Patents Examined by Dao Phan
  • Patent number: 9903943
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method of estimating the distance between two nodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Xiaomei Lu, Bin Da, Wei Wang, Linju Yang, Ke Liao
  • Patent number: 9903955
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for improving Time To First Fix, TTFF, sensitivity and accuracy, wherein a Global Navigation Satellite System, GNSS, positioning device (15), communicates with a Core Service (11) in a User Equipment (16), U—the GNSS positioning device acquires (23) GNSS satellite signals and navigation data and based on said signals/data determines a position within TTFF,—the Core Service detects (24) user data indicating specific user behaviors and initiates said determination of position based on said user data. The present invention also relates to a Core Service, a Global Navigation Satellite System, GNSS, positioning device, a Radio Module and a User Equipment, UE, adapted for the same purpose.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ)
    Inventors: Torbjorn Elfstrom, Lars Persson
  • Patent number: 9891326
    Abstract: A positioning server has a positioning database. The positioning database is configured to store information relating wireless local area network (WLAN) access point (AP) signal measurements to points of a geographic positioning grid. motion information provided by dead-reckoning systems of a plurality of wireless devices and reference location information provided by at least one of a satellite positioning system and a wireless local area network (WLAN) positioning system of each wireless device is also stored. WLAN access point (AP) signal measurements acquired by each wireless device in correspondence with the motion information is stored as are non-causally determine positions of the wireless devices based on the motion information and reference locations. Positioning server is also configured to generate a geographic positioning grid that relates the AP signal measurements to points of the positioning grid based on the determined positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Deric Wayne Waters, Jayawardan Janardhanan
  • Patent number: 9887457
    Abstract: A low complexity/cost beamsteering antenna includes a central line feed affixed to a radial waveguide structure, radiating elements positioned along the circumference of the radial waveguide structure, and a plurality of active elements interspersed along the surface of the radial waveguide structure between the central line feed and the radiating elements. The active elements may comprise PIN diodes or microelectromechanical system (MEMS) components, and may be selectively activated/deactivated by DC switches in order to direct the propagation of an RF signal over the radial waveguide structure in a manner similar to a power divider. As a result, the RF signal may be funneled to selected radiating elements, thereby effectively directionally aiming the main lobe of the emitted radiation pattern to beamsteer the wireless transmission.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Halim Boutayeb
  • Patent number: 9874641
    Abstract: A system for crowd-sourced fingerprinting has a positioning database and a mobile wireless device. The positioning database is configured to store information relating wireless local area network access point (AP) signal measurements to points of a geographic positioning grid. The mobile wireless device has a satellite positioning system, a transceiver, a motion measurement system, and position estimation logic. The position estimation logic is configured to determine a reference location as the device passes between areas of satellite positioning signal reception and satellite positioning signal non-reception. The device further configured to record measurements of movements provided by the motion measurement system and measurements of signals provided by the transceiver within areas of non-reception and to provide results to the positioning database.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Deric Wayne Waters, Jayawardan Janardhanan
  • Patent number: 9869745
    Abstract: Various avionics systems may be enhanced by methods and systems for bearing reception. For example, a traffic alert and collision avoidance system, or other surveillance system, can be provided with a system or configured for a method of improved bearing reception. For example, a method can include performing traffic alert and collision avoidance surveillance of a target aircraft using an interrogation over a bottom antenna of an own aircraft. The method can also include enhancing determination of a bearing of the surveillance by obtaining a bearing of the target aircraft using an alternative to making a bearing determination based on signal characteristics of a reply to the interrogation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignee: Aviation Communications & Surveillance Systems, LLC
    Inventor: Stacey R. Rowlan
  • Patent number: 9869769
    Abstract: A GPS positioning method for a mobile terminal, and a mobile terminal are provided. The method includes: after GPS positioning is started, acquiring a first cell identifier of a first cell in which the mobile terminal is located; acquiring, according to the first cell identifier, first latitude and longitude information corresponding to the first cell identifier from a correspondence table stored on the mobile terminal, where the correspondence table includes a cell identifier and latitude and longitude information corresponding to the cell identifier; and with reference to the first latitude and longitude information, and time information and ephemeris information that are acquired in advance, performing GPS positioning on the mobile terminal by using a GPS receiver of the mobile terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignee: HUAWEI DEVICE (DONGGUAN) CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tongbo Wang, Wenfeng Yao, Gaopeng Li
