Patents by Inventor David Stevenson Spain
David Stevenson Spain 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: 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.
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Publication number: 20130072230Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: September 19, 2011Publication date: March 21, 2013Applicant: 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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Publication number: 20120289249Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: July 18, 2012Publication date: November 15, 2012Applicant: POLARIS WIRELESS, INC.Inventors: Tarun Kumar Bhattacharya, Martin Feuerstein, Scot Douglas Gordon, David Stevenson Spain, JR.
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Publication number: 20120282947Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: July 18, 2012Publication date: November 8, 2012Applicant: Polaris Wireless, Inc.Inventors: Tarun Kumar Bhattacharya, Martin Feuerstein, Scot Douglas Gordon, David Stevenson Spain, JR.
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Patent number: 8155394Abstract: An integrated wireless location and facial/speaker-recognition system that provides distinct advantages over facial-recognition systems and speaker-recognition systems of the prior art is disclosed. The integrated system is capable of using information from a wireless location system to improve the performance of the facial recognition and speaker recognition. The system is capable of processing photographs and/or audio samples captured by a camera/microphone at a fixed location (e.g., a digital pan-zoom-tilt (PZT) surveillance camera, etc.) as well as those captured by a mobile camera/microphone (e.g., a digital camera and microphone in a smartphone, etc.). The system also features a feedback mechanism by which the location-informed results can be used to improve the system's recognition abilities.Type: GrantFiled: July 13, 2011Date of Patent: April 10, 2012Assignee: Polaris Wireless, Inc.Inventors: Manlio Allegra, Martin Feuerstein, Mahesh B. Patel, David Stevenson Spain, Jr.
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Publication number: 20120014567Abstract: An integrated wireless location and facial/speaker-recognition system that provides distinct advantages over facial-recognition systems and speaker-recognition systems of the prior art is disclosed. The integrated system is capable of using information from a wireless location system to improve the performance of the facial recognition and speaker recognition. The system is capable of processing photographs and/or audio samples captured by a camera/microphone at a fixed location (e.g., a digital pan-zoom-tilt (PZT) surveillance camera, etc.) as well as those captured by a mobile camera/microphone (e.g., a digital camera and microphone in a smartphone, etc.). The system also features a feedback mechanism by which the location-informed results can be used to improve the system's recognition abilities.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 13, 2011Publication date: January 19, 2012Applicant: POLARIS WIRELESS, INC.Inventors: Manlio Allegra, Martin Feuerstein, Mahesh B. Patel, David Stevenson Spain, JR.
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Publication number: 20110298930Abstract: An integrated wireless location and surveillance system that provides distinct advantages over video and audio surveillance systems of the prior art is disclosed. The integrated system comprises (i) a surveillance system comprising a plurality of cameras, each covering a respective zone, and (ii) a wireless location system that is capable of providing to the surveillance system, at various points in time, an estimate of the location of a wireless terminal that belongs to a person of interest. The surveillance system intelligently selects the video feed from the appropriate camera, based on the estimated location of the wireless terminal, and delivers the selected video feed to a display. As a person of interest moves from one zone to another, the surveillance system is capable of dynamically updating which video feed is delivered to the display.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 3, 2011Publication date: December 8, 2011Applicant: POLARIS WIRELESS, INC.Inventors: Manlio Allegra, Martin Feuerstein, Kevin Alan Lindsey, Mahesh B. Patel, David Stevenson Spain, JR.
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Patent number: 8068802Abstract: A process and machine for estimating the location of a wireless terminal is disclosed. 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. In accordance with a first 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: September 8, 2010Date of Patent: November 29, 2011Assignee: Polaris Wireless, Inc.Inventors: Tarun Kumar Bhattacharya, Martin Feuerstein, David Stevenson Spain, Jr.
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Patent number: 8068855Abstract: A method for determining the location of a mobile unit (MU) in a wireless communication system and presenting it to a remote party. The location of a remote MU is determined by comparing a snapshot of a predefined portion of the radio-frequency (RF) spectrum taken by the MU to a reference database containing multiple snapshots taken at various locations. The result of the comparison is used to determine if the MU is at a specific location. The comparison may be made in the MU, or at some other location situated remotely from the MU. In the latter case, sufficient information regarding the captured fingerprint is transmitted from the MU to the remote location. The database may be pre-compiled or generated on-line.Type: GrantFiled: May 18, 2010Date of Patent: November 29, 2011Assignee: Polaris Wireless, Inc.Inventors: Robert Morris Dressler, David Stevenson Spain, Jr.
