Abstract: Methods, program products, and systems for location determination using cached location area codes are described. A server computer can receive location information from location-aware mobile devices (e.g., GPS-enabled devices) located in a location area of a cellular communications network. The server computer can also receive from the mobile device the location area code associated with the location area in which the mobile devices are located. The server computer can estimate a coarse geographic location of the location area, as well as a number of cells encompassed by the location area using the received information. The server computer can store the estimated geographic locations associated with sufficiently large location areas (e.g., location areas having more than a certain number of cells). The server computer can provide the stored geographic locations to second mobile devices that are not GPS-enabled for estimating current locations of the second mobile devices.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide not only a technical solution for calibrating a positioning device but also a technical solution for characterizing an area of interest in a space. Specifically, there is provided a system, which may include: a tag capable of emitting ranging signals, placed at location points which are selected as space feature points in the space; a positioning device in the space, configured to obtain relative coordinates of the space feature points in relation to the positioning device based on the ranging signals from the tag; and a server, configured to determine location parameters of the positioning device in the space based on the relative coordinates, so as to calibrate the positioning device. The positioning device can be calibrated automatically, fast and accurately using the system.

Abstract: A system may include a sensor for coupling with a vehicle configured for atmospheric flight. The sensor may be configured for detecting a turbulence event, where the turbulence event is at least one of experienced by the vehicle or occurs proximal to the vehicle during atmospheric flight. The system may also include a transmitter coupled with the sensor. The transmitter may be configured for automatically remotely transmitting data regarding the turbulence event to a ground based entity.

Abstract: Systems and methods for locating one or more radio frequency identification (RFID) tags are provided. A phase difference of received information signals of illuminated RFID tags is utilized to locate the RFID tags. One or more exciters transmit interrogation signals to illuminate the RFID tags in which the exciters may have a plurality of antenna selectively configured to transmit through two or more antennas and to receive on one antenna. Multiple reads of the same RFID tag can also be performed to generate a probability model of the location of the RFID tag. An enhanced particle filter is applied to probability model to determine the exact location of the RFID.

Abstract: Information from one or more transmitters installed in a detection object area is received. The reception feature value of when a detection object is present in a predetermined position of the detection object area is measured. A reception pattern of when the detection object is present in the predetermined position is formed. The reception pattern is compared with reference reception patterns, and the presence position corresponding to the reference reception pattern most approximate to the reception pattern is acquired from a reference reception pattern database where the presence positions of the detection object and the reference reception patterns of when the detection object is present in the presence positions are associated with one another. The presence position of the detection object is estimated according to the acquired presence position. The estimated presence position of the detection object is associated with received detection object identification information.

Abstract: The location of an electronic device can be tracked and updated in order to provide a user of the device accurate directions from the user's current location to a target location, for various types of environments. Upon detecting a trigger (e.g., detecting a QR code or detecting an access point signal), an example device can switch from using a first type of positioning element (e.g., GPS) to a second type of positioning element (e.g., using accelerometers, QR codes, etc.) in determining the user's current location. By using the appropriate type of positioning element for each environment, the device may determine the user's current location more accurately. The device may provide an overlay (e.g., arrows) for displaying the directions over images captured from the user's surroundings to provide a more realistic and intuitive experience for the user.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method and system of locating objects by means of UWB signals, the system including a search device (D1), incorporated in a portable apparatus (11) and provided with a pair of antennae (A1, A2), and at least one target device (D2) attached to an object sought (12). The target device (D2) includes, in addition to the transceiver (34, 35), a very low power consumption wake up receiver (46) which, when the target device is in a standby state, can receive a UWB wake up signal to switch on said device. This target device is arranged for measuring a time difference (tdiff) between the respective receptions of two locating signals respectively emitted by the two antennae (A1, A2) of the search device and for transmitting said time difference in a return signal that further contains, in a preferred variant, a signal processing time (trproc). Thus, it is not necessary for the two devices to be synchronized.

Abstract: A system suitable for displaying a target. A first unit is arranged to generate a first information unit including the target's position relative to a first position. The first information unit is arranged to transfer the first information unit to a second unit existing at a second position which is separate from the first position. The second unit is arranged to generate a second information unit including the target's position relative to the second position, depending on the first information unit. The second unit is arranged to indicate the target's position to allow localization of the target.

