Abstract: In one aspect, the present disclosure relates to a method for tracking and analyzing information in a location using a light based positioning system. In some embodiments, the method includes determining a position of a device in a location using a light based positioning system, electronically receiving data from the device, and updating a database with said data. In some embodiments, determining the position of the device includes receiving a position determination from the device. In some embodiments, determining the position of the device includes electronically receiving from the device one or more identification codes of one or more light sources that the device has detected using an image sensor on the device and calculating the position of the device using the one or more identification codes.

Abstract: In one aspect, the present disclosure relates to a self identifying single wavelength light source including an emitter that produces a single wavelength of visible light; and an autonomous modulator in electrical communication with the emitter that automatically and continually modulates the single wavelength of visible light produced by the emitter, wherein the modulated single wavelength of visible light represents an identification code of the light source. In some embodiments, the emitter is a light emitting diode (LED) and further includes an LED driver that provides a specified voltage and current to each LED in the light source. In some embodiments, the emitter can be a blue light emitting diode (LED).

Abstract: In one aspect, the present disclosure relates to a method for isolating a broadcast digital pulse recognition tone of a beacon light source in a digital video sequence. In some embodiments, the method includes receiving a digital video sequence of a scene, the digital video sequence including a sequence of frames and the scene including both modulated illumination broadcast by a beacon light source and un-modulated illumination, calculating a background value of the digital video sequence, the background value including a portion of the digital video sequence corresponding to the un-modulated illumination of the scene, subtracting the background value of the digital video sequence to obtain an isolated digital video sequence of the modulated illumination of the scene, calculating a frequency content of a frame of the isolated digital video sequence, and determining a particular tone broadcast by the beacon light source based on the frequency content.

Abstract: In one aspect, the present disclosure relates to a method for broadcasting a modulated digital pulse recognition signal from a light source. In some embodiments, the method includes selecting one or more digital pulse recognition tones to broadcast, determining a desired brightness level for the light source, generating a digital pulse recognition signal having a duty cycle based on the desired brightness level and a frequency based on the one or more digital pulse recognition tones, and driving the output of the light source with the digital pulse recognition signal. In some embodiments, selecting one or more digital pulse recognition tones to broadcast includes generating a single periodic tone for differentiating the light source from a nearby light source. In some embodiments, selecting one or more digital pulse recognition tones to broadcast includes generating a sequence of periodic tones.

Abstract: In one aspect the present disclosure relates to a method for manually calibrating a light based positioning system in a location. In some embodiments, the method includes providing a map of positions of a plurality of light sources in the location; while positioned under one of the plurality of light sources on the map, receiving an identification code from the light source, wherein the identification code identifies the light source; and updating the map with the identification code for the light source. In some embodiments, the light source can be a light emitting diode.

Abstract: In one aspect, the present disclosure relates to a method for determining a position of a device using a light based positioning system. In some embodiments, the method includes providing a map of positions of a plurality of light sources in a location; receiving an identification code from one or more of the plurality of light sources, wherein the identification code identifies the light source; matching the identification code to a light source on the map; and determining the position of the device by setting the position of the device to the position of the light source on the map. In some embodiments, the method includes receiving identification codes from a plurality of light sources; matching the identification codes to a plurality of light sources on the map; and determining the position of the device based on the location of the plurality of light sources on the map.

Abstract: In one aspect, the present disclosure relates to a method for recognizing a broadcast digital pulse recognition tone in a beacon-based light positioning system. In some embodiments, the method includes capturing a digital image using an imaging sensor of an imaging device, identifying one or more regions of the digital image illuminated by one of one or more beacon light sources, determining a frequency content of each of the one or more regions, and determining a particular tone broadcast by the beacon light source illuminating a particular region using the frequency content of the particular region. In some embodiments, the imaging sensor has a frame rate and includes a rolling shutter, the rolling shutter having a sampling rate greater than the frame rate of the imaging sensor.

Abstract: In one aspect, the present disclosure relates to a self identifying light source including an emitter that produces visible light; and an autonomous modulator in electrical communication with the emitter that automatically and continually modulates the visible light produced by the emitter, wherein the modulated visible light represents an identification code of the light source. In some embodiments, the emitter is a light emitting diode (LED) and further comprising an LED driver that provides a specified voltage and current to each LED in the light source.

Abstract: In one aspect, the present disclosure relates to a method of detecting information transmitted by a light source in a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) image sensor by detecting a frequency of light pulses produced by the light source. In some embodiments, the method includes capturing on the CMOS image sensor with a rolling shutter an image in which different portions of the CMOS image sensor are exposed at different points in time; detecting visible distortions that include alternating stripes in the image; measuring a width of the alternating stripes present in the image; and selecting a symbol based on the width of the alternating stripes present in the image to recover information encoded in the frequency of light pulses produced by the light source captured in the image.

Abstract: In one aspect, the present disclosure related to a method for configuring one or more imaging sensors of an imaging device to capture digital images for digital pulse recognition demodulation. In some embodiments, the method includes initializing one or more imaging sensors of the imaging device, determining a subset of the one or more imaging sensors to configure, setting a configuration for each of the one or more imaging sensors of the subset by defining a region of interest as a metering area for each of the one or more imaging sensors of the subset and automatically adjusting a setting for each of the one or more imaging sensors of the subset, and adjusting input parameters of a demodulation function based on a device profile of the imaging device. In some embodiments, the adjusted setting is locked to prevent further adjustment of the adjusted setting.

Abstract: In one aspect, the present disclosure relates to a method for modulating a beacon light source in a light based positioning system. In some embodiments, the method includes selecting a modulation scheme for the light source, the modulation scheme periodically varying an output of the light source from a peak output level to a bottom output level, applying the modulation scheme to the light source, and adding a DC bias to the modulation scheme, the DC bias reducing the peak output level and increasing the bottom output level of the modulation scheme. In some embodiments, the peak output level is increased beyond an un-modulated output of the light source and an average output of the light source is substantially equal to the un-modulated output of the light source. In some embodiments, the peak output level includes an un-modulated output of the light source.

Abstract: In one aspect, the present disclosure relates to a method of detecting information transmitted by a light source in a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) image sensor by detecting a frequency of light pulses produced by the light source. In some embodiments, the method includes capturing on the CMOS image sensor with a rolling shutter an image in which different portions of the CMOS image sensor are exposed at different points in time; detecting visible distortions that include alternating stripes in the image; measuring a width of the alternating stripes present in the image; and selecting a symbol based on the width of the alternating stripes present in the image to recover information encoded in the frequency of light pulses produced by the light source captured in the image.