Abstract: Embodiments of a system and method are disclosed that enable geo-location of a mobile appliance (20) communicating over a frequency hopping air interface for a network overlay geolocation system having plural wireless location sensors (30). The wireless location sensors (30) include a radio receiver channel capable of receiving the forward channels of the air interface transmitted from the base station (10) to the mobile appliance (20). The network overlay geo-location system of the present disclosure monitors these forward channels and measures parameters that allow the geolocation system to synchronize with the hopping of the air interface on the reverse channel. The plurality of sensors measure an attribute of a signal on the reverse channel to thereby enable geo-location. Synchronization can also be reference to a stable system clock and the plurality of sensors may be tuned in reference to the system clock to enable measurement of the frequency hopping reverse channel.

Abstract: A novel system and method for a network overlay geolocation system operating in a host wireless communication system with repeaters is disclosed. Embodiments of the novel system and method enable the geolocation system to determine if signals being received by the geolocation system arrive directly from a target mobile appliance or if the signals are passing through a repeater and therefore are subject to a known time delay. Embodiments of the novel system and method provide a more accurate geolocation of mobiles served by repeater stations than capable in the prior art.

Abstract: A novel system and method for tasking and reporting the geolocation of a mobile appliance for a wireless communications network overlay system is disclosed. Embodiments of the novel system and method allow for geolocating a mobile appliance regardless of the wireless air interface protocol standard utilized by the mobile appliance.

Abstract: A method for enabling a system to enhance the accuracy of a location estimate modifies weights in a weight matrix associated with receiver station measurements in parallel with successive refinements of the location estimate. In a typical location estimation scenario, several receiving stations simultaneously derive measurements of a signal from the emitter. Any one of these measurements is in general some function of the emitter location and the receiving station location. The aggregate of these measurements is often in excess of the minimum number of measurements required to provide an estimate of the emitter location. Where such an excess exists, the method proceeds by modifying the weights associated with the measurements in parallel with successive refinements of the location estimate. The method can be implemented over various cellular protocols with a consistent and significant enhancement in the accuracy of location estimates.

Abstract: A method for enabling a system to enhance the accuracy of a location estimate modifies weights in a weight matrix associated with receiver station measurements in parallel with successive refinements of the location estimate. In a typical location estimation scenario, several receiving stations simultaneously derive measurements of a signal from the emitter. Any one of these measurements is in general some function of the emitter location and the receiving station location. The aggregate of these measurements is often in excess of the minimum number of measurements required to provide an estimate of the emitter location. Where such an excess exists, the method proceeds by modifying the weights associated with the measurements in parallel with successive refinements of the location estimate. The method can be implemented over various cellular protocols with a consistent and significant enhancement in the accuracy of location estimates.

Abstract: A method for calibrating an antenna and signal processing system enabling angle of arrival (AOA) determination for a frequency hopping signal, in which a calibration coefficient is determined in response to one or more calibration signals injected into the system at one or more of the frequencies in the hopping sequence and proximate in time to reception of the communication signal. The calibration coefficients are reflective of a frequency and time dependent parameter of a path between the antenna and wireless location sensor. The AOA is determined as a function of the calibration coefficient and the radio frequency energy of the received communication signal. Several embodiment of the method are illustrated.

Abstract: A method for calibrating an antenna and signal processing system enabling angle of arrival (AOA) determination for a frequency hopping signal, in which a calibration coefficient is determined in response to one or more calibration signals injected into the system at one or more of the frequencies in the hopping sequence and proximate in time to reception of the communication signal. The calibration coefficients are reflective of a frequency and time dependent parameter of a path between the antenna and wireless location sensor. The AOA is determined as a function of the calibration coefficient and the radio frequency energy of the received communication signal. Several embodiment of the method are illustrated.

Abstract: A method for calibrating an antenna and signal processing system enabling angle of arrival (AOA) determination for a frequency hopping signal, in which a calibration coefficient is determined in response to one or more calibration signals injected into the system at one or more of the frequencies in the hopping sequence and proximate in time to reception of the communication signal. The calibration coefficients are reflective of a frequency and time dependent parameter of a path between the antenna and wireless location sensor. The AOA is determined as a function of the calibration coefficient and the radio frequency energy of the received communication signal. Several embodiment of the method are illustrated.

Abstract: A method for calibrating an antenna and signal processing system enabling angle of arrival (AOA) determination for a frequency hopping signal, in which a calibration coefficient is determined in response to one or more calibration signals injected into the system at one or more of the frequencies in the hopping sequence and proximate in time to reception of the communication signal. The calibration coefficients are reflective of a frequency and time dependent parameter of a path between the antenna and wireless location sensor. The AOA is determined as a function of the calibration coefficient and the radio frequency energy of the received communication signal. Several embodiment of the method are illustrated.

Abstract: A method and system for collecting test and measurement data for a wireless communication system utilizes a network overlay geo-location system to collect the data. The wireless communication system has plural base stations defining a signal coverage area for communication with a mobile appliance and collects test and measurement data simultaneous on the forward and reverse links during standard geo-location processes. The wireless communication system also collects test and measurement data when the network overlay geolocation system is in an idle state.

Abstract: A method for calibrating an antenna and signal processing system enabling angle or arrival (AOA) determination for a frequency hopping signal, in which a calibration coefficient is determined in response to one or more calibration signals injected into the system at one or more of the frequencies in the hopping sequence and proximate in time to reception of the communication signal. The calibration coefficients are reflective of a frequency and time dependent parameter of a path between the antenna and wireless location sensor. The AOA is determined as a function of the calibration coefficient and the radio frequency energy of the received communication signal. Several embodiment of the method are illustrated.

Abstract: A method for calibrating an antenna and signal processing system enabling angle or arrival (AOA) determination for a frequency hopping signal, in which a calibration coefficient is determined in response to one or more calibration signals injected into the system at one or more of the frequencies in the hopping sequence and proximate in time to reception of the communication signal. The calibration coefficients are reflective of a frequency and time dependent parameter of a path between the antenna and wireless location sensor. The AOA is determined as a function of the calibration coefficient and the radio frequency energy of the received communication signal. Several embodiment of the method are illustrated.

Abstract: A geolocation system for geolocating a mobile transceiver operating in a CDMA communication system is disclosed having improved time of arrival extraction which allows the extracting of time of arrival information of weak CDMA emissions. The improved time of arrival extraction is accomplished by breaking the received CDMA emission into M identical processing stages. Each stage performs despreading/demodulating at over sampled chip offsets from the next processing stage. The P-point fast Fourier transform of the M stages is taken and in effect a two dimensional time versus frequency cross ambiguity function is created. The peak of the function may be interpolated to create an accurate estimate of the time of arrival of the emission from the mobile transceiver, thus improving the accuracy of time of arrival measurements and adjusting for doppler frequency shifts that may otherwise corrupt the measurements when integrating over a long period of time.