Abstract: A WLAN positioning system for calculating the geographic location of a mobile device minimizes the amount of data retrieved from a remote access point location server by dynamically switching between public fetching operations and private fetching operations in response to one or more parameters including, for example, whether the mobile device is in motion, the data retrieval history of the mobile device, and/or the capacity and utilization of local memory provided within the mobile device.

Abstract: A method in a mobile device includes: receiving location signals at the mobile device; measuring sensor data at the mobile device; determining an oscillation rate of the mobile device from the sensor data; in response to the oscillation rate of the mobile device being undesirable, at least one of: (1) determining a desired sampling rate based on the oscillation rate, the desired sampling rate being different from the oscillation rate; and sampling the location signals at the mobile device at the desired sampling rate; (2) sampling the location signals at the mobile device at a randomized sampling rate; (3) disabling a power improvement technique; (4) increasing filtering of determined course information; (5) reducing a nominal filter bandwidth; or (6) increasing a present sampling rate of the location signals to satisfy Nyquist criteria for the oscillation rate; and determining the position associated with the mobile device using the location signals.

Abstract: In some implementations, radio access technology (RAT) signals can be monitored and used to synchronize an internal clock of a mobile device to a network system clock without registering the mobile device to the network. In some implementations, a RAT processor can be configured to receive RAT signals and to prevent transmission of RAT signals. In some implementations, the internal clock can be associated with a GNSS processor and can be used to calculate a location of the mobile device. In some implementations, a RAT processor that is configured for a particular radio access technology can be configured to monitor signals associated with another radio access technology when synchronizing the internal clock. In some implementations, the RAT processor can monitor signals in response to a power event. The power event can be associated with powering a display of the mobile device.

Abstract: A system for locating and monitoring electronic devices utilizing a security system that is secretly and transparently embedded within the computer. This security system causes the client computer to periodically and conditionally call a host system to report its serial number via an encoded series of dialed numbers. A host monitoring system receives calls from various clients and determines which calls to accept and which to reject by comparing the decoded client serial numbers with a predefined and updated list of numbers corresponding to reported stolen computers. The host also concurrently obtains the caller ID of the calling client to determine the physical location of the client computer. The caller ID and the serial number are subsequently transmitted to a notifying station in order to facilitate the recovery of the stolen device. The security system remains hidden from the user, and actively resists attempts to disable it.

Abstract: User-generated content that is associated with a geographic location is uploaded to existing networked services or directly to a digital map updating service. Distinct digital map updating services can be assigned to defined geographic areas, such that they are only notified of, or poll for, new user-generated content within their defined geographic areas. Utilizing the geographic location associated with such user-generated content, the digital map updating service identifies one or more digital map “tiles”, which are updated to include new user-generated content and capable applications on client devices can be notified directly of such new user-generated content if they are accessing the relevant tiles. Additionally, data mining can be performed and deductions of events from data mining can be indicated in the digital map in the same manner.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to utilizing monitoring devices (200) for determining the demographics of individuals passing a particular geographic location. The monitoring devices (200) are distributed to a number of study respondents. The monitoring devices (200) track the movements of the respondents whose demographics are known. While various technologies may be used to track the movements of the respondents, at least some of the location tracking of the monitoring devices (200) utilize a satellite (105) location system such as the global positioning system (“GPS”). Geo data (movement data) collected by the monitoring devices is analyzed by a post-processing server (400) that determines the demographics of the study respondents that pass a chosen geographic location.

Abstract: A mobile station (200) that includes a transceiver (210) that receives an alert request (105) and a controller (205). Responsive to the alert request, the controller can enter the mobile station into an alert active mode in which an alert signal is generated on the mobile station. Responsive to not receiving an acknowledgement to the alert signal within a defined period, the controller can enter the mobile station into an alert sleep mode in which at least one parameter of the alert signal is changed. Further, the controller can awake the mobile station from the alert sleep mode in response to detecting a user presence. The mobile station further can include an accelerometer (270) and/or a positioning system (275) that detect the user presence by detecting movement of the mobile station.

Abstract: A method of operation of a mobile communication system includes: receiving a base carrier frequency signal from a cell tower location; generating a power spectral density from the base carrier frequency signal; measuring a Rician K factor from the power spectral density; estimating a line-of-sight Doppler frequency based on the base carrier frequency signal; determining the cell tower location based on the Rician K factor; and activating a handover decision handler based on the cell tower location.

