Technical Field

The present invention relates to ultra-wideband (UWB) positioning systems and associated methods and apparatus.

Background

Systems for determining the position of a user within an indoor environment are known. Such systems typically use a short-range wireless transmission protocol such as Bluetooth or ultra-wideband (UWB) to estimate the position of a user associated device such as a smartphone or tag. Such positioning systems are particularly useful when deployed in indoor environments where longer range positioning techniques such as GPS are less effective, typically because of low signal strength and/or low accuracy of position data.

Existing UWB positioning systems can generate accurate real time or near real time position data of a tag. However, a problem with existing UWB positioning systems is that it can be difficult for a user to access the position data generated by a particular UWB positioning system. In particular, many existing UWB positioning systems require the use of specialist hardware or software components to access position data. Further, the specialist hardware or software components needed to access position data are typically different for each type of UWB system. This can make it difficult for a user to access position data generated by a particular UWB positioning system, for example, using their own device such as a smartphone.

It is an object of the invention to obviate or m itigate one or more of the above described disadvantages. Summary of the Invention

According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided an ultra-wideband (UWB) positioning system for determining a position of one or more user allocated tags within an environment. The system comprises a plurality of UWB anchors, each anchor located at a reference position within the environment. The anchors are arranged to exchange wireless signals with one or more tags and to generate tag position data associated with the position of each tag within the environment. The system further comprises a server arranged to receive tag position data from the plurality of anchors. The server is further arranged to receive a registration request from a client device, the registration request identifying one or more tags. The server is further arranged to, in response to receiving the registration request, establish a data stream with the client device. The data stream provides to the client device the current position within the environment of the one or more tags identified in the registration request.

Optionally, the server is arranged to receive the registration request from the client device via an application programming interface (API).

Optionally, the API is internet accessible.

Optionally, the registration request comprises a unique tag ID associated with a tag.

Optionally, the anchors are connected to form a mesh network.

Optionally, the wireless signal exchanged between each anchor and tag comprises a unique tag ID and a time value.

Optionally, the system further comprises a client device.

Optionally, the client device is associated with a tag and is adapted to determine a position of the client device within the environment based on the position of the tag to which it is associated.

Optionally, the client device is adapted to present navigation instructions based on the position of the client device and a target position within the environment. Optionally, the client device is a smartphone device.

Optionally, the server is local to the environment.

According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a server arranged to receive tag position data from a plurality of UWB anchors, the tag position data associated with the position of each of one or more user allocated tags within an environment. The server is further arranged to receive a registration request from a client device, the registration request identifying one or more tags. The server is further arranged to, in response to receiving the registration request, establish a data stream with the client device. The data stream provides to the client device the current position within the environment of the one or more tags identified in the registration request.

According to a third aspect of the invention there is provided a method of providing access to data corresponding to the position of one or more user allocated tags within an environment. The method comprises receiving tag position data from a plurality of UWB anchors. The tag position data is associated with the position of each of one or more user allocated tags within an environment. The method further comprises receiving a registration request from a client device, the registration request identifying one or more tags. The method further comprises, in response to receiving the registration request, establishing a data stream with the client device. The data stream provides to the client device the current position within the environment of the one or more tags identified in the registration request.

Optionally, the method is executed on a server.

According to a fourth aspect of the invention, there is provided a computer program product comprising instructions which, when the program is executed by a computer, cause the computer to carry out the steps of the method of the third aspect.

Embodiments of the invention provide a server that can be integrated with a plurality of anchors of a UWB positioning system to obtain tag position data therefrom. The server includes an interface, typically in the form of a web accessible API, which allows a client device, such as a user’s smartphone, to request information about the current position within the environment of one or more tags. The server is arranged to facilitate a registration process between a particular client device and the sever, after which relevant position data is streamed directly to the client device. That is, after registration, a communication channel is established between the server and client device via which relevant position data is pushed to the client device without the client device sending any further requests for position data.