  • Patent number: 9865919
    Abstract: A feed network for use with an antenna array includes at least first and second RF inputs, a combiner network and a beamforming network. In some examples, additional RF inputs are provided. Each RF input corresponds to a sub-band. The first RF input for a first sub-band signal is coupled to a first sub-band parameter control; the second RF input for the second sub-band signal is coupled to a second sub-band parameter control. The combiner network is coupled to the first sub-band parameter control and to the second sub-band parameter control. The combiner network also has at least one output comprising a combination of the first sub-band signal and the second sub-band signal. The beamforming network is coupled to the combiner network and has a plurality of RF outputs. The first and second sub-band parameter controls are independently adjustable. In one example, the beamforming network comprises a Butler matrix.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: CommScope Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Jonathon C. Veihl, Martin L. Zimmerman, GuoLong Xu, Zhongcao Yang
  • Patent number: 9864042
    Abstract: Heatmap data, such as Angle-of-Arrival heatmap data, is generated and stored for a plurality of antennas of wireless communication device. A centroid of the plurality of antennas is determined. A heatmap is computed for the centroid for a measured parameter across a plurality of bins at coordinates within a region of interest. Heatmap data for the centroid is stored. For a given one of the plurality of antennas, a difference is computed between a heatmap for the given antenna and the heatmap for the centroid. The difference data representing the difference is stored for the given antenna.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Santosh Pandey
  • Patent number: 9851430
    Abstract: A terminal that receives carrier signals with start point information indicated thereon from three or more base stations (BSs) including a serving BS, calculates a difference in phase angles between carrier signals of two BSs while changing the two BSs by using the start point information of the carrier signals of the two BSs among the three or more BSs, and calculates coordinates of the terminal by using the calculated differences in distance of arrival is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
    Inventor: Jai Hyung Cho
  • Patent number: 9851446
    Abstract: A method for controlling a GNSS receiver includes: providing a state switching criterion; obtaining at least one positioning information; determining whether to switch from a first operation state to a second operation state according to the obtained positioning information and the state switching criterion, a power consumption of GNSS receiver operating under the first operation state and the second operation state is different; the obtained positioning information includes at least one of a speed value of GNSS receiver, a satellite distribution value of GNSS receiver, a satellite signal strength value of GNSS receiver, a location identification of GNSS receiver, instant motion information from a motion sensor, or location information from a WLAN device, a Bluetooth device or a UV light sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: MEDIATEK INC.
    Inventors: Chung-Yen Tsai, Kung-Shuan Huang, Ching-Lung Fu, Hung-Jen Chen
  • Patent number: 9853362
    Abstract: The present invention provides an array antenna apparatus for a rotation mode, a wireless communication terminal, and a method thereof. The apparatus according to the exemplary embodiment includes an antenna array including a plurality of antenna elements; and a control unit which determines an antenna pattern in accordance with a transmission/reception characteristic of a signal and assigns a weight to antenna elements in a position corresponding to the determined antenna pattern on the antenna array to implement a rotation mode antenna based on the antenna element to which the weight is assigned.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
    Inventors: Bong Su Kim, Min Soo Kang, Kwang Seon Kim, Woo Jin Byun, Mi Kyung Suk
  • Patent number: 9851429
    Abstract: A terrestrial positioning and timing system (TPTS) comprising a ground segment and user segment is disclosed that is comprised of a spread-spectrum based range and bearing reference signal, with respect to a reference time, transmitted by an antenna over a broad region of space; and a spread-spectrum based bearing variable signal with bearing specific modulation referenced to a reference time, transmitted using a scanning antenna over a spatial region of space that is more narrow than the spread-spectrum based range and bearing reference signal transmission spatial area. Various embodiments enable the TPTS station and user to support various position, velocity or time services. Most notably, an embodiment with a single TPTS station, active interrogation/transponder reply, and data delivery subsystem can provide a position, velocity, and time solution for the user. Additional embodiments disclosed provide varying levels of user solutions to include bearing, position, velocity, or time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: Ohio University
    Inventor: Chris G. Bartone
  • Patent number: 9851435
