Abstract: An approach to obtain low latency association of the audio clock in a smartphone with an incoming RF message is to use an interrupt driven routine, where the receipt of the RF message preamble generates an interrupt that reads the audio clock counter since the start of the audio session. In some embodiments such an approach may be implemented on the specialized processing cores found in smartphones that control RF communication, sensor or audio processing.

Abstract: An acoustic location determination system is disclosed. The system includes one or more transmitting devices and one or more mobile devices. The transmitting device includes a first transducer configured to transmit first acoustic signals having a first frequency, and a second transducer configured to transmit second acoustic signals having a second frequency. The transmitting device further includes a beacon device configured to transmit beacon data via a short-range wireless communication technique. The transmitting device further includes one or more control devices configured to select the first or second acoustic signals based at least in part on one or more operating capabilities of one or more mobile units associated with the real-time locating system. The one or more control devices are further configured to cause transmission of the selected acoustic signals and the beacon data.

Abstract: In a positioning system (100) for estimating the position of a mobile device (7), a processing system (9) receives external-range data, representative of a range between the mobile device and an external unit (2, 3, 4, 5), and acceleration data representative of acceleration of the mobile device due to its movement as it is carried by a person (6). The acceleration data is processed in a step-detection algorithm to determine step-distance data representative of a time series of step-data-based distances travelled by the mobile device, and step-distance data is processed to determine a step-data-based position estimate for the mobile device.

Abstract: An acoustic model determination approach for a real-time locating system is disclosed. The system includes one or more transmitting devices and one or more mobile devices. The acoustic model may be determined by deriving an acoustic representation of sub-structures within the building, and then forming the acoustic model based on the acoustic representation and the location and orientation of the static acoustic transmitting device. In another embodiment, an acoustic signal is transmitted from a static acoustic transmitting device, with the reflected signals received by the same static acoustic transmitting device in a receiving mode. Based on these received acoustic signals, the acoustic model is formed based on the reflected signals and the location and orientation of the static acoustic transmitting device.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an acoustic position determination system that includes a mobile communication device and at least one base transmitter unit. The mobile communication device is configured to identify a peak in the received signal, and to de-convolve the signal with all codes that are relevant to the area in which the signal is received. A joint likelihood that a potential code is correct is formed by determining a likelihood based on a signal parameter such as signal-to-noise ratio and a likelihood based on time-of arrival information.

Abstract: Systems and methods of determining a location of a mobile computing device associated with a real-time locating system are provided. For instance, a mobile computing device can determine a first location of the mobile computing device. The mobile computing device can then receive acoustic-contextual data that is correlated with the first location of the mobile computing device. The acoustic-contextual data can include data associated with one or more transmitting devices, and data associated with an environment proximate the one or more transmitting devices. The mobile computing device can receive one or more signals from at least one of the one or more transmitting devices, and can determine a more accurate second location of the mobile computing device based at least in part on the acoustic-contextual data and the one or more received signals.

Abstract: A communication device including a clock, a memory, and at least one processor is disclosed. The at least one processor is configured to execute instructions stored in the memory that cause the at least one processor to perform operations including receiving at least one message from a second communication device of a plurality of communication devices over a preconfigured time duration, determining a first local time of the clock of the communication device at which the at least one message from the second communication device is received, and determining a sync-time of the second communication device based on the at least one message from the second communication device. The operations include mapping the sync-time of the second communication device based on the first local time and the determined sync-time of the second communication device and adjusting a sync-time of the communication device based on the second local time.

Abstract: A method for finding door location in an automated way based on observations of people that are equipped with a device whose position is determined acoustically. By observing positioning transitions across internal structures such as walls, the location of doors can be automatically identified.

Abstract: Systems and methods of estimating a location of a mobile computing device are provided. For instance, acoustic signals can be received from one or more transmitting devices associated with a real-time locating system. A set of peaks can be selected from the received acoustic signals. A first set of transmitter locations can be assigned to the selected set of peaks. The first set of transmitter locations can be specified by an acoustic model specifying a plurality of transmitter locations within an acoustic environment in which the one or more transmitting devices are located. A first model path trace associated with the first set of transmitter locations can be compared to the received acoustic signals. A location of the mobile computing device can be estimated based at least in part on the comparison.

Abstract: An approach for providing a lower cost real time location system in less trafficked areas of a building. This approach uses on-board audio capabilities of a mobile device to receive a room response trace resulting from a self-generated acoustic signal. By comparing the room response trace to a modeled room response trace, the location of the mobile device is determined.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a location determination system that includes acoustic transmitting devices, location tags, and a wireless mesh network, where the wireless mesh network uses battery-powered devices. A location tag receives acoustic signals (e.g., ultrasound signals) from an acoustic transmitting device. Clocks from members of the wireless mesh network are synchronized by observation of clock pairings, each clock pair formed by respective clocks in a transmitting device that transmits a message and a receiving device that receives the message. By analyzing the observed clock pairings, a best fit between the clock pairings may be determined. After selecting a reference clock, an acoustic transmission schedule may be propagated to the respective acoustic transmitting device.