Advantageously, embodiments of the invention provide a standardised interface for a client device to interact with and obtain position data from a range of different UWB positioning systems via a server. The interface can be provided as a web accessible API to further improve connectivity with client devices.

Advantageously, embodiments of the invention provide a server that can be integrated with existing UWB positioning systems. Advantageously, embodiments of the invention can allow a range of existing UWB positioning systems to be made accessible to a wide range of devices.

Advantageously, streaming relevant position data to a client device means that the client device can access position updates in real time or near real time. In certain embodiments, the client device can use the real time or near real time position data to facilitate navigation within an environment.

Advantageously, embodiments of the invention can help blind or partially sighted users to navigate within complex indoor environments such as shopping centres or airports where other positioning techniques such as GPS are less effective (e.g. due to problems with signal strength and/or positional accuracy). Advantageously, by providing a standardised interface for accessing position data, such blind or partially sighted users can navigate with the assistance of a range of types of UWB positioning systems using their own device.

Various further features and aspects of the invention are defined in the claims. Brief Description of the Drawings

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings where like parts are provided with corresponding reference numerals and in which:

Figure 1 provides a simplified schematic diagram of an ultra-wideband positioning system according to certain embodiments of the invention;

Figure 2 provides a further simplified schematic diagram of the system of Figure 1 ; and

Figure 3 provides a flow diagram of a method according to certain embodiments of the invention.

Detailed Description

Figure 1 provides a simplified schematic diagram of an ultra-wideband positioning system 100 according to certain embodiments of the invention. In use, the system 100 is located in a suitable environment, such as a shopping centre, and is used to determine the position of one or more user allocated tags as the tags move through the environment.

The system 100 includes a plurality of UWB anchors 101a 101 b 101c. The anchors 101 a 101 b 101 c are arranged to send wireless signals to or to receive wireless signals from one or more UWB tags.

This exchange of wireless signals enables the distance of each tag relative to each anchor 101a 101b 101c to be determined. Tag position data from multiple anchors can then be combined to triangulate the position of each tag in the environment. The position of each tag within the environment is typically represented by the system 100 as a three-dimensional coordinate.

While the system 100 shown in Figure 1 includes three anchors 101a 101 b 101c and one tag 103, it will be understood that the system 100 can include more anchors and tags. For example, in a large environment such as a shopping centre, the system 100 would be likely to include hundreds of anchors.

The anchors 101a 101b 101c are each located at a reference position within the environment with a known three-dimensional position.

The anchors 101a 101b 101c are connected to each other via a mesh network 102. The mesh network 102 enables data communication between the anchors 101a 101 b 101c. It will be understood that various suitable wired or wireless mesh networks could be used based on, for example, WiFi and/or Ethernet communication protocols.

A tag 103 is also shown in Figure 1. The tag 103 includes suitable hardware and software components that enable it to exchange wireless signals with the anchors 101a 101b 101c to facilitate distance measurement of the tag 103 relative to the anchors 101a 101b 101c. In use, the tag 103 is typically allocated to a particular user. Typically, the tag 103 is carried by the user in proximity to an electronic device such as a smartphone also carried by the user.

As the tag 103 moves within the environment, the tag 103 regularly exchanges wireless signals with nearby anchors 101a 101b 101c. The wireless signals include data that enables the distance between the tag and each anchor 101a 101 b 101c to be determined. For example, the wireless signals can include a unique tag ID and a time that a signal was transmitted.

As will be understood, various techniques for determining the distance of a tag relative to an anchor can be used. For example, a mean time of arrival, angle of arrival, received signal strength, or time difference of arrival technique can be used.

The system 100 also includes a server 104. In this embodiment, the server 104 is a local server i.e. the server 104 is physically located proximate to the anchors 101a 101b 101c. However, in other embodiments, the server 104 can be remote and/or cloud based.

The server 104 is arranged to receive tag position data from the anchors 101a 101 b 101c.

