Patents by Inventor David Stevenson Spain, Jr.
David Stevenson Spain, Jr. has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 9844019Abstract: A technique for estimating the location of a wireless terminal at an unknown location in a geographic region is disclosed. The technique is based on the recognition that there are location-dependent traits of electromagnetic signals. In environments where multiple antennas are radiating the same signal, as in the case of distributed antennas or host-repeater configurations, one or more possible locations of the wireless terminal can be designated as improbable based on i) a measure of the propagation delay of a signal traveling between a) a base station and b) the wireless terminal or an infrastructure antenna, or ii) the maximum distance at which a signal is detectable by the wireless terminal. Additionally, the applicable set of values for the location-dependent traits is selected based on similar criteria.Type: GrantFiled: August 12, 2014Date of Patent: December 12, 2017Assignee: Polaris Wireless, Inc.Inventors: Tarun Kumar Bhattacharya, David Stevenson Spain, Jr., Hassan Mohamed El-Sallabi, Robert Lewis Martin
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Patent number: 9479902Abstract: A method and system that account for one or more propagation-time components in a transmission path between a base station and a wireless terminal in a coverage area being served by the system. One such component is in the base station equipment between the radio that serves a wireless terminal and the antenna element that radiates and/or receives electromagnetic signals that involve the terminal. Another component of the transmission path is the one or more paths over which a radiated signal travels between the base station antenna element and the wireless terminal. By accounting for these propagation components through the use of measurement data provided by possibly a large number of wireless terminals, a disclosed location engine is able to derive adjusted measurements that are more representative of the propagation-time characteristic being measured by the individual terminals. These adjusted measurements can then be used to estimate the location of a wireless terminal more accurately.Type: GrantFiled: July 13, 2016Date of Patent: October 25, 2016Assignee: Polaris Wireless, Inc.Inventors: Robert Lewis Martin, David Stevenson Spain, Jr.
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Patent number: 9473896Abstract: A technique for providing a location estimate of a mobile station, with increased accuracy. An unenhanced estimate of the location of a target mobile station is first obtained. A portable transmitter is then situated in an initial geographic area of interest defined by the unenhanced estimate. The portable transmitter is then tuned to transmit on a particular neighbor base station frequency being reported by the mobile station. When the portable transmitter is moved close enough to the target mobile station, the mobile station stops reporting the neighbor to the mobile's wireless telecommunications network, on account of the interference introduced by the portable transmitter being on that frequency. The estimated distance from the portable transmitter to the target mobile station depends on the transmit signal strength used by the portable transmitter. By considering these details, an enhanced estimate of the location of the mobile station can then be deduced.Type: GrantFiled: July 8, 2016Date of Patent: October 18, 2016Assignee: Polaris Wireless, Inc.Inventor: David Stevenson Spain, Jr.
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Patent number: 9414350Abstract: A method and system that account for one or more propagation-time components in a transmission path between a base station and a wireless terminal in a coverage area being served by the system. One such component is in the base station equipment between the radio that serves a wireless terminal and the antenna element that radiates and/or receives electromagnetic signals that involve the terminal. Another component of the transmission path is the one or more paths over which a radiated signal travels between the base station antenna element and the wireless terminal. By accounting for these propagation components through the use of measurement data provided by possibly a large number of wireless terminals, a disclosed location engine is able to derive adjusted measurements that are more representative of the propagation-time characteristic being measured by the individual terminals. These adjusted measurements can then be used to estimate the location of a wireless terminal more accurately.Type: GrantFiled: November 13, 2015Date of Patent: August 9, 2016Assignee: Polaris Wireless, Inc.Inventors: Robert Lewis Martin, David Stevenson Spain, Jr.
