Iso-chronic Type Patents (Class 342/387)
  • Patent number: 10609762
    Abstract: Systems, methods, apparatuses, and computer readable media are disclosed for improving, in some examples, backhaul of sensor and other data to a real time location system (RTLS) network. In the context of a method for communication by a tag, the method includes receiving, at the tag, sensor data from at least one sensor, generating, using a processor of the tag, a tag blink data packet, the tag blink data packet including a tag identifier and at least a portion of the received sensor data, and transmitting the tag blink data packet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignee: Zebra Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: John K. Hughes, James J. O'Hagan, Cynthia Traeger, Jill Stelfox, Bob Kuehne
  • Patent number: 10601489
    Abstract: In one implementation, a receiver has a module to detect a carrier within a portion of a digital representation of a received signal. In addition, the receiver includes a module to calculate the cross-correlation between the portion of the digital representation of the received signal and a reference signal representing an expected pulse pattern. The receiver also has a module to generate an estimate of a portion of a message potentially included in the digital representation of the received signal. The receiver further includes a screening module to generate a feature vector representing the estimated message, project the feature vector into a feature space, and determine the likelihood that the digital representation of the received signal includes a message. If the digital representation of the received signal likely includes a message, the receiver includes a non-coherent matched filter to recover the message from the digital representation of the received signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: Aireon LLC
    Inventor: Timothy Dyson
  • Patent number: 10578704
    Abstract: A method and system determine a location of a signal emitter. A plurality of sensors each receives a signal transmitted by the signal emitter. One of the received signals is processed to produce a template describing an estimate of the signal transmitted by the signal emitter. The template is cross-correlated with at least some of the signals received at the sensors. At least one cross-correlation feature is identified from each cross-correlation and the cross-correlation features are used to determine the location of the signal emitter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignee: Keysight Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew D. Fernandez, Lawrence Dale Bennett
  • Patent number: 10567034
    Abstract: Embodiments enable communicating Ultra Wideband (UWB) devices to collaborate by exchanging pulse shape information. The UWB devices use the pulse shape information to improve ranging accuracy. The improved ranging accuracy can be used in complex multipath environments where advanced estimation schemes are used to extract an arriving path for time-of-flight estimation. To determine the pulse shape information to be shared, some embodiments include determining location information of a UWB device and selecting the pulse shape information that satisfies regional aspects. The pulse shape information includes a time-zero index specific to a ranging signal that is used by UWB receivers to establish timestamps time-of-flight calculations. Some embodiments include measuring performance characteristics and selecting different pulse shape information based on the performance characteristics for improved accuracy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Joachim S. Hammerschmidt, Eren Sasoglu
  • Patent number: 10557914
    Abstract: A radio wave arrival angle detection device of the present invention extracts symbols and resolves the same into sub-carriers having various frequency components, for OFDM carrier waves received by a first antenna and a second antenna, respectively. The arrival angle of the carrier waves is calculated on the basis of the geometric relationship between a phase shift of the respective sub-carriers of the OFDM carrier waves received by the first antenna and the second antenna, and the arrangement of the first antenna and the second antenna.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2020
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES MACHINERY SYSTEMS, LTD.