In this embodiment, the server 100 receives tag position data from the anchors 101a 101b 101c via the mesh network 102. However, it will be understood that in other embodiments, the server 100 can receive tag position data directly from the anchors 101a 101b 101c.

In certain embodiments, the tag position data received by the server 104 is distance data for each tag from each of the anchors local to the tag (i.e. data corresponding to the distance between a tag and any anchors local to the tag). In such examples, the server 104 is arranged to process the received tag position data using a suitable triangulation technique to determine the position of the tag in the environment.

In other embodiments, the tag position data received by the server 104 is data providing the position of the tag within the environment (i.e. data that has already been processed using a suitable technique to determine tag position, typically represented as a three-dimensional coordinate). In such embodiments, the process of determining the position of the tag is performed prior to tag position data being exchanged with the server 104. For example, determining the position of the tag can be performed by an additional processing unit of the system 100 between the anchors 101a 101b 101c and the server 104, or by one of the anchors 101a 101 b 101c. In such embodiments, the server 104 can be arranged to listen for and store tag position data in the form of packets of data communicated by the anchors 101 a 101 b 101 c.

The server 104 stores data corresponding to the current position of the tag 103. The server 104 updates the data corresponding to the current position of the tag regularly as the tag 103 moves within the environment.

Turning to Figure 2, which provides a further simplified schematic diagram of the system 100 of Figure 1 , the system 100 includes a client device 107. The client device 107 is typically a user’s electronic device such as a smartphone. The client device 107 is connected to the internet 105 via a cellular network 106. The client device 107 is adapted to interact with the server 104, via the internet, to receive information about the position of tags within the environment.

In this example, the client device 107 is associated with the tag 103. Typically, a user physically carries the client device 107 and tag 103 together. In this way, the position of the tag 103 can be used to infer the position of the client device 107.

The server 104 includes an interface to enable client devices to access data corresponding to the current position of the tags stored on the server 104. The interface is an application programming interface (API). The server 104 is connected to the internet so that the API can be accessed via a suitable internet connected client device.

The server 104 is adapted to, via the API, receive a registration request from the client device 107. The registration request includes data that identifies one or more tags that the client device 107 wants to receive position information for. Typically, the registration request includes one or more unique tag IDs associated with each tag of interest.

In response to receiving the registration request from the client device 107, the server 104 is further adapted to establish a data stream with the client device 107. The data stream provides a regularly updated stream of data corresponding to the current position of the one or more tags that were identified in the registration request.

In this way, the data stream provides a communication channel via which relevant data is pushed to a client device without the client device sending any further requests for data. In this way, relevant tag data can be pushed directly to the client device 107 as soon as it is available to the server 104. The client device 107 can thereby be provided with up to date data corresponding to the current position of the tag 103. This can be particularly useful when the client device 107 is providing real time navigation to a user.

The server API provides a standardised way for client devices to access data corresponding to the current position of one or more tags from a UWB positioning system. A client device does not need prior knowledge of how to interact with a particular UWB system since the interface provided by the API is standardised. This makes it easier to use a single client device with different UWB systems.

The client device 107 includes one or more software components that are adapted to interact with the server API in the manner described.

In embodiments where the system 100 is used for navigation, the client device 107 also includes a navigation application. The navigation application is adapted to present navigation instructions to a user based on the current position of the client device 107 and a target position within the environment. In such embodiments, the client device 107 typically has access to a map of the environment.

In use, in an example where the system 100 is used for navigation, a user is provided with a tag 103. The user associates the tag with the client device 107 by providing tag identifying data to the client device 107. The client device 107 makes a registration request to the server API identifying the tag that the client device 107 wants to receive tag position information for. The registration request is sent to the server 104 via the internet 105.

The server 104 receives the registration request and, responsive thereto, establishes a data stream with the client device 107 to push relevant data to the client device 107.

As the tag 103 moves within the environment, the server 104 periodically receives updated tag position data from the anchors 101a 101b 101c. The server 104 checks whether the updated tag data relates to a tag that a client device is registered to receive updates for (i.e. a tag associated with a data stream). If the data is relevant, the server 104 pushes data corresponding to the current position of the tag to the associated client device 107 via the internet.

