By Computer Patents (Class 342/451)
  • Publication number: 20100191675
    Abstract: A system for determining a distance a vehicle transits within a road system has a mobile device and a main processing unit. The mobile device has a device identification signature and a processing unit to process wireless communication signals received from a network of base stations having positional coordinates, each base station having a base stations identity signature. The processing unit creates data sets containing the base stations identity signatures, and a base station transmits the sequence of data sets. The main processing unit is configured to receive the sequence of data sets and to associate the base stations identification signatures to the positional coordinates of the base stations, to perform trend analysis upon the positional coordinates, to determine a change in trend, to set route positional coordinates at a change in trend, and to determine the distance taking the set route positional coordinates and the road system into account.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2010
    Publication date: July 29, 2010
    Inventor: Walter Steven Rosenbaum
  • Publication number: 20100167687
    Abstract: A multi-functional remote monitoring system for use in a mobile surveillance system comprising a host controller, at least one hub transceiver, and at least one remote monitoring transmitter (“RMT”) operable to capture and transmit data, wherein the hub transceiver is operable to communicate to and receive data from the at least one RMT. The hub transceiver and the RMT are adapted for bi-directional transmission and receipt of data, including audio and data signals. The host controller is operable to control the hub transceiver and facilitate communication of the audio and data signals between the RMTs and the hub transceiver.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2009
    Publication date: July 1, 2010
    Applicant: Digital Ally, Inc.
    Inventors: Walter T. Morrey, Leslie R. Pingel, Yancy E. Scroggins, Robert D. Haler
  • Patent number: 7737893
    Abstract: Apparatus having corresponding methods and computer-readable media comprise a receiver adapted to receive a plurality of single-frequency network (SFN) signals at a predetermined frequency; a correlator adapted to correlate the SFN signals with a predetermined reference signal, wherein correlating produces a plurality of correlation peaks; a grouper circuit adapted to group the correlation peaks into arrival groups such that the correlation peaks in different arrival groups are known to be from different transmitters; and a selection circuit adapted to select the earliest correlation peak in each arrival group as a leading correlation peak.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2010
    Assignee: Rosum Corporation
    Inventors: Scott Furman, Matthew Rabinowitz
  • Patent number: 7738881
    Abstract: The present invention leverages changes in the sensed strength of radio signals at different locations to determine a device's location. In one instance of the present invention, inference procedures are used to process ambient commercial radio signals, to estimate a location or a probability distribution over the locations of a device. In another instance of the present invention, a system utilizes learning and inference methods that are applied to rank vector of signal strength vectors. Moving to such rank orderings leads to systems that bypass consideration of absolute signal strengths in location calculations. The present invention facilitates approximations for locating a device by providing a system that does not require a substantial number of available ambient signal strengths while still providing useful location inferences in determining locations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2010
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: John C. Krumm, Gerald F. Cermak, Eric J. Horvitz, Edward C. Miller, Adel Amin AbdelAzim Youssef
  • Publication number: 20100141531
    Abstract: Provided is a position tracking apparatus and method for low power WPAN/WBAN sensors in a sensor network. A position tracking apparatus collects distance information of adjacent nodes from a plurality of anchor nodes whose positions are known and at least one sensor node whose position is not known, in a sensor network, calculates the shortest path for the anchor node based on the collected distance information of the adjacent node, and classifies nodes into nodes of a first group whose positions are known and nodes of a second group whose positions are not known to select sensor nodes in an adjacent order from the second group to the first group based on the anchor node and detect the positions thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 17, 2009
    Publication date: June 10, 2010
    Inventors: Hong Soon Nam, Cheolhyo Lee, Mi Kyung Oh, Jae Young Kim
  • Publication number: 20100127927
    Abstract: The invention relates to a system for identifying, locating and positioning an object inside a given and unequipped zone, wherein the system comprises a radiofrequency module to receive identification of an object to be positioned in a predetermined location, one or more antennas to receive signals that originate from the object to be positioned, wherein said signals enable determination of a geographic position of the object to be positioned, a satellite positioning module, a memory to store information associated with the object to be positioned, a communication module for communication between the mobile platform and a central station to provide services by use of a specialized software program, wherein an object is fitted with RFID labels to enable transmission and reception of radiofrequency signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2007
