Position Indicating (e.g., Triangulation) Patents (Class 342/450)
  • Patent number: 9239369
    Abstract: A method for selecting a plurality of base stations to position a mobile device is provided. The method includes selecting a plurality of base station sets from the plurality of base stations, wherein each of the plurality of base station sets corresponds to a distance matrix, utilizing a first artificial neural network (ANN) unit to select a predefined number of the plurality of base station sets from the plurality of base station sets according to a plurality of distance matrixes corresponding to the plurality of base station sets; and utilizing a second ANN unit to position the mobile device according to the predefined number of the plurality of base station sets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2016
    Assignee: NOVATEK Microelectronics Corp.
    Inventors: Chien-Sheng Chen, Yung-Chuan Lin, Jium-Ming Lin
  • Patent number: 9219985
    Abstract: Cooperative stochastic positioning in a mobile environment is provided. Position announcements transmitted wirelessly from objects in the immediate area are received at an object of interest or primary object. The position announcements provide the current position data of the respective object in relation to a common coordinate system. The received position announcements are discretizing to obtain a plurality of data groupings based upon a clustering criteria applied to the received position data. Clustering of the data groupings is performed to determine which clusters dataset from the data groupings provide sufficient and consistent position accuracy to determine a relative position of the primary object. A stochastic automata model is then applied to selected cluster dataset to evaluate relative cluster weights in order to determine the relative position of the object of interest. The accuracy of a current position of the object of interest can then be updated based upon determined relative position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2015
    Assignee: University of Regina
    Inventor: Yasser Morgan
  • Patent number: 9210544
    Abstract: A tracking device and a tracking device control method with intelligent safe zones are provided. The tracking device includes a positioning module, a long-range transceiver, a short-range transceiver and a microcontroller. The microcontroller is configured to provide the long-range transceiver with radio-signal information about a short-range radio signal received by the short-range transceiver. The long-range transceiver transmits the radio-signal information to a server for safe-zone identification of the tracking device and then receives a safe-zone identification result from the server. The microcontroller is further configured to operate the positioning module, the long-range transceiver and the short-range transceiver in accordance with the safe-zone identification result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2015
    Assignee: AthenTek Incorporated
    Inventors: Chun-Nan Chen, Kai Huang
  • Patent number: 9136093
    Abstract: A radio frequency (RF) system is disclosed. The RF system includes an RF sensor, an analog to digital converter (ADC) module, a processing module, and a synchronization module. The RF sensor measures a parameter of an RF output and generates an RF signal based on the parameter. The ADC module converts samples of the RF signal into digital values. The processing module generates processed values based on the digital values. The synchronization module outputs one of the processed values in response to a transition in the RF output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2015
    Assignee: MKS Instruments, Inc.
    Inventors: David J. Coumou, Larry J. Fisk, II, Aaron T. Radomski, Jaehyun Kim, Sang-Won Lee, Jonathan Smyka
  • Patent number: 9125057
    Abstract: Methods and systems are disclosed for reducing fraud, waste, and abuse of devices associated with government or business programs. Devices are authenticated based on a first set of data collected from the device, and if authenticated, may be permitted to send or receive service requests based on a second set of data that identifies the user, includes data about the user, identifies the service and/or identifies eligibility criteria. Devices may also be subject to eligibility requirements instituted before, during or after a service request is performed that determine the eligibility of the device and/or the user of the device. Devices may also be subject to filtering requirements administered before or during a service request. Devices may also be subject verification before, during or after one or more service requests.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2015
    Assignee: KAJEET, INC.
