Locating Unit for Precise Indoor Positioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing location determination methods for movable objects, such as GPS and ultrasound, are not suitable for precise positioning inside buildings and require significant infrastructure, limiting their accuracy and practicality for applications like guiding mobile robots in production environments.
Innovation Solution
An arrangement with a locating unit attached to the movable object, featuring a control unit, location determination means, and radio transmission means, uses pre-attached location identifiers at parking locations to determine the object's position with high accuracy, allowing non-contact optical detection via cameras or RFID readers, and minimizes infrastructure requirements by using a radio network for wireless communication.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If GPS or ultrasound methods are used for location determination, then coverage area can be extended, but measurement precision deteriorates and infrastructure requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces location identifiers as intermediary elements that are attached to the environment rather than using direct GPS satellites or ultrasound transmitters. These identifiers serve as mediators between the locating unit and the environment, enabling precise optical detection without requiring extensive infrastructure like GPS satellites or ultrasound arrays, thus achieving high precision (cm range) while maintaining practical coverage area.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces mechanical/acoustic location determination systems (GPS receivers, ultrasound sensors) with an optical detection system. By using cameras or RFID readers to optically detect location identifiers, the system achieves higher measurement precision without the infrastructure limitations of GPS and without the complexity of ultrasound arrays, resolving the contradiction between coverage area and precision.
2Reliability
If GPS or ultrasound infrastructure is deployed, then location determination can be achieved, but device complexity and infrastructure requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the location identification function from complex infrastructure systems (GPS satellites, ultrasound arrays) and embeds it into simple location identifiers that are attached to the environment. This extraction allows the locating unit to determine position using a simple camera or RFID reader without requiring complex supporting infrastructure, thus maintaining reliability while reducing device and system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses simple, inexpensive location identifiers (stickers, tags) that can be easily attached and removed, replacing expensive and complex GPS receivers or ultrasound infrastructure. These identifiers are simple optical or electromagnetic targets that can be detected by standard cameras or RFID readers, significantly reducing both device complexity and infrastructure requirements while maintaining reliable location determination.
3Measurement precision
If optical detection is used for location identifiers, then measurement precision improves to cm range, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic action by having the locating unit detect location identifiers only at specific moments when the mobile robot approaches a parking location or when position updates are needed, rather than continuously. The control unit determines positioning relevance based on the robot's state, switching between active optical detection and passive positioning modes, thus achieving high measurement precision when needed while minimizing overall energy consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies dynamics by making the detection system adaptive and state-dependent. The control unit dynamically adjusts the detection behavior based on the mobile robot's current state (moving, parked, approaching), activating optical detection only when positioning is relevant. This dynamic approach maintains high measurement precision during critical moments while reducing energy consumption during periods when precise positioning is less critical.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables precise location determination in the cm range with low infrastructure effort, facilitating the reliable control and guidance of mobile robots and reducing operational costs by ensuring long-term stability and energy efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
the location determination means is designed to optically detect the location information from the location identifier
Implementation Method 2
the control unit being designed to receive location information determined by the location determination means and to wirelessly transmit the location information to a receiver by means of the radio transmission means
Data Source
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Figure 3A~3C
AI summary
The invention relates to an arrangement for determining the location of a movable object (2) at a parking location (3), comprising a tracking unit (4) attachable to the movable object (2), which includes a control unit, a tracking means, and a radio transmission means, wherein the control unit is configured to receive location information determined by the tracking means and to transmit the location information wirelessly to a receiver (8) via the radio transmission means. The location information is stored in a location identifier (16) attached to the parking location (3), wherein the tracking means is configured to detect the location information from the location identifier (16). The invention further relates to a method for determining the location of a movable object (2) at a parking location (3).