    Publication date: May 27, 2010
    Applicant: Thales
    Inventor: Gilles Rousset
  • Publication number: 20100123627
    Abstract: In a geolocation system for determining a geolocation of a target emitter, a method for determining the geolocation. The method comprises receiving a signal transmitted from the target emitter at each one of a plurality of sensors; determining whether signals received at n sensors, from among the plurality of sensors, satisfy one or more threshold values related to a condition of the received signals; if signals received at n sensors satisfy the threshold value, commanding m of the n sensors to transmit the signal received thereat or information related to the signal received thereat to a processor; at the processor, determining time difference estimates for the m received signals and determining the geolocation of the target emitter from the time difference estimates.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2009
    Publication date: May 20, 2010
    Inventors: Tim Reynolds, Shane McLeod, James Russell
  • Publication number: 20100109952
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and arrangement for achieving transformations of received positioning information according to a first reporting format to positioning information according to a second format such as to allow a seamless transformation and handling of the positioning confidence values, i.e. the probability that the terminal is actually located in the region determined by the applied positioning method. The method derives an approximation of the shape-defining parameters for the second reporting format such as to minimize a criterion function including the predefined target confidence value and determining the deviation of the confidence value for the approximated shape from the target confidence value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2007
    Publication date: May 6, 2010
    Applicant: TELEFONAKTIEBOLAGET L M ERICSSON (PUBL)
    Inventors: Torbjorn Wigren, Ari Kangas
  • Patent number: 7711476
    Abstract: The need for geo-registered features is avoided by a system for estimating a motion of a first sensor during a time interval. The system has a second sensor where the first sensor and the second sensor sense the same geo-location during the time interval. The first sensor computes a first target location error from sensing the geo-location. The second sensor also computes a second target location error from sensing the geo-location. A data link interconnects the first sensor and the second sensor, the data link transmitting the second target location error computed by the second sensor to the first sensor during the time interval. A processor at the first sensor combines the first target location error and the second target location error in a first sensor observation model, where the sensor observation model is descriptive of the motion of the first sensor. The observation model is used with a Kalman filter to update the position of the first sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventors: Kuo-Liang Chiou, Carroll C. Chiou, Kevin E. Rudolph
  • Publication number: 20100103048
    Abstract: The invention relates to a position-finding method for d4eterming the location of a mobile object. The features, for example received field strengths, of a plurality of base stations are measured, and the object position is located from these features, using a reference map. During an initialization process, a reference map is created which comprises a multiplicity of positions and the associated feature-dependent values. During use of the method, a plurality of position-finding processes are carried out, by means of each of which a measured feature-dependent value and from this, a located position of the object, are determined using the predetermined reference map. The predetermined reference map is in each case updated for at least some of the positions found, during which updates, the feature-dependent values are each corrected by a correction term at the support points of the reference map in a predetermined area surrounding an object position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2006
    Publication date: April 29, 2010
    Inventors: Joachim Bamberger, Bruno Betoni Parodi, Joachim Horn, Henning Lenz, Andrei Szabo
  • Publication number: 20100097269
    Abstract: An apparatus for localizing a position on a path, radio signals of fixedly positioned radio transmitters being receivable along the path, the apparatus including a determiner for determining properties of the radio signals of the fixedly positioned radio transmitters at the position, and a comparator for comparing the determined electromagnetic properties with previously recorded properties which characterize a reference path, and for determining a relation between the position and the reference path on the basis of a result of the comparison.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2007
    Publication date: April 22, 2010
    Applicant: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Foerderung der angewandten Forschung e.V.
