System and method for positioning in configured environments

Abstract

The present invention relates to a system and method for providing location determination in a configured environment in which Global Navigation Satellite System Signals are not available. In this regard, local beacon systems generate spread spectrum CDMA signals that are received by spectral compression units that derive physically meaningful observations without a requirement for correlation of the intercepted energy by means of the known spreading codes. The invention can coexist with communication assets already in place, and the design allows for self calibration, which simplifies installation and usage. The invention has utility in applications in which GNSS signals are unavailable or limited, for example, in warehouse inventory management, in search and rescue operations and in asset tracking in indoor environments.

1 . A system for providing physical state information within a configured environment, comprising:
 at least one emitter that emits energy within a transmission medium;   at least one interceptor that receives energy propagated through a transmission medium from the at least one emitter, wherein the interceptor is configured to
 process the received emissions using spectral compression to produce a set of observables suitable for physical state estimation; and 
 communicate the set of observables to a physical state estimator; and 
   a physical state estimator configured to
 determine at least one member of the relative physical state between the interceptor and emitter based on the set of observables received from the at least one interceptor; and 
 report the at least one member of the relative physical state based on the set of observables received from at least one interceptor. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the transmission medium is comprised of at least one of a free space, gas and a weak plasma. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the transmission medium is comprised of solid material. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the transmission medium is comprised of a liquid. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the interceptor is configured to simultaneously receive both structured and unstructured energy emissions. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the energy emission comprises a structured signal having predetermined general characteristics that can be represented within the system configuration. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the structured energy emission comprises a positioning and navigation signal. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the structured energy emission comprises a signal within a Global Navigation Satellite System. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the structured energy emission comprises a communications signal. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the energy emission comprises an unstructured signal having general characteristics that are not predetermined. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the energy emission comprises electromagnetic energy. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the electromagnetic energy is in the radio frequency or optical bands. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the energy emission comprises acoustic energy. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the emitter is explicitly deployed for the purpose of physical state estimation in the configured environment. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein spectral compression comprises extracting at least one known physical characteristic of the energy emission from the emitter. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the extraction of at least one known physical characteristic of the energy emission from the emitter occurs without regard to modulated information content of the energy emission. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the set of observables produced using spectral compression includes at least one of physical characteristics in the form of amplitude, phase and temporal derivatives of the intercepted energy as it propagates through a transmission medium without regard to the preservation of information content modulated within the energy emissions. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the physical state estimator is configured to
 reference stored configuration data; and   use the referenced stored configuration data in determining the at least one member of the relative physical state between the interceptor and emitter based on the set of observables received from the interceptor   
     
     
         19 . A method for providing physical state information within a configured environment, comprising:
 emitting energy from at least one emitter through a propagation medium;   intercepting the energy emission at least one interceptor;   processing the received energy emission using spectral compression to produce a set of observables associated with the emission;   receiving configuration data pertaining to the deployment and configuration of at least one of the emitter and interceptor within the configured environment;   determining at least one member of the relative physical state between the interceptor and emitter based on the set of observables and the configuration data; and   reporting the at least one member of the relative physical state.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the set of observables associated with the emission is suitable for physical state estimation.