Abstract: An example communication device is disclosed herein. The communication device includes a magnetic-field interface; a near-field radio frequency (RF) interface; a far-field RF interface; and a controller. The controller is configured to place the communication device in a deep sleep mode, and in response to receiving a wake-up signal at the near-field RF interface, transition the communication device from the deep sleep mode to an awake mode for a period of time. If an activation signal is received during the period of time, the controller can transition the communication device from the awake mode to a fully functional mode, and if the activation signal is not received during the period of time, the controller can transition the communication device from the awake mode to the deep sleep mode.

Abstract: An example disclosed method includes, in response to receiving a first signal at a communication device when the communication device is in a deep sleep mode, changing the tag from the deep sleep mode to an awake mode for a period of time, wherein the communication device consumes a first amount of power in the deep sleep mode, and the communication device consumes a second amount of power in the awake mode, and the second amount of power is greater than the first amount of power; in response to receiving a second signal during the period of time when in the awake mode, changing the communication device from the awake mode to a fully functional mode, wherein the communication device consumes a third amount of power in the fully functional mode, and the third amount of power is greater than the second amount of power; and, in response to not receiving the second signal during the period of time, changing the communication device from the awake mode to the deep sleep mode.

Abstract: Methods and devices for determining movement associated with an antenna of a receiver are disclosed herein. An example method includes generating a first acceleration signal associated with the antenna, wherein the first acceleration signal includes one or more substantially non-zero axial components. The method may further include establishing an acceleration signature corresponding to the antenna based on the first acceleration signal, and generating a second acceleration signal associated with the antenna, wherein the second acceleration signal includes one or more substantially non-zero axial components. The method may further include determining a signal difference between the acceleration signature and the second acceleration signal, wherein the signal difference is attributable to a movement of the antenna. The method may further include generating an alert signal indicating the movement.

Abstract: Methods and devices for determining movement associated with an antenna of a receiver are disclosed herein. An example method includes generating a first acceleration signal associated with the antenna, wherein the first acceleration signal includes one or more substantially non-zero axial components. The method may further include establishing an acceleration signature corresponding to the antenna based on the first acceleration signal, and generating a second acceleration signal associated with the antenna, wherein the second acceleration signal includes one or more substantially non-zero axial components. The method may further include determining a signal difference between the acceleration signature and the second acceleration signal, wherein the signal difference is attributable to a movement of the antenna. The method may further include generating an alert signal indicating the movement.

Abstract: An example disclosed method includes, in response to receiving a first signal at a communication device when the communication device is in a deep sleep mode, changing the tag from the deep sleep mode to an awake mode for a period of time, wherein the communication device consumes a first amount of power in the deep sleep mode, and the communication device consumes a second amount of power in the awake mode, and the second amount of power is greater than the first amount of power; in response to receiving a second signal during the period of time when in the awake mode, changing the communication device from the awake mode to a fully functional mode, wherein the communication device consumes a third amount of power in the fully functional mode, and the third amount of power is greater than the second amount of power; and, in response to not receiving the second signal during the period of time, changing the communication device from the awake mode to the deep sleep mode.

Abstract: An example method includes receiving environmental data from a plurality of receivers; calculating, using a processor, an environmental offset based on the environmental data, wherein the environmental offset is operable to adjust a reference phase offset; and dynamically adjusting the environmental offset in response to a detected change in the environmental data.

Abstract: An example apparatus includes a first detector configured to generate a first digitized stream of pulses and a second detector configured to generate a second digitized stream of pulses; a first packet decoder configured to decode a first valid over-the-air packet from the first digitized stream of pulses and generate a first time-stamped tag data packet; a second packet decoder configured to decode a second valid over-the-air packet from the second digitized stream of pulses; an arbiter configured to receive at least one of first and second time-stamped tag data packets and to select a time-stamped tag data packet from the at least one of the first and second time-stamped tag data packets; and a packet formatter to formulate a network data packet based on the selected time-stamped tag data packet.

Abstract: An disclosed method includes receiving, from receivers, TOA data associated with location tag transmissions; determining a first set of the receivers based on the received TOA data; calculating a first tag location estimate for the first set of the receivers by applying a minimizing function to a first set of the TOA data corresponding to the first set of the receivers; determining a first data quality indicator (DQI) for the first tag location estimate; and when the first DQI for the first tag location estimate does not meet a threshold: determining, for the first set of the TOA data, impacts of respective delays on the minimizing function; determining, based on the impacts of the respective delays on the minimizing function, a second set the receivers different from the first set of the receivers; and calculating a second tag location estimate for the second set of the receivers.

Abstract: Various methods for determining a configuration of a communications system are provided, including methods for determining system node positions. One example method includes generating a node attribute information segment, and adding the node attribute information segment to an attribute information message at a position within the attribute information message indicative of a position of a node within a series string of communications connections. Some of the methods may be implemented within the context of an asset locating system that analyzes the timing of wireless signals to determine a location of the source of the signal. Related systems and apparatuses are also provided.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for reference regeneration in real time location systems are disclosed. An example disclosed method includes obtaining reference phase offsets from a plurality of radio frequency identification (RFID) receivers; transmitting a first synchronization signal via a wireline link to obtain differential wireline coarse sync measurements; determining a residual offset table based at least in part on the differential wireline coarse sync measurements and the reference phase offsets; transmitting a second synchronization signal via the wireline link to obtain revised differential wireline coarse sync measurements; generating revised reference phase offsets by combining the revised differential wireline coarse sync offsets with the residual offset table; and determining a physical location of a RFID tag based at least in part on i) the revised reference phase offsets and ii) RFID receiver clock measurements corresponding to a time-of-arrival of over-the-air data transmitted from the RFID tag.