    Inventors: Daniel John Neal, Ben Julian Weintraub
  • Patent number: 9047769
    Abstract: The general field of the invention is that of systems for aiding the guidance of a first aircraft travelling around an airport zone. The system according to the invention comprises: a set of databases comprising bulkiness and performance characteristics of the said first aircraft, geometric and technical characteristics of the airport zone and information about the air traffic in the immediate environment of the said first aircraft; calculation means making it possible to firstly determine a safety zone around the said first aircraft taking into account at least the position of the said aircraft, its size and the uncertainty in the measurement of its position; and then a taxiing indication on the basis of the information arising from the databases and the characteristics of the safety zone; viewing means displaying at least one view of the airport one in which the first aircraft is situated and a representation of the said taxiing indication.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2015
    Assignee: Thales
    Inventors: Stéphanie Lafon, François Michel
  • Patent number: 9035762
    Abstract: A method and system for determining a location of a first device that emits a signal: provide at least three sensors separated and spaced apart from each other; at each of the sensors, receive the signal emitted by the first device; determine the received signals for each of the sensors; determine cross-correlations of the received signals for pairs of the sensors; and determine the location of the first device from the magnitudes of the cross-correlations of the received signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: Keysight Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Thomas Cutler, Deitrich Werner Vook, Andrew David Fernandez
  • Patent number: 9031775
    Abstract: In certain embodiments, an apparatus comprises an input and one or more processors. The input receives known locations of wireless mobile nodes over a wireless link. The one or more processors determine geometric features associated with the locations, and calculate an apparatus location of the apparatus from the known locations and the geometric features.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventor: Bogart Vargas
  • Patent number: 9030323
    Abstract: Provided are a method and apparatus for detecting a position of an object using radio frequency identification (RFID). The method includes calculating a position of a moving object using a first RFID tag installed at a particular position in a predetermined space while the moving object is moving, sensing a second RFID tag included in the object, determining the position of the object as the position calculated at a point of time when the RFID tag included in the object is sensed, and displaying the determined position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Moon-sang Lee
  • Patent number: 9024727
    Abstract: Methods and systems for utilizing oscillator frequency divider settings as a temperature sensor are described herein. An example method may involve a reader device transmitting an RF signal to a tag device that includes an electronic oscillator configured to generate an oscillator signal with an oscillator frequency and a frequency adjuster configured to adjust the oscillator frequency with a frequency adjustment factor to provide a resulting frequency, the oscillator frequency being dependent on a temperature of the tag device and the resulting frequency being based on a reference frequency provided by the RF signal. The method may also involve the reader device receiving data from the tag device, the data being indicative of the oscillator frequency. The method may further involve the reader device determining an estimate of the temperature of the tag device based on at least the received data and a predetermined relationship between temperature and oscillator frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Brian Patrick Otis, Nathan Pletcher, Daniel Yeager
  • Patent number: 9026365
    Abstract: A method of determining the appropriateness of satellite orbit modeling is provided. The method includes calculating values of parameters, that the predetermined model has, on the basis of predicted position data including a first predicted position at a first point of time and a second predicted position at a second point of time of a positioning satellite in time series, calculating a first and a second calculated positions of the positioning satellite derived from the predetermined model by using the values of the parameters; and determining the appropriateness of the predetermined model using the values of the parameters, on the basis of first difference between the first predicted position and the first calculated position, and seconded difference between the second predicted position and the second calculated position. The predetermined model is used when approximating a satellite orbit of the poisoning satellite.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Kenji Onda
  • Publication number: 20150120189
    Abstract: A system that incorporates the subject disclosure may include, for example, an antenna structure of a base station including an antenna element for communicating with a communication device via radio frequency signals and a circuit coupled to the antenna element. The circuit detects a location of the communication device. The circuit determines from the location of the communication device a first set of coordinates corresponding to an alternate location where an improved quality of communications can be provided to the communication device, and transmits the first set of coordinates to the communication device. Other embodiments are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2014
    Publication date: April 30, 2015
    Inventors: Robert Giometti, Mark T. Montgomery, Frank M. Caimi, Li Chen, Duane Rabe
  • Patent number: 9013304
