Patents Examined by Harry Liu
  • Patent number: 9651665
    Abstract: A method is provided whereby a group of receivers local to one another make GNSS measurements of a number of satellites, from one or multiple different GNSS's, and by combining the measurements of the same satellites made by the different receivers it is possible given sufficient conditions to determine the positions of the receivers and the satellite errors such that the positions obtained are equivalent to those obtained from a traditional differential GNSS system, without the need for a static reference receiver at a known location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: u-blox AG
    Inventors: David Barlett, Andy Thurman
  • Patent number: 9651671
    Abstract: A global navigation satellite system (GNSS) receiver includes radio frequency front end and digital processing functionality. Radio frequency front end includes radio frequency input; first variable gain amplifier adjusts first gain of first frequency range of first analog GNSS signal received from radio frequency input by first amount; and second variable gain amplifier adjusts second gain of second frequency range of second analog global navigation satellite system signal received from radio frequency input by second amount. Digital processing functionality compares first amount of adjustment of first gain of first frequency range with second amount of adjustment of second gain of second frequency range; and detects first interference signal present in first frequency range or second frequency range when first amount of adjustment of the first gain of first frequency range differs from second amount of adjustment of second gain of second frequency range by more than first threshold amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Jussi Raasakka, Martin Orejas, Ondrej Kutik
  • Patent number: 9653805
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a die with through-silicon vias and radio frequency integrated circuit capabilities and it is vertically integrated with a phased-array antenna substrate. The through-silicon via and a radio frequency integrated circuit is coupled to a plurality of antenna elements disposed on the phased-array antenna substrate where each of the plurality of antenna elements is coupled to the through-silicon vias and radio frequency integrated circuit through a plurality of through-silicon vias. A process of assembling the through-silicon vias and radio frequency integrated circuit to the phased-array antenna substrate includes testing the apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Telesphor Kamgaing, Valluri R. Rao, Georgios Yorgos Palaskas
  • Patent number: 9654911
    Abstract: An approach for providing location sharing via simulation is disclosed. A location sharing platform determines at least one location point associated with at least one device and at least one algorithm for determining at least one predicted route of the at least one device based, at least in part, on the at least one location point. The location sharing platform then causes, at least in part, a transmission of the at least one location point and the at least one algorithm to at least one other device for generating location tracking information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: HERE GLOBAL B.V.
    Inventors: Dominic Letz, Paul Chambers
  • Patent number: 9651647
    Abstract: Methods and systems disclosed herein may include receiving signals along a traveled path over a period of time; recording signal power levels of the received signals over the period of time; receiving a first estimated track of the traveled path; identifying a feature of the received signal power levels, wherein the feature is caused by the signals having traveled different propagation paths; and generating a second estimated track based on the feature and the first estimated track.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: Henry S. Owen, LLC
    Inventor: Henry S. Owen
  • Patent number: 9645243
    Abstract: A method for platform relative navigation using range measurements involves four or more transmitters of positioning signals located on and/or near a platform of a first object and a second object approaching the platform that includes three or more receivers for receiving the positioning signals. For each received positioning signal, a range measurement between the transmitter of the positioning signal and the receiver of the positioning signal is performed. The relative position and relative attitude of a body frame of the second object is estimated with regard to the first object by processing the range measurements with a state space estimation algorithm implementing a model of the system of the first and second object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Assignee: Astrium GmbH
    Inventor: Jan Wendel
  • Patent number: 9645247
    Abstract: A method is described for estimating the coordinated universal time (UTC). The method involves receiving, by a satellite navigation receiver, signals broadcast by a global navigation satellite service (GNSS) satellite. The signals encode a first time of week (TOW) value. The method also involves estimating a first week number (WN) value and a first relationship between the UCT and a reference time of an onboard clock of the GNSS satellite (OFFSET) from time parameter values stored at a local memory. The method determines a first estimate of the UTC from the first TOW value, the first WN value, and the first OFFSET.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Assignee: GENERAL MOTORS LLC
    Inventors: Chaminda Basnayake, Dipankar Pal
  • Patent number: 9642020
    Abstract: A first microwave backhaul transceiver may comprise a reflector and a signal processing subassembly. The signal processing subassembly may comprise a plurality of antenna elements positioned at a focal plane of the reflector. The signal processing subassembly may process a plurality of microwave signals corresponding to the plurality of antenna elements using a corresponding plurality of phase coefficients and a corresponding plurality of amplitude coefficients. The signal processing subassembly may adjust a radiation pattern of the plurality of antenna elements during operation of the signal processing subassembly through adjustment of the phase coefficients and/or the amplitude coefficients.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: Maxlinear, Inc.