    Inventors: Karin Loidl, Steffen Meyer, Juergen Hupp
  • Patent number: 7701393
    Abstract: A method for radio navigation may include predicting a frequency response for each of a multiplicity of possible device locations. The method may also include measuring a frequency response at an actual device location. The method may further include matching the measured frequency response to one of the predicted frequency responses to determine an estimated device location, wherein the estimated device location corresponds to the possible device location associated with the one predicted frequency response that most closely matches the measured frequency response.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventor: James M. Bornholdt
  • Publication number: 20100090901
    Abstract: Techniques for accurate position location and tracking suitable for a wide range of facilities in variable environments are disclosed. In one aspect, a system for position location comprises a plurality of sensors (e.g. a network monitor, an environment sensor) for generating measurements of a plurality of sources, a plurality of objects or tags, each object generating measurements of the plurality of sources, and a processor for receiving the measurements and generating a position location for one or more objects in accordance with the received measurements. In another aspect, a position engine comprises a mapped space of a physical environment, and a processor for updating the mapped space in response to received measurements. The position engine may receive second measurements from an object within the physical environment, and generate a position location estimate for the object from the received second measurements and the mapped space.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2009
    Publication date: April 15, 2010
    Applicant: AWAREPOINT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Derek M. Smith, James D. Adams, Nicolas C. Nierenberg, Joseph C. Baker
  • Patent number: 7693975
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and device are provided for network and network device management. One method embodiment includes receiving information associated with a network device. The method further includes analyzing the network information using a Kalman filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2010
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventor: Mauricio Sanchez
  • Publication number: 20100079342
    Abstract: Multilateration techniques are used to provide accurate aircraft tracking data for aircraft on the ground and in the vicinity of an airport. From this data, aircraft noise and operations management may be enhanced. Aircraft noise may be calculated virtually using track data in real-time and provided to a user to determine noise violations. Tracking data may be used to control noise monitoring stations to gate out ambient noise. Aircraft emissions, both on the ground and in the air may be determined using tracking data. This and other data may be displayed in real time or generated in reports, and/or may be displayed on a website for viewing by airport operators and/or members of the public. The system may be readily installed in a compact package using a plurality of receivers and sensor packages located at shared wireless communication towers near an airport, and a central processing station located in or near the airport.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2009
    Publication date: April 1, 2010
    Inventors: Alexander E. Smith, Thomas J. Breen
  • Publication number: 20100073235
    Abstract: Techniques for accurate position location and tracking suitable for a wide range of facilities in variable environments are disclosed. In one aspect, a system for position location comprises a plurality of sensors (e.g. a network monitor, an environment sensor) for generating measurements of a plurality of sources, a plurality of objects or tags, each object generating measurements of the plurality of sources, and a processor for receiving the measurements and generating a position location for one or more objects in accordance with the received measurements. In another aspect, a position engine comprises a mapped space of a physical environment, and a processor for updating the mapped space in response to received measurements. The position engine may receive second measurements from an object within the physical environment, and generate a position location estimate for the object from the received second measurements and the mapped space.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 27, 2009
    Publication date: March 25, 2010
    Applicant: AWAREPOINT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Derek M. Smith, James D. Adams, Nicolas C. Nierenberg, Joseph C. Baker
  • Publication number: 20100052989
    Abstract: Systems and methods for determining a direction and range, at a predetermined level of granularity, for a transmitting device in a communications system are presented. Determinations, based on indicia related to the signal conditions, information contained in the received signals, and/or inferences surrounding the transmission conditions can be employed in identifying a transmitter, determining the range and direction of a transmitter and/or identifying a relative location of a transmitter without relaying, retransmitting, and/or conveying the transmitted and received signal across a supporting communications network. These determinations can be formed centrally at the transmitting or receiving user equipment or mobile device or formed in a distributed manner between the transmitting and receiving user equipment or mobile devices across a communications system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2009
    Publication date: March 4, 2010
    Applicant: QUALCOMM INCORPORATED
    Inventor: Michael-David N. Canoy
  • Publication number: 20100052991
    Abstract: Techniques for accurate position location and tracking suitable for a wide range of facilities in variable environments are disclosed. In one aspect, a system for position location comprises a plurality of sensors (e.g. a network monitor, an environment sensor) for generating measurements of a plurality of sources, a plurality of objects or tags, each object generating measurements of the plurality of sources, and a processor for receiving the measurements and generating a position location for one or more objects in accordance with the received measurements. In another aspect, a position engine comprises a mapped space of a physical environment, and a processor for updating the mapped space in response to received measurements. The position engine may receive second measurements from an object within the physical environment, and generate a position location estimate for the object from the received second measurements and the mapped space.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2009