    Inventors: Kenji Iizuka, Masatoshi Tominaga, Kazuyoshi Kitajima, Saku Ieuji
  • Patent number: 10555235
    Abstract: A device, computer-readable medium, and method for activating antennas based upon a location and a movement of a group of mobile endpoint devices are disclosed. For example, a method may include a processor of a cellular network detecting a group of mobile endpoint devices associated with a first location and activating a first antenna at a first cell site of the cellular network associated with the first location, in response to detecting the group of mobile endpoint devices. The processor may further detect a movement of the group of mobile endpoint devices toward a second location, and activate a second antenna at a second cell site of the cellular network associated with the second location and deactivate the first antenna, in response to detecting the movement of the group of mobile endpoint devices toward the second location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2020
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventor: Moshiur Rahman
  • Patent number: 10520582
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignee: Zebra Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Edward A. Richley, Belinda Turner, Chang Wang
  • Patent number: 10520606
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for receiving an estimate of time in a satellite signal receiver receives an estimate of time from a server and compensates for error of a clock in the satellite signal receiver using the estimate of time. The output of the compensated clock is used when computing a position of the satellite signal receiver. The estimate of time is received using a network time protocol (NTP), a simple network time protocol (SNTP), or by one-way broadcast from the server.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte. Limited
    Inventors: Charles Abraham, Sergei Podshivalov, Frank van Diggelen
  • Patent number: 10506483
    Abstract: A satellite system may have a constellation of communications satellites that provides services to users with user devices such as portable electronic devices and home and office equipment. The constellation of satellites may include low-earth orbit satellites or other non-geostationary satellites having coverage areas that move across the surface of the Earth as the satellites orbit the Earth. The system may have gateways that communicate with the user devices as satellites move into and out of range. Computing equipment at a gateway or associated metropolitan point of presence may direct the gateways to handover communications sessions with the user devices from an outgoing satellite to an incoming satellite. Handover operations may involve handovers in prioritized batches, make-before-break handover procedures, and break-before-make handover procedures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Inventors: Keith Williamson, James Scott
  • Patent number: 10490074
    Abstract: Various aspects related to frequency biasing to compensate for frequency variations caused by Doppler shift in V2V communication systems are described. In an aspect of the disclosure, a method, a computer-readable medium, and an apparatus are provided. The apparatus, e.g., a UE, may be configured to determine a velocity of the apparatus, and determine a frequency biasing adjustment based on the determined velocity of the apparatus. The apparatus may be further configured to communicate with UE based on an adjusted carrier frequency determined based on a carrier frequency and the determined frequency biasing adjustment. In some configurations, a driving environment of the apparatus maybe considered, and the frequency biasing adjustment is determined further based on the determined driving environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Libin Jiang, Shailesh Patil, Peter Gaal, Durga Prasad Malladi
  • Patent number: 10467442
    Abstract: A system for managing kinematic assets is disclosed. In one embodiment, the system comprises an electronic identification device associated with an asset. The system further comprises a container comprising a reader disposed within the container for receiving a unique identification of the identification device. The container further comprises a reader node for maintaining an inventory record comprising the asset and for generating a report when the asset is not detected by said reader. The report further comprises a location of the container when said report is generated. The system further comprises a kinematic asset management platform comprising an asset registry for storing data conveyed by the report and a reports engine for generating a second report conveying the location of said container when the report is generated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: Timble Inc.
    Inventors: James C. Reynolds, Gary Dennis, Prakash Iyer
  • Patent number: 10419884
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: Zebra Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Alexander Mueggenborg, Edward A. Richley, Aitan Ameti
  • Patent number: 10408917
    Abstract: Systems and methods for locating a position of a target object are provided. The target object can be equipped with a plurality of spatially distributed antennas, and can be located within a network of a plurality of anchors at fixed locations. A plurality of anchor pairs can be assigned. Each anchor pair can include at least two anchors. The anchor pairs can transmit and receive range request (REQ) and range response (RSP) packets. The REQ and RSP packets can be received by the antennas on the target object. Distance differences between the target object to the first anchor and from the target object to the second anchor of each anchor pair can be estimated, based on times at which the REQ packet and the RSP packet are received at the target object. The position of the target object can be estimated based on the distance differences.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignee: Red Point Positioning Corporation