The client device 107 receives the data. The client device 107 uses the data to update the user’s current position in a navigation application running on the client device 107. The client device 107 is thereby provided with a regularly updated stream of data corresponding to the current position of the tag.

In certain embodiments, the client device 107 includes a visual display, driven by the navigation application, which provides navigation instructions to a user, including visual pathfinding elements. Alternatively, or additionally, the client device 107 can provide audio navigation instructions to a user. Providing audio navigation instructions can be particularly useful to help blind or partially sighted users to navigate.

The display of the client device 107 can present a map of the environment and the user’s location within the environment. The navigation application can allow the user to select a destination using a suitable technique, for example via a dropdown box or using speech recognition controls.

The navigation application can generate navigation instructions using a suitable technique, such as A ^* pathfinding, to generate a route representing the path to the user’s target destination. In certain embodiments, data representing the layout of one or more environments (typically in the form of a map) is stored on a further server of the system 100. The further server is typically a remote web-based server. The further server can be accessed by a client device to obtain data representing the layout of the environment local to the client device, for example, for navigation. The further server can also store data representing the position of each tag within an environment.

Figure 3 provides a flow diagram of a method according to certain embodiments of the invention. The method can be performed by a server, for example the server described with reference to Figures 1 and 2 and can include further steps described herein with reference to the operation of the server 104. The method can be used to provide access to data from a UWB system corresponding to the position of one or more user allocated tags within an environment.

At step 301 , the method comprises receiving tag position data from a plurality of UWB anchors. The tag position data is associated with the position of each of one or more tags within an environment.

At step 302, the method comprises receiving a registration request from a client device. The registration request identifies one or more tags.

At step 303, in response to receiving the registration request, the method comprises establishing a data stream with the client device. The data stream provides to the client device the current position within the environment of the one or more tags identified in the registration request.

All of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), and/or all of the steps of any method or process so disclosed, may be combined in any combination, except combinations where at least some of such features and/or steps are mutually exclusive. Each feature disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings) may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features. The invention is not restricted to the details of the foregoing embodiment(s). The invention extends to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), or to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the steps of any method or process so disclosed.

With respect to the use of substantially any plural and/or singular terms herein, those having skill in the art can translate from the plural to the singular and/or from the singular to the plural as is appropriate to the context and/or application. The various singular/plural permutations may be expressly set forth herein for sake of clarity.

It will be understood by those within the art that, in general, terms used herein, and especially in the appended claims are generally intended as “open” terms (e.g., the term “including” should be interpreted as “including but not limited to,” the term “having” should be interpreted as “having at least,” the term “includes” should be interpreted as “includes but is not limited to,” etc.). It will be further understood by those within the art that if a specific number of an introduced claim recitation is intended, such an intent will be explicitly recited in the claim, and in the absence of such recitation no such intent is present. For example, as an aid to understanding, the following appended claims may contain usage of the introductory phrases "at least one" and "one or more" to introduce claim recitations. However, the use of such phrases should not be construed to imply that the introduction of a claim recitation by the indefinite articles "a" or "an" limits any particular claim containing such introduced claim recitation to embodiments containing only one such recitation, even when the same claim includes the introductory phrases "one or more" or "at least one" and indefinite articles such as "a" or "an" (e.g., “a” and/or “an” should be interpreted to mean “at least one” or “one or more”); the same holds true for the use of definite articles used to introduce claim recitations. In addition, even if a specific number of an introduced claim recitation is explicitly recited, those skilled in the art will recognize that such recitation should be interpreted to mean at least the recited number (e.g., the bare recitation of "two recitations," without other modifiers, means at least two recitations, or two or more recitations) .

It will be appreciated that various embodiments of the present disclosure have been described herein for purposes of illustration, and that various modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. Accordingly, the various embodiments disclosed herein are not intended to be limiting, with the true scope being indicated by the following claims.