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Patent number: 9408173Abstract: A technique for deriving timing information across wireless base stations is disclosed. After initializing values for base station time-offset parameters, a server acquires reference coordinates of a wireless terminal, which are provided from an independent source, and also acquires values for one or more time-of-occurrences of events associated with signals that travel between the wireless terminal and the base stations. The server generates predicted coordinates of the wireless terminal, based in part on the current time-offset values, by using trilateration. The server then generates updated time-offset values, based on a method of least squares, in which each residual is a difference between the reference and predicted coordinates of each wireless terminal location, for one or more wireless terminals. The server modifies the time-offset values so as to minimize the least-squares function.Type: GrantFiled: February 18, 2016Date of Patent: August 2, 2016Assignee: Polaris Wireless, Inc.Inventors: David Stevenson Spain, Jr., Scot Douglas Gordon
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Patent number: 9408030Abstract: A technique for providing a location estimate of a mobile station, with increased accuracy. An unenhanced estimate of the location of a target mobile station is first obtained. A portable transmitter is then situated in an initial geographic area of interest defined by the unenhanced estimate. The portable transmitter is then tuned to transmit on a particular neighbor base station frequency being reported by the mobile station. When the portable transmitter is moved close enough to the target mobile station, the mobile station stops reporting the neighbor to the mobile's wireless telecommunications network, on account of the interference introduced by the portable transmitter being on that frequency. The estimated distance from the portable transmitter to the target mobile station depends on the transmit signal strength used by the portable transmitter. By considering these details, an enhanced estimate of the location of the mobile station can then be deduced.Type: GrantFiled: October 13, 2015Date of Patent: August 2, 2016Assignee: Polaris Wireless, Inc.Inventor: David Stevenson Spain, Jr.
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Patent number: 9402157Abstract: A technique for providing a location estimate of a mobile station, with increased accuracy. An unenhanced estimate of the location of a target mobile station is first obtained. A portable transmitter is then situated in an initial geographic area defined by the unenhanced estimate. The transmitter is then tuned to transmit a particular identifier on a particular frequency. When the transmitter is moved close enough to the mobile, the mobile starts reporting the identifier to the mobile's wireless network. Because the identifier and frequency are carefully selected so as not into interfere with ongoing operations of the wireless network, the wireless network itself merely regards the reported data to be invalid for handoff purposes. The estimated distance from the transmitter to the mobile depends on the transmit signal strength used by the transmitter. By considering these details, an enhanced estimate of the location of the mobile can then be deduced.Type: GrantFiled: October 21, 2014Date of Patent: July 26, 2016Assignee: Polaris Wireless, Inc.Inventors: Jerome Arthur Blaha, Jr., Robert Lewis Martin, David Stevenson Spain, Jr.
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Patent number: 9398402Abstract: An apparatus and method are disclosed for tracking a large number of wireless terminals and for estimating the location of the terminals at each instant. Some embodiments of the present invention use a wide variety of factors to determine the order and frequency with which each wireless terminal is located. These factors include, but are not limited to, the history of the location of the wireless terminal, the time of day, and the weather.Type: GrantFiled: September 19, 2011Date of Patent: July 19, 2016Assignee: Polaris Wireless, Inc.Inventors: Ankit Bansal, Tarun Kumar Bhattacharya, Martin Feuerstein, Scot Douglas Gordon, Robert Lewis Martin, David Stevenson Spain, Jr.
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Patent number: 9374801Abstract: A location engine that accounts for propagation-time components in an antenna system disposed between i) the base station that serves a wireless terminal and ii) the airwaves over which electromagnetic signals propagate between the antenna elements and wireless terminal. By considering and accounting for these propagation components, the location engine is able to estimate information about the antenna system, such as i) whether the antenna system is a distributed antenna system and ii) the configuration of the antenna system. Based on this estimated information, the location engine is also able to estimate adjustments that can be made to location-related measurements, and, with these adjustments, estimate the location of one or more wireless terminals.Type: GrantFiled: September 18, 2015Date of Patent: June 21, 2016Assignee: Polaris Wireless, Inc.Inventors: Robert Lewis Martin, David Stevenson Spain, Jr.