Abstract: A transmitter is disclosed. The transmitter includes a clock configured to generate one or more output clock signals. The transmitter further includes at least one frequency divider configured to generate a plurality of divided frequencies based on the one or more output clock signals, and a modulator. The transmitter also includes at least one antenna or transducer configured to transmit modulated data. The transmitter includes a memory configured to store instructions, and at least one processor configured to execute instructions performing operations including mapping data to a decimal code value of a plurality of decimal code values, converting the decimal code value to a shrinking base system, and selecting a set of frequencies among the plurality of divided frequencies based on the code value corresponding to the shrinking base system for the decimal code value. The modulator may be configured to modulate the decimal code value using the set of frequencies.

Abstract: A method for determining proximity comprises sending a wireless signal from a first mobile tag (120a) of a plurality of mobile tags (120), the wireless signal communicating identification information associated with the first mobile tag (120a). The wireless signal is received at a second mobile tag (120b) of the plurality of mobile tags (120), and proximity data comprising the identification information is stored in a memory (127b) of the second mobile tag (120b). The proximity data is sent from the second mobile tag (120b) to a mobile communication device (110) using a first wireless protocol, is received at a mobile communication device (110), and is stored in a memory (117) of the mobile communication device (110). The proximity data is sent from the mobile communication device (110) to a server (130) using a second wireless protocol, and the proximity data is stored in a memory (137) of the server (130).

Abstract: Systems and methods of providing location-based functionality using acoustic location determination techniques are disclosed. For instance, acoustic signals can be received from one or more transmitting devices associated with a real-time locating system. A location of a mobile computing device can be determined based at least in part on the received acoustic signals. One or more actions to perform can be determined based at least in part on a control scheme associated with the real-time locating system and the determined location. The one or more actions can be performed.

Abstract: An approach to obtain low latency association of the audio clock in a smartphone with an incoming RF message is to use an interrupt driven routine, where the receipt of the RF message preamble generates an interrupt that reads the audio clock counter since the start of the audio session. In some embodiments such an approach may be implemented on the specialized processing cores found in smartphones that control RF communication, sensor or audio processing.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an acoustic position determination system that includes a mobile communication device and at least one base transmitter unit. The mobile communication device is configured to transmit and receive acoustic signals. Due to relative movements between the mobile communication device and the base transmitter unit, frequencies of the received signals shift due to Doppler effect. The mobile communication device is configured to compensate Doppler frequency shifts in the received acoustic signals prior to performing a deconvolution decoding process. The mobile communication device is further configured to compensate Doppler frequency shifts and perform deconvolution decoding process on acoustic signals received from multiple signal transmission paths.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an acoustic position determination system that includes a mobile communication device and at least one base transmitter unit. The mobile communication device is configured to identify a peak in the received signal, and to de-convolve the signal with all codes that are relevant to the area in which the signal is received. A joint likelihood that a potential code is correct is formed by determining a likelihood based on a signal parameter such as signal-to-noise ratio and a likelihood based on time-of arrival information.

Abstract: A system is provided for determining the position of a mobile receiver unit (7) in an environment (1). The system comprises a plurality of transmitter units (2, 3, 4, 5) which transmit a respective phase-modulated transmitter-unit identifier, a mobile receiver unit (7), arranged to receive a signal from a transmitter unit (2, 3, 4, 5), and a processing subsystem (205; 9).

Abstract: A communication device including a clock, a memory, and at least one processor is disclosed. The at least one processor is configured to execute instructions stored in the memory that cause the at least one processor to perform operations including receiving at least one message from a second communication device of a plurality of communication devices over a preconfigured time duration, determining a first local time of the clock of the communication device at which the at least one message from the second communication device is received, and determining a sync-time of the second communication device based on the at least one message from the second communication device. The operations include mapping the sync-time of the second communication device based on the first local time and the determined sync-time of the second communication device and adjusting a sync-time of the communication device based on the second local time.

Abstract: Systems and methods of determining a location of a mobile computing device associated with a real-time locating system are provided. For instance, a mobile computing device can determine a first location of the mobile computing device. The mobile computing device can then receive acoustic-contextual data that is correlated with the first location of the mobile computing device. The acoustic-contextual data can include data associated with one or more transmitting devices, and data associated with an environment proximate the one or more transmitting devices. The mobile computing device can receive one or more signals from at least one of the one or more transmitting devices, and can determine a more accurate second location of the mobile computing device based at least in part on the acoustic-contextual data and the one or more received signals.