US 7,600,613 B2
RFID and low resolution CCD sensor based positioning system
Pengju Kang, Hartford, Conn. (US); Jae-Hyuk Oh, Tolland, Conn. (US); Alan M. Finn, Hebron, Conn. (US); Pei-Yuan Peng, Ellington, Conn. (US); and Norbert A. M. Hootsmans, S. Glastonbury, Conn. (US)
Assigned to Otis Elevator Company, Farmington, Conn. (US)
Appl. No. 10/576,836
PCT Filed Oct. 31, 2003, PCT No. PCT/US03/34600
§ 371(c)(1), (2), (4) Date Apr. 18, 2006,
PCT Pub. No. WO2005/052842, PCT Pub. Date Jun. 09, 2005.
Prior Publication US 2007/0084675 A1, Apr. 19, 2007
Int. Cl. B66B 1/36 (2006.01); B66B 3/02 (2006.01)
U.S. Cl. 187—391  [187/283; 187/394] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A positioning system for a moveable platform comprising:
an RF reader for receiving coded data from at least one RF tag positioned at a known location;
at least one optical device for capturing an image of a visual cue positioned at a known location;
said visual cue being positioned to fall within a field of view of said at least one optical device when said at least one RF tag is within range to be read by said RF reader;
means for decoding said coded data;
means for processing said captured image to determine the position of said visual cue; and
means for combining said decoded data and said detected visual cue to calculate a position of said moveable platform.