Patent Publication Number: US-2023142513-A1

Title: Method for measuring coordinate position and portable electronic device using the same

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Field of the Invention 
     The present disclosure relates to technology of measuring position information and, more particularly, to a method for measuring a coordinate position and a portable electronic device using the same. 
     Description of the Prior Art 
     Portable electronic devices nowadays mostly come with a positioning function to provide information about their current positions. Global positioning system (GPS) positioning is a technology typical of portable electronic devices nowadays. In addition to GPS positioning, positioning techniques, such as base station positioning and/or WIFI positioning, are applicable to some of the portable electronic devices. 
     To obtain information about the position of a location of interest or a target, users have to bring portable electronic devices to the location of interest or the target and obtain the information about the position of the location of interest or the target with the portable electronic devices. However, for reasons related to accessibility and/or contact restraint, some locations or targets might not be accessible. Therefore, it is necessary to provide a positioning technique to be carried out without users showing up at the locations or coming into contact with the targets. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In an embodiment, a portable electronic device comprises a processing unit, a range finding module, a position identifying module, an inertia sensing module and positioning unit. The processing unit is coupled to the range finding module, the position identifying module, the inertia sensing module and the positioning unit. The range finding module detects the distance between the portable electronic device and a target to generate a measurement signal corresponding to the distance. The position identifying module senses a relative position of the target to generate an azimuth angle corresponding to the relative position. The inertia sensing module detects movement of the portable electronic device to generate an inertial signal corresponding to the movement. The positioning unit obtains positioning information. The processing unit not only receives and converts the measurement signal into a distance data but also receives and converting the inertial signal into a tilt angle. Then, the processing unit calculates coordinate difference information with the tilt angle, distance data and azimuth angle and calculates the coordinate position of the target with the positioning information and coordinate difference information. 
     In an embodiment, a method for measuring a coordinate position, comprising the steps of: detecting a distance between a portable electronic device and a target to generate a measurement signal corresponding to the distance; sensing a relative position of the target to generate an azimuth angle corresponding to the relative position; detecting movement of the portable electronic device to generate an inertial signal corresponding to the movement and obtaining a positioning information of the portable electronic device; converting the measurement signal into a distance data; converting the inertial signal into a tilt angle; calculating a coordinate difference information with the tilt angle, distance data and azimuth angle; and calculating a coordinate position of the target with the positioning information and the coordinate difference information. 
     In conclusion, the portable electronic device using the method for measuring a coordinate position according to any one of the embodiments can carry out non-contact positioning with the range finding module, position identifying module, inertia sensing module and positioning unit and thus can position targets without users showing up at locations of interest or coming into contact with the targets. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG.  1    is a block diagram of a portable electronic device according to an embodiment. 
         FIG.  2    is a schematic view of how to operate the portable electronic device of  FIG.  1   . 
         FIG.  3    is a schematic view of a process flow of a method for measuring a coordinate position according to an embodiment. 
         FIG.  4    is a schematic view of an e-map marked according to an embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring to  FIG.  1   , a portable electronic device  10  comprises a processing unit  110 , a range finding module  120 , a position identifying module  130 , an inertia sensing module  140  and a positioning unit  150 . The processing unit  110  is coupled to the range finding module  120 , the position identifying module  130 , the inertia sensing module  140  and the positioning unit  150 . In  FIG.  1   , optional components are indicated by dashed lines. 
     Referring to  FIG.  1    and  FIG.  2   , the range finding module  120  is fitted to a casing  101  of the portable electronic device  10 . A detection surface of the range finding module  120  is fitted inside an opening  101   a  on the casing  101  of the portable electronic device  10  to facilitate detection. 
     Referring to  FIG.  1    through  FIG.  3   , to obtain a coordinate position of a target  20 , the opening  101   a  on the casing  101  of the portable electronic device  10  faces the target  20  and thus allows the range finding module  120  to detect the distance between the portable electronic device  10  and the target  20 , so as to generate the measurement signal accordingly (step S 11 ). 
     The position identifying module  130  senses the relative position of the target  20  to generate an azimuth angle Az accordingly (step S 12 ), as shown in  FIG.  4   . Thus, the portable electronic device  10  is informed of the position of the target  20  relative to the portable electronic device  10 . 
     The inertia sensing module  140  detects movement of the portable electronic device  10  to generate an inertial signal corresponding to the movement (step S 13 ). Thus, the portable electronic device  10  is informed of the measurement angles required for the range finding module  120 , the position identifying module  130  and the inertia sensing module  140  to measure the target  20 . 
     The positioning unit  150  obtains current positioning information P 1  of the portable electronic device  10  (step S 14 ), as shown in  FIG.  4   . 
     The processing unit  110  obtains the measurement signal, the azimuth angle Az, the inertial signal and the positioning information P 1  from the range finding module  120 , the position identifying module  130 , the inertia sensing module  140  and the positioning unit  150 , respectively. Then, the processing unit  110  receives and converts the measurement signal into a distance data R (step S 15 ) and converts the inertial signal into a tilt angle Ar (step S 16 ). 
     Next, the processing unit  110  calculates coordinate difference information with the tilt angle Ar, the distance data R and the azimuth angle Az (step S 17 ) and calculates coordinate position P 2  of the target  20  with the positioning information P 1  and the coordinate difference information (step S 18 ), as shown in  FIG.  4   . 
     Although the aforesaid steps are described in sequence, the sequence is not restrictive of the present disclosure. Persons skilled in the art understand that some of the aforesaid steps may occur simultaneously or reversely as appropriate. 
     According to some embodiments, in step S 17 , the processing unit  110  calculates planar distance Di with the tilt angle Ar and the distance data R and calculates the coordinate difference information with the planar distance Di and the azimuth angle Az. The planar distance Di is the linear distance between the portable electronic device  10  and the target  20  when projected vertically onto a projection plane. 
     For instance, the positioning information P 1  comprises a first longitude and a first latitude, whereas the coordinate difference information comprises a longitude difference and a latitude difference. The processing unit  110  calculates the coordinate difference information with equations 1, 2, 3 and 4. 
         Am =π(0− Ar )/180  equation 1
 