    Inventors: Zhenzhen Ye, Chunjie Duan, Georgiy Pekhteryev
  • Patent number: 10395537
    Abstract: Aspects herein describe techniques for synchronizing clocks between two moving platforms using optical signals generated from lasers to measure clock offsets and determine a separation distance between moving platforms. Once the clocks are synchronized (e.g., an offset between the clocks is determined), the moving platforms can share sensor data, location data, and other information which is dependent on accurate timestamps and relative positions. In one aspect, one of the platforms serves as a virtual mirror. That is, the platform transmits a pulse at the same instance a pulse is received, similar to a mirror that reflects incident light. For example, the first platform may transmit pulses which are received at the second platform. The second platform can use optical or electrical components to form the virtual mirror that transmits an optical pulse to the first platform each time a pulse is received at the second platform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANY
    Inventor: Glenn S. Bushnell
  • Patent number: 10371789
    Abstract: A mobile station transmits a first radio signal, a reference station transmits a second radio signal. Fixed stations extract phase differences (??mf1) to (??mf3), respectively, between a carrier included in the first radio signal and reference clocks of the respective fixed stations. The fixed stations extract phase differences (??sf1) to (??sf3), respectively, between a carrier included in the second radio signal and the reference clocks of the respective fixed stations. A server cancels phase offsets (?f1) to (?f3) of the respective fixed stations using phase difference information between the mobile station and each of the fixed stations and phase difference information between the reference station and each of the fixed stations, obtains distance information between each of the fixed stations and the mobile station, and calculates a position of the mobile station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2019
    Assignee: MURATA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Koichi Takizawa
  • Patent number: 10267895
    Abstract: Various technologies for identifying RF emitters in geolocation datasets are described herein. Doppler signatures of RF emitters and geolocation data of objects in a scene are collected simultaneously, then range-rate profiles of the movement of the RF emitters and the objects in the scene are computed. An RF emitter is identified in a geolocation dataset by comparing the motion of the RF emitter with the motion of an object in the scene as described by the respective range-rate profiles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2019
    Assignee: National Technology & Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC
    Inventors: Richard M. Naething, Richard C. Ormesher
  • Patent number: 10261169
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: Zebra Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Edward A. Richley, Belinda Turner, Chang Wang
  • Patent number: 10263813
    Abstract: A signal receiving apparatus includes a phase recovery look, a phase estimation circuit, a phase noise detection circuit, and a bandwidth setting circuit. The phase recovery loop performs a phase recovery process on an input signal according to a bandwidth setting. The phase estimation circuit generates an estimated phase associated with the input signal. The phase noise detection circuit determines a phase noise amount according to the estimated phase. The bandwidth setting circuit calculates an average and a variance of the phase noise amounts, and adjusts the bandwidth setting of the phase recovery loop according to the average and the variance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: MSTAR SEMICONDUCTOR, INC.
    Inventors: Chia-Chun Hung, Ting-Nan Cho, Kai-Wen Cheng, Tai-Lai Tung
  • Patent number: 10244364
    Abstract: A system and related methods for location determination aboard a subject vehicle not equipped with a GNSS-based positioning system receives position signals transmitted by non-satellite atmospheric vehicles and surface objects, which may include precise locations of the transmitting objects or position metrics associated with containment regions within which the transmitting objects should be to a particular certainty level. The received position signals may include ADS-B signals transmitted by proximate aircraft and facilities. The system may determine ownship location via multilateration of received position signals, via processing the received position metrics and corresponding containment regions, or via combining or correlating the two to determine accurate ownship location data of the subject vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: uAvionix Corporation
    Inventor: Paul Beard
  • Patent number: 10234537
