Camera-Based Beacon Tracking for Indoor Positioning
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Global positioning systems (GPS) face challenges in accurately locating moving objects within covered areas due to the inability to receive satellite signals, leading to incomplete positional calculations.
Innovation Solution
A system utilizing cameras equipped with image processing capabilities to capture and analyze signals from beacons on moving objects, allowing for the calculation of positional coordinates through spatial reduction and image-based coordinate generation, independent of satellite signals.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If GPS is used to locate moving objects, then positional coordinates can be calculated using satellite signals, but the system fails to provide accurate location data in covered areas where satellite signals are blocked
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces beacons as intermediary objects that are placed in covered areas to relay positional information. These beacons receive satellite signals and transmit them to cameras, enabling location tracking in areas where direct satellite reception is blocked. This intermediary system bridges the gap between satellite-based GPS and ground-based tracking needs.
Solution Approach 2:
The system combines multiple positioning methods (GPS satellite signals and camera-based beacon tracking) into a universal positioning framework. The cameras can track beacons using either satellite-derived coordinates or alternative spatial reduction methods, making the system adaptable to both open and covered areas without requiring separate systems.
2Reliability
If a camera-based tracking system with beacons is implemented, then positional coordinates can be determined in covered areas, but the device complexity increases compared to simple GPS receivers
Solution Approach 1:
The beacons are designed as passive or low-power devices that simply transmit their position information without requiring complex processing. The cameras perform the heavy computational work of spatial reduction and coordinate calculation, allowing the beacons to remain simple while the system as a whole achieves high reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the need for complex GPS receivers in covered areas with a camera-based optical tracking system. Instead of relying on satellite signal reception hardware, the system uses image processing and spatial reduction algorithms to determine positions, substituting mechanical/electronic signal reception with computational image analysis.
3Adaptability or versatility
If cameras capture and process images to determine positional coordinates, then location data can be obtained without satellite signals, but the processing time and computational resources increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-establishes the spatial relationships between cameras and beacons, and pre-processes reference images to create lookup tables or calibration data. When tracking is needed, the system can quickly match beacon positions against pre-computed reference data rather than performing full spatial reduction from scratch, significantly reducing real-time processing time.
Solution Approach 2:
The camera system captures more image data than strictly necessary for basic positioning, including multiple frames and surrounding context. This excessive action provides redundancy that allows the system to quickly identify beacon positions even in challenging conditions, reducing the need for repeated processing attempts and overall processing time.
Data Source
AI summary
A method and system relates to locating or otherwise generating positional information for an object, such as but not limited generating positional coordinates for an object attached to an athlete engaging in an athletic event. The positional coordinates may be processed with other telemetry and biometrical information to provide real-time performance metrics while the athlete engages in the athletic event.