    Publication date: March 4, 2010
    Applicant: AWAREPOINT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Derek M. Smith, James D. Adams, Nicolas C. Nierenberg, Joseph C. Baker
  • Publication number: 20100048185
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus for reminding a calendar schedule and a recording medium are provided. First, a schedule and a location of an event are set in a calendar, and first positioning information of the location is obtained. Then, second positioning information of a current location of a mobile device is obtained. Next, the current location is determining whether to be within a signal range of a signal source. Once the current location is within the signal range, the time for moving from the location with the second positioning information to the location with the first positioning information is calculated. Finally, a reminding time is set according to the transferring time, and a reminding action is taken at the reminding time. Thereby, the reminding time of the event can be dynamically adjusted to avoid delay caused when the mobile device is too far from the event location.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 4, 2009
    Publication date: February 25, 2010
    Applicant: HTC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yu-Cheng Lee, Kuang-Rong Lu
  • Patent number: 7663535
    Abstract: A system is disclosed for position registration and phase synchronization of monitors in a monitor network. Each monitor includes a transceiver having a transponder circuit with a calibrated transponder delay. To measure a distance between monitors, an oscillator at a first monitor generates a measurement signal which is transponded by a second monitor for receipt by the first monitor. A phase difference between the received signal and the first monitor oscillator is determined and used with the signal velocity and transponder delay to calculate the distance between monitors. The measured distances are combined with other data (e.g. monitor elevations) to calculate monitor locations. A phase delay is then measured by transmitting a signal from the first to the second monitor for comparison with the second monitor oscillator. A phase difference between oscillators (for use in synchronizing the monitors) is then calculated using the phase delay, separation distance and signal velocity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2010
    Assignee: Information Systems Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventor: John Don Carlos
  • Patent number: 7663532
    Abstract: By using the delay profile created by delay profile creating section 102 and the first threshold value 330 received from the first threshold value calculation 105, the first threshold value timing detection section 103 selects only the earliest receive timing exceeding the first threshold value, from all the timing that the correlation value in the delay profile becomes a maximum. By using the receive timing and the second threshold value 331 received from the second threshold value calculation section 107, reference timing calculation section 106 selects the reference timing required for calculating the receive timing for the incoming wave of the minimum propagation delay time. The timing delayed by previously set timing behind said reference timing is sent from receive timing calculation section 108 as the receive timing 113 of the incoming wave of the minimum propagation delay time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2010
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Katsuhiko Tsunehara, Nobukazu Doi, Mikio Kuwahara, Tomoaki Ishifuji
  • Publication number: 20100035546
    Abstract: A method for matching an actual device in a wireless network to a corresponding device indicated in a plan (1) of such devices is provided. The method is suitable for initiating the commissioning process for a lighting control network (2) or an automated home network and it enables the program controlling the system to establish a number of reference nodes, with respect to which the coordinates of the rest of the nodes in the network are established, without the engineer having to manually enter the identification details of the reference nodes in the computer system. The method comprises identifying a device (3a-3c, 4, 5a-5b, 6a-6c, 7a-7d, 8a-8f, 9a-9f, 10, 11b, 11b) in the plan having unique characteristics compared to the other devices in the plan (1); receiving data comprising the characteristics of the actual device from the wireless network; and in response to the characteristics of the actual device including the unique characteristics, matching the physical device with the identified device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2007
    Publication date: February 11, 2010
    Applicant: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS ELECTRONICS N V
    Inventors: Paul R. Simons, Stephen M. Pitchers
  • Patent number: 7659850
    Abstract: A base station almanac (BSA) stores directional forward link calibration (FLC) values that correct for differences between the listed locations of base station antennas and the actual locations of the antennas. Each directional FLC value is specific to wireless signals that are transmitted from a particular base station antenna and propagate toward a particular receiving area. A mobile station operating in a receiving area measures a wireless signal from a base station antenna located outside of the receiving area to obtain a signal measurement. The location of the mobile station is determined by applying a positioning algorithm that uses the signal measurement corrected by the directional FLC value for that particular combination of base station antenna and receiving area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2010
    Assignee: Sprint Spectrum L.P.
    Inventors: Jiongkuan Hou, James C. Swift
  • Publication number: 20100019969
    Abstract: A system and method for effectively performing enhanced device location procedures to determine the current physical location of a mobile device includes a plurality of satellites that wirelessly transmit satellite beacon signals, a plurality of base stations that wirelessly transmit pilot signals, and a plurality of access points that wirelessly transmit access-point beacon signals. A location detector of the mobile device coordinates a device location procedure by measuring the satellite beacon signals, the pilot signals, and the access-point beacon signals to generate corresponding satellite information, base station information, and access point information. The location detector analyzes the satellite information, the base station information, and the access point information to select an optimal system configuration from the most effective satellites, base stations, and access points.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2009
