Object positioning system, object positioning apparatus and object positioning method

摘要

An object positioning system ( 100 ) for tracking the location of an object ( 142 ) comprises a base station ( 120 ) including a computer ( 124 ) coupled to at least a first receiver ( 122 ). The object ( 142 ) is fitted with a tag ( 140 ) having a limited signal transmission range, which is typically too weak to be directly received by the first receiver ( 122 ). A user ( 180 ) wears a portable transceiver ( 160 ), which activates the base station ( 120 ) by means of an object-related signal when within reception range of the signal transmitted by the tag ( 140 ). The computer ( 124 ) determines the location of the portable transceiver ( 160 ) worn by the user ( 180 ), and associates this position with the position of the object (142). As soon as the user ( 180 ) moves outside the signal transmission range of the tag ( 140 ), the object-related signal is terminated and the last known position of the portable transceiver ( 160 ) is used as the new location of the object ( 142 ).