    Abstract: A beacon device is provided in proximity to said entity. A request to locate said entity is triggered on a central control unit. In response to the request to locate said entity, said control unit generates specification data for a unique radio signal identifier, sends an activation request and said specification data to said beacon device, and provides said specification data to a portable device and storing said specification data on the portable device. In response to receiving said activation request, said beacon device sends a radio signal identifier generated from said specification data. Signals are received on said portable device and compared with the specification data stored on the portable device. Based on the results of the comparison by said portable device, information is provided about at least one of a direction and distance to said entity. The location of said entity is detected using said direction information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Michael Andres, Dirk Bolte, Thomas Hess, Markus Strasser
  • Patent number: 9013352
    Abstract: The present invention relates to systems, methods, and machines for tracking a fluid spill. The method includes obtaining real-time location data for a number of tracking devices from a positioning satellite data repository, integrating the location data of each of the tracking devices into a comprehensive spatial data repository, determining a deployment location for each of the tracking devices, identifying, responsive to the deployment locations, a fluid-spill subset of the tracking devices that were deployed in the fluid spill, determining a fluid spill location based on the geographic locations of the fluid-spill subset, and generating a geographic map depicting the fluid spill location. A new sensor-driven paradigm is used that combines practical data gathering methods with advanced enterprise information technologies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
    Inventors: Peter R. O'Regan, Ali Amer Almohsen
  • Patent number: 9008681
    Abstract: A system for controlling a station operation mode is provided. The system for controlling a station operation mode, including: a distance information generation unit measuring a distance between a first communication station and a second communication station and generating distance information; a distance information comparison unit comparing the distance information and a predetermined threshold distance; and an operation mode determination unit determining any one of an active mode and an idle mode as an operation mode of the second communication station, based on a comparison result of the distance information comparison unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hee Jung Byun, Mi-Sun Do, Jung Min So, Ki-Sun Oh
  • Publication number: 20150097731
    Abstract: A portable communication device and method provide for determining indoor or outdoor location of the device. The method includes measuring a signal strength of at least one of a location service signal, a RAN signal, and a small coverage area signal that is detectable within a current location of the portable communication device, comparing signal strength to corresponding pre-established signal strength threshold, and obtaining contextual information by accessing sensor data from at least one sensor selected based on a result of the comparing. The method also includes configuring the portable communication device for operation within an outdoor space in response to determining that the portable communication device is transitioning from the indoor space to the outdoor space and configuring the portable device for operation within an indoor space in response to determining the portable device is transitioning from the outdoor space to the indoor space.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2013
    Publication date: April 9, 2015
    Inventor: Michael E. Russell
  • Patent number: 9000937
    Abstract: An alert server is operative to notify users when they are in proximity within one another. The alert server may determine to alert a first user of the proximity of a second user when the second user is in an unusual location. The alert server may determine that the second user is in an unusual location when the second user is outside his or her routine geographic location. The alert server may determine whether the second user is outside his or her routine geographic location by assigning confidence values to geographic locations that the second user has previously visited. The alert sent to the first user may be in the form of a text message, e-mail, or other electronic communication. The first user may receive the alert on a mobile device, such as a cellphone, smartphone, netbook, or other mobile device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Steven Lee, Christopher Lambert, Rohan Seth, Michael Chu, Yuhua Luo
  • Patent number: 8994503
    Abstract: An RFID evaluation system which evaluates an RFID system is disclosed, the RFID evaluation system including a tag position and posture varying unit which accepts a manual operation from an operator to vary a position of an RFID tag and automatically varies a posture of the RFID tag; an antenna unit which transmits a radio signal for testing to the RFID tag and which receives the radio signal transmitted from the RFID tag; and a control unit which, for each combination of the position and the posture of the RFID tag, controls the antenna unit to measure a response radio wave strength of the RFID tag, wherein the control unit includes a position measuring unit which measures the position of the RFID tag; and an information providing unit which provides information for moving the RFID tag to a target position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Jun Imamura, Tsutomu Kawase
  • Patent number: 8995953
    Abstract: Information that is no longer valid due to the passage of time is not provided to a user. When a stock price information server acquires updated stock price information from a securities market network, a message that instructs that a predetermined application be started up and to which a term of validity has been attached is sent to a user terminal over a paging channel via an SMS server. When the user terminal receives the message, it determines whether or not the message is within the term of validity, and if it determines that the message is within the term of validity, starts up the instructed application from among a plurality of applications that are stored. The stock price information server then sends to the user terminal the stock price information that is requested by the started up application.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: KYOCERA Corporation
    Inventor: Takeshi Yamane
  • Patent number: 8988284