         Di=R ×cos( Am )  equation 2
 
       Δlng= Di ×sin( Az )/ Ce ×cos(red(Lat- o ))  equation 3
 
       Δlat= Di ×cos( Az )/ Ce   equation 4
 
     where Am denotes an angle of the target  20  between distance data R and the ground, π denotes the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter, Ar denotes tilt angle, R denotes the distance data, Az denotes an azimuth angle, Ce denotes the length of an arc of 1 degree on the Earth&#39;s surface, Lat-o denotes the first latitude, Δlng denotes the longitude difference, and Δlat denotes the latitude difference. Ce is a constant and is expressed in kilometers (km). The distance data R is expressed in centimeters (cm). The azimuth angle Az is measured in degrees. 
     In some embodiments, the Ce is 111.320° or 111.199°. 
     Referring to the aforesaid example, the coordinate position P 2  comprises a second longitude and a second latitude. The processing unit  110  calculates a coordinate position with equations 5, 6 below, 
       Lng- f =Lng- o +Δlng  equation 5
 
       Lat- f =Lat- o +Δlat  equation 6
 
     where Lng-o denotes the first longitude, Lng-f denotes the second longitude, and Lat-f denotes the second latitude. 
     For instance, the positioning information P 1  is 25° 03′16.2582″N and 121° 36′41.1392″E. Thus, owing to distance detection carried out with the range finding module  120 , position sensing carried out with the position identifying module  130 , and movement detection carried out with the inertia sensing module  140 , the processing unit  110  obtains the distance data R of 47 cm, the azimuth angle Az of 123°, and the tilt angle Ar of 67°. Then, given these, the processing unit  110  calculates the coordinate position P 2  to be 25° 3′16.2498″N and 121° 36′42.1532″E. 
     In some embodiments, the range finding module  120  is a laser range finding module, an infrared range finding module or an ultrasonic range finding module. For instance, when the range finding module  120  is a laser range finding module, step S 11  requires the laser range finding module to emit a laser beam to the target  20  and receive from the target  20  a reflection light beam generated by the target  20  reflecting the laser beam, so as to generate the measurement signal. The laser range finding module converts the received reflection light beam into an electrical signal corresponding to the energy of the reflection light beam and subtracts an electrical signal corresponding to the energy of the laser beam and the electrical signal corresponding to the energy of the reflection light beam from each other to generate their difference signal (i.e., measurement signal). In another exemplary embodiment, when the range finding module  120  is an infrared range finding module, step S 11  requires the infrared range finding module to emit an infrared light beam to the target  20  and receive from the target  20  a reflection light beam generated by the target  20  reflecting the infrared light beam, so as to generate a measurement signal corresponding to the energy difference therebetween. In another exemplary embodiment, when the range finding module  120  is an ultrasonic range finding module, step S 11  requires the laser range finding module to emit an output sound wave to the target  20  and receive a reflection sound wave generated by the target  20  reflecting the output sound wave, so as to generate a measurement signal corresponding to the energy difference therebetween. 
     In some embodiments, the position identifying module  130  is an electronic compass. In step S 12 , the electronic compass detects directions of the Earth&#39;s magnetic field in order to determine the position which the portable electronic device  10  faces, i.e., the position of the target  20  relative to the portable electronic device  10 , thereby generating the angle by which the portable electronic device  10  rotates relative to the Earth&#39;s magnetic field, i.e., the azimuth angle Az. 
