RF Mesh Animal Tracking via Mobile Anchor Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing animal tracking systems are complex, disruptive, and impractical for changing circumstances, requiring high power consumption and being unsuitable for environments like indoors or enclosed spaces, with accuracy dependent on proximity to base stations.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising mobile devices with satellite positioning units and low-power RF units forming a mesh network, using RF mesh positioning techniques like triangulation, AoA, and AoD to determine animal locations, minimizing power consumption and adapting to changing circumstances.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If existing animal tracking systems use multiple fixed base stations to determine animal positions, then location accuracy can be achieved, but the system complexity increases and the system becomes difficult to adapt to changing circumstances
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the tracking network into mobile anchor devices (with known positions via GPS) and roaming devices (whose positions need to be determined). This segmentation allows the system to avoid complex fixed base station infrastructure while maintaining location determination capability through distributed mobile anchors.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from static fixed base stations to dynamic mobile anchor devices that move with animals. The anchor devices' positions are continuously updated via GPS, enabling the system to adapt to changing circumstances and animal group movements without requiring system reconfiguration.
2Reliability
If existing tracking systems transmit high power signals for reliable detection, then signal reliability improves, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements continuous low-power RF signal transmission from mobile anchor devices, eliminating the need for high-power intermittent transmissions. The continuous nature of the signal ensures reliable detection while maintaining low power consumption, as the transmission duty cycle is optimized for energy efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces mobile anchor devices as intermediaries that relay positioning information between GPS satellites and roaming devices. These anchors transmit low-power RF signals containing position data, enabling indirect position determination that consumes less power than direct high-power signal transmission.
3Area of stationary object
If existing systems use traditional signal transmission methods, then signal coverage can be achieved, but signal transmission fails in indoor or enclosed spaces due to multipath issues
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces traditional high-power RF signal transmission with low-power RF mesh networking. The low-power signals are sufficient for indoor and enclosed environments because they rely on multi-hop relay through mobile anchors rather than direct line-of-sight transmission, eliminating multipath interference issues.
Solution Approach 2:
The system adds a temporal dimension to signal transmission by using continuous low-power signals from multiple moving anchors over time, rather than relying on single high-power transmissions. This allows position determination through signal accumulation and processing from multiple anchors, improving reliability in enclosed spaces.
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
Accurately determines animal locations with minimal power usage, enabling flexible and efficient tracking in various environments without fixed base stations.
Implementation Method 1
a satellite positioning unit for detecting a precise location of the first mobile device
Implementation Method 2
a first radio frequency (RF) unit for transmitting a low power RF signal
Implementation Method 3
a second radio frequency (RF) unit for receiving one or more RF signals transmitted by the first number of first mobile devices
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a system (100) for determining the location of a number of animals in a group of animals, comprising a first number of first mobile devices (10A-10C) forming anchor devices, each configured to be attached to an animal of a first subgroup of the group of animals, each first mobile device (10A-10C) comprising a satellite positioning unit (11) for detecting a precise location of the first mobile device (10A-10C), and a first radio frequency (RF) unit (12) for transmitting a low power RF signal, a second number of second mobile devices (20A-20J) forming roaming devices, each configured to be attached an animal of a second subgroup of the group of animals, each second mobile device (20A-20J) comprising a second radio frequency (RF) unit (21) for receiving one or more RF signals transmitted by the first number of first mobile devices (10A-10C), and a second controller (22) configured to determine a location or relative location of the second mobile device (20A-20J) based on the one or more received RF signals utilizing an RF mesh positioning technique.