Abstract: A first mobile device requests a second mobile device to navigate to a destination communicated to the second mobile device by the first mobile device, wherein at least the second mobile device, if not both the first and the second mobile devices, is GPS enabled and is capable of navigation. In one scenario, a first user of the first mobile device requests the second device (or the user of the second device) to send a notification when the second user has reached a certain destination or is in the vicinity of a certain location where the first user and the first mobile device are currently located.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for positioning using map-assisted Kalman filtering. In one embodiment, a wireless device includes a positioning system configured to determine a position of the device based on wirelessly received positioning signals. The positioning system is configured to compute, via a Kalman filter, an initial location of the wireless device. The positioning system is also configured to determine whether the initial location is within a polygon defining a prohibited geographic area. The positioning system is further configured to identify an edge of the polygon nearest the initial location, based on the initial location being determined to be within the polygon. The positioning system is yet further configured to provide information defining the edge of the polygon to the Kalman filter as a measurement for use in computing a final position of the wireless device.

Abstract: The subject matter disclosed herein relates to location-based tracking using geofences.

Abstract: A method for measuring a location of a mobile terminal includes calculating first location information by using a ToA (Time of Arrival) scheme, calibrating the first location information by using angle information between two base stations and the terminal; calculating second location information by using an AoA (Angle of Arrival) scheme, and calculating a location value of the terminal by using the calibrated first location information and the second location information.

Abstract: In general, the subject matter described in this specification can be embodied in methods, systems, and program products for identifying a location of a mobile computing device. A first location estimate of a mobile computing device and an accuracy of the first location estimate is determined at a mobile computing device based on wireless signals received from one or more beacons. A time period based on the accuracy of the first location estimate is determined. One or more subsequent location estimates of the mobile computing device and respective accuracies are determined. The determination of the subsequent location estimates is stopped at an end of the time period. A preferred location estimate from the determined location estimates is determined at the mobile computing device.

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.

Abstract: Systems, methods and computer program products for determining a position location estimate for a remote receiver based on one or more time-of-arrival measurements transmitted from one or more transmitters and first timing data associated with the one or more transmitters and further associated with one or more reference locations within a reference area of the remote receiver are described.

Abstract: A tag location guiding method and a tag location guiding system for communication terminals that enable guiding of tag location during reception of tag information are disclosed. The tag location guiding method for communication terminals includes: recognizing, upon reception of tag information, a guide level set in correspondence to the tag information; and outputting, if previously set location guide data according to the recognized guide level is present, the set location guide data. Accordingly, a user of a communication terminal can accurately obtain a situation through location guide data.

Abstract: A method for estimating a geographic location of a mobile station includes calculating an angular position of a mobile station to a base station based on first and second signal strength measurements and an angular position reference for the base station, the signal strength measurements from the mobile station for RF signals from first and second sector antennas of the base station. Another method includes calculating a radial distance of a mobile station from a base station serving the mobile station, determining a signal strength report from the mobile station includes a signal strength measurement for an RF signal from a first sector antenna of the base station, and identifying a geographic location of the mobile station based on intersection of a circle around the base station with a radius of the radial distance with a sub-sector geographic area in an RF coverage map for the first sector antenna.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing peer selection in a network are disclosed. For example, the method requests peer information from an application server supporting a Peer-to-Peer (P2P) service, and receives the peer information comprising a plurality of peer endpoint devices. The method then selects a peer endpoint device from the plurality of peer endpoint devices based on at least one preference.

Abstract: A method for automatically identifying wireless signal quality of a region includes receiving signal quality information associated with wireless signals received by each of a plurality of mobile endpoints and receiving location information identifying locations of each of the plurality of mobile endpoints. The method also includes, based on the received signal quality information and the received location information, identifying a first region of an area, the first region having a first signal quality.

Abstract: A right-hand circular polarized antenna and associated methods. In one embodiment, a quarter-wave antenna configuration is used within a small form factor portable device (e.g. wristwatch). The antenna comprises a radiator element which operates in as a linear polarized antenna while the device is operating in free space. However, when the device is attached to a user (e.g. at a user's wrist), the antenna utilizes the loading of the user's body tissue in order to suppress unwanted signals (e.g. left hand polarized signals) to permit operation in circular polarized mode (e.g. right hand polarized mode), thereby allowing for increased sensitivity to received circularly polarized signals such as those emanated from global positioning satellites.

Abstract: A location service for wireless devices is described. In embodiments, a connection identifier is received that indicates a wireless device is linked to a communication node for wireless communication. Additional wireless devices are also linked to the communication node for wireless communication, and the additional wireless devices can each identify its geographic location. Location data is received from the additional wireless devices, where the location data indicates the respective geographic locations of the additional wireless devices. A location of the communication node can be determined from the location data that is received from the additional wireless devices, and a current location can then be assigned to the wireless device based on the determined location of the communication node.