    Abstract: A beacon includes a housing, multiple directional radio frequency antennas, a multiplexer, and a signal source that produces a signal output. The directional radio frequency antennas are attached to the housing such that each directional radio frequency antenna points out radially from an axis of the housing in a direction different than the other directional radio frequency antennas. The multiplexer is electrically connected to each of the directional radio frequency antennas and to the signal source. The multiplexer is configured to sequentially conduct the radio signal output from the signal source to each of the directional radio frequency antennas to produce a wireless signal, wherein the signal output is only conducted to one of the directional radio frequency antennas at any given time and includes a unique identifier identifying the antenna it is currently being transmitted from. The beacon may also include electrical hardware for performing time of flight measurements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: Otter Products, LLC
    Inventor: Christopher R. Langlois
  • Patent number: 10230446
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a communication method and system for converging a 5th-Generation (5G) communication system for supporting higher data rates beyond a 4th-Generation (4G) system with a technology for Internet of Things (IoT). The present disclosure may be applied to intelligent services based on the 5G communication technology and the IoT-related technology, such as smart home, smart building, smart city, smart car, connected car, health care, digital education, smart retail, security and safety services.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2019
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Pengfei Sun, Chen Qian, Bin Yu
  • Patent number: 10203397
    Abstract: Devices, systems, and methods for improving performance in positioning systems. Performance may be improved using disclosed signal processing methods for separating eigenvalues corresponding to noise and eigenvalues corresponding to one or more direct path signal components or multipath signal components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2019
    Assignee: NextNav, LLC
    Inventors: Andrew Sendonaris, Norman F. Krasner, Jagadish Venkataraman, Chen Meng
  • Patent number: 10171129
    Abstract: Embodiments enable communicating Ultra Wideband (UWB) devices to collaborate by exchanging pulse shape information. The UWB devices use the pulse shape information to improve ranging accuracy. The improved ranging accuracy can be used in complex multipath environments where advanced estimation schemes are used to extract an arriving path for time-of-flight estimation. To determine the pulse shape information to be shared, some embodiments include determining location information of a UWB device and selecting the pulse shape information that satisfies regional aspects. The pulse shape information includes a time-zero index specific to a ranging signal that is used by UWB receivers to establish timestamps time-of-flight calculations. Some embodiments include measuring performance characteristics and selecting different pulse shape information based on the performance characteristics for improved accuracy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2019
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Joachim S. Hammerschmidt, Eren Sasoglu
  • Patent number: 10098116
    Abstract: A method, apparatus and computer program product are provided to collect a channel information in conjunction with wireless communications; estimate at least one of a line of sight traffic and a non-line of sight traffic on the channel based on channel information; and select, with a processor, a frequency band, wherein the frequency band includes at least a respective frequency or frequency range and a frequency band or plurality of frequency bands and a bandwidth for the respective frequency or frequency range and time allocation for the frequency or frequency range. The selection is based on the estimated line of sight and non-line of sight traffic, wherein the respective frequency band comprises selecting at least one of a first frequency band or a second frequency band with the first and second frequency bands being different from one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy
    Inventors: Osman Yilmaz, Mikko Uusitalo
  • Patent number: 10031209
    Abstract: A first distance between a first node and a target node is computed based on a first time-of-flight (ToF) of a communication sequence between the first node and the target node. A second distance between a second node and the target node is computed based on a second ToF of the communication sequence between the first node and the target node, as recorded by the second node. A location of the target node is determined based on the first distance and the second distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2018
    Assignee: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP
    Inventors: Souvik Sen, Jung Gun Lee, Haiqing Jiang
  • Patent number: 10020596
    Abstract: A base station performs the combination of digital precoding and analog beamforming. Transceiving antenna elements are classified into antenna groups. The analog beamformer includes branches corresponding to the antenna groups. Each branch includes sub-branches, and each sub-branch is connected to one antenna element. In self-calibration, after pilot signals are transmitted from antenna elements belonging to an antenna group and are received by antenna elements belonging to another antenna group, it is identifiable as to which antenna element transmitted each pilot signal. After pilot signals are received by antenna elements belonging to an antenna group, it is identifiable as to which antenna element received each pilot signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2018
    Assignee: NTT DOCOMO, INC.
