Ultrasonic camera tracking system and associated methods

摘要

A camera tracking system (100) includes a controllable camera (122), an array (124) of microphones (126), and a controller (130). The microphones (126) are positioned adjacent the controllable camera (122) and are at least responsive to ultrasound (180) emitted from a source (140). The microphones (126) may additionally be capable of responding to sound in the audible spectrum. The controller (130) receives ultrasound signals communicated from the microphones (126) in response to ultrasound (180) emitted from the source (140) and processes the ultrasound signals to determine an at least approximate location of the source (140). Then, the controller (130) sends one or more command signals to the controllable camera (122) to direct at least approximately at the determined location of the source (140). The camera tracking system (100) tracks the source as it moves and continues to emit ultrasound (180). The source (140) can be an emitter pack having one or more ultrasonic transducers (146, 148) that produce tones that sweep form about 24-kHz to about 40-kHz.