    Abstract: A system and method for monitoring and tracking the position of a subject comprises, in an exemplary embodiment, a transponder configured for being co-located with the subject and a means for enabling communication between the transponder and a remote GPS-enabled receiver, such as a cell phone or the like, for selectively triangulating the position of the transponder. In the exemplary embodiment, the means for enabling such communication is software that is installed in and executed by the receiver. The software allows the receiver to triangulate the geographic position of the transponder by fixing a first reference point based on the location of the GPS-enabled receiver, fixing a second reference point based on the location of a network broadcast site through which the receiver and transponder communicate, and calculating the location of the transponder based on the angular position of the transponder relative to the network broadcast site.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Inventors: Barry Brucker, Nadeepuram K. Ranganathan
  • Publication number: 20150077282
    Abstract: A combination of active reader tags and ultra wideband (UWB) radar systems provide real-time monitoring of first responders, with identification of each team member using active tags, and detection of victims or other subjects using motion or breathing detection, in a field of operations such as a building affected by fire or hazardous material or search and rescue mission area. Initially, a cluster of miniaturized radars (sensors) act in a static mode of operation, gathering static radar information used to depict a constructed layout of the premises. The cluster of radars then operate in a dynamic mode that detects motion or breathing of multiple subjects inside the field of operations. With dual mode operation the system can read the active tags identification, and by triangulation, display the position of each first responder with its identification and positions of subjects on a composite image of the constructed layout.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2013
    Publication date: March 19, 2015
    Inventor: Farrokh Mohamadi
  • Patent number: 8981902
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling location information at a computer device such as a mobile telephone. Location information is intercepted and obtained by, for example, intercepting it from an Application Programming Interface destined for a location application. The location application is identified, and a rule is determined for applying to the location information on the basis of the identified location application. The rule is applied to the location information to give amended location information, and the amended location information is then sent to the location application.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: F-Secure Corporation
    Inventors: Jarno Niemelä, Veli-Jussi Kesti, Pirkka Palomäki
  • Patent number: 8983495
    Abstract: An apparatus, method and system for geographical tracking entry and/or exiting of an asset into and/or out of a defined geographical boundary and reporting the same. Entry and exit tests compare position fixes with various thresholds and parameters to determine if the asset has entered or exited the geographical boundary. Tests are sequenced such that tests having lower levels of complexity (lower order) are performed before tests having higher levels of complexity (higher order). In this way, most position fixes are processed using computations having a lower order of mathematical complexity than conventionally implemented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Alecsander P. Eitan, Arik S. Mimran, Russell G. Sanders
  • Patent number: 8970379
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus to visualize locations of radio frequency identification (RFID) tagged items are described. One example method includes receiving a request from a portable electronic device to access product information associated with an individual radio frequency identification (RFID) tagged item, determining a location of the product information in a database, transmitting the located product information to the portable electronic device for display thereon, receiving modified product information associated with the individual RFID tagged item from the portable electronic device, and storing the modified product information to the location of the product information in the database.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventor: Wayne Chang
  • Publication number: 20150054684
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus capable of detecting an emergency signal includes a first obtainment unit configured to obtain positional information representing a current position of the information processing apparatus; a selection unit configured to select one of a plurality of broadcast stations using the positional information obtained by the first obtainment unit; a reception unit configured to receive a radio wave signal at a frequency of the broadcast station selected by the selection unit; and a first output unit configured to output an audio signal obtained by demodulating the radio wave signal received by the reception unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2014
    Publication date: February 26, 2015
    Inventor: Takeshi EJIMA
  • Patent number: 8963771
    Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for selecting a closest to optimal radar/emitter location for single-ship applications. In accordance with some embodiments, given single-ship geolocation estimates are organized so that clusters of those estimates can be identified, wherein optimal solutions may be found in consecutive, adjacent segments of distance (bins) along each axis of given a coordinate system. Once the clusters are identified in each axis, an optimal cluster can be selected for each. To determine the closest answer to optimal, the coordinate data points in each of the optimal clusters can be averaged (or other sound mathematical process) for each axis in the coordinate system, so as to provide an optimal 3-D coordinate in the given coordinate system. In other embodiments, the optimal 3-D coordinate can be further used to establish an origin in a second coordinate system (e.g., for conversion from 3-D to 2-D coordinate system).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: BAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration Inc.
    Inventor: Richard Schiffmiller
  • Patent number: 8965393
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Polaris Wireless, Inc.