    Abstract: An electronic device including a signal generating circuit and a movable sensing circuit is provided. The signal generating circuit generates a sensory signal through a signal source. The movable sensing circuit generates a feedback signal in response to a detection signal from the signal generating circuit, and transmits the feedback signal to the signal generating circuit. The signal generating circuit obtains a first distance value between the signal source and the movable sensing circuit based on the feedback signal, and adjusts the intensity of the sensory signal according to the first distance value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: HTC Corporation
    Inventors: Yen-Hsun Chen, Shen-Chun Fan, Mu-Shiuan Lin, Wei-Chih Chang, Chung-Ming Tseng
  • Patent number: 9841507
    Abstract: A wireless device for indoor positioning has a satellite positioning system, a transceiver, a motion measurement system, and a position estimation system. The satellite positioning system is configured to determine a location of the device based on received satellite positioning signals. The wireless local area network transceiver is configured to measure while in the areas of non-reception, signals transmitted by wireless local area network (WLAN) access points (APs). The motion measurement system is configured to measure movement of the wireless device. The position estimation system is configured to determine a reference location, and record measurements of movement. The reference location and the recorded measurements are to be provided to a positioning database that generates a positioning grid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Deric Wayne Waters, Jayawardan Janardhanan
  • Patent number: 9829574
    Abstract: Systems and methods for performing distance and velocity measurements, such as by using carrier signals, are disclosed. A measurement system device may include a first antenna configured to receive a first signal from a transmitting device, the first signal having a carrier frequency, and a second antenna configured to receive the first signal from the transmitting device. The measurement system device may also include a processor configured to determine a first differential distance between the first antenna and the second antenna from the transmitting device and to determine a rate of change of the first differential distance. The processor may also be configured to estimate a geometry of the measurement system device relative to the transmitting device using the rate of change of the first differential distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: ENSCO, INC.
    Inventors: David W. A. Taylor, Jr., Bradley David Farnsworth, Edward Joseph Kreinar
  • Patent number: 9829560
    Abstract: Some embodiments use scanning devices to characterize radio signals received at a number of locations within a geographical area of interest. The signal characteristics along with the location information associated with the characteristics are stored in a centralized reference database. A mobile device characterizes signals it receives at a certain location and compares the characteristics with the signal characteristics stored in the reference database to obtain accurate location information of the certain location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: GOLBA LLC
    Inventor: Mehran Moshfeghi
  • Patent number: 9832749
    Abstract: An embodiment of the invention provides a method of determining a location of a mobile target that processes locations for the target provided by a wireless location technology tracker system to determine moving averages of velocity of the target, determines if the locations are outliers responsive to the moving averages, discards locations that are determined to be outliers, and uses locations determined not to be outliers as locations for the target.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Benny Schlesinger, Vadim Kuper
  • Patent number: 9829558
    Abstract: Technology for determining a geographical location of a ground receiver is disclosed. A plurality of radio frequency (RF) signals from a plurality of RF signal carriers may be received at the ground receiver. The plurality of RF signal carriers may include satellites operated by a foreign entity or non-global positioning system (non-GPS) satellites. The ground receiver may measure a Doppler shift associated with each of the plurality of RF signals. The geographical location of the ground receiver may be determined in X, Y and Z coordinates based in part on the Doppler shift associated with each of the plurality of RF signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventors: Ian S. Robinson, Andrew M. Hautzik, Brandon Crow
  • Patent number: 9810765
    Abstract: A femtocell calibration solution is provided that uses the known location of the femtocell to calibrate timing based locating systems. The calculated time differences of different signals sent between macrocells and a mobile device can be used to solve for a reference time difference that accounts for the timing differences of the unsynchronized macrocells. The reference time difference can then be used to solve for the location of another mobile device if the calculated time differences between that mobile device and the macrocells are known. The solution can include taking many measurements of the calculated time difference at the first mobile device in order to average them to get a more accurate reference time difference. The solution can further include ceasing measurements at the first mobile device when the mobile device is no longer within range of the femtocell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: AT&T MOBILITY II LLC
    Inventors: Jeremy Fix, Brandon Bowers Hilliard, Sheldon Meredith