    Inventors: Anass Benjebbour, Satoshi Suyama
  • Patent number: 9983292
    Abstract: A method for determining an instantaneous phase difference between time bases of at least two location anchors for a desired point in time (t), each of the location anchors having transmitting and receiving access to a joint broadcast transmission medium and a respective time base for measuring time, wherein a first of the location anchors broadcasts a first broadcast message at least twice; the first location anchor and at least a second of the location anchors receive the first broadcast messages; the second location anchor broadcasting a second broadcast message at least twice; and the second location anchor and at least the first location anchor receive the second broadcast messages. The location server calculates the instantaneous phase difference from a determined first and second clock model functions and from a time elapsed between a reference point in time and the desired point in time t.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: NANOTRON TECHNOLOGIES GMBH
    Inventors: Rainer Hach, Albrecht Rommel
  • Patent number: 9967845
    Abstract: Synchronizing the local time of beacons using two way time transfer methods and hardware enabling such methods. Certain systems incorporate receive hardware into beacon circuitry used for transmitting signals so that the beacon can transmit RF signals during transmission periods, and can also receive RF signals from other beacons during non-transmission periods. Receive hardware may be incorporated into beacon circuitry such that the beacon receives an incoming signal and passes that incoming signal to a digital pre-distortion linearization module, which can process that received signal. Methods for controlling whether a beacon transmits RF signals or receives RF signals are also discussed, as are methods for using RF signals received from other beacons for synchronization.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: NextNav, LLC
    Inventors: Arun Raghupathy, Subramanian S. Meiyappan
  • Patent number: 9958526
    Abstract: Directional characterization of a location of a target device makes use of multiple radio transmissions that are received from the target device. In some examples, each radio transmission is received at a first antenna at a fixed location, and is also received at a second moving antenna. The received transmissions are combined to determine the directional characterization, for example, as a distribution of power as a function of direction. In some examples, the received radio transmissions are processed to determine, for each of a plurality of directions of arrival of the radio transmissions, a most direct direction of arrival, for example, to distinguish a direct path from a reflected path from the target.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Swarun Suresh Kumar, Dina Katabi
  • Patent number: 9955301
    Abstract: An autonomous system with no Customer Network Investment is described, wherein the system is configurable to operate on in a band in addition to the LTE band. Such system allows the definition of hybrid operations to accommodate the positioning reference signals (PRS) of LTE and already existing reference signals. The system can operate with PRS, with other reference signals such as cell-specific reference signals (CRS), or with both signal types. As such, the system provides the advantage of allowing network operator(s) to dynamically choose between modes of operation depending on circumstances, such as network throughput and compatibility.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: POLTE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Felix Markhovsky, Truman Prevatt
  • Patent number: 9945930
    Abstract: A method, device, system and use for determining a distance, location and/or orientation including the at least relative determination of a position of at least one object using at least two active anchors. A first signal is emitted by a first of the two anchors and is received at the object and by a second of said two anchors. A phase measurement is performed at said second anchor and wherein a distance determination with respect to said first anchor is performed and/or the distance from said first anchor to said second anchor is known. A second, particularly electromagnetic, signal is emitted from said second anchor, and information on phase measurement and distance between said first and second anchors is made available to a computation unit and at least one phase measurement respectively of said first and second signal is performed at said object and made available to said computation unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: Lambda:4 Entwicklungen GmbH
    Inventor: Rönne Reimann
  • Patent number: 9907042
    Abstract: Some demonstrative embodiments include apparatuses, systems and/or methods of determining a Time Synchronization Function (TSF) based on Fine Timing Measurement (FTM) messages. For example, a wireless station may be configured to determine a first TSF value of a local TSF of the wireless station at arrival of a first FTM message from a responder station; to determine a second TSF value of the local TSF at arrival of a second FTM message from the responder station, the second FTM message including a first Time of Departure (TOD) value of the first FTM message; to process a third FTM message from the responder station, the third FTM message including a second TOD value of the second FTM message; and to apply to the local TSF a TSF correction based at least on the first TSF value, the second TSF value, the first TOD value, and the second TOD.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: INTEL IP CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jonathan Segev, Adrian Stephens
  • Patent number: 9877149
