Abstract: Provided is a receiving apparatus for detecting an interior position using digital broadcasting signals includes: a receiving unit receiving a digital broadcasting signal, which includes navigation information used for determining a position of the receiving apparatus, transmitted from a digital broadcasting signal transmitting apparatus; and an output unit outputting a signal to outside the receiving apparatus via wireless communication, wherein the receiving unit receives the digital broadcasting signals from a plurality of the digital broadcasting signal transmitting apparatuses.

Abstract: In a multilateration system receivers are grouped into two groups. The first group is used to determine a position of a signal source, for example, an aircraft equipped with a SAR transponder. From the determined position, predicted time of arrival values are produced for the second group receivers. These are compared with the actual time of arrival values for the signals arriving at the second group receivers. A difference is determined and then the variation of that difference is determined as the aircraft travels in its track. The groupings are then varied and further variations determined. When the minimum variation is determined an alert is given that the second group has a receiver which is operating with a larger than desirable group time delay.

Abstract: Processes and systems are presented, for identifying a set of neighbors of a radio transmitter based on available geo-spatial coordinates of radio transmitters in operation around the world. In one aspect, the identified set of radio transmitters can be have a desired size (in terms of number of neighbors and/or radial range). The identified set of radio transmitters can be further customized to include radio transmitters of a specific type, and/or radio transmitters that belong to specific network carriers, and/or other possible grouping criteria.

Abstract: At least two receiver sets are provided. A data processor is in communication with the receiver sets, wherein the data processor tags position data and radio frequency emission data from the receiver sets. A data storage unit is in communication with the data processor and is at least capable of storing tagged data. A processing unit is capable of processing the tagged data. The processing unit defines a search grid within which to search for the source of the radio frequency emission. The processing unit motion compensates the tagged data separately for each point on the grid. The processing unit assigns a value to each grid point based on a phase coherence of the motion compensated data. The processing unit determines a location within the grid having a highest assigned value, thereby determining the source of the radio frequency emission.

Abstract: A method to support client device position discovery within a building includes ascribing building position coordinates to beacons within the building. The building position coordinates are converted to physical position coordinates. The physical position coordinates are augmented with at least one additional parameter that supports position resolution. A client device communicates with accessed beacons positioned within the building. A beacon location database characterizing the physical locations of the accessed beacons is also accessed. The physical location of the client device is computed based upon the physical locations of the accessed beacons.

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

Abstract: A system for wirelessly locating mobile station/units (MS) and using resulting location determinations for providing a product or service is disclosed. The system is useful for routing an MS user to a plurality of desired locations, alerting an MS user to a nearby desired product or service based on satisfaction of user criteria, and providing enhanced security and 911 response. In one embodiment, the system responds to MS location requests via, e.g., Internet communication between a distributed network of location processing sites. A plurality of locating technologies including those based on: (1) TDOA; (2) pattern recognition; (3) timing advance; (5) GPS and network assisted GPS, (6) angle of arrival, (7) super resolution enhancements, and (8) supplemental information from low cost base stations can be activated, in various combinations, by system embodiments.

Abstract: A location may be determined by accepting location information from at least two sources using at least two location technologies, for each set of location information from each source, adjusting the location information using at least one of (A) confidence in the source, (B) error range of the source, (C) an error model for the source, and (D) application-specific context information, and combining adjusted locations to generate a final location these location technologies assume a degree of cooperation. The location technologies may include a combination of a “tag” that is placed on the object to be tracked, and one or more receivers/transmitters that work in concert with the tag to locate the object.

Abstract: A positioning information transmitter transmits a positioning identifier instead of directly transmitting position information. A positioning information management server stores and manages the positioning identifier and the position information while correlating them with each other. In response to a position information request with a positioning identifier, the positioning information management server converts the positioning identifier into position information according to the aforementioned correlation. Furthermore, the positioning information management server updates the positioning identifier to be transmitted from the positioning information transmitter in a certain time by using predetermined means.

Abstract: A mobile computing device includes a housing, a processor provided within the housing, and a location-determining system configured to determine a current location of the mobile computing device at a first rate. The location determining system may be configured to adjust the first rate to a different second rate based on a threshold distance value and a distance from the current location to an anticipated future location of the mobile computing device.