    Inventor: Tarun Kumar Bhattacharya
  • Patent number: 8965408
    Abstract: Mobile agents can be deployed to location aware mobile devices within specific regions of interest to achieve specific goals in respect of events occurring in the region of interest. In order to ensure that the agent can persist within the region of interest until the agent goals are achieved, the agent is configured to locate other devices within the region of interest and to propagate itself, by moving or copying itself, to those other devices. When a device hosting the agent exits the region of interest, the agent is terminated, thereby freeing device resources.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Osocad Remote Limited Liability Company
    Inventors: Robert W. Peterson, Mark Gerard
  • Publication number: 20150048971
    Abstract: An echo signal processing device is provided. The device includes an image generating module configured to generate an echo image at a plurality of timings, the echo image generated based on echo signals received by an antenna installed in a movable body. The device also includes a positional information acquiring module configured to acquire absolute positional information of the movable body. The device also includes an analytic area specifying module configured to specify an analytic area in the echo image by an absolute position, based on the absolute positional information. The device also includes a storage configured to store analytic area images, each analytic area images being a part of each echo image, the part corresponding to the analytic area. The device also includes a calculating module configured to calculate echo signal information regarding the echo signals from the analytic area, based on the stored analytic area images.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2014
    Publication date: February 19, 2015
    Inventor: Hironori Susaki
  • Publication number: 20150042516
    Abstract: Provided are a terminal positioning method, device and system, the method comprising: receiving three-dimensional positioning measurement information transmitted by a terminal; and acquiring the three-dimensional position information of the terminal according to the three-dimensional positioning measurement information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2014
    Publication date: February 12, 2015
    Inventors: Jie CUI, Dengkun XIAO, Yongtong WU
  • Publication number: 20150040840
    Abstract: An animal tracking system may include an actuator with a generator that creates electrical energy upon motion of the actuator. The system may utilize the electrical energy to transmit a signal to determine the location of an animal. The system also utilizes the electrical energy to notify the animal when it reaches a predefined location.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2013
    Publication date: February 12, 2015
    Applicant: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Ronald Muetzel, Thomas Roesch
  • Patent number: 8947208
    Abstract: An IC tag searching apparatus capable of changing the shape of its searching board in a simple manner in accordance with the situations of a location to be searched, said location includes wide to narrow areas and areas in the corners, at the time of searching the positions of wireless IC tags those which are embedded in a concrete construction and the like, efficiently detecting the positions of the embedded wireless IC tags and performing reading and writing of information from/to the wireless IC tags is provided. The IC tag searching apparatus 10 according to the present invention comprises a plurality of plate members 2, 3 each having an antenna built-in, said plate members may be joined with each other in a direction of those flat surfaces, respectively, a joining means provided to the plate members having an antenna built-in and information transmission/reception section 11 for performing data transmission/reception between the plate member having an antenna built-in and the R/W main body 9.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Mitomo Corporation
    Inventors: Kikuo Kaga, Shigeo Ashizawa
  • Patent number: 8942737
    Abstract: Measuring a location of a communication terminal using a wireless local area access point based on location coordinates of the access points and location information of a nearby lamp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: KT Corporation
    Inventor: Seung-Hyuk Jeong
  • Publication number: 20150022396
    Abstract: A locatable object includes a microprocessor for operating the object, and a memory for storing at least a first position and a second position. The locatable object also includes an instrument recovery system integrated into the object. The instrument recovery system further includes a receiver for determining the location of an object, and a communications device for communicating at least the second position to another system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2013
    Publication date: January 22, 2015
    Inventors: Walter FIELDS, Donald Michael SHIELDS
  • Patent number: 8938256
    Abstract: A cellular telephone handset stores audio files previously recorded by the user as well as voice mail messages from other users and selectively transmitted selected ones of these files to the remote listener, or to the voice mail system of a remote user. Voice mail messages are composed, stored, transmitted, forwarded and reviewed using a voice mail system without ringing the remote party's telephone, much as email is composed, stored, transmitted and reviewed using an email server.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2015
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventor: James D. Logan
  • Publication number: 20150015442
    Abstract: The invention disclosed herein is a system and method to locate lost objects. The system (1000) is comprised of at least one accessory, at least one computing device (e.g. smartphone, tablet, lap top), and at least one remote device. In one embodiment, the accessory computing device, and remote device may further comprise a compass, gyro, and/or accelerometer. In one embodiment the accessory and/or remote device may be embedded in sporting, outdoor, and working gear/tools.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2014
