Abstract: A method and computer for determining a ground coverage footprint of a beam of an antenna mounted above the ground are disclosed. A method includes determining the far projection distance based at least in part on beam width and tilt angle, the far projection distance being a lesser of: a first distance from the antenna to the ground of a 3 dB far projection; two times a second distance from the antenna to the ground of a 3 dB near projection; and a third distance from the antenna to the ground of a projection of the maximum antenna gain multiplied by the square root of two. A ground footprint of the beam is determined based at least in part on the determined far projection distance. The method further includes causing the antenna to be pointed based at least in part on the determined ground footprint of the beam of the antenna.

Abstract: A method and devices are disclosed that increase the range of active geo-location from the airborne measuring station as compared with known methods by increasing the effective receive sensitivity of the airborne measuring station. In one embodiment, this may be accomplished by transmitting a burst of predetermined ranging packets and recording the correlation values of each received bit stream of the response packets with the corresponding predetermined bit streams for each of the transmitted ranging packets within a preset reception window. A rolling maximum is then performed on the correlation values in each reception window. At the end of the burst, the rolling maximum results are summed and the time of the peak value is determined.

Abstract: A method and devices are disclosed that increase the range of active geo-location from the airborne measuring station as compared with known methods by increasing the effective receive sensitivity of the airborne measuring station. In one embodiment this may be accomplished by transmitting a predetermined ranging packet and correlating the raw received bit stream of the response packet with the predetermined bit stream. In one embodiment, the disclosed method applies to the reception of IEEE 802.11 direct sequence spread spectrum DSSS ACK and DSSS CTS packets in response to DSSS data null and DSSS RTS packets respectively, in the 2.4 GHz band.

Abstract: A method and devices are disclosed that increase the range of active geo-location from the airborne measuring station as compared with known methods by increasing the effective receive sensitivity of the airborne measuring station. In one embodiment, this may be accomplished by transmitting a burst of predetermined ranging packets and recording the correlation values of each received bit stream of the response packets with the corresponding predetermined bit streams for each of the transmitted ranging packets within a preset reception window. A rolling maximum is then performed on the correlation values in each reception window. At the end of the burst, the rolling maximum results are summed and the time of the peak value is determined.

Abstract: A method and devices are disclosed that increase the range of active geo-location from the airborne measuring station as compared with known methods by increasing the effective receive sensitivity of the airborne measuring station. In one embodiment this may be accomplished by transmitting a predetermined ranging packet and correlating the raw received bit stream of the response packet with the predetermined bit stream. In one embodiment, the disclosed method applies to the reception of IEEE 802.11 direct sequence spread spectrum DSSS ACK and DSSS CTS packets in response to DSSS data null and DSSS RTS packets respectively, in the 2.4 GHz band.

Abstract: A method and receiver for determination of angle of arrival in one or two planes of a beam received at an antenna array comprising at least two pairs of antenna elements are provided. In some embodiments, a method includes computing a pair of difference signals, each difference signal being computed from signals from a different one of the at least two pairs of antenna elements. The method further includes determining a directional angle of arrival of the beam in one plane based on the pair of difference signals.

Abstract: A method and devices are disclosed that increase the range of active geo-location from the airborne measuring station as compared with known methods by increasing the effective receive sensitivity of the airborne measuring station. In one embodiment this may be accomplished by transmitting a predetermined ranging packet and correlating the raw received bit stream of the response packet with the predetermined bit stream. In one embodiment, the disclosed method applies to the reception of IEEE 802.11 direct sequence spread spectrum DSSS ACK and DSSS CTS packets in response to DSSS data null and DSSS RTS packets respectively, in the 2.4 GHz band.

Abstract: A method is disclosed that relates to estimating the temporal location of mobile ground based Wi-Fi stations by monitoring a multitude of ground based access points, using an airborne Wi-Fi monitoring device. The airborne monitoring station first identifies and locates ground based access points within the area of interest. The airborne monitoring station monitors the transmission of the ground based stations and access points in the said networks, in particular the probe response management frames, recording the access point and station addresses and the time of reception. The transmissions contain an address of a corresponding ground-based access point and the address of the ground-based mobile station. The airborne monitoring station then matches all the times of the probe responses corresponding to the each station address and together with the location of the access points computes the likely temporal track for each station.

Abstract: A method and device are disclosed that enable communication between an airborne STA and a ground based AP in the presence of a multitude of other ground based networks that would normally cause such interference that communication would not be possible. A succession of control packets are sent prior to an air to ground communication such that the ground based networks delay their traffic allowing the wanted acknowledgment packet to be received. A succession of control packets are sent followed by a PS poll or data null packet prior to a ground to air communication such that the wanted ground to air packet is sent at a known time and the other ground based networks delay their traffic allowing the wanted ground to air packet to be received.

Abstract: A method and computer for determining a ground coverage footprint of a beam of an antenna mounted above the ground are disclosed. A method includes determining the far projection distance based at least in part on beam width and tilt angle, the far projection distance being a lesser of: a first distance from the antenna to the ground of a 3 dB far projection; two times a second distance from the antenna to the ground of a 3 dB near projection; and a third distance from the antenna to the ground of a projection of the maximum antenna gain multiplied by the square root of two. A ground footprint of the beam is determined based at least in part on the determined far projection distance. The method further includes causing the antenna to be pointed based at least in part on the determined ground footprint of the beam of the antenna.