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Patent number: 9301273Abstract: A technique for deriving timing information across wireless base stations is disclosed. After initializing values for base station time-offset parameters, a server acquires reference coordinates of a wireless terminal, which are provided from an independent source, and also acquires values for one or more time-of-occurrences of events associated with signals that travel between the wireless terminal and the base stations. The server generates predicted coordinates of the wireless terminal, based in part on the current time-offset values, by using trilateration. The server then generates updated time-offset values, based on a method of least squares, in which each residual is a difference between the reference and predicted coordinates of each wireless terminal location, for one or more wireless terminals. The server modifies the time-offset values so as to minimize the least-squares function.Type: GrantFiled: June 17, 2015Date of Patent: March 29, 2016Assignee: Polaris Wireless, Inc.Inventors: David Stevenson Spain, Jr., Scot Douglas Gordon
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Patent number: 9220080Abstract: A method and system that account for one or more propagation-time components in a transmission path between a base station and a wireless terminal in a coverage area being served by the system. One such component is in the base station equipment between the radio that serves a wireless terminal and the antenna element that radiates and/or receives electromagnetic signals that involve the terminal. Another component of the transmission path is the one or more paths over which a radiated signal travels between the base station antenna element and the wireless terminal. By accounting for these propagation components through the use of measurement data provided by possibly a large number of wireless terminals, a disclosed location engine is able to derive adjusted measurements that are more representative of the propagation-time characteristic being measured by the individual terminals. These adjusted measurements can then be used to estimate the location of a wireless terminal more accurately.Type: GrantFiled: April 23, 2015Date of Patent: December 22, 2015Assignee: Polaris Wireless, Inc.Inventors: Robert Lewis Martin, David Stevenson Spain, Jr.
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Patent number: 9173064Abstract: A technique for providing a location estimate of a mobile station, with increased accuracy. An unenhanced estimate of the location of a target mobile station is first obtained. A portable transmitter is then situated in an initial geographic area of interest defined by the unenhanced estimate. The portable transmitter is then tuned to transmit on a particular neighbor base station frequency being reported by the mobile station. When the portable transmitter is moved close enough to the target mobile station, the mobile station stops reporting the neighbor to the mobile's wireless telecommunications network, on account of the interference introduced by the portable transmitter being on that frequency. The estimated distance from the portable transmitter to the target mobile station depends on the transmit signal strength used by the portable transmitter. By considering these details, an enhanced estimate of the location of the mobile station can then be deduced.Type: GrantFiled: October 6, 2014Date of Patent: October 27, 2015Assignee: Polaris Wireless, Inc.Inventor: David Stevenson Spain, Jr.
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Patent number: 9164162Abstract: A location engine that accounts for propagation-time components in an antenna system disposed between i) the base station that serves a wireless terminal and ii) the airwaves over which electromagnetic signals propagate between the antenna elements and wireless terminal. By considering and accounting for these propagation components, the location engine is able to estimate information about the antenna system, such as i) whether the antenna system is a distributed antenna system and ii) the configuration of the antenna system. Based on this estimated information, the location engine is also able to estimate adjustments that can be made to location-related measurements, and, with these adjustments, estimate the location of one or more wireless terminals.Type: GrantFiled: July 7, 2015Date of Patent: October 20, 2015Assignee: Polaris Wireless, Inc.Inventors: Robert Lewis Martin, David Stevenson Spain, Jr.
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Patent number: 9088943Abstract: A technique for deriving timing information across wireless base stations is disclosed. After initializing values for base station time-offset parameters, a server acquires reference coordinates of a wireless terminal, which are provided from an independent source, and also acquires values for one or more time-of-occurrences of events associated with signals that travel between the wireless terminal and the base stations. The server generates predicted coordinates of the wireless terminal, based in part on the current time-offset values, by using trilateration. The server then generates updated time-offset values, based on a method of least squares, in which each residual is a difference between the reference and predicted coordinates of each wireless terminal location, for one or more wireless terminals. The server modifies the time-offset values so as to minimize the least-squares function.Type: GrantFiled: January 8, 2013Date of Patent: July 21, 2015Assignee: Polaris Wireless, Inc.Inventors: David Stevenson Spain, Jr., Scot Douglas Gordon