    Publication date: January 28, 2010
    Inventor: Yi Zhou
  • Patent number: 7647177
    Abstract: A time estimator determines a first aggregate elapsed time between the transmission of the first transmission signal to a first beacon and receipt of a return signal, a second aggregate elapsed time between the transmission of the first transmission signal to a second beacon and receipt of a return signal, and a third aggregate elapsed time between the transmission of the first transmission signal to a third beacon and receipt of a return signal. A bias compensator compensates for bias delay associated with at least one of the first transmitter, the first beacon, the second beacon and the third beacon. A converter converts the first aggregate elapsed time, the second aggregate elapsed time, and the third aggregate elapsed time into position curves. A data processor estimates a position of the vehicle at a confluence or intersection of the position curves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2010
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventors: Mark Alvin Schmidt, Kenneth Edward Hunt, David Roy Holm, Scott Adam Stephens
  • Patent number: 7646330
    Abstract: Communication between a remote locator and a transponder is used to determine the relative position of the transponder. The transponder and locator each include a transmitter and a receiver. The locator transmits an inquiry in the form of a relatively powerful cyclically encoded signal with repetitive elements, uniquely associated with a target transponder. Periodically, each transponder correlates its coded ID against a possible inquiry signal, determining frequency, phase and framing in the process. Upon a match, the transponder transmits a synthesized response coherent with the received signal. The locator integrates multiple cyclical response elements, allowing low-power transmissions from the transponder. The locator correlates the integrated response, determines round-trip Doppler shift, time-of-flight, and then computes the distance and angle to the transponder. The transponder can be wearable, bionically implanted, or attached to, or embedded in, some object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2010
    Assignee: Alfred E. Mann Foundation for Scientific Research
    Inventor: Lawrence J. Karr
  • Patent number: 7640106
    Abstract: Apparatus for determining the position of a selected object relative to a moving reference frame, the apparatus including at least one reference frame transceiver assembly firmly attached to the moving reference frame, at least one object transceiver assembly firmly attached to the selected object, an inertial measurement unit firmly attached to the selected object, an inertial navigation system firmly attached to the moving reference frame, and a tracking processor coupled with the object transceiver assembly, with the inertial measurement unit and with the inertial navigation system, the object transceiver assembly communicating with the reference frame transceiver assembly using magnetic fields, the inertial measurement unit producing IMU inertial measurements of motion of the selected object with respect to an inertially fixed reference frame, the inertial navigation system producing INS inertial measurements of motion of the moving reference frame with respect to the inertially fixed reference frame, the
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Assignee: Elbit Systems Ltd.
    Inventors: Saul Stokar, David Neustadter
  • Publication number: 20090295641
    Abstract: A method of locating the positions of wheels (2) of a vehicle (1) each fitted with an electronic module (3), whereby, in order to locate a wheel (2) on the one hand, the vehicle (1) is equipped with an electromagnetic emission source consisting of at least two emitting antennas (5, 6) positioned close to the wheel (2) and physically offset so that the emitting antennas present separate shadow areas along the trajectory of the electronic module (3) of the wheel and, on the other hand, a sequential switching of the emitting antennas (5, 6) is ordered.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 26, 2009
    Publication date: December 3, 2009
    Applicant: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE FRANCE
    Inventor: Olivier GERARDIERE
  • Patent number: 7626545
    Abstract: Techniques for accurate position location and tracking suitable for a wide range of facilities in variable environments are disclosed. In one aspect, a system for position location comprises a plurality of sensors (e.g. a network monitor, an environment sensor) for generating measurements of a plurality of sources, a plurality of objects or tags, each object generating measurements of the plurality of sources, and a processor for receiving the measurements and generating a position location for one or more objects in accordance with the received measurements. In another aspect, a position engine comprises a mapped space of a physical environment, and a processor for updating the mapped space in response to received measurements. The position engine may receive second measurements from an object within the physical environment, and generate a position location estimate for the object from the received second measurements and the mapped space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2009
    Assignee: Awarepoint Corporation
    Inventors: Derek M. Smith, James D. Adams, Nicolas C. Nierenberg, Joseph C. Baker
  • Patent number: 7626534
    Abstract: A target tracking method uses sensor(s) producing target signals subject to positional and/or angular bias, which are updated with sensor bias estimates to produce updated target-representative signals. Time propagation produces time-updated target states and sensor positional and angular biases. The Jacobian of the state dynamics of a target model produces the state transition matrix for extended Kalman filtering. Target state vector and bias covariances of the sensor are time propagated. The Kalman measurement residual is computed to produce state corrections, which are added to the time updated filter states to thereby produce (i) target state updates and (ii) sensor positional and angular bias updates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2009
    Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation
    Inventors: Jeffrey B. Boka, Purusottam Mookerjee, Naresh R. Patel
  • Patent number: 7626538
