Abstract: A decentralized communication device is provided that facilitates optimal positioning and orientation of one or more antennas for wireless communication with external devices. The decentralized communication device includes one or more master components and one or more slave components. The master and the slave components are physically separate and communicate wirelessly. In some embodiments the slave acts as a carrier frequency translator between the master and an external wireless device, where it communicates with the external device using a first frequency and communicates with the master using a second frequency which is different from the first frequency. In another embodiment the slave has most or all the physical layer to do the digital coding, digital modulation, data framing, data formatting and data packetization for communicating with an external device, in which case digital coding and digital modulation is distributed between the master and the slave.

Abstract: A mobile device receives RF signals from base stations in a location scanning region. Each base station includes a plurality of distributed transceivers and each distributed transceiver includes an independently configurable antenna array. The mobile device generates and communicates channel measurements for the received radio frequency signals to a remote location server (RLS). The RLS configures, utilizing one or more channel transmit settings, the antenna array for the distributed transceivers to transmit the RF signals. The remote location server selects a subset of the communicated channel measurements for determining a position estimate for the mobile device having a desired resolution. The mobile device may receive the determined position estimate from the remote location server. The location scanning region may be determined based on GPS and/or WLAN positioning.

Abstract: A master application device comprises a plurality of distributed transceivers, a central baseband processor, and a network management engine that manages operation of the master application device and end-user application devices. The master application device communicates data streams to the end-user devices utilizing one or more distributed transceivers selected from the plurality of distributed transceivers. The selected distributed transceivers and the end-user devices are concurrently configured by the network management engine based on corresponding link quality and propagation environment. The network management engine allocates resources to the selected distributed transceivers and the end-user devices during the data communication. The network management engine continuously monitors communication environment information to configure beamforming settings and/or antenna arrangement for the selected distributed transceivers.

Abstract: A mobile device receives RF signals from base stations in a location scanning region. Each of the base stations includes a plurality of distributed transceivers and each distributed transceiver includes an independently configurable antenna array. The mobile device generates and communicates channel measurements for the received radio frequency signals to a remote location server (RLS). The RLS configures, utilizing one or more channel transmit settings, the independently configurable antenna array for the distributed transceivers in the location scanning region, to transmit the RF signals. The RLS determines a coarse position estimate for the mobile device for the sub-regions within the location scanning region and applies different signature functions to the determined coarse position estimate for the sub-regions to generate corresponding sub-regions position estimates.

Abstract: A method and device of power management for a networked radio frequency identification (“RFID”) system are disclosed. The described power management methods reduce the power consumption of battery-operated RFD) readers and REED tags. These power conservation methods increase the RFID system's hours of operation and decrease the cost by allowing the RFID readers and tags to function for a longer period of time before requiring charging or replacement of their batteries.

Abstract: A mobile device receives RF signals from base stations each having a plurality of distributed transceivers. Each distributed transceiver comprises an independently configurable antenna array for transmitting the radio frequency signals to the mobile device. The mobile device determines channel characteristics for the received RF signals, generates channel measurements for the received RF signals, and receives a position estimate for the mobile device from a remote location server (RLS). The corresponding transmit diversity configurations are determined by the RLS and applied to the base stations for the (1) channel measurements for mobile device and (2) channel measurements at scanned locations in a location scanning region, which are both calculated by the RLS. The RLS weights the generated channel measurements utilizing one or more scaling factors, which are utilized to determine a relative reliability and contribution of the generated channel measurements.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide a system for charging devices. The system includes a master device and a slave device. Some embodiments provide a method for charging devices in a system that includes a slave device and a master device. The slave device includes (1) an antenna to receive a radio frequency (RF) beam and (2) a power generation module connected to the antenna that converts RF energy received by the slave antenna to power. The master device includes (1) a directional antenna to direct RF power to the antenna of the slave device and (2) a module that provides power to the directional antenna of the master device.

Abstract: A communication device that comprises a plurality of distributed transceivers, a central processor and a network management engine, may be configured for a multiplexing mode of operation. Configuring of the multiplexing mode of operation may include configuring one or more communication modules for multiplexing a plurality of data streams. Each of the communication modules may comprise one or more antennas and/or antenna array elements and one or more of said plurality of distributed transceivers associated with said one or more antennas and/or antenna array elements. The communication modules may be configured to be spatially distinct and/or to use different frequency channels. The data streams may be communicated to a single target device or to a plurality of target devices.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention include a method of determining a location of a mobile device. The method comprises transmitting a signal between a plurality of known locations and receiving signal at device of unknown location such as a mobile device. The signal may include multiple tones having different frequencies and resulting in sets of residual phase differences. The location of the mobile device may be determined using the known locations and the frequency and phase differences between the transmitted tones. In one embodiment, OFDM signals may be used between an access point and mobile device, for example, to determine the location of the mobile device.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention include systems and methods for providing Quality of service to RFID. In one embodiment the present invention includes a method of providing quality of service in an RFID network comprising storing RFID priority information corresponding to the RFID network, wherein the RFID network comprises one or more tags and one or more readers mapping the RFID priority information into priority information corresponding to a second network.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide a system for charging devices. The system includes a master device and a slave device. Some embodiments provide a method for charging devices in a system that includes a slave device and a master device. The slave device includes (1) an antenna to receive a radio frequency (RF) beam and (2) a power generation module connected to the antenna that converts RF energy received by the slave antenna to power. The master device includes (1) a directional antenna to direct RF power to the antenna of the slave device and (2) a module that provides power to the directional antenna of the master device.