    Publication date: January 15, 2015
    Inventors: ANTHONY KOLB, SCOTT THIELMAN, GEORGE NIEDERAUER, JUSTIN KNOWLES, DAVID CZARNECKI, GREGORY J. MARTIN
  • Publication number: 20150009073
    Abstract: An emissions detection apparatus for at least one of detecting, identifying, diagnosing and geolocating an electronic device or an information transmitted from the electronic device includes an emissions collections device connected to an antenna receiving emission of an electromagnetic energy emitted from the electronic device and collecting a spectral data emitted from the electronic device; one or more algorithms processing the collected spectral data, algorithms selected from a group consisting of a peak detection algorithm, a multiple peak detection algorithm, a harmonic correlation algorithm, a non-harmonic correlation algorithm, a time correlation algorithm, a phase correlation algorithm, and a duty cycle timing correlation algorithm; and one or more algorithms matching the processed spectral data to an emissions template, wherein a match of the processed spectral data with the emissions template at least one of detects, identifies, diagnoses and geolocates the electronic device or the information tran
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2014
    Publication date: January 8, 2015
    Inventor: Walter J. Keller, III
  • Publication number: 20150006073
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention include a method of determining a location of a mobile device. The method comprises transmitting a signal between a plurality of known locations and receiving signal at device of unknown location such as a mobile device. The signal may include multiple tones having different frequencies and resulting in sets of residual phase differences. The location of the mobile device may be determined using the known locations and the frequency and phase differences between the transmitted tones. In one embodiment, OFDM signals may be used between an access point and mobile device, for example, to determine the location of the mobile device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2014
    Publication date: January 1, 2015
    Inventor: Mehran Moshfeghi
  • Patent number: 8922431
    Abstract: The invention relate to a collision avoidance apparatus (100, 200, 300, 22), system (10) and method (500). The apparatus (100, 200, 300, 22) includes a UHF (Ultra High Frequency) transceiver (102) operable to send and receive UHF signals in electric field (E-field) mode, a VLF (Very Low frequency) transceiver (104) operable to send and receive VLF signals in magnetic field (H-field) mode, and a SHF (Super High Frequency) transceiver (106) operable to send and receive SHF signals in electric field (E-field) mode. The apparatus (100, 200, 300, 22) further includes a control module (110) operable to direct the operation of the respective transceivers (102, 104, 106), thereby to detect receipt of a signal via at least one of the transceivers (102, 104, 106), and determine whether or not an alert is to be issued, based on the nature of the received signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: Becker Research and Development (Proprietary) Limited
    Inventor: Michael Volta Bruno
  • Publication number: 20140375496
    Abstract: Some demonstrative embodiments include apparatuses, systems and/or methods of time preservation. For example, an apparatus may include a time controller to preserve a time of a clock of a mobile device based on signals received by the mobile device from less than four location origin transmitters, the time controller is to determine the time based on a position of a location origin transmitter of the less than four location origin transmitters and one or more parameters relating to a transmission path between the location origin transmitter and the mobile device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2013
    Publication date: December 25, 2014
    Inventors: Yaron Alpert, Gil Zukerman
  • Patent number: 8918276
    Abstract: Provided is an apparatus and method associated with a location based service, and an apparatus for integrated positioning that may sense positioning-associated information that is in proximity to a user. The apparatus may hierarchically classify the sensed positioning-associated information into multiple categories of accuracy based on a predetermined criterion, and estimate the location of the user in order of low accuracy information to more precise accuracy information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Eung Sun Kim, Do Hyung Park, Yoon Chae Cheong, Ki Ho Kim
  • Publication number: 20140368386
    Abstract: A position estimation method for indoor positioning includes filtering an initial position estimate that includes a corresponding covariance that reflects the quality of the geometry of the reference points and a previous initial position estimate that includes a corresponding covariance that reflects the quality of the geometry of the reference points by a Kalman filter to generate an updated previous position estimate, analyzing the updated previous position estimate to determine if the value is outside of a range, and constraining the updated previous position estimate based on the value being outside of the range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2013
    Publication date: December 18, 2014
    Inventor: Mohamed Farouk MANSOUR
  • Publication number: 20140361926
    Abstract: The invention provides systems and methods of locating a network device based on the time latency between a request by a user device and the receipt of the request by a plurality of satellite servers provided at different locations. Preferably three or more satellites may be employed. The request may be for an item, which may have a known file size, and which may or may not exist. Triangulation techniques may be utilized to determine the location of the device relative to the satellite servers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2014
    Publication date: December 11, 2014
    Inventors: Ori Eisen, Steve Pandich, Raz Yalov
  • Patent number: 8907782