    Abstract: In one embodiment, the disclosure relates to a method for estimating and predicting a target emitter's kinematics, the method including the steps of: (a) passively sampling, at a first sampling rate, an emitter signal to obtain at least one passively measured signal attribute for estimating the target kinematics; (b) inputting the passively measured signal attribute to an estimator at a first sampling rate; (c) determining a radar duty cycle for active radar measurements as a multiple of the first sampling rate, the multiple defining a duration between radar transmissions; (d) directing a radar system to make active target measurements at the determined duty cycle; (e) inputting to the estimator the active target measurements at the determined duty cycle, while continuously inputting the passively measured signal attributes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2009
    Assignee: Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation
    Inventor: Conrad M. Rose
  • Patent number: 7616156
    Abstract: Techniques for accurate position location and tracking suitable for a wide range of facilities in variable environments are disclosed. In one aspect, a system for position location comprises a plurality of sensors (e.g. a network monitor, an environment sensor) for generating measurements of a plurality of sources, a plurality of objects or tags, each object generating measurements of the plurality of sources, and a processor for receiving the measurements and generating a position location for one or more objects in accordance with the received measurements. In another aspect, a position engine comprises a mapped space of a physical environment, and a processor for updating the mapped space in response to received measurements. The position engine may receive second measurements from an object within the physical environment, and generate a position location estimate for the object from the received second measurements and the mapped space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2009
    Assignee: Awarepoint Corporation
    Inventors: Derek M. Smith, James D. Adams, Nicolas C Nierenberg, Joseph C. Baker
  • Patent number: 7612708
    Abstract: A system for tracking an object in space for position, comprises a transponder device connectable to the object. The transponder device has one or several transponder aerial(s) and a transponder circuit connected to the transponder aerial for receiving an RF signal through the transponder aerial. The transponder device adds a known delay to the RF signal thereby producing an RF response for transmitting through the transponder aerial. A transmitter is connected to a first aerial for transmitting the RF signal through a first aerial. A receiver is connected to the first, a second and third aerials for receiving the RF response of the transponder device therethrough. A position calculator is associated to the transmitter and the receiver for calculating a position of the object as a function of the known delay and the time period between the emission of the RF signal and the reception of the RF response from the first, second and third aerials. A method is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2009
    Assignee: Orthosoft Inc.
    Inventor: Jean-Louis Laroche
  • Patent number: 7609197
    Abstract: By using the delay profile created by delay profile creating section 102 and the first threshold value 330 received from the first threshold value calculation 105, the first threshold value timing detection section 103 selects only the earliest receive timing exceeding the first threshold value, from all the timing that the correlation value in the delay profile becomes a maximum. By using the receive timing and the second threshold value 331 received from the second threshold value calculation section 107, reference timing calculation section 106 selects the reference timing required for calculating the receive timing for the incoming wave of the minimum propagation delay time. The timing delayed by previously set timing behind said reference timing is sent from receive timing calculation section 108 as the receive timing 113 of the incoming wave of the minimum propagation delay time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2009
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Katsuhiko Tsunehara, Nobukazu Doi, Mikio Kuwahara, Tomoaki Ishifuji
  • Patent number: 7605747
    Abstract: A method for determining or compensating for the positional errors of a sensor tracking a target comprises the steps of operating the sensor to generate sensed information relating to the target and adding any sensor positional bias update information to produce updated sensed information. The target state is propagated to produce time updated state estimates. The Jacobian of the state dynamics and the state transition matrix for the extended Kalman filter algorithm are computed. The covariance of a state vector is time propagated using the state transition matrix.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2009
    Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation
    Inventors: Purusottam Mookerjee, Jeffrey B. Boka
  • Patent number: 7602338
    Abstract: Techniques for accurate position location and tracking suitable for a wide range of facilities in variable environments are disclosed. In one aspect, a system for position location comprises a plurality of sensors (e.g. a network monitor, an environment sensor) for generating measurements of a plurality of sources, a plurality of objects or tags, each object generating measurements of the plurality of sources, and a processor for receiving the measurements and generating a position location for one or more objects in accordance with the received measurements. In another aspect, a position engine comprises a mapped space of a physical environment, and a processor for updating the mapped space in response to received measurements. The position engine may receive second measurements from an object within the physical environment, and generate a position location estimate for the object from the received second measurements and the mapped space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2009
    Assignee: Awarepoint Corporation
    Inventors: Derek M. Smith, James D. Adams, Nicolas C Nierenberg, Joseph C. Baker
  • Publication number: 20090219210
    Abstract: A system (50) and method (300) for providing multipath error mitigation for real-time wireless tracking of an object (100) is disclosed herein. A plurality of sensor readings are obtained from a tag (60) attached to an object (100) within an indoor facility (70). A plurality of reading sets are generated and sorted by zones. A zone with the highest average reading is preferably selected and the location of the object (100) is calculated based on the selected zone readings. In this manner, faulty position readings are eliminated from the location calculation thereby allowing for more accurate tracking of the object (100) within the indoor facility (70).