    Abstract: An assisted passive geo-location method and system for determining the location of a wireless device. The method includes passive location techniques in order to assist in determining the location of the wireless device and active techniques in order to assist in the calculation of the relative drift between the clock associated with the wireless device and the clock associated with the measuring station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Assignee: SR Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Mark Passler
  • Patent number: 9814073
    Abstract: Improvements to signaling procedures for use in physical random access channel (PRACH)-based proximity detection are disclosed. Signaling and signaling processes from a serving base station may trigger a more efficient and reliable transmission of PRACH from related user equipment (UE). At the dynamic power nodes (DPNs) monitoring for such PRACH-based proximity, features are disclosed which establish neighbor lists for more efficient management of detection and proximity activation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Alan Barbieri, Hao Xu, Vikas Jain, Durga Prasad Malladi, Awaiz Ahmad Khan, Samatha Kotla, Balwinderpal Sachdev
  • Patent number: 9800284
    Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed herein for relative calibration of transceivers in a wireless communication system. In one embodiment, the method comprises transmitting multiple pilots from units in the first group; receiving, in response to the multiple pilots, a first set of pilot observations at each unit in the second group; transmitting a single pilot simultaneously from at least two units in the second group; in response to the single pilot, receiving a second set of pilot observations at each unit in the first group; and using the first and second sets of pilot observations to calibrate each of at least two units in the second group based on a reference array of transceivers in the first group of transceivers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: DOCOMO, INC.
    Inventor: Haralabos Papadopoulos
  • Patent number: 9743369
    Abstract: A handset agent calibration solution is provided that uses the GPS receivers on mobile devices to determine a location of the mobile device to calibrate timing based locating systems. The handset agent can be installed on the mobile device and can upload to an internet server the coordinates captured by the GPS receiver along with the observed time differences. The observed time differences and the location of the mobile device can be used to solve for reference time differences to calibrate unsynchronized macrocells. The reference time difference can be used to solve for the location of other mobile devices if the observed time differences between that mobile device and the macrocells are known. The solution can include receiving measurement reports from many mobile devices to obtain averaged observed time differences at a reference location to achieve more accurate reference time differences.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: AT&T MOBILITY II LLC
    Inventors: Jeremy Fix, Francisco Martinez, Sheldon Kent Meredith
  • Patent number: 9736628
    Abstract: An object location tracking system may include an object, a mobile communication device, and a data storage system. The object may include a wireless short range communication system that wirelessly transmits object identification information over a short range that uniquely identifies the object. The mobile communication device may have a location detection system that generates location information indicative of the location of the wireless communication device; a wireless short range communication system that wirelessly receives the object identification information from the object when the object is in close proximity to the mobile communication device; and a wireless data communication system that wirelessly communicates the location information and the object identification information to a data storage system. The data storage system may receive and store the location information and the object identification from the wireless data communication system in the mobile communication device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: Twych Innovation, Inc.
    Inventor: Dan Jordan
  • Patent number: 9709656
    Abstract: A method and devices are disclosed, for tracking a radio beacon from a moving device, while the beacon transmits periodic signals, which the device detects at least at two different locations, and the device provided with information enabling determining the time difference between transmissions of these periodic signals. The method discloses a formula for estimating the angle between the course of the moving device and the beacon: arccos [c*(TDOA12?TDOT12)/baseline12]; wherein the moving device detects signal 1 and signal 2 respectively at location 1 and location 2, the distance between these locations defined as baseline12, TDOA12 is the Time Difference of Arrival of the signals at the two locations, TDOT12 is the time difference between transmission of these signals, and c is the speed of light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Inventor: Daniel A. Katz
  • Patent number: 9698841
    Abstract: Systems, methods, apparatuses, and computer readable media are disclosed for associating a radio frequency identification tag with a participant. In one embodiment, a method is provided for associating an unassociated RF location tag with a participant. The method may include determining an unassociated RF location tag to be associated with the participant, receiving sensor derived data from one or more sensors, determining an identity of the particular participant using the sensor derived data, and associating the identity of the particular participant with the unassociated RF location tag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: ZIH Corp.
