Position and orientation tracking system, apparatus and method

Abstract

A method of determining a position and orientation of an object including providing a first radio frequency (RF) device having a first constellation of antennae including at least two receiving antennae and at least one transmitting antenna, and a first radio unit in communication with the first constellation of antennae, providing a second RF device having a second constellation of antennae including at least three receiving antennae and at least one transmitting antenna, a second radio unit in communication with the second constellation of antennae, and a processor in communication with the second radio unit and the second constellation of antennae. The method further determines a three-dimensional position and three-axis angular orientation of the first RF device relative to the second RF device based on calculating a carrier phase difference (CPD) measurement based on signals received from the second RF device between each discrete pair of receiving antennae of the at least three receiver antennae of the second RF device.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of determining a position and orientation of an object, the method comprises:
 providing a first radio frequency (RF) device including
 a first constellation of antennae including at least two receiving antennae and at least one transmitting antenna, and 
 a first radio unit in communication with the first constellation of antennae; 
   providing a second RF device including
 a second constellation of antennae including at least three receiving antennae and at least one transmitting antenna, 
 a second radio unit in communication with the second constellation of antennae, and 
 a processor in communication with the second radio unit and the second constellation of antennae; 
   determining a three-dimensional position and three-axis angular orientation of the first RF device relative to the second RF device based on
 calculating a carrier phase difference (CPD) measurement based on signals received from the second RF device between each discrete pair of receiving antennae of the at least three receiver antennae of the second RF device. 
   
     
     
         2 . The method of determining a position and orientation of an object according to  claim 1 , the method further comprises:
 determining the three-dimensional position of the second RF device relative to the apparatus based on unwrapped carrier phase range (CPR) samples.   
     
     
         3 . The method of determining a position and orientation of an object according to  claim 1 , the method further comprises:
 determining the three-dimensional position of the first RF device relative to the second RF device by determining at least two of three angles of the first RF device relative to a coordinate frame (XY, XZ, YZ) of the second RF device based on determining CPD measurement of phase difference by subtracting   a first carrier phase determined from a transmitting antenna of the first RF device and a first receiving antenna of a pair of receiving antennae of the at least three receiver antennae of the second RF device, from   a second carrier phase determined from the transmitting antenna of the first RF device and a second receiving antenna of the pair of receiving antennae of at least three receiver antennae of the second RF device.   
     
     
         4 . The method of determining a position and orientation of an object according to  claim 3 , wherein determining the three-dimensional position of the first RF device relative to the second RF device by determining at least two of three angles of the first RF device relative to the coordinate frame of the second RF device further comprises the method of:
 calculating an angle of the first RF device relative to the coordinate frame of the second RF device by determining a quotient of the determined CPD over a baseline distance between the pair of receiving antennae of the second RF device.   
     
     
         5 . The method of determining a position and orientation of an object according to  claim 1 , the method further comprises:
 providing each antenna of the first and second constellations of antennae as circular polarized antennae.   
     
     
         6 . The method of determining a position and orientation of an object according to  claim 1 , the method further comprises:
 providing the first constellation of antennae as one of linear polarized antennae or circular polarized antennae, and the second constellation of antennae as the other one of linear polarized antennae or circular polarized antennae.   
     
     
         7 . The method of determining a position and orientation of an object according to  claim 1 , wherein the second RF device further includes a graphical display, and the method further comprises rendering an image on the graphical display of the second RF device in one a virtual reality or an augmented realty environment based on the determined three-dimensional position and three-axis angular orientation of the first RF device relative to the second RF device. 
     
     
         8 . The method of determining a position and orientation of an object according to  claim 1 , wherein the first radio frequency (RF) device further includes at least one Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU), and
 wherein determining the three-dimensional position and three-axis angular orientation of the first RF device relative to the second RF device is further based on receiving a signal from the IMU of the first RF device.   
     
     
         9 . A method of determining a position and orientation of an object, the method comprises:
 providing a first radio frequency (RF) device including
 a first constellation of antennae including at least two receiving antennae and at least one transmitting antenna, and 
 a first radio unit in communication with the first constellation of antennae; 
   providing a second RF device including
 a second constellation of antennae including at least three receiving antennae and at least one transmitting antenna, 
 a second radio unit in communication with the second constellation of antennae, and 
 a processor in communication with the second radio unit and the second constellation of antennae; 
   determining a first three-dimensional position and first three-axis angular orientation of the first RF device relative to the second RF device based on
 calculating a first carrier phase difference (CPD) measurement of phase difference based on signals received from the first RF device between each discrete pair of receiving antennae of the at least three receiver antennae of the second RF device; 
   providing a third RF device including
 a third constellation of antennae including at least three receiving antennae and at least one transmitting antenna, 
 a third radio unit in communication with the third constellation of antennae, 
 a processor in communication with the third radio unit and the third constellation of antennae; and 
   determining a second three-dimensional position and second three-axis angular orientation of the second RF device relative to the third RF device based on
 calculating a second CPD measurement of phase difference based on signals received from the second RF device between each discrete pair of receiving antennae of the at least three receiver antennae of the third RF device. 
   
     
     
         10 . The method of determining a position and orientation of an object according to  claim 9 , the method further comprises:
 determining the three-dimensional position of the external RF device relative to the apparatus based on unwrapped carrier phase range (CPR) samples.   
     
     
         11 . The method of determining a position and orientation of an object according to  claim 9 , the method further comprises:
 determining the three-dimensional position of the first RF device relative to the second RF device by determining at least two of three angles of the first RF device relative to a coordinate frame (XY, XZ, YZ) of the second RF device based on determining CPD measurement of phase difference by subtracting   a first carrier phase determined from a transmitting antenna of the first RF device and a first receiving antenna of a pair of receiving antennae of the at least three receiver antennae of the second RF device, from   a second carrier phase determined from the transmitting antenna of the first RF device and a second receiving antenna of the pair of receiving antennae of at least three receiver antennae of the second RF device.   
     