    Inventor: Curtis Ling
  • Patent number: 9638805
    Abstract: Embodiments provide a satellite navigation receiver. The satellite navigation receiver has a receiver unit and a transmitter or a controller. The receiver unit is configured to receive and process a satellite navigation signal from a satellite navigation system at the certain time, to obtain a received signal, the received signal having a first component in a digital form, wherein the first component in the digital form is encrypted. The transmitter is configured to transmit the first component in the digital form together with an identification of a user of the satellite navigation receiver at the certain time. The controller is configured to store the first component in the digital form on a non-volatile storage medium in association with other data representing an information from a location, at which the satellite navigation receiver was located at the certain time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: FRAUNHOFER-GESELLSCHAFT ZUR FOERDERUNG DER ANGEWANDTEN FORSCHUNG E.V
    Inventors: Alexander Ruegamer, Manuel Stahl, Guenter Rohmer
  • Patent number: 9638806
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a system for detecting ambiguities in a satellite signal for the GPS tracking of vessels, which includes: a GNSS receiving unit obtaining a vessel position using a plurality of satellites; a vessel position calculating unit calculating a second vessel position from a first vessel position after a specific amount of time elapses using dead-reckoning; a distance calculating unit calculating prediction distances between each of the satellites and the vessel and an error monitoring unit comparing the calculated prediction distances between the satellites and the vessel, and pseudoranges between the satellites and the GNSS receiving unit at the second vessel position, and monitoring for the occurrence of errors at the satellites on the basis of the existence of an increase in errors at each of the satellites.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: KOREA INSTITUTE OF OCEAN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Woo Seong Shim, Deuk Jae Cho
  • Patent number: 9638787
    Abstract: A computer-implemented system and method for tracking objects via identifier-tracker pairings is provided. Pairs of associated identifiers and trackers are stored. One of the identifier-tracker pairs is provided to a user, wherein the user associates the tracker with a physical object. The identifier from the provided pair is received and the tracker associated with the received identifier is obtained. A location of the tracker is determined. Readers are monitored within a defined area. A plurality of readings including the tracker is obtained from the readers. A location of the identified tracker is determined based on the readings from a plurality of the readers and a location of the physical object is determined based on the location of the identified tracker.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: Palo Alto Research Center Incorporated
    Inventors: Christopher L. Chua, Ashish V. Pattekar
  • Patent number: 9641966
    Abstract: A method and system for provision of a notification based on location of a target device and heuristic information, the method maintaining, in a storage module, a location profile of a target mobile device based on heuristic information for the target mobile device; receiving the current location of the target mobile device; verifying whether the current location deviates from the location profile; and if the current location deviates from the location profile, triggering a notification to an observer device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: BlackBerry Limited
    Inventor: Andrey Li
  • Patent number: 9638783
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices are described for peer-to-peer or device-to-device location services. Mobile devices with a known location (referred to as landmarks) may broadcast their location information and/or a reference signal for other mobile devices (referred to as targets). Landmarks may determine their location through GPS or other location determining means. Targets may have limited or no connection to location determining services, and they may use broadcast information from landmarks, without a request, to determine the targets' location. The targets may determine absolute and/or relative locations. Once a target device determines its location it may assume a role of a landmark to provide broadcast location information to other devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Georg Karl Hampel, Vincent D. Park, Jin-Der Wang, Junyi Li
  • Patent number: 9631931
    Abstract: Techniques for watching a location of a device with respect to a destination target include obtaining a current location of a device from a localization operation, calculating an interval, and performing a next localization operation after the interval has expired. The interval may be calculated based on a velocity and a distance from the current location to a destination target. The techniques may also include calculating a displacement distance from the current location and adjusting the interval based on the displacement distance to thereby adjust a time for performing the next localization operation. The techniques may include performing state detection to determine a motion state of the device and performing the next localization operation based on the determined motion state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Guo Bin Shen, Zheng Zhang
  • Patent number: 9632170