Abstract: An example method includes receiving environmental data from a plurality of receivers; calculating, using a processor, an environmental offset based on the environmental data, wherein the environmental offset is operable to adjust a reference phase offset; and dynamically adjusting the environmental offset in response to a detected change in the environmental data.

Abstract: An disclosed method includes receiving, from receivers, TOA data associated with location tag transmissions; determining a first set of the receivers based on the received TOA data; calculating a first tag location estimate for the first set of the receivers by applying a minimizing function to a first set of the TOA data corresponding to the first set of the receivers; determining a first data quality indicator (DQI) for the first tag location estimate; and when the first DQI for the first tag location estimate does not meet a threshold: determining, for the first set of the TOA data, impacts of respective delays on the minimizing function; determining, based on the impacts of the respective delays on the minimizing function, a second set the receivers different from the first set of the receivers; and calculating a second tag location estimate for the second set of the receivers.

Abstract: Systems, methods, apparatuses, and computer readable media are disclosed for improving, in some examples, reference in a location system. In one embodiment, a method is provided comprising: receiving reference tag blink data from a plurality of receivers; calculating, using a processor, a reference phase offset between the plurality of receivers; and generating a suspended reference phase offset table, wherein a suspended reference phase offset table is generated by causing the reference phase offset to be stored in a memory for later tag location calculations.

Abstract: A disclosed example apparatus receives a tag transmission signal from a tag at a receiver, wherein the tag transmission signal comprises a series of pulses; determines a coarse estimate of a time-of-arrival (TOA) of the tag transmission signal based on a detection of a pulse of the series of pulses in an adjustable coarse timing window, wherein the coarse estimate is based on a plurality of coarse timing windows; determines a fine estimate of the TOA based on a detection of the pulse in at least one of a parallel set of fine timing windows; and determines a sub-window resolution of the TOA based on at least one detection transition between consecutive fine receiver windows of at least one of a plurality of pulses and a weighted average of the TOA for each pulse of the series of pulses.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods for an active RFID tag target location system that provides for an iterative recalculating of a target location estimate by successively testing receiver TOA and DTOA error measurements and discarding outlier receivers. The present invention works to reduce the erratic effects that multipath channel interference and random noise play in target location systems due to incorrect identification of the main pulse of the transmit signal. In addition to providing for a greater accuracy and consistency in a TOA-based target location system, the method also provides for an opportunity to reduce a transmission bandwidth associate with the TOA transmission by the multiple receivers. The method may be considered a post-processing element, as the determination of TOA and DTOA may require a real-time calculation, where the timing constraints for the ensuing target location estimate may be less severe.

Abstract: An example disclosed method includes generating, by a microcontroller of a controller, a data packet; and causing the transmission of the data packet on blink data pulses from two or more individual transmit modules, wherein each individual transmit module is in comprises an antenna and a pulse generator configured to transmit the data packet and is in data communications with the controller, wherein the controller causes substantially simultaneous transmission of the blink data pulses from the respective transmit modules to encourage reliable receipt of the blink data pulses at one or more of a plurality of receivers.

Abstract: An example apparatus includes a first detector configured to generate a first digitized stream of pulses and a second detector configured to generate a second digitized stream of pulses; a first packet decoder configured to decode a first valid over-the-air packet from the first digitized stream of pulses and generate a first time-stamped tag data packet; a second packet decoder configured to decode a second valid over-the-air packet from the second digitized stream of pulses; an arbiter configured to receive at least one of first and second time-stamped tag data packets and to select a time-stamped tag data packet from the at least one of the first and second time-stamped tag data packets; and a packet formatter to formulate a network data packet based on the selected time-stamped tag data packet.

Abstract: An example disclosed method includes defining a first zone within a monitored area, a first group of receivers covering the first zone; defining a second zone within the monitored area, a second group of receivers covering the second zone; determining, via a processor, a first position of a first tag based on timing measurements obtained via the first group of receivers; determining, via the processor, whether the first position indicates that the first tag is within the first zone; and when the first position indicates that the first tag is not within the first zone, not reporting data associated with the first tag.

Abstract: Methods and systems are described for generating a first filtered signal by passing signal energy in a first radio frequency (RF) spectral band associated with a signaling bandwidth of an ultra-wideband (UWB) RF signaling system, generating a second filtered signal by passing signal energy in a second RF spectral band associated with the signaling bandwidth of the UWB RF signaling system, generating a plurality of digitized streams of pulses by identifying RF pulses in a respective filtered signal above a respective predetermined threshold, generating at least one time-stamped tag data packet, based on decoding a valid over-the-air packet corresponding to a plurality of RF pulses received according to a known burst pattern, selecting a time-stamped tag data packet from the at least one received time-stamped tag data packet, formulating a network data packet based on the selected time-stamped tag data packet, and outputting the network data packet.