Abstract: A method for combining a plurality of individual location measurements, for use in a wireless location system, includes the following steps. A quality metric for a single location estimate is computed along with individual quality metrics and individual weightings for each individual location measurement. In addition, weighting operations incorporating a quality metric for a single location are performed, and the measurement weights are adjusted based on information about co-location groups; and a decision metric and common bias accounting for multiple reference measurements are computed.

Abstract: An infrastructure information collecting device collects measurement information including location information regarding a plurality of wireless access devices disposed in an indoor space based on an indoor map, and a positioning system generates information regarding a wireless communication infrastructure of the corresponding indoor space based on the thusly collected measurement information. The positioning system then provides the generated wireless communication infrastructure information to a terminal of which location is desired to be measured, and then the terminal measures its location based on the wireless communication infrastructure information and signals received from nearby wireless access devices.

Abstract: A system and method for estimating a location of a subscriber station receiving a first signal from a first base station and receiving a second signal from a second base station where the first and second base stations are nodes in a WiMAX or LTE network. A message may be received from the subscriber station containing first and second information, and a range ring determined from the first base station using the first information. A location hyperbola may be determined using the second information wherein the location hyperbola has the first and second base stations as foci. A location of the subscriber station may be estimated using the range ring and the location hyperbola.

Abstract: A system for determining a bearing or location of a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag using a handheld RFID reader is described. In one embodiment, the reader is equipped with an accelerometer. A user moves the reader while the reader receives the tag's signal and determines the tag signal's phase at multiple locations. The locations of the reader antenna can be reconstructed using the accelerometer data. By using the phase determined at multiple locations in conjunction with the location of the reader antenna, the reader can determine the bearing of the tag. For an RFID reader not equipped with an accelerometer, the sign and ratio of the rate of change in the phase of a tag's signal to the distance traveled by the reader antenna can be used to determine the location of the tag relative to the reader.

Abstract: An electronic map device apparatus, and an associated method, creates a route between a route source and a route destination for display at the electronic map device. Locations, area, and features that a user does not desire to encounter during travel along the route are identified and form exclusion information. The exclusion information is entered by way of a user interface. The exclusion information is utilized in the formation of the selected route. A mapping that identifies the selected route is displayed at a display device of the user interface.

Abstract: A direct sequence spread spectrum data transmitter for creating a modulated data signal comprising: a programmable-system-on-a-chip baseband modulator having only four blocks of programming logic, the four blocks of programming logic consisting of a DigBuf clock buffer block, a pseudo-random-sequence 8-bit block, an 8-bit timer block, and a serial peripheral interface slave block. A remote telemetry unit comprising the foregoing transmitter. A method for manufacturing the foregoing transmitter. A method for controlling the foregoing transmitter.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes a method and system for detecting and determining the position of a target or intruder using a plurality of sensors positioned throughout a secured perimeter and a single antenna. The system of the present disclosure detects and determines the position of a target by first analyzing the return signal strength values of each of the sensors. Next, Zvalues for each of the sensors are calculated. Based on the Zvalues, certain sensors are selected to compute a signal strength center-of-mass location, which is then used to determine the position of the target.

Abstract: Assessing the accuracy of location estimation systems. A mobile computing device provides location information including a device location (e.g., via GPS) and one or more wireless network beacons accessible by the computing device at the device location. The wireless network beacons accessible by the computing device are compared to stored post information including a plurality of beacon lists. An estimated device location is determined based on the comparison. The estimated device location is compared to the known device location. A difference between the estimated device location and the received device location is determined based on the comparison. An analysis of the determined difference is performed to generate accuracy maps and other insight into the relationship between accuracy and geographic area for the location estimation systems.

Abstract: A method for estimating a geographic location of a mobile station includes calculating an angular position of a mobile station to a base station based on first and second signal strength measurements and an angular position reference for the base station, the signal strength measurements from the mobile station for RF signals from first and second sector antennas of the base station. Another method includes calculating a radial distance of a mobile station from a base station serving the mobile station, determining a signal strength report from the mobile station includes a signal strength measurement for an RF signal from a first sector antenna of the base station, and identifying a geographic location of the mobile station based on intersection of a circle around the base station with a radius of the radial distance with a sub-sector geographic area in an RF coverage map for the first sector antenna.