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Patent number: 8838137Abstract: A technique for estimating the location of a wireless terminal at an unknown location in a geographic region is disclosed. The technique is based on the recognition that there are location-dependent traits of electromagnetic signals. In environments where multiple antennas are radiating the same signal, as in the case of distributed antennas or host-repeater configurations, one or more possible locations of the wireless terminal can be designated as improbable based on i) a measure of the propagation delay of a signal traveling between a) a base station and b) the wireless terminal or an infrastructure antenna, or ii) the maximum distance at which a signal is detectable by the wireless terminal. Additionally, the applicable set of values for the location-dependent traits is selected based on similar criteria.Type: GrantFiled: August 30, 2012Date of Patent: September 16, 2014Assignee: Polaris Wireless, Inc.Inventors: Tarun Kumar Bhattacharya, David Stevenson Spain, Jr., Hassan Mohamed El-Sallabi, Robert Lewis Martin
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Publication number: 20140066088Abstract: A technique for estimating the location of a wireless terminal at an unknown location in a geographic region is disclosed. The technique is based on the recognition that there are location-dependent traits of electromagnetic signals. In environments where multiple antennas are radiating the same signal, as in the case of distributed antennas or host-repeater configurations, one or more possible locations of the wireless terminal can be designated as improbable based on i) a measure of the propagation delay of a signal traveling between a) a base station and b) the wireless terminal or an infrastructure antenna, or ii) the maximum distance at which a signal is detectable by the wireless terminal. Additionally, the applicable set of values for the location-dependent traits is selected based on similar criteria.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 30, 2012Publication date: March 6, 2014Applicant: POLARIS WIRELESS, INC.Inventors: Tarun Kumar Bhattacharya, David Stevenson Spain, JR., Hassan Mohamed El-Sallabi, Robert Lewis Martin
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Patent number: 8583141Abstract: A technique for estimating the location of a wireless terminal at an unknown location in a geographic region is disclosed. The technique is based on the recognition that there are traits of electromagnetic signals that are dependent on topography, the receiver, the location of the transmitter, and other factors. For example, if a particular radio station is known to be received strongly at a first location and weakly at a second location, and a given wireless terminal at an unknown location is receiving the radio station weakly, it is more likely that the wireless terminal is at the second location than at the first location.Type: GrantFiled: June 7, 2010Date of Patent: November 12, 2013Assignee: Polaris Wireless, Inc.Inventors: Tarun Kumar Bhattacharya, Martin Feuerstein, Scot Douglas Gordon, David Stevenson Spain, Jr.
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Patent number: 8571577Abstract: A technique for estimating the location of a wireless terminal at an unknown location in a geographic region is disclosed. The technique is based on the recognition that there are traits of electromagnetic signals that are dependent on topography, the receiver, the location of the transmitter, and other factors. For example, if a particular radio station is known to be received strongly at a first location and weakly at a second location, and a given wireless terminal at an unknown location is receiving the radio station weakly, it is more likely that the wireless terminal is at the second location than at the first location.Type: GrantFiled: July 18, 2012Date of Patent: October 29, 2013Assignee: Polaris Wireless, Inc.Inventors: Tarun Kumar Bhattacharya, Martin Feuerstein, Scot Douglas Gordon, David Stevenson Spain, Jr.
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Patent number: 8565786Abstract: A technique for estimating the location of a wireless terminal at an unknown location in a geographic region is disclosed. The technique is based on the recognition that there are traits of electromagnetic signals that are dependent on topography, the receiver, the location of the transmitter, and other factors. For example, if a particular radio station is known to be received strongly at a first location and weakly at a second location, and a given wireless terminal at an unknown location is receiving the radio station weakly, it is more likely that the wireless terminal is at the second location than at the first location.Type: GrantFiled: July 18, 2012Date of Patent: October 22, 2013Assignee: Polaris Wireless, Inc.Inventors: Tarun Kumar Bhattacharya, Martin Feuerstein, Scot Douglas Gordon, David Stevenson Spain, Jr.
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Patent number: 8406166Abstract: A method of estimating the location of a wireless terminal is disclosed that is ideally suited for use with legacy systems. The illustrative embodiment of the present invention is based on the observation that the signal strength of a signal from a transmitter is different at some locations, and, therefore, the location of a wireless terminal can be estimated by comparing the signal strength it currently observes against a map or database that correlates locations to signal strengths. For example, if a particular radio station is known to be received well at a first location and poorly at a second location, and a given wireless terminal at an unknown location is receiving the radio station poorly, it is more likely that the wireless terminal is at the second location than it is at the first location.Type: GrantFiled: August 14, 2008Date of Patent: March 26, 2013Assignee: Polaris Wireless, Inc.Inventor: David Stevenson Spain, Jr.