Abstract: A method and computer for pointing a beam of a directional antenna located above ground is disclosed. A method includes receiving a beam width 2?, and determining an angle ?max where ?max+? is an angle for a projection of maximum signal strength on the ground. ?max is based on the beam width 2? and tilt angle ?. The method also includes determining an effective ground beam width defined by a total relative gain of the directional antenna and the above the ground to ground range being at half the maximum signal strength on the ground at angles above and below ?max. The method further includes determining a ground footprint of the beam based at least on part on the determined effective ground beam width, and causing the antenna to be pointed based at least in part on the determined ground footprint of the beam.

Abstract: A method and receiver for determination of angle of arrival in one or two planes of a beam received at an antenna array comprising at least two pairs of antenna elements are provided. In some embodiments, a method includes computing a pair of difference signals, each difference signal being computed from signals from a different one of the at least two pairs of antenna elements. The method further includes determining a directional angle of arrival of the beam in one plane based on the pair of difference signals.

Abstract: A method and wireless communication device for estimating wireless signal strength value of a wireless signal transmission for an unpopulated cell in an array corresponding to a geographic area. The method includes populating at least one cell along a route within the array with a corresponding received wireless signal strength value, selecting a number of populated cells within a predetermined distance of the unpopulated cell, identifying one of the number of populated cells within a predetermined distance of the unpopulated cell, determining a maximum wireless signal strength value from among the received wireless signal strength values, estimating a first wireless signal strength value for the unpopulated cell based at least on a wireless strength value for the identified one of the number of populated cells and the maximum wireless signal strength value, and storing the first estimated wireless signal strength value.

Abstract: A method is disclosed that relates to estimating the temporal location of mobile ground based Wi-Fi stations by monitoring a multitude of ground based access points, using an airborne Wi-Fi monitoring device. The airborne monitoring station first identifies and locates ground based access points within the area of interest. The airborne monitoring station monitors the transmission of the ground based stations and access points in the said networks, in particular the probe response management frames, recording the access point and station addresses and the time of reception. The transmissions contain an address of a corresponding ground-based access point and the address of the ground-based mobile station. The airborne monitoring station then matches all the times of the probe responses corresponding to the each station address and together with the location of the access points computes the likely temporal track for each station.

Abstract: A method and a node identification system for identifying at least one unknown mobile node in a communications network using details related to at least one known mobile node and organization of the details related to the at least one known mobile node. The method includes capturing details related to the at least one unknown mobile node and identifying an organization of the captured details related to the at least one unknown mobile node, comparing the details related to the at least one known mobile node and the organization of the details related to the at least one known mobile node with the captured details related to the at least one unknown mobile node and the organization of the captured details related to the at least one unknown mobile node, and determining a type of the at least one unknown mobile node based on the comparing.

Abstract: A method and device are disclosed that enable communication between an airborne STA and a ground based AP in the presence of a multitude of other ground based networks that would normally cause such interference that communication would not be possible. A succession of control packets are sent prior to an air to ground communication such that the ground based networks delay their traffic allowing the wanted acknowledgment packet to be received. A succession of control packets are sent followed by a PS poll or data null packet prior to a ground to air communication such that the wanted ground to air packet is sent at a known time and the other ground based networks delay their traffic allowing the wanted ground to air packet to be received.

Abstract: A method and a node identification system for identifying at least one unknown access point in a communications network using details related to at least one known access point and organization of the details related to the at least one known access point. The method includes capturing details related to the at least one unknown access point and identifying an organization of the captured details related to the at least one unknown access point, comparing the details related to the at least one known access point and the organization of the details related to the at least one known access point with the captured details related to the at least one unknown access point and the organization of the captured details related to the at least one unknown access point, and determining a type of the at least one unknown access point based on the comparing.

Abstract: A method and monitoring station are disclosed that enable efficient communications between a monitoring station and a wireless device. The method includes determining that receipt of a first data packet by the monitoring station from the wireless device has been received without error, receiving a subsequent data packet at the monitoring station from the wireless device, determining that the subsequent data packet being received from the wireless device is a retransmission of the first data packet, and transmitting a first acknowledgement to the wireless device before the subsequent data packet is received in its entirety. A propagation delay may be estimated and used to adjust certain parameters of the monitoring station so as to account for excessive delays that are beyond the delays anticipated by and accommodated within the IEEE802.11 Standard.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and RF unit for determining true angles of arrival of a beam received at an antenna array having a pair of antenna elements are provided. In some embodiments, a method includes computing a sum signal based on a sum of signals received from the pair of antenna elements of the antenna array and computing a difference signal based on a first difference of the signals received from the pair of antenna elements of the antenna array. The method also includes computing one of: a ratio of the sum signal to the difference signal; and a second difference between the sum signal and the difference signal. The method also includes determining all possible angles of arrival of the beam based on the one of the ratio and the second difference and then determining the intersection of all the possible angles of arrival for each of the different positions in order to determine the true angles of arrival.

Abstract: A method and a node identification system for identifying at least one unknown mobile node in a communications network using details related to at least one known mobile node and organization of the details related to the at least one known mobile node. The method includes capturing details related to the at least one unknown mobile node and identifying an organization of the captured details related to the at least one unknown mobile node, comparing the details related to the at least one known mobile node and the organization of the details related to the at least one known mobile node with the captured details related to the at least one unknown mobile node and the organization of the captured details related to the at least one unknown mobile node, and determining a type of the at least one unknown mobile node based on the comparing.