COORDINATING DEVICES TO ESTIMATE DISTANCE, RELATIVE POSITION, AND DEVICE ATTITUDE

摘要

The present invention contemplates a variety of improved techniques including methods and apparatus for coordinating a plurality of devices, and more specifically, a method and apparatus for coordinating a plurality of devices to estimate or calculate various distances, relative positions, device attitudes, and other absolute and/or relative kinematic data.

主权项

1. A method of determining a spatial model of an environment by processing information gathered by a plurality of active devices located within the environment, the method comprising:
transmitting a first transmission from an active device into the environment, wherein the first transmission contains a first transmission characteristic associated with the active device and location of the first transmission within the environment; receiving a second transmission from another active device located within the environment, wherein the second transmission includes a second transmission characteristic associated with the other active device and the location of the second transmission within the environment; processing the first transmission characteristic and the second transmission characteristic to determine a first portion of a spatial model of the environment with respect to the location of the first transmission; processing the first transmission characteristic and the second transmission characteristic to determine a second portion of the spatial model of the environment with respect to the location of the second transmission; and processing the first portion of the spatial model and the second portion of the spatial model to determine a third portion of the spatial model indicative of spatial locations of at least some of the plurality of active devices within the environment.