Localization Signal Scheduling for Low-Latency Robot Positioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current localization systems for mobile robots, particularly UWB-based systems, suffer from communication latency, signal interference, limited scalability, and unsuitability for environments without direct line of sight, making them unsuitable for safety-critical applications and environments with high object tracking demands.
Innovation Solution
A self-localizing apparatus that receives timestampable localization signals from multiple transceivers, allowing it to determine its own position without emitting signals, using a transmission schedule optimized for the environment and movement constraints, and enabling overlapping signals to improve update rate and accuracy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a centralized server architecture is used to compute tag locations from UWB signals, then localization can be achieved, but communication latency increases and system robustness decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The mobile robot performs localization computations autonomously using its onboard processor and memory. The robot receives UWB signals from multiple transceivers, stores signal characteristics in memory, and independently computes its location without requiring centralized server processing, thereby eliminating communication latency for location determination.
Solution Approach 2:
The localization function is segmented from the centralized server architecture and distributed to individual mobile robots. Each robot becomes an independent localization unit with its own processing capabilities, dividing the centralized computation task into distributed autonomous operations.
2Quantity of substance
If multiple UWB tags transmit signals simultaneously, then more objects can be tracked, but signal interference increases and measurement precision decreases
Solution Approach 1:
UWB tags transmit localization signals at periodic intervals rather than continuously. The system schedules transmission times for multiple tags to be distributed over time, allowing the mobile robot to receive signals from multiple sources sequentially with adequate time separation, preventing signal overlap and interference while maintaining the ability to track numerous objects.
3Productivity
If tags emit UWB signals at regular intervals, then localization updates are provided, but the maximum number of tags and update rate are linked, limiting scalability
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements periodic signal transmission with configurable intervals. By scheduling tags to transmit at different periodic intervals and allowing the mobile robot to process signals asynchronously, the system can maintain high update rates while supporting a large number of tags without requiring proportional increases in transmission frequency for each tag.
Solution Approach 2:
The localization system dynamically adjusts transmission schedules and processing priorities based on the number of active tags and current update rate requirements. The robot can selectively process signals from multiple tags in real-time, dynamically managing the trade-off between the number of tracked objects and the localization update rate.
Data Source
AI summary
Localization systems and methods for transmitting timestampable localization signals from anchors according to one or more transmission schedules. The transmission schedules may be generated and updated to achieve desired positioning performance. For example, one or more anchors may transmit localization signals at a different rate than other anchors, the anchor transmission order can be changed, and the signals can partially overlap. In addition, different transmission parameters may be used to transmit two localization signals at the same time without interference. A self-localizing apparatus is able to receive the localization signals and determine its position. The self-localizing apparatus may have a configurable receiver that can select to receive one of multiple available localization signals. The self-localizing apparatuses may have a pair of receivers able to receive two localization signals at the same time. A bridge anchor may be provided to enable a self-localizing apparatus to seamlessly transition between two localization systems.