US 12,066,539 B2
Methods and apparatus for locating devices
Brent Edward Hearn, East Calder (GB); and Marek Jan Munko, Edinburgh (GB)
Assigned to STMicroelectronics (Research & Development) Limited, Marlow (GB)
Filed by STMicroelectronics (Research & Development) Limited, Marlow (GB)
Filed on Dec. 11, 2020, as Appl. No. 17/119,689.
Prior Publication US 2022/0187462 A1, Jun. 16, 2022
Int. Cl. G01C 3/08 (2006.01); G01S 7/484 (2006.01); G01S 7/4863 (2020.01); G01S 17/89 (2020.01); B64C 39/02 (2023.01); B64U 101/30 (2023.01)
CPC G01S 17/89 (2013.01) [G01S 7/484 (2013.01); G01S 7/4863 (2013.01); B64C 39/024 (2013.01); B64U 2101/30 (2023.01)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method implemented by a first time of flight (ToF) sensor, the method comprising:
generating, by the first ToF sensor, a first depth map in accordance with measurements of reflections of an optical signal emitted by the first ToF sensor;
communicating, by the first ToF sensor with a second ToF sensor, the first depth map and a second depth map, the second depth map generated by the second ToF sensor; and
determining, by the first ToF sensor, a relative location of the first ToF sensor relative to the second ToF sensor in accordance with the first depth map and the second depth map, wherein determining the relative location comprises generating a difference map in accordance with the first depth map and the second depth map.