     In some embodiments, the inertia sensing module  140  is a gyroscope or an accelerometer. For instance, the inertia sensing module  140  is a 3-axis accelerometer. Therefore, in step S 13 , the 3-axis accelerometer detects a tilt state of the portable electronic device  10  (the portable electronic device  10  enters the tilt state because of the movement of the portable electronic device  10 ) and thus generates x-axis acceleration, y-axis acceleration and z-axis acceleration which together express the tilt state. The range finding module  120  and 3-axis accelerometer (i.e., inertia sensing module  140 ) are disposed at the same block inside the casing  101  of the portable electronic device  10 . In step S 15 , the processing unit  110  obtains the axial acceleration (i.e., inertial signal) perpendicular to the surface of the casing  101  with the opening  101   a  for use in the distance detection carried out by the range finding module  120  and converts the obtained acceleration into the tilt angle Ar. When z-axis is perpendicular to the surface of the casing  101  with the opening  101   a , the processing unit  110  obtains the z-axis acceleration generated by the 3-axis accelerometer and converts it into the tilt angle Ar. The tilt angle is calculated according to the inertial signal, using a conversion algorithm well known among persons skilled in the art. 
     In some embodiments, the positioning unit  150  is a global positioning system (GPS). 
     Referring to  FIG.  1    and  FIG.  4   , in some embodiment, the processing unit  110  marks an e-map Gp with the obtained positioning information P 1  of the portable electronic device  10  and the obtained coordinate position P 2  of the target  20  and displays the marked e-map Gp on a screen  160 . 
     In some embodiments, the processing unit  110  also shows the azimuth angle Az on the screen  160  to inform users of the portable electronic device  10  of the position of the target  20  relative to the portable electronic device  10 . In an exemplary embodiment, the processing unit  110  marks a window (not shown) with the azimuth angle Az and then displays the marked window on the screen  160 . In another exemplary embodiment, the processing unit  110  marks the e-map Gp with the azimuth angle Az, the positioning information P 1  and the coordinate position P 2 , and displays the marked e-map Gp on the screen  160 , as shown in  FIG.  4   . 
     In some embodiments, the processing unit  110  is a microprocessor, microcontroller, digital signal processor, central processing unit, programmable logic controller, state machine, logic circuit, analog circuit, digital circuit, or any analog and/or digital device capable of processing signals according to operation instructions. 
     In some embodiments, the portable electronic device  10  further has a storage unit  170  (shown in  FIG.  1   ). The storage unit  170  stores the aforesaid operation-oriented programs and stores transiently signals or data (for example, the positioning information P 1 , the distance data R, the azimuth angle Az, the tilt angle Ar, the coordinate difference information and the coordinate position P 2 ) generated in the course of execution of the aforesaid operation-oriented programs. The storage unit  170  is a memory card or memory of any type and is not restricted of the present disclosure in terms of types. The storage unit  170  is built-in in the processing unit  110  or is disposed outside the processing unit  110  and coupled to the processing unit  110 . 
     In some embodiments, the portable electronic device  10  further has a network unit  180  (shown in  FIG.  1   ). The network unit  180  is internally coupled to the processing unit  110  and externally connected to a cloud server via a network, so as to upload the obtained coordinate position P 2  of the target  20  to the cloud server. In some embodiments, the network unit  180  is a wireless network module, for example, WIFI, 3G, 4G, and 5G. 
     In some embodiments, after step S 16 , the processing unit  110  uploads the obtained positioning information P 1 , the distance data R, the azimuth angle Az and the tilt angle Ar to the cloud server with the network unit  180 , for computation by the cloud server. The cloud server computes the coordinate difference information with the tilt angle Ar, the distance data R and the azimuth angle Az (step S 17 ) and computes the coordinate position P 2  of the target  20  with the positioning information P 1  and coordinate difference information (step S 18 ). Then, the cloud server sends the resultant coordinate position P 2  back to the portable electronic device  10  (i.e., the processing unit  110  receives, with the network unit  180 , the coordinate position P 2  from the cloud server). 
     In conclusion, the portable electronic device  10  using the method for measuring a coordinate position according to any one of the embodiments can carry out non-contact positioning with the range finding module  120 , the position identifying module  130 , the inertia sensing module  140  and the positioning unit  150  and thus can position the target  20  without users showing up at locations of interest or coming into contact with the target  20 .