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2009
    Publication date: September 3, 2009
    Applicant: AWAREPOINT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Dyami Caliri, Derek Smith
  • Publication number: 20090201207
    Abstract: A method of modifying calibration data used to geo-locate a mobile station located in an indoor environment is disclosed. When a mobile station is located indoors, the signal strength of signals received and/or transmitted by the mobile station have the tendency to be lower than the strength of the signals received by a mobile station located outdoors. As a result of these lower signal strengths, geo-location efforts which rely on signal strengths may result in unsatisfactory location accuracy. Modifying pre-existing calibration data obtained outdoors may provide a way to simulate indoor calibration data characteristics.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 15, 2009
    Publication date: August 13, 2009
    Inventors: Martin Alles, John Carlson, George Maher, Selcuk Mazlum
  • Publication number: 20090195445
    Abstract: A system to predefine multiple allowed activities of a wireless computing device based on geographic location and, specifically, for security parameters associated with wireless access of such devices. Wireless access can be controlled on a movable computing device by ascertaining a geographic location of computing device, using a position sensing device; coupling motion sensing device with computing device; determining whether geographic location is within a predefined zone; and generating a command for controlling wireless access in response to determining. Commands can be derived from a predetermined table of allowed wireless activities in a geographically defined area and, specifically, for security parameters associated with the computing device. Wireless activities can include Internet protocols, instant messaging, email, and newsgroups.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2008
    Publication date: August 6, 2009
    Inventor: Ronald J. DeHaas
  • Patent number: 7570214
    Abstract: A system and method are disclosed to track aircraft or other vehicles using techniques including multilateration and elliptical surveillance. Unlike conventional approaches that use time difference of arrival for multilateration at a fixed set of reception points, this technique allows targets to be tracked from a number of dynamic or moving reception points. This allows for triangulation/multilateration and elliptical surveillance of targets from combinations of fixed, fixed and moving or only moving ground-based receivers, sea-based receivers, airborne receivers and space-based receivers. Additionally this technique allows for ADS-B validation through data derived from only two receivers to assess the validity and integrity of the aircraft self-reported position by comparing the time of arrival of the emitted message at the second receiver to the predicted time of message arrival at the second receiver based on the self-reported position of the aircraft and the time of arrival at the first receiver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2009
    Assignee: ERA Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Alexander E. Smith, Russell Hulstrom, Carl A. Evers, Thomas J. Breen
  • Publication number: 20090189814
    Abstract: A target position is estimated in such a manner to maintain target position continuity, with high accuracy, even when the X coordinate displacement of the target is large. On a scan in which the target position is not detected, when a trajectory of the target in the past is within a predetermined region in the vicinity of the Y-axis, a position for estimate is a position having an X coordinate resulting from shifting, by a first displacement, the X coordinate estimated according to the trajectory, on a basis of the X coordinate of a previous position, while when the trajectory is not within the predetermined region, the position for estimate is a position having an X coordinate resulting from shifting, by a second displacement that is larger than the first displacement, the X coordinate estimated according to the trajectory, on a basis of the X coordinate of a previous position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2009
    Publication date: July 30, 2009
    Applicant: FUJITSU TEN LIMITED
    Inventors: Takumi Moriuchi, Masahiro Sakaguchi, Hisateru Asanuma, Tomoya Kawasaki, Jun Tsunekawa, Motomi Iyoda
  • Publication number: 20090179799
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a direction finding system including: a transmitter configured to generate a single carrier; a plurality of receivers, each of which has a receiving antenna; a phase comparison section configured to compare phases of signals received by the receivers to determine a phase difference between the received signals; and an information processing section configured to perform a computation process for direction finding based on the phase difference.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2008
    Publication date: July 16, 2009
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Yoshinobu KAWASAKI
  • Patent number: 7561104
    Abstract: A method of modifying calibration data used to geo-locate a mobile station located in an indoor environment is disclosed. When a mobile station is located indoors, the signal strength of signals received and/or transmitted by the mobile station have the tendency to be lower than the strength of the signals received by a mobile station located outdoors. As a result of these lower signal strengths, geo-location efforts which rely on signal strengths may result in unsatisfactory location accuracy. Modifying pre-existing calibration data obtained outdoors may provide a way to simulate indoor calibration data characteristics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2009
    Assignee: Andrew LLC
    Inventors: Martin Alles, John Carlson, George Maher, Selcuk Mazlum
  • Patent number: 7557753