    Inventors: Rodrigo Alonso, Belinda Turner, Aitan Ameti, David Senerchia
  • Patent number: 9696407
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a system and method for determining an ownship position of an aircraft. The method includes the steps of receiving data from a plurality of proximate aircraft and examining the data. Next, the method involves selecting a plurality of reference aircraft from the plurality of proximate aircraft, and receiving data from each reference aircraft. The data received from the reference aircraft is then correlated to a common time in order to create a reference frame for calculating the position of the aircraft. The next step of the method is to calculate the ownship position of the aircraft based on the data received from the reference aircraft and the common time. The system includes a receiver, processor, display, and transmitter, which are used to determine the ownship position of an aircraft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.
    Inventors: William T. Greenleaf, Andrew M. Vesel, Scott F. Bauler, Steve J. Nieuwsma, Richard S. Dove
  • Patent number: 9693187
    Abstract: A passive geo-location method for determining the location of a wireless device. The method includes receiving, by a measuring receiver at a first position, a first beacon transmitted to the measuring receiver by the wireless device, and receiving, by the measuring receiver at a second position, a second beacon transmitted to the measuring receiver by the wireless device. When the first position differs from the second position by less than a predetermined distance, the method further includes determining a relative drift between a clock associated with the wireless device and a clock associated with the measuring receiver, and determining a location of the wireless device based at least on the determined relative drift.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: SR TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventor: Mark Passler
  • Patent number: 9658309
    Abstract: Systems and methods for locating an object are disclosed herein. The locator system includes a plurality of reference units and a processor in communication with the reference units. The reference units are positioned about a region in which a mobile unit is located, and each reference unit includes a transceiver for transmitting and receiving a transaction-based location signal to and from the mobile unit. The processor is configured for estimating time offsets between the mobile unit and reference units and aligning the transaction-based location signals from the reference units by removing the time offsets. The processor is further configured for collectively processing data representative of the aligned location signals based on a plurality of potential locations to identify at least one of the potential locations as a likely mobile unit location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Inventors: Vincent Thomas Amendolare, R. James Duckworth, David Cyganski
  • Patent number: 9654927
    Abstract: An example of the invention provides a motion detection method for a portable device. The method includes steps of: generating a first cell location data at a first time point according to signals transmitted by a plurality of base stations; generating a second cell location data at a second time point according to signals transmitted by a plurality of base stations, wherein the first time point and the second time point are two successive time points, and the first cell location data and the second cell location data includes names or identification data of base stations detected by the portable device; determining whether the portable device is moved according to the first cell location data and the second cell location data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: AthenTek Incorporated
    Inventors: Haoren Kao, Chia Cheng Lee, Chun-Nan Chen
  • Patent number: 9655074
    Abstract: Services based on radio frequencies like GPS, RFID, GSM, CDMA, Wi-Fi or Bluetooth triangulation allows us to know, with some level of confidence, the position of a mobile device. However, those methods rely on special software and/or hardware. They also fail inside buildings since they cannot provide fine granulated values with a high level of accuracy. Each radio frequency device (mobile or not) emits a signal with a given strength and identification (Mac address or similar) to the air. The signal is captured by our nodes (at least 2 of the nodes), that measures the strength of the signal and therefore calculate the distance estimation. Since the signal is affected by electromagnetic noise, number of people in the building, or even temperature, the suggested system self corrects the values by knowing the distance between the nodes and measuring the signal strength. This gives to the system a very low error margin of about 1%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: MOVVO, S.A.
