceivers (102), wherein the localization system (100) determines (202) a plurality of first relative location references (104) between the radio transceivers (102), in particular by means of ultra-wideband radio technology, wherein additional information is provided (204), wherein the additional information contains a plurality of plan coordinates (108), wherein usage coordinates (102) are calculated and assigned (208) for the stationary radio transceivers (102) by means of the additional information and the first relative location references (104). Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the plan coordinates (108) are taken from a reference map (106).Method according to claim 2, characterized in that a graphical user interface is provided for entering the plan coordinates (108) into the reference map (106). Method according to one of claims 2 or 3, characterized in that the plan coordinates (108) are extracted from the reference map (106) by means of image processing. Method according to claim 4, characterized in that at least one wall (107) is recorded in the reference map and the wall (107) is extracted from the reference map (106) by means of image processing, wherein the wall (107) is taken into account in the calculation and assignment of the usage coordinates (102). Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the plan coordinates (108) originate from a previous installation of the localization system (100). Method according to claim 6, characterized in that a warning is issued if the usage coordinates (102) deviate from the plan coordinates (108) by more than a predetermined threshold value. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the usage coordinates (110) are calculated such that second relative location references (112) between the usage coordinates (110) substantially correspond to the first relative location references (104). Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that for a plurality of the stationary radio transmitters (102), the usage coordinates (110) are calculated such that differences between the respective usage coordinates (110) and the respective nearest plan coordinates (108) are minimized.Method according to one of claims 8 or 9, characterized in that the differences between the respective usage coordinates (110) and the respective nearest plan coordinates (108) and / or the first (104) and second (112) relative spatial relationships are minimized according to a linear or quadratic metric, in particular the metric of least squares. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one of the plan coordinates (108) is assigned to one of the stationary radio transceivers (102). Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the usage coordinates (110) are visualized in a control map (114). Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one of the stationary radio transceivers (102) outputs an acoustic or visual signal and the usage coordinates. (110) of the signal-emitting, stationary radio transceiver (102) are visualized on the control card (114). System for calculating and assigning usage coordinates (110) to stationary radio transceivers (102) of a localization system (100), wherein the system comprises a plurality of stationary radio transceivers (102) and a computing unit (116), wherein the computing unit (116) is communicatively coupled to the stationary radio transceivers (102), wherein the computing unit (116) has at least one interface for reading in additional information, wherein the computing unit (116) is provided and configured to carry out a method according to one of the preceding claims. System according to claim 14, characterized in that the interface comprises a user interface (118), in particular a graphical user interface.System according to one of claims 14 or 15, characterized in that the interface is connected to a memory, wherein plan coordinates (108), in particular in the form of a reference map (106), are stored in the memory. Computer program product, wherein the computer program product can be loaded directly into the internal memory of a digital computer (116) and comprises software sections with which the steps according to an inventive method according to one of claims 1 to 13 are carried out when the computer program product is executed on the computer (116).

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