Positional tracking using multiple base stations

US10860842B1 · kind B1 · utility

Assignee

• Facebook Technologies, LLC · US

Inventors

• David Maurice Moore · Redmond, US
• Evan Paul Gander · Seattle, US
• Jason Tsai · Bellevue, US
• Zhaoming Zhu · Redmond, US
• Richard Andrew Newcombe · Seattle, US
• Renzo De Nardi · Seattle, US
• Nicholas Daniel Trail · Bothell, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Dec 22, 2017
• Grant date: Dec 8, 2020
• Expiry date: Mar 1, 2039

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G02B27/09
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A system includes at least two base stations that emit light beams to illuminate an area for positional tracking objects in the area. A base station emits at least two light beams that rotate around a rotation axis at a rotational speed unique to the base station. Responsive to being illuminated by the light beams emitted by the at least two base stations, an object being tracked generates illumination data. The system determines which illumination data corresponds to one of multiple base stations by analyzing the illumination data over time. The system analyzes the illumination data corresponding to one base station to determine an orientation and/or position of the object relative to that base station.