    Inventor: Roberto Ugo Di Cera Colazingari
  • Patent number: 9651648
    Abstract: Geolocation is performed by receiving, at a plurality of non-earthbound platforms each moving in a known manner within a spatial coordinate system, a radio frequency (RF) signal transmitted from a transmitter at an unknown location on earth within the spatial coordinate system. For each of the platforms, a phase change of the received frequency carrier is measured over the same duration of time. The measured phase changes are combined to determine the transmitter location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: Sandia Corporation
    Inventors: John J. Mason, Louis Romero
  • Patent number: 9625566
    Abstract: A direct geolocation approach for estimating a location of a stationary emitter located on the Earth surface is provided. The approach uses data collected during a plurality of time periods including Time Difference of Arrival (TDOA) and Frequency Difference of Arrival (FDOA) measurements of a radar pulse sent from the emitter, and altitude measurements of an aircraft above the Earth surface. The approach includes estimating a location of the emitter for each of the time periods based on the TDOA, FDOA, and altitude measurements associated with a respective time period. The estimated location of the stationary emitter includes possible longitude and latitude of the emitter. The approach further includes averaging the estimated locations associated with the plurality of time periods to form an averaged estimated location of the emitter. A convenient example of the approach computes the location of the emitter based on the averaged estimated location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventor: John T. Broad
  • Patent number: 9629119
    Abstract: Techniques are presented herein to coordinate ranging exchanges between base stations in order to enable any number of wireless devices in the vicinity of the base stations to obtain signals associated with ranging exchanges between base stations, time-of-departure report messages transmitted by the base stations to each other and time-of-arrival report messages transmitted by the base stations to each other, for use in computing the location of the wireless devices. Based on the multi-channel time-of-arrivals computed for the wireless device with respect to each base station, the multi-channel time-of-arrivals contained in the time-of-arrival report messages transmitted between base stations and the known locations of the base stations, a physical location is computed for the wireless device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Brian D. Hart
  • Patent number: 9568588
    Abstract: A system and method for using a receiving wireless device to passively detect target wireless devices or access points, quantify signal strengths of the target wireless devices or access points, and accurately identify a position for, or geolocate, the target wireless devices or access points. A position of the receiving wireless device is determined and correlated with a signal strength received from a target wireless device taken from multiple positions of the receiving wireless device. A trilateration algorithm is applied to the correlated date to obtain coarse geographic positions for the target wireless device, then a filtering algorithm is applied to obtain an accurate position for the target wireless device, which is in turn displayed to a user of the receiving wireless device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation
    Inventors: Eric B. Jones, Kenneth R. Good, Kyle J. Roach
  • Patent number: 9565542
    Abstract: The accuracy of a location determination mechanism may be determined as compared to another location determination mechanism. Dialing 9-1-1 on a mobile communication device may trigger location determination of the device via a GPS-based mechanism. The location information may be time stamped. The location and time information may be provided to a network. The network may determine the location of the device via network infrastructure. The network may time stamp this second set of locations. The determination of the locations of the device via GPS and via the network infrastructure may occur approximately during the same time frame. The first set of locations and the second set of locations may be time aligned, and the differences between the two sets may be utilized to determine the accuracy of network-infrastructure-based location determination mechanism as compared to the GPS-based location determination mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2017
    Assignees: AT&T Mobility II LLC, AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: Sheldon Kent Meredith, Rick Tipton, William Cottrill
  • Patent number: 9523984
    Abstract: Methods and systems for determining instructions for pulling over an autonomous vehicle are described. An example method may involve identifying a region of a road ahead of the autonomous vehicle based on lane boundaries of the road, one or more road boundaries indicating an edge of the road, and a size of the autonomous vehicle. The method may also involve determining a braking profile for reducing the speed of the autonomous vehicle based on the region and a speed of the autonomous vehicle. The method may also involve determining, based on the braking profile, a trajectory such that the autonomous vehicle will travel within the region while reducing the speed of the autonomous vehicle. The method may further involve determining instructions for pulling over and stopping the autonomous vehicle in the region in accordance with the determined trajectory and storing the instructions in a memory accessible by a computing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Joshua Seth Herbach, Nathaniel Fairfield