Non-Regenerative UWB Relays for NLOS Localization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Real-time locating systems (RTLS) face challenges in achieving broad coverage and reliability due to non-line-of-sight (NLOS) conditions, which degrade ranging accuracy and increase infrastructure costs, especially in harsh environments, and existing solutions like regenerative relays are costly and signal-format specific, limiting their applicability to different data formats and tag types.
Innovation Solution
A localization system utilizing non-regenerative relays that forward and possibly amplify UWB signals, allowing for robust and cost-effective coverage by creating relayed channels that coexist with line-of-sight channels, enabling accurate tag positioning without the need for regenerative relays or complex synchronization, and supporting both active and passive tags.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If regenerative relays are used to extend coverage and improve reliability in NLOS conditions, then the localization accuracy and coverage area are improved, but the infrastructure cost, power consumption, and synchronization complexity increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces non-regenerative relays as intermediary devices that forward UWB signals between anchors and tags without performing demodulation or decoding. These relays act as simple signal repeaters that amplify and retransmit signals, enabling NLOS path coverage while avoiding the complexity of regenerative relays. The relays are controlled by a centralized server that handles synchronization and signal formatting, thus distributing functionality to reduce overall system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the complex signal processing functions (demodulation, decoding, re-encoding) from the relay devices and集中izes them in the server. This separation allows relays to be simple amplification-only devices, significantly reducing their complexity and cost while maintaining the ability to handle NLOS conditions through signal forwarding.
2Area of stationary object
If the number of anchor nodes is increased to improve coverage and overcome NLOS conditions, then the localization accuracy and coverage area are improved, but the infrastructure cost and deployment complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
Non-regenerative relays serve as intermediary nodes that extend the effective coverage area without requiring additional anchor nodes. By placing relays in strategic locations, the system can cover NLOS areas and extend the reachable region while maintaining the original anchor node configuration, thus avoiding the cost and complexity of deploying more anchors.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a new dimensional element to the localization architecture by adding relay nodes that operate in the signal forwarding dimension rather than the traditional anchor-tag direct communication dimension. This creates multi-hop signal paths that effectively expand coverage without proportionally increasing the number of primary infrastructure elements (anchors).
3Device complexity
If regenerative relays are used to reduce the number of anchors, then the infrastructure cost is reduced, but the system becomes specific to certain signal formats and requires complex synchronization
Solution Approach 1:
The server acts as an intelligent intermediary that handles signal format adaptation and synchronization for non-regenerative relays. Since relays only amplify and forward signals without demodulating them, they are inherently format-agnostic. The server manages the complexity of different data formats and synchronization requirements, allowing the relay infrastructure to support multiple signal formats universally.
Solution Approach 2:
Non-regenerative relays provide universal functionality by being able to forward any UWB signal format without requiring format-specific processing. This multi-functional capability allows a single relay type to support various tag types (active and passive) and different data formats, enhancing system versatility while reducing infrastructure complexity.
4Measurement precision
If time-based positioning approaches (TOA) are adopted to achieve high accuracy localization, then the measurement precision is improved, but the anchors must be tightly synchronized which increases system complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The server acts as a centralized synchronization coordinator that manages the timing and synchronization of all anchors and relays. By centralizing the synchronization function in the server rather than requiring peer-to-peer synchronization between anchors, the system achieves tight timing control necessary for TOA-based high-accuracy localization while simplifying the overall synchronization architecture.
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
The system achieves broad coverage and high accuracy in RTLS while maintaining simplicity and robustness, reducing infrastructure costs and supporting various data formats, thereby enhancing the reliability and precision of tag localization in diverse environments.
Implementation Method 1
non-regenerative relays, which merely forward and possibly amplify an incoming signal
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A~2C
Figure 3A
AI summary
The present invention relates to a method and a system for determining the position of an object which can be a passive or an active tag (140). The system comprises a plurality of anchor nodes (111,112) and a plurality of non-regenerative relays (121,122,123) of known positions. In case of an active tag, a UWB pulse signal is emitted by the tag and received by the anchor nodes either directly or via a relay. In case of a passive tag, UWB pulse signals are sent by the anchors nodes and reflected back, either way being either a LOS path or a relayed path. A processing node (130) collects the signals received by the anchor nodes (111,112) to estimate the position of the tag.