     
         12 . The method of determining a position and orientation of an object according to claim E 3 , wherein determining the three-dimensional position of the first RF device relative to the second RF device by determining at least two of three angles of the first RF device relative to the coordinate frame of the second RF device further comprises the method of:
 calculating an angle of the first RF device relative to the coordinate frame of the second RF device by determining a quotient of the determined CPD over a baseline distance between the pair of receiving antennae of the second RF device.   
     
     
         13 . The method of determining a position and orientation of an object according to  claim 9 , the method further comprises:
 providing each antenna of the first and second constellations of antennae as circular polarized antennae.   
     
     
         14 . The method of determining a position and orientation of an object according to  claim 9 , the method further comprises:
 providing the first constellation of antennae as one of linear polarized antennae or circular polarized antennae, and the second constellation of antennae as the other one of linear polarized antennae or circular polarized antennae.   
     
     
         15 . The method of determining a position and orientation of an object according to  claim 9 , wherein the second RF device further includes a graphical display, and the method further comprises rendering an image on the graphical display of the second RF device in one a virtual reality or an augmented realty environment based on
 the determined first three-dimensional position and first three-axis angular orientation of the first RF device relative to the second RF device, and   the second determined three-dimensional position and second three-axis angular orientation of the second RF device relative to the third RF device.   
     
     
         16 . The method of determining a position and orientation of an object according to  claim 9 , wherein the first radio frequency (RF) device further includes at least one Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU), and
 wherein determining the first three-dimensional position and first three-axis angular orientation of the first RF device relative to the second RF device is further based on receiving a signal from the IMU of the first RF device.   
     
     
         17 . The method of determining a position and orientation of an object according to  claim 9 , wherein second RF device further includes at least one Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU), and
 wherein determining the second three-dimensional position and second three-axis angular orientation of the second RF device relative to the third RF device is further based on receiving a signal from the IMU of the second RF device.   
     
     
         18 . A method of determining a position and orientation of an object, the method comprises:
 providing a first radio frequency (RF) device including
 a first constellation of antennae including at least two receiving antennae and at least one transmitting antenna, and 
 a first radio unit in communication with the first constellation of antennae; 
   providing a second RF device including
 a second constellation of antennae including at least three receiving antennae and at least one transmitting antenna, 
 a second radio unit in communication with the second constellation of antennae, 
 a processor in communication with the second radio unit and the second constellation of antennae, 
 a graphical display, and 
 a global positioning system (GPS) receiver; 
   determining a first three-dimensional position and first three-axis angular orientation of the first RF device relative to the second RF device based on
 calculating a first carrier phase difference (CPD) measurement of phase difference based on signals received from the first RF device between each discrete pair of receiving antennae of the at least three receiver antennae of the second RF device; 
   determining a second three-dimensional position of the second RF device relative to a global coordinate system based on receiving a signal at the GPS receiver;   determining a second three-axis angular orientation of the second RF device based on receiving a signal from the second RF device;   rendering an image on the graphical display of the second RF device in one a virtual reality or an augmented realty environment based on
 the determined first three-dimensional position and first three-axis angular orientation of the first RF device relative to the second RF device, and 
 the second determined three-dimensional position and second three-axis angular orientation of the second RF device. 
   
     
     
         19 . The method of determining a position and orientation of an object according to  claim 18 , the method further comprises:
 determining the three-dimensional position of the first RF device relative to the second RF device based on unwrapped carrier phase range (CPR) samples.   
     
     
         20 . The method of determining a position and orientation of an object according to  claim 18 , the method further comprises:
 determining the three-dimensional position of the first RF device relative to the second RF device by determining at least two of three angles of the first RF device relative to a coordinate frame (XY, XZ, YZ) of the second RF device based on determining CPD measurement of phase difference by subtracting
 a first carrier phase determined from a transmitting antenna of the first RF device and a first receiving antenna of a pair of receiving antennae of the at least three receiver antennae of the second RF device, from 
 a second carrier phase determined from the transmitting antenna of the first RF device and a second receiving antenna of the pair of receiving antennae of at least three receiver antennae of the second RF device. 
   
     
     
         21 . The method of determining a position and orientation of an object according to  claim 20 , wherein determining the three-dimensional position of the first RF device relative to the second RF device by determining at least two of three angles of the first RF device relative to the coordinate frame of the second RF device further comprises the method of:
 calculating an angle of the first RF device relative to the coordinate frame of the second RF device by determining a quotient of the determined CPD over a baseline distance between the pair of receiving antennae of the second RF device.   
     
     
         22 . The method of determining a position and orientation of an object according to  claim 18 , the method further comprises:
 providing each antenna of the first and second constellations of antennae as circular polarized antennae.   
     
     
         23 . The method of determining a position and orientation of an object according to  claim 18 , the method further comprises:
 providing at least one but not all of the first, second or third constellations of antennae as linear polarized antennae; and   providing the remainder of the first, second or third constellations of antennae as circular polarized antennae.   
     
     
         24 . The method of determining a position and orientation of an object according to  claim 18 , wherein the first radio frequency (RF) device further includes at least one Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU), and
 wherein determining the first three-dimensional position and first three-axis angular orientation of the first RF device relative to the second RF device is further based on receiving a signal from the IMU of the first RF device.   
     
     
         25 . The method of determining a position and orientation of an object according to  claim 18 , wherein the second RF device further includes at least one Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU), and
 wherein determining the second three-axis angular orientation of the second RF device is further based on receiving a signal from the IMU of the second RF device.