US 12,293,721 B2
Active motion capture marker apparatus and method for unmanned or remote vehicles or wearables
Qiuyang Tao, Atlanta, GA (US); Fumin Zhang, Alpharetta, GA (US); Tony X. Lin, Atlanta, GA (US); and Zheyuan Xu, Atlanta, GA (US)
Assigned to Georgia Tech Research Corporation, Atlanta, GA (US)
Filed by Georgia Tech Research Corporation, Atlanta, GA (US)
Filed on Jul. 30, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/389,621.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/060,836, filed on Aug. 4, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2022/0044626 A1, Feb. 10, 2022
Int. Cl. G09G 3/325 (2016.01); B64U 10/30 (2023.01); B64U 10/80 (2023.01); B64U 101/30 (2023.01)
CPC G09G 3/325 (2013.01) [B64U 10/30 (2023.01); B64U 10/80 (2023.01); B64U 2101/30 (2023.01)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system comprising:
one or more image sensors deployed in an indoor environment;
a system substrate comprising an unmanned vehicle;
an active motion capture marker device operatively coupled to and attached to an upper surface of the system substrate, the active motion capture marker device comprising:
a plurality of light emitting source components, including a first light emitting source component and a second light emitting source component, wherein the plurality of light emitting source components comprise an infrared light emitting diode (LED), and wherein each of the plurality of light emitting source components is configured to emit at a same wavelength;
an electronic driver circuit configured to energize the plurality of light emitting source components, the electronic driver circuit comprising a power converter and light emitting source driver circuit; and
one or more flexible printed circuits configured to carry the plurality of light emitting source components that couple to the electronic driver circuit, including a first flexible printed circuit, each of the one or more flexible printed circuits being configured to directly adhere to the system substrate and having a weight of less than 1 gram, the first flexible printed circuit comprising a plurality of layers including: (i) a bottom layer including a connector configured to mechanically and electrically couple to the electronic driver circuit, (ii) a middle layer including one or more conductors to connect an output of the electronic driver circuit to the first light emitting source component at a first position, and the second light emitting source component at a second position, and (iii) a top layer encapsulating the one or more conductors and being connected to the connector via a stiffener, wherein the top layer couples to the electronic driver circuit including the power converter and light emitting source driver circuit, and wherein the stiffener is configured to stiffen the plurality of layers of the first flexible printed circuit at one or more connection locations to facilitate coupling of the electronic driver circuit at the one or more connection locations while reducing mechanical strain, and
a localization controller configured to determine localization of the system by:
receiving video data of the active motion capture marker device via the one or more image sensors, and
determining at least one of an orientation, location, acceleration, or speed of the unmanned vehicle based at least on a detected light output of the plurality of light emitting source components.