Abstract: A decentralized communication device is provided that facilitates optimal positioning and orientation of one or more antennas for wireless communication with external devices. The decentralized communication device includes one or more master components and one or more slave components. The master and the slave components are physically separate and communicate wirelessly. In some embodiments the slave acts as a carrier frequency translator between the master and an external wireless device, where it communicates with the external device using a first frequency and communicates with the master using a second frequency which is different from the first frequency. In another embodiment the slave has most or all the physical layer to do the digital coding, digital modulation, data framing, data formatting and data packetization for communicating with an external device, in which case digital coding and digital modulation is distributed between the master and the slave.

Abstract: A mobile device receives RF signals from base stations in a location scanning region. Each of the base stations includes a plurality of distributed transceivers and each distributed transceiver includes an independently configurable antenna array. The mobile device generates and communicates channel measurements for the received radio frequency signals to a remote location server (RLS). The RLS configures, utilizing one or more channel transmit settings, the independently configurable antenna array for the distributed transceivers in the location scanning region, to transmit the RF signals. The RLS determines a coarse position estimate for the mobile device for the sub-regions within the location scanning region and applies different signature functions to the determined coarse position estimate for the sub-regions to generate corresponding sub-regions position estimates.

Abstract: A mobile device receives RF signals from base stations each having a plurality of distributed transceivers. Each distributed transceiver comprises an independently configurable antenna array for transmitting the radio frequency signals to the mobile device. The mobile device determines channel characteristics for the received RF signals, generates channel measurements for the received RF signals, and receives a position estimate for the mobile device from a remote location server (RLS). The corresponding transmit diversity configurations are determined by the RLS and applied to the base stations for the (1) channel measurements for mobile device and (2) channel measurements at scanned locations in a location scanning region, which are both calculated by the RLS. The RLS weights the generated channel measurements utilizing one or more scaling factors, which are utilized to determine a relative reliability and contribution of the generated channel measurements.

Abstract: A plurality of distributed transceivers in a mobile entity such as a car, a truck, an omnibus (bus), a trailer, a mobile home, train, bus, a forklift, construction equipment, a boat, a ship, and/or an aircraft, and/or one or more corresponding antenna arrays that are communicatively coupled to the distributed transceivers are configured to handle communication of one or more data streams among one or more of a plurality of wireless communication networks, one or more other mobile entities and/or one or more mobile communication devices. The data streams may be communicated utilizing the configured one or more of the plurality of distributed transceivers and/or the one or more corresponding antenna arrays. The wireless communication networks includes a satellite network, a wireless wide area network, a wireless medium area network, a wireless local area network, a wireless personal area network, a network cloud and/or the Internet.

Abstract: A communication device comprising a plurality of distributed transceivers and one or more corresponding antenna arrays is operable to determine characteristics of one or more objects that are sensed within a surrounding communication environment of the communication device. The communication device may configure one or more of the plurality of distributed transceivers and/or one or more of the corresponding antenna arrays to handle communication of one or more data streams based on the determined characteristics. Exemplary characteristics may comprise reflective property and/or refractive property of the sensed one or more objects within the surrounding communication environment of the communication device. The communication device may be operable to store the determined characteristics, corresponding temporal information and/or spatial information for the sensed one or more objects, and/or signal propagation characteristics within a surrounding communication environment of the communication device.

Abstract: A communication device may comprise a plurality of distributed transceivers and one or more corresponding antenna arrays. A processor may configure a first distributed transceiver to receive signals comprising one or more first data streams via one or more first communication links. The processor may configure a second distributed transceiver to receive signals comprising one or more second data streams via one or more second communication links. The processor may determine a channel response matrix associated with communication of the one or more first data streams via the one or more first communication links and/or the one or more second data streams via the one or more second communication links. The processor may optimize one or both of link capacity and/or link reliability of the one or more first communication links and/or the one or more second communication links based on the determined channel response matrix.

Abstract: In communication device comprising a plurality of distributed transceivers and one or more corresponding antenna arrays, a first distributed transceiver is configured to receive signals comprising one or more first data streams and a second distributed transceiver is configured to receive signals comprising one or more second data streams. One or more components within a transmit processing chain of the first distributed transceiver and/or one or more components within a transmit processing chain of the second distributed transceiver are adjusted to maximize beamforming gain for the one or more first data streams and/or second data streams. A phase of the one or more first data streams and/or the one or more second data streams may be adjusted by the one or more components within a transmit processing chain of the first distributed transceiver and/or the one or more components within a transmit processing chain of the second distributed transceiver.

Abstract: A controlling entity communicates with a plurality of network devices having a plurality of distributed transceivers and one or more corresponding antenna arrays. The controlling entity receives information, such as location information, propagation environment characteristics, physical environment characteristics and/or link parameters and quality from the network devices and/or communication devices that are communicatively coupled to the plurality of network devices. The controlling entity coordinates communication of data streams for the distributed transceivers and the antenna arrays based on the received information. The network device comprises an access point, a router, a switching device, a gateway and/or a set top box. The controlling entity is located within or external to one of the network devices. One or more functions performed by the controlling entity are split between the controlling entity and one or more of the network devices.

Abstract: A mobile device receives RF signals from base stations in a location scanning region. Each base station includes a plurality of distributed transceivers and each distributed transceiver includes an independently configurable antenna array. The mobile device generates and communicates channel measurements for the received radio frequency signals to a remote location server (RLS). The RLS configures, utilizing one or more channel transmit settings, the antenna array for the distributed transceivers to transmit the RF signals. The remote location server selects a subset of the communicated channel measurements for determining a position estimate for the mobile device having a desired resolution. The mobile device may receive the determined position estimate from the remote location server. The location scanning region may be determined based on GPS and/or WLAN positioning.