Abstract: In accordance with the teachings of the present invention, a system and method for wireless gaming with location determination are provided. In a particular embodiment of the present invention, the system includes a gaming server; a wireless network at least partially covering a property, the wireless network comprising a plurality of signal detection devices; and a gaming communication device operable to transmit and receive gaming information to and from the gaming server via the wireless network. A location of the gaming communication device on the property may be determined based upon a signal received by the plurality of signal detection devices from the gaming communication device. Based upon the location of the gaming communication device on the property, a predetermined functionality of the gaming communication device may be enabled.

Abstract: Determining a location estimate of a wireless communications device can depend on the dynamic and/or static state of the device. Compensation processing is applied to a location estimate (or to information from which such an estimate is derived, in use) if required, given the dynamic and/or static state of the device.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for an antenna coupler mechanism. The antenna coupler mechanism includes a bottom plate that includes a first conductor that is configured to couple energy into a nearby structure. A first tuning leg is connected in parallel with the bottom plate by a first set of electrical connections. The first tuning leg includes a second conductor and is configured to accept a radio frequency device in series with the second conductor. A second tuning leg is connected in parallel with the bottom plate by a second set of electrical connections. The second tuning leg includes a third conductor and a capacitor connected in series.

Abstract: An indoor location system uses an electrical power line, power line signal injection devices, and portable position receivers (tags) to generate location data relating to positions of the tags in a structure such as a residence or business. The indoor location system fingerprinting of multiple signals transmitted along the power line to achieve sub-room-level localization of the positioning receivers. In one embodiment, the fingerprinting techniques utilizes wideband power line positioning (WPLP) that injects up to 44 different frequencies into the power line infrastructure of a structure. The WPLP technique improves upon overall positioning accuracy, improved temporal stability and may be implemented in commercial indoor spaces.

Abstract: Object localization with an radio-frequency identification (RFID) infrastructure is described. A plurality of transmission power levels established by an RFID reader can be searched to determine a measurement power level corresponding to a target. A region that includes the target can then be determined using information about a physical relationship between the RFID reader and a reference location via correlating the measurement power level to a reference power level corresponding to the reference location.

Abstract: A system and method is provided for processing communication signals in a wireless personal area network (WPAN) using a transceiver comprising a first transmitter and a first receiver operable to transmit and receive signals using a first transmission protocol and a second transmitter operable to transmit signals using a second transmission protocol. In various embodiments, the first receiver is used to receive a first signal that was transmitted using the first communication protocol and the second transmitter is used to transmit a second signal using the second transmission protocol in response to receipt of the first signal. The second signal is then processed to determine the location of the object. In some embodiments, the first transmission protocol is compliant with an Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers 802.15.4 transmission protocol and the second transmission protocol is compliant with an Ultra-Wide Band (UWB) protocol.

Abstract: There are provided measures for enabling an improvement of timing-based positioning accuracy.

Abstract: A tower crane load location determiner is disclosed. One example includes a load location measurer to provide load location measurement information for a load coupled with a tower crane. In addition, a load position determiner utilizes the load location measurement information to determine a location of the load. A user accessible load location provider provides the determined location of the load.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to utilizing monitoring devices (200) for determining the demographics of individuals passing a particular retail location. The monitoring devices (200) are distributed to a number of study respondents. The monitoring devices (200) track the movements of the respondents whose demographics are known. While various technologies may be used to track the movements of the respondents, at least some of the location tracking of the monitoring devices (200) utilize a satellite (105) location system such as the global positioning system (“GPS”). Geo data (movement data) collected by the monitoring devices is analyzed by a post-processing server (400) that determines the demographics of the study respondents that pass a chosen retail location.

Abstract: Technologies are described herein for locating and tracking objects of interest within a field of regard (FOR). Aspects include using a phased array to scan the FOR and receive signals emitted from an object of interest. The object of interest may then be located and tracked by processing the signals emitted from the object of interest.

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.

Abstract: A self-positioning portable electronic device comprises a signal receiving unit for receiving a signal from one or more remote transmitters, and a local positioning unit for determining a local position of the device. The device operates to obtain a plurality of data samples from the signal at different time points during a measurement period with movement of the portable electronic device along an arbitrary trajectory, associate each data sample with a local position obtained from the local positioning unit so as to form a synthetic antenna array, obtain an array response of the synthetic antenna array, and identify the geographic location of the portable electronic device, by processing the synthetic antenna array as a function of the array response and using knowledge about the geographic location of the transmitter(s).