Systems and methods for ultrasonic velocity and acceleration detection

Abstract

The present disclosure provides systems and methods associated with determining velocity and/or acceleration information using ultrasound. A system may include one or more ultrasonic transmitters and/or receivers. An ultrasonic transmitter may be configured to transmit ultrasound into a region bounded by one or more surfaces. The ultrasonic receiver may detect a Doppler shift of reflected ultrasound to determine an acceleration and/or velocity associated with an object. The velocity and/or acceleration information may be utilized to modify the state of a gaming system, entertainment system, infotainment system, and/or other device. The velocity and/or acceleration date may be used in combination with a mapping or positioning system that generates positional data associated with the objects.

1 - 252 . (canceled) 
     
     
         253 . A method for determining velocity data of an object within a region, comprising:
 determining, via a processor, a relative position of an object within a region;   transmitting, via an ultrasonic transmitter, ultrasound into the region;   receiving, via an ultrasonic receiver, an ultrasonic reflection of the transmitted ultrasound from a site on the object within the region;   detecting, via the processor, a shift of the ultrasonic reflection received by the ultrasonic receiver relative to the transmitted ultrasound;   calculating, via the processor, a first velocity component associated with the site based on the detected shift of the received ultrasonic reflection; and   modifying, via the processor, a state of an entertainment device based on the relative position of the object and the first velocity component of the site.   
     
     
         254 . The method of  claim 253 , wherein a signal from the entertainment device is used to identify the site on the object at which to calculate the first velocity component. 
     
     
         255 . The method of  claim 253 , wherein a signal from the entertainment device is used to identify a time at which to calculate the first velocity component. 
     
     
         256 . The method of  claim 253 , wherein a signal from the entertainment device is used to identify a direction in which to calculate the first velocity component 
     
     
         257 . The method of  claim 253 , wherein determining a relative position comprises transmitting and receiving electromagnetic radiation in order to determine a relative position of an object within a region using electromagnetic reflections. 
     
     
         258 . The method of  claim 253 , wherein determining a relative position comprises receiving positional data from an external source. 
     
     
         259 . The method of  claim 253 , wherein the first velocity component associated with the site comprises a velocity component along a vector formed by the difference between the vector direction of the transmitted ultrasound arriving at the site and the vector direction of the reflected ultrasound departing from the site. 
     
     
         260 . The method of  claim 253 , wherein detecting a shift of the ultrasonic reflection comprises calculating a frequency shift of the received ultrasonic reflection relative to a frequency of the transmitted ultrasound. 
     
     
         261 . The method of  claim 253 , wherein detecting a shift of the ultrasonic reflection comprises calculating one of a time delay and a phase shift of the received ultrasonic reflection relative to a timing or phase of the transmitted ultrasound. 
     
     
         262 . The method of  claim 253 , wherein detecting a shift of the ultrasonic reflection comprises calculating a wavelength shift of the received ultrasonic reflection relative to a wavelength of the transmitted ultrasound. 
     
     
         263 . The method of  claim 253 , wherein the state comprises the state of a software program used by the entertainment device. 
     
     
         264 . The method of  claim 263 , wherein the software program comprises an element of a video game. 
     
     
         265 . The method of  claim 253 , wherein transmitting ultrasound into the region comprises:
 transmitting a first ultrasonic pulse that is received as the direct ultrasonic reflection; and   transmitting a second ultrasonic pulse that is received as the rebounded ultrasonic reflection.   
     
     
         266 . The method of  claim 253 , further comprising:
 receiving a direct ultrasonic reflection from an object within the region, and   receiving a rebounded ultrasonic reflection from the object, wherein the rebounded ultrasonic reflection comprises ultrasound reflected by the object and the first surface, and then received by the ultrasonic receiver;   generating direct positional data associated with the object based on the direct ultrasonic reflection;   generating rebounded positional data using the rebounded ultrasonic reflection of the object from the first surface; and   generating enhanced positional data by combining the direct positional data and the rebounded positional data.   
     
     
         267 . A computer-readable medium comprising program code that, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to perform a method comprising:
 determining, via a processor, a relative position of an object within a region;   transmitting, via an ultrasonic transmitter, ultrasound into the region;   receiving, via an ultrasonic receiver, an ultrasonic reflection of the transmitted ultrasound from a site on the object within the region;   detecting, via the processor, a shift of the ultrasonic reflection received by the ultrasonic receiver relative to the transmitted ultrasound;   calculating, via the processor, a first velocity component associated with the site based on the detected shift of the received ultrasonic reflection; and   modifying, via the processor, a state of an entertainment device based on the relative position of the object and the first velocity component of the site.   
     
     
         268 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 267 , wherein a signal from the entertainment device is used to identify the site on the object at which to calculate the first velocity component. 
     
     
         269 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 267 , wherein a signal from the entertainment device is used to identify a time at which to calculate the first velocity component. 
     
     
         270 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 267 , wherein a signal from the entertainment device is used to identify a direction in which to calculate the first velocity component 
     
     
         271 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 267 , wherein determining a relative position comprises transmitting and receiving electromagnetic radiation in order to determine a relative position of an object within a region using electromagnetic reflections. 
     
     
         272 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 267 , wherein determining a relative position comprises receiving positional data from an external source. 
     
     
         273 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 267 , wherein the first velocity component associated with the site comprises a velocity component along a vector formed by the difference between the vector direction of the transmitted ultrasound arriving at the site and the vector direction of the reflected ultrasound departing from the site. 
     
     
         274 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 267 , wherein detecting a shift of the ultrasonic reflection comprises calculating a frequency shift of the received ultrasonic reflection relative to a frequency of the transmitted ultrasound. 
     
     
         275 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 267 , wherein detecting a shift of the ultrasonic reflection comprises calculating one of a time delay and a phase shift of the received ultrasonic reflection relative to a timing or phase of the transmitted ultrasound. 
     
     
         276 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 267 , wherein detecting a shift of the ultrasonic reflection comprises calculating a wavelength shift of the received ultrasonic reflection relative to a wavelength of the transmitted ultrasound. 
     
     
         277 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 267 , wherein the state comprises the state of a software program used by the entertainment device. 
     
     
         278 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 277 , wherein the software program comprises an element of a video game. 
     
     
         279 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 267 , wherein transmitting ultrasound into the region comprises:
 transmitting a first ultrasonic pulse that is received as the direct ultrasonic reflection; and   transmitting a second ultrasonic pulse that is received as the rebounded ultrasonic reflection.   
     
     
         280 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 267 , the method further comprising:
 receiving a direct ultrasonic reflection from an object within the region, and   receiving a rebounded ultrasonic reflection from the object, wherein the rebounded ultrasonic reflection comprises ultrasound reflected by the object and the first surface, and then received by the ultrasonic receiver;   generating direct positional data associated with the object based on the direct ultrasonic reflection;   generating rebounded positional data using the rebounded ultrasonic reflection of the object from the first surface; and   generating enhanced positional data by combining the direct positional data and the rebounded positional data.