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Patent number: 7899467Abstract: 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: May 22, 2006Date of Patent: March 1, 2011Assignee: Polaris Wireless, Inc.Inventors: Martin Feuerstein, Scot Douglas Gordon, David Stevenson Spain, Jr.
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Publication number: 20100329144Abstract: A process and machine for estimating the location of a wireless terminal is disclosed. 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. In accordance with a first 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: ApplicationFiled: September 8, 2010Publication date: December 30, 2010Applicant: POLARIS WIRELESS, INC.Inventors: Tarun Kumar Bhattacharya, Martin Feuerstein, David Stevenson Spain
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Patent number: 7848762Abstract: A method of using a non-GPS-derived technique to estimate the location of an Assisted-GPS-enabled wireless terminal for the purposes of generating location-specific assistance data for the wireless terminal is disclosed. The wireless terminal then uses the assistance data to acquire and process one or more GPS signals and to derive information that is probative of the wireless terminal's location. The GPS-derived location information is then combined with non-GPS-derived location to form an estimate of the location of the wireless terminal that is better than can be derived from either alone. This combination of GPS-derived and non-GPS techniques is particularly useful when the wireless terminal can only acquire one or two GPS signals because it is not possible to determine the location of the wireless terminal with only two GPS signals alone.Type: GrantFiled: April 18, 2008Date of Patent: December 7, 2010Assignee: Polaris Wireless, Inc.Inventors: Scot Douglas Gordon, Robert Lewis Martin, David Stevenson Spain, Jr.
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Publication number: 20100245115Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: June 7, 2010Publication date: September 30, 2010Applicant: POLARIS WIRELESS, INC.Inventors: Tarun Kumar Bhattacharya, Martin Feuerstein, Scot Douglas Gordon, David Stevenson Spain, JR.
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Patent number: 7796966Abstract: A process and machine for estimating the location of a wireless terminal is disclosed. 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. In accordance with a first 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: March 15, 2005Date of Patent: September 14, 2010Assignee: Polaris Wireless, Inc.Inventors: Tarun Kumar Bhattacharya, Martin Feuerstein, David Stevenson Spain, Jr.
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Publication number: 20100227626Abstract: A method for determining the location of a mobile unit (MU) in a wireless communication system and presenting it to a remote party. The location of a remote MU is determined by comparing a snapshot of a predefined portion of the radio-frequency (RF) spectrum taken by the MU to a reference database containing multiple snapshots taken at various locations. The result of the comparison is used to determine if the MU is at a specific location. The comparison may be made in the MU, or at some other location situated remotely from the MU. In the latter case, sufficient information regarding the captured fingerprint is transmitted from the MU to the remote location. The database may be pre-compiled or generated on-line.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 18, 2010Publication date: September 9, 2010Applicant: POLARIS WIRELESS, INC.Inventors: Robert Morris Dressler, David Stevenson Spain, JR.
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Patent number: 7753278Abstract: 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: May 22, 2006Date of Patent: July 13, 2010Assignee: Polaris Wireless, Inc.Inventors: David Stevenson Spain, Jr., Martin Feuerstein, Robert Morris Dressler
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Patent number: 7734298Abstract: 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: May 22, 2006Date of Patent: June 8, 2010Assignee: Polaris Wireless, Inc.Inventors: Tarun Kumar Bhattacharya, Martin Feuerstein, Scot Douglas Gordon, David Stevenson Spain, Jr.
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Publication number: 20080299993Abstract: A method of using a non-GPS-derived technique to estimate the location of an Assisted-GPS-enabled wireless terminal for the purposes of generating location-specific assistance data for the wireless terminal is disclosed. The wireless terminal then uses the assistance data to acquire and process one or more GPS signals and to derive information that is probative of the wireless terminal's location. The GPS-derived location information is then combined with non-GPS-derived location to form an estimate of the location of the wireless terminal that is better than can be derived from either alone. This combination of GPS-derived and non-GPS techniques is particularly useful when the wireless terminal can only acquire one or two GPS signals because it is not possible to determine the location of the wireless terminal with only two GPS signals alone.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 14, 2008Publication date: December 4, 2008Applicant: POLARIS WIRELESS, INC.Inventors: Scot Douglas Gordon, Robert Lewis Martin, David Stevenson Spain, JR.
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Publication number: 20080299995Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: August 14, 2008Publication date: December 4, 2008Applicant: POLARIS WIRELESS, INC.Inventor: David Stevenson Spain
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Patent number: 7460505Abstract: 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: February 4, 2003Date of Patent: December 2, 2008Assignee: Polaris Wireless, Inc.Inventor: David Stevenson Spain