    Abstract: A wireless medical device is disclosed. The wireless medical device comprises a processor, a memory, a sensor for detecting a physiological signal, a radio and a proximity detector to measure a distance of the wireless medical device relative to a second wireless medical device. The proximity detector includes a ranging functionality. A wireless communication channel is created when a distance between the wireless medical device and the second wireless medical device is within a first predetermined threshold. The distance is greater than zero.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Welch Allyn, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven D. Baker, Braxton L. Lathrop, Soundharya Nagasubramanian
  • Patent number: 8909218
    Abstract: A network device receives, from a user device, an inquiry for a selected very-far field communication (VFC) tag and selects, from a group of available base stations, one or more particular base stations of a wireless access network from which to broadcast a tag query for the selected VFC tag. The network device inserts the tag query into a broadcast signal of each of the one or more particular base stations. The VFC tag receives the tag query and transmits a local response signal over a local wireless network. A mobile device within range of the local response signal processes the local response signal and forwards the local response signal to the network device as a tag response. The network device receives the tag response and sends an indication of the tag response to the user device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Cellco Partnership
    Inventors: Tracy J. Smith, Donna L. Polehn
  • Publication number: 20140350792
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for the communication signal-based position determination of objects in road traffic, in which at least one data transporting communication signal is wirelessly transmitted from at least one sender (217, 218, 219, 220, 221, 34) and is reflected at least proportionally as a reflection signal on at least one object (211, 212, 213, 214, 215, 216, 35), wherein the at least one communication signal and the reflection signal are received by a receiver (222, 33), and wherein the of at least one sender (217, 218, 219, 220, 221, 34). The method is characterized in that a propagation time difference of the communication signal and the reflection signal is determined by the received (222, 33). The invention further relates to a corresponding device (100) and to the use thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2012
    Publication date: November 27, 2014
    Inventors: Sighard Schräbler, Ulrich Stählin, Marc Menzel
  • Publication number: 20140350793
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for the position determination of objects (62, 707,84, 96) by means of communication signals, in which a transceiver capable of wireless communication transmits communication signals, the transceiver (51) being capable of simultaneous transmission and reception, and wherein the communication signals are at least partially reflected as reflection signals on at least one object (62, 707, 84, 96) in a signal propagation zone and the transceiver (51) receives the reflection signals. The method is characterized in that phase information of the reflection signals or communication signals are determined. The invention further relates to a corresponding device and to a use of the device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2012
    Publication date: November 27, 2014
    Inventors: Sighard Schräbler, Ulrich Stählin, Marc Menzel
  • Patent number: 8890684
    Abstract: An RFD reader includes a transceiver configured to receive a first radio frequency signal reflected off at least one surface to provide baseline signal information and a second radio frequency signal reflected off the at least one surface and an object to provide further signal information. A comparator is configured to compare the baseline signal information and the further signal information to provide a signal comparison. A processor is configured to detect the presence of the object in accordance with the signal comparison. A determination is made whether the object is in motion in accordance with the signal comparison. The determination whether the object is in motion is made in accordance with a continuous fluctuation of the second radio frequency signal. A determination whether the object is no longer in motion is made in accordance with an ending of the continuous fluctuation of the second radio frequency signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: Checkpoint Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Artem Tkachenko, Petya Vachranukuniet
  • Patent number: 8890748
    Abstract: A location-information discrimination method and device are provided that can accurately discriminate between locations of a mobile terminal in keeping with an actual environment. A discrimination value calculator calculates a discrimination value that is dependent on the amount of a change, from a predetermined value, in the received power of a radio signal received by a mobile terminal from a base station and on the duration of that change in the received power. The determination section compares the discrimination value with a predetermined value, thereby determining whether the mobile terminal is located indoors or outdoors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventor: Gen Takahashi
  • Patent number: RE45260
    Abstract: A method for locating a user in a wireless network is disclosed. A mobile computer seeking to determine its location within a building detects the signal strength of one or more wireless base stations placed at known locations throughout the building. The mobile computer uses this measured signal strength to determine its location via a signal-strength-to-location table look-up. A table of known locations within the building and the base station signal strength at those locations is searched to find the most similar stored signal strength to the signal strength detected. The location corresponding to the most similar stored signal strength is determined to be the current location of the mobile computer. Alternatively, a number of signal strengths from the table can be used and the corresponding locations can be spatially averaged to determine the location of the mobile computer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Paramvir Bahl, Venkata N. Padmanabhan