    Abstract: A GPS tracker is disposed on launch hardware that separates from a spacecraft launch vehicle during ascent to orbit with the launch hardware having a suborbital trajectory from launch to impact while being tracked so as to track the launch hardware during suborbital flight, such as for tracking separated fuel stages, external tanks, external boosters, and payload fairings that return to earth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2009
    Assignee: The Aerospace Corporation
    Inventor: William H. Ailor, III
  • Publication number: 20090167591
    Abstract: A precision radar registration (PR2) system and method that employs highly accurate geo-referenced positional data as a basis for correcting registration bias present in radar data. In one embodiment, the PR2 method includes sample collection and bias computation function processes. The sample collection process includes ADS-B sample collection, radar sample collection, and time alignment sub-processes. The bias computation function process includes bias computation, quality monitoring and non-linear effects monitoring sub-processes. The bias computation sub-process results in a bias correction solution including range bias b?, azimuth bias b?, and time bias bT parameters. The quality monitoring sub-process results in an estimate of solution quality. The non-linear effects monitoring sub-process results in detection of the presence of non-linear bias, if any, in the bias correction solution.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 24, 2008
    Publication date: July 2, 2009
    Applicant: LOCKHEED MARTIN CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michael R. Abbett, Sergio Torres
  • Patent number: 7551138
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for signal tracking utilizing a universal algorithm is disclosed. The method and apparatus generally include acquiring a signal measurement corresponding to a signal, forming a measurement matrix utilizing the acquired signal measurement, and applying the measurement matrix to a recursive filter to determine a geolocation of the signal. Such a configuration enables geolocations to be determined utilizing any signal measurement or combination of signal measurements to eliminate the need to rely on a particular static combination of signal measurements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2009
    Assignee: L3 Communications Integrated Systems, L.P.
    Inventor: Michael T. Grabbe
  • Patent number: 7548815
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method of operating a telematics device within a mobile vehicle communication system. The method includes generating at least one personal route profile, comparing predetermined GPS hotspots to the personal route profiles, detecting real-time traffic updates associated with the predetermined GPS hotspots, identifying GPS hotspots corresponding to the personal route profile and based on the real-time traffic updates, and providing information relating to selected identified GPS hotspots based on the real-time traffic updates. The personal route profile may be generated from a user interface. The predetermined GPS hotspots may be created based on user interface input. The selected GPS hotspots may include all identified GPS hotspots within a predetermined geographic area of the personal route profile. The selected GPS hotspots may include GPS hotspots in the forward path of a vehicle including the telematics device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2009
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Gary A. Watkins, Thomas P. Grau
  • Publication number: 20090146882
    Abstract: Systems and methods provide location support for assisted navigation systems, for example, with respect to assistance data specifications and protocols in systems without impacting a cellular system-specific control plane protocol. Location support for cellular systems can be introduced into only the user plane of a particular cellular system by including/introducing certain relevant information to existing parameters within the user plane. Additionally, support for new cellular systems is introduced into the user plane protocol by defining its “identification” to the protocol.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2008
    Publication date: June 11, 2009
    Inventors: Ismo Halivaara, Jari Syrjarinne
  • Publication number: 20090140924
    Abstract: A positioning method includes: executing a first positioning mode or a second positioning mode, a first positioning process that is performed using a least-square method based on a positioning signal and a second positioning process that is performed using a Kalman filter based on the positioning signal utilizing a positioning result obtained by the first positioning process as a base value being performed in the first positioning mode, and the second positioning process being further performed in the second positioning mode utilizing a positioning result obtained by the second positioning process as a base value; determining accuracy of a positioning result obtained by the second positioning process performed in the executed positioning mode; and changing the positioning mode to be executed to the first positioning mode or the second positioning mode corresponding to the accuracy.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 26, 2008
    Publication date: June 4, 2009
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shunichi MIZUOCHI, Yoshiyuki MURAGUCHI, Koichiro YANO
  • Patent number: 7542722
    Abstract: An arrangement and a method for minimizing intracell and/or intercell interference for a data transmission system comprises a scheduler (2). A first base station (BS) receives information from user equipments (UE1-UE4) in a first cell (1) by means of a first antenna system (Rx, Tx). The scheduler (2) identifies the position of each user and allots a first time slot (TS1) to at least one user equipment (UE1) in a first cell segment (CS1) in the first cell (1). The scheduler (2) also allots the first time slot to at least one user (UE3) equipment in a second cell segment (CS2) in the first cell (1). The antenna system (Rx, Tx) then sends information from the base station (BS) simultaneously to all user equipments (UE1, UE3) allotted to the first time slot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2009
    Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ercisson (publ)
    Inventor: Roland Carlsson