    Abstract: A method for evaluating the position of an aerial vehicle involves receiving a radio signal from the aerial vehicle with an antenna array, determining the direction of arrival of the received radio signal, forming a reception beam of the antenna array depending on the determined direction of arrival for receiving one or more further radio signals from the aerial vehicle, calculating the ranging between the aerial vehicle and the antenna array based on a radio signal provided for ranging and received from the aerial vehicle, and evaluating the position of the aerial vehicle based on the calculated ranging, the determined direction of arrival, and the known position of the antenna array.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: Astrium GmbH
    Inventor: Jean-Jacques Floch
  • Patent number: 9628169
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an automatic positioning antenna system for receiving multiple satellite signals and a method for tracking satellites to track positions of satellites through a satellite tracking LNB installed separately from a broadcast LNB, recognize the current position through information on tracked satellites and control an antenna to be oriented to the position of a target satellite to quickly receive satellite broadcast signals. The system includes an antenna unit having an antenna to which a broadcast LNB and a satellite tracking LNB receiving satellite signals for satellite tracking are connected, a switching unit for selecting the broadcast LNB or the satellite tracking LNB, a control unit for analyzing signals received through the satellite tracking LNB and controlling the antenna unit to be oriented to a target satellite using tracked satellite information; and a drive unit for moving the antenna unit under the control of the control unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: WIWORLD CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Chan Goo Park
  • Patent number: 9618625
    Abstract: A system and method of continuous carrier wave reconstruction includes a radio navigation receiver that includes one or more processors, memory coupled to the one or more processors, and an input for receiving a signal from a transmitter. The signal has a phase. The one or more processors are configured to obtain phase lock on the received signal, extract first phase information from the received signal, detect a loss in phase lock on the received signal, and extrapolate second phase information while phase lock is lost using a model of the phase. In some embodiments, the one or more processors are further configured to reconstruct the carrier signal based on the first and second phase information. In some embodiments, the one or more processors are further configured to scale the first and second phase information from a first nominal frequency of the received signal to a different second nominal frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Isaac T. Miller, William J. Bencze, Robert W. Brumley, Brent M. Ledvina, Mark L. Psiaki, Thomas J. Holmes, Clark E. Cohen
  • Patent number: 9618600
    Abstract: Angle of arrival and/or range estimation within a wireless communication device. Appropriate processing of communications received by a wireless communication device is performed to determine the angle of arrival of the communication (e.g., with respect to some coordinate basis of the wireless communication device). Also, appropriate processing of the communications may be performed in accordance with range estimation as performed by the wireless communication device to determine the distance between the transmitting and receiving wireless communication devices. There are two separate modes of packet processing operations that may be performed: (1) when contents of the received packet are known, and (2) when contents of the received packet are unknown. The wireless communication device includes a number of antenna, and a switching mechanism switches from among the various antennae capitalizing on the spatial diversity of the antennae to generate a multi-antenna signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: Avago Technologies General IP (Singapore) Pte. Ltd
    Inventors: Prasanna Desai, Brima B. Ibrahim, Siukai Mak
  • Patent number: 9612315
    Abstract: A method of and system for estimating at least one of a human development level and a human activity level. A method of estimating at least one of a human development level and a human activity level includes estimating positions of radio broadcast beacons. The positions of the radio broadcast beacons are stored in an electronically readable catalog. Each of the positions is grouped into sets of positions. Each set of positions includes positions of one or more geographically-related radio broadcast beacons. For each of the sets, at least one of a human development level and a human activity level is estimated for an area encompassing the positions of the set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: Skyhook Wireless, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard J. Sutton, Russel K. Jones
  • Patent number: 9612314
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a system for guiding the position and the method thereof, which belongs to the technical field of position navigation, wherein it comprises a position capturing device and a treatment device. The position capturing device is connected to the treatment device, which comprises a positioning component, an angular speed detection component and a direction detection component. The treatment device is connected to the display screen of the mobile terminal. The method comprises capturing the current position and the preconfigured target position of the mobile terminal by the said system; and the treatment device acquires the route between the current position and the target position by processing the preconfigured map data. The advantageous effects of the above technical scheme are that as follows: adopting the system for guiding the position and the method thereof makes the navigation more accurately and satisfies the demand of the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: Spreadtrum Communications (Shanghai) Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Lu Xia, Hengzhuang Jin, Haipeng Liu