Abstract: A mobile computing device comprises a wireless transceiver and a processing circuit. The processing circuit is configured to store a data set for a predetermined location, the data set comprising location data and a location name. The processing circuit is further configured to compare a current location to the location data, to compare an updated location to the location data at a time calculated based on heuristic data, and to generate a notification message based on the mobile computing device arriving at or near the predetermined location.

Abstract: A system and method for determining the position and velocity of a plurality of vehicles relative to a host vehicle using GPS data. The method includes building a graph of the vehicles that define weighted baselines between each of the vehicles and the host vehicle and each of the vehicles where the weighted baselines define a geometric dilution of precision between the vehicles. The method then determines the optimal baseline between the host vehicle and each of the other vehicles using the weighted baselines based on the lowest geometric dilution of precision. The method then computes the relative position and velocity between all of the vehicles and the host vehicle using the optimal baselines.

Abstract: An apparatus for location determination includes a location determination receiver configured to receive location determination signals, a location determination signal quality assessment component configured to assess a quality of received location determination signals, and a location determination processor responsive to an output of the location determination signal quality component. The apparatus determining a location of the location determination receiver based on the location determination signals that are received during time periods when the location determination signal meets or exceeds a location determination signal quality threshold. A method for location determination is also disclosed.

Abstract: Apparatus to determine the position of a user terminal, the apparatus having corresponding methods and computer-readable media, comprise: a receiver to receive at the user terminal an American Television Standards Committee Mobile/Handheld (ATSC-M/H) broadcast signal from a ATSC-M/H transmitter; and a pseudorange module to determine a pseudorange between the receiver and the ATSC-M/H transmitter based on the ATSC-M/H) broadcast signal; wherein the position module determines the position of the user terminal based on the pseudorange and a location of the ATSC-M/H transmitter.

Abstract: Location estimation for a first target object assisted by a second target object, which have co-located signalling devices is provided. A positioning engine employs a data model of a location-dependent physical quantity and determines location probability distributions for the target objects. One signalling device sends positioning-assisting signals to the other which makes observations from it. The positioning engineuses observations on the physical quantity and the positioning-assisting signals to make a quantity observation set, and determines location probability distributions for the target objects. The positioning engine determines an updated first location probability distribution based on the location probability distributions and the positioning-assisting observation set.

Abstract: Location of a mobile unit is determined by a combined probability, derived from a first probability for possible locations based on a current sample of radio signal characteristics and a second probability that a unit has moved from a prior location or probable location to each possible location.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a system for location labeling. During operation, the system collects contextual information recorded by one or more components located on a computing device associated with a user, and determines whether the computing device is stationary based on collected information. Responsive to the computing device being stationary, the system allows the user to provide a location label.

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.

Abstract: An apparatus for transforming a signal strength of a wireless positioning system is provided. The apparatus is adapted for eliminating the difference of signal strengths between different mobile communication apparatuses or different environments. The apparatus includes a location estimation circuit. The location estimation circuit is adapted to obtain a possible coordinate by calculating a first signal strength distribution received by a mobile communication apparatus. The possible coordinate and the first signal strength distribution are taken as training data for training a transforming module with an approximation algorithm. Accordingly, the present invention adopts a positive correlation index and the approximation algorithm for automatically training a transforming module for the mobile communication apparatus without using the information of chip model and location of mobile communication apparatus.

Abstract: An antenna (2-20) for use in a mobile device (1-1) includes elements for receiving (2-5, 3-1, 4-1, 5-1, 6-5) a signal from a satellite positioning system; a first layer of dielectric material (2-4a, 2-4b, 3-2, 3-3, 5-2, 4-3, 5-2, 5-3, 6-4, 6-15) and a second layer of dielectric material (2-4a, 2-4b, 3-2, 3-3, 5-2, 4-3, 5-2, 5-3, 6-4, 6-15), wherein the elements for receiving (2-5, 3-1, 4-1, 5-1, 6-5, 7-6) the signal is at least partly between the first dielectric layer (2-4a, 2-4b, 3-2, 3-3, 5-2, 4-3, 5-2, 5-3, 6-4, 6-15) and the second dielectric layer (2-4a, 2-4b, 3-2, 3-3, 5-2, 4-3, 5-2, 5-3, 6-4, 6-15).

Abstract: A mobile station determines a usage pattern based on information stored from previous position fixes. The usage pattern is used to predict a time for a next position fix request. The mobile station performs a position fix in the background prior to the predicted time for the next position fix request. The background position fix provides the precise location and time of the mobile station to place the mobile station in a “hot” state. The prediction of the time for the next position fix request may be affected by the remaining battery power and/or the last known location of the mobile station. Additionally, the difference between the predicted time and the actual time of the next position fix request may be used to adjust subsequent predictions of the time for the next position fix request.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed that allow for the detection, identification, direction finding, and geolocation of emergency personnel in a given multipath environment. For example, the techniques can be used to detect and identify multiple lines of bearing (LOBs) to an IEEE 802.11 emitter of an emergency responder that is inside a building or otherwise hidden from view. LOBs from multiple vantage points can be used to geolocate and/or track the emergency responder. The resulting geolocation can be plotted on a map display or model of the scene (e.g., building, etc) so the precise position of the emergency responder having the targeted wireless emitter can be known.

Abstract: For a sensor network having reference nodes and sensor nodes, A method and apparatus using a distance determining algorithm for a sensor network having reference nodes and sensor nodes. A distance determining algorithm is executed to determine an adequate distance between reference nodes within a preset error range, and a position location table is created. A sensor node sends a location information request to reference nodes, receives the position location table and location information from the reference nodes, and computes the coordinates of its position. Alternatively, without requesting transmission of the position location table, the sensor node may receive calculated coordinates of its position directly from a reference node.

Abstract: Provided is an apparatus and method for collaborative location awareness based on weighted maximum likelihood estimation (MLE), which is configured to improve accuracy of location awareness between nodes in estimating a location of a blind node. The method includes exchanging location awareness information with a reference node and a location-estimated blind node among peripheral nodes when location awareness is requested, performing location estimation based on weighted MLE, performing location calculation by using the location awareness information and an estimate obtained through the location estimation, and providing location awareness results of blind nodes.

Abstract: A wireless tracking device including a positioning system for determining a location of the device and a processor connected to the positioning system. The wireless tracking device further including a wireless radio connected to the processor for transmitting the location of the device across a wireless area network. A vehicle monitoring system including a sensor, a microcontroller configured to receive a sensor input from the sensor and determine a vehicle condition data, and a wireless transmitter in communication with the microcontroller. The wireless transmitter is configured to transmit the vehicle condition data to a remote data network access point. A method of monitoring a vehicle including determining a status of the vehicle, locating an available wireless data network access point, and transmitting the status of the vehicle though the access point.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for performing mobile-based positioning in a wireless communications system are presented. A position estimate is computed based on assistance data intended for a first position method. The mobile device ignores if a second positioning method is not specifically supported by a network and computes a position estimate using the second position method and a subset of assistance data intended for the first positioning method, which is supported by the network and is different from the second positioning method.

Abstract: Some embodiments use scanning devices to characterize radio signals received at a number of locations within a geographical area of interest. The signal characteristics along with the location information associated with the characteristics are stored in a centralized reference database. A mobile device characterizes signals it receives at a certain location and compares the characteristics with the signal characteristics stored in the reference database to obtain accurate location information of the certain location.

Abstract: Method of using one or more transmitters and/or one or more parameters associated with a transmitter by using a reception station comprising a device suitable for measuring over time a set of K parameters dependent on the transmitters associated with vectors {circumflex over (?)}k representative of the transmitters for 1?k?K. The method includes a step of extracting the parameter or parameters consisting in grouping together by transmitter the parameters which are associated therewith by means of a technique of independent component analysis.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for locating an indoor object includes: a) receiving an RF coordinate signal and a detecting signal; b) providing information of a located region with reference to the RF coordinate and the detecting signal; c) obtaining a motion sensor coordinate according to the information of the located region; d) providing weights for the RF coordinate and the motion sensor coordinate; e) applying the weights to the RF coordinate and the motion sensor coordinate; and f) combining the weighted RF coordinate and the weighted motion sensor coordinate to generate a fused coordinate corresponding to the position of the indoor object. A system for locating an indoor object is also disclosed.

Abstract: A hand-held device having positioning and photographing functions and geographical positioning methods thereof is provided. The hand-held device includes a photographing module, a positioning module, a database and a processor. The photographing module photographs environment of a shooting place to form a digital picture. The positioning module accesses a positioning data of the shooting place. The processor matches the positioning data of the shooting place with a geographical positioning condition when the digital picture is obtained, so as to get a target geographical area data corresponding to the shooting place, from all geographical area data. The target geographical area data is displayed on the digital picture corresponding to the shooting place and the geographical positioning condition is an area center data of every geographical area data or plural boundary pointers which include boundary coordinates of every geographical area data.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a method for positioning signal sources in a wireless network, e.g. in a WLAN or WiMAX network. The located signal source might be a end user, an interfering source or a base station. At least one monitoring station is placed in the network, which use directional antennas. By combining e.g. the direction of the used antenna beam, the received relative signal levels, propagation delay measurements and several different measurement locations for one or several monitoring stations, the location of the signal source can be determined accurately. The method can also track whether the end user is connected to the most optimal base station by transmitting test signals through base stations.

Abstract: A system and method for estimating the range between two devices performs two or more ranging estimates with subsequent estimates performed using a clock that is offset in phase with respect to a prior estimate. The subsequent estimate allows estimate uncertainties due to a finite clock resolution to be reduced and can yield a range estimate with a higher degree of confidence. In one embodiment, these additional ranging estimates are performed at n/N (for n=1, . . . N?1, with N>1 and a positive integer) clock-period offset introduced in the device. The clock-period offset can be implemented using a number of approaches, and the effect of clock drift in the devices due to relative clock-frequency offset can also be determined. To eliminate the bias due to clock-frequency offset, a system and method to estimate the clock-frequency offset is also presented.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus to locate a wireless device are described. A disclosed example method includes transmitting a request location message from a first wireless station to a second wireless station to determine a geographic location of a third wireless station, receiving a response location message at the first wireless station from the second wireless station identifying the geographic location of the third wireless station, wherein the second wireless station stores the geographic location of the third wireless station, determining a path from the first wireless station to a range of the third wireless station based on the received geographic location of the third wireless station, moving along a portion of the path with the first wireless station to the range of the third wireless station, and transmitting an association message from the first wireless station to the third wireless station to communicably couple the first wireless station to the third wireless station.

Abstract: A positioning method applied between a portable electronic apparatus, a wireless communication network and a server is provided. A positioning request signal is transmitted from the portable electronic apparatus to the server. The positioning request signal includes identity codes and signal intensities received from a plurality of base stations of the wireless communication network by the portable electronic apparatus at a predetermined position. The server compares and determines an estimated position data from a database according to the identity codes and the signal intensities from the plurality of base stations, and transmits the estimated positioning data to the portable electronic apparatus. The portable electronic apparatus considers the estimated position to determine a position data to complete positioning the predetermined position.

Abstract: An apparatus for location determination includes a location determination receiver configured to receive location determination signals, a location determination signal quality assessment component configured to assess a quality of received location determination signals, and a location determination processor responsive to an output of the location determination signal quality component. The apparatus determining a location of the location determination receiver based on the location determination signals that are received during time periods when the location determination signal meets or exceeds a location determination signal quality threshold. A method for location determination is also disclosed.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for calculating a current position of a portable terminal not supporting a function of obtaining position information, such as a Global Positioning System (GPS) function, by receiving position information from neighbor terminals of the portable terminal are disclosed. The apparatus includes a controller for calculating the current position of the portable terminal from received position information from neighbor terminals and processing the received position to determine the current position.

Abstract: A transmitted signal's higher order statistics of temporally dependent waveforms are exploited to geolocate low power signals. The geolocation is independent of the characteristics or encoded data of the transmitted waveform. The method uses spatial fourth order cumulants or spatial second order moments in a Blind Source Separation and generalized eigenvalue decomposition to determine unique matrix pencil eigenvalues and eigenvectors. The eigenvectors provide are orthogonal to the steering vector of the transmitted signal save one, which represents the steering vector. This property is used to determine Steering vectors, AoA or geolocation. The receiver includes a multi-element array and does not need a priori knowledge of the transmitted signal source to geolocate the target transmitter. The methods and apparatus for geolocation does not require typical demodulation.

Abstract: Methodologies for alerting a user to his or her location using terrestrial wireless signals are included. The methodologies include a method for alerting a user to his or her position relative to a predetermined location in response to a unique identifying signal from a terrestrial base station as well as a navigation method based upon one or more uniquely identifying signals from one or more terrestrial base stations positioned along a desired route. Also disclosed is a mobile terminal, for example, a mobile telephone, that is adapted to alert a user as to his or her location and aid in navigating the user through a selected route in response to the position of the mobile terminal relative to one or more terrestrial base stations.

Abstract: The unknown location of an electromagnetic transmitter is determined by receiving the radiation at plural sensors distributed over an area. Received power is determined at each sensor, and normalized by taking ratios of powers from the various sensors. A plurality of transmitter locations are hypothesized, and losses from each hypothesized location to each sensor are estimated or measured. The losses are normalized. The differences between the normalized powers and normalized losses are integrated, and the mean-square values determined. The location at which the mean-square value is minimum is deemed to be the location of the transmitter.

Abstract: A method, including: receiving, at an apparatus, first and second radio signals from a first location; discriminating the first and second radio signals, in order to estimate a bearing from the first location; and estimating, using the bearing and constraint information which is independent of the radio signals, a position of the apparatus.

Abstract: A positioning device includes: a device body; a direction change detecting section that detects whether a traveling direction of the device body has been changed based on a detection of an azimuth with respect to reference axes preset in the device body; and an absolute position acquiring section that acquires an absolute position of the device body at a timing based on a change of the moving direction of the device body as detected by the direction change detecting section.

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.

Abstract: A location estimation system in which the location of a target device is estimated from the known locations of a set of anchor devices and information obtained from wireless signals transmitted between the target device and the anchor devices. The estimation process makes use of parameters indicating propagation characteristics of the wireless signals. When the location of the target device has been estimated, new values are estimated for the parameters, based on the estimated location of the target device. The new parameter values are then used to estimate the location of the target device again. The location estimation and parameter estimation process is iterated until a predetermined condition is satisfied.

Abstract: A computer-based method for inferring a location of a mobile computing device comprises the steps of using the mobile computing device to receive data about one or more devices present in a first location at a first time, including those devices available for connection; assigning an identification code to each device present in the first location; storing said data and identification code for each device present in the first location in a database; receiving new data about each device present in a location at a subsequent time, including those devices available for connection to the mobile computing device; and inferring that the mobile computing device is at the first location by comparing the new data to the stored data and identification codes.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to achieve a position information detection system with high precision when an obstruction and a reflective object exist. A position information detection system includes a reader/writer whose position is known, a first RF chip whose position is known, and a second RF chip attached to an object to be detected; and calculates a distance between the reader/writer and the second RF chip from a first calculated distance between the reader/writer and the first RF chip, which is calculated from a signal intensity of a communication signal transmitted from the reader/writer, detected by the first RF chip, a second calculated distance between the second RF chip and the reader/writer, which is calculated from a signal intensity of a communication signal transmitted from the reader/writer, detected by the second RF chip, and a distance between the reader/writer and the first RF chip.

Abstract: A system and method are provided in which an element of a structure may be reliably identified. For example, a system may include a part selection element configured to interact with at least one positional marker having a predefined location. The part selection element is also configured to select at least a portion of a structure, with the structure being positioned at a predetermined location and orientation. The part selection element may also be configured to identify a depth within the structure. The system also includes a computing device configured to identify an element of the structure based upon the position and orientation of the part selection element and the portion of the structure selected by the part selection element. In instances in which a depth is identified, the computing device may also be configured to identify the element of the structure at the depth identified within the structure.

Abstract: A radio communication apparatus has a storage section for correlating and storing positional information and identification information of the base station, a receiving section for receiving radio signals transmitted from the base station and containing the identification information and a position estimating section for estimating position of the radio communication apparatus based on the positional information stored in the storage section.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and devices for determining the position of a user equipment in a mobile radio communications system. According to the invention, the position is determined via a distortion in a radio signal transmitted to or from the user equipment, wherein the distortion is caused by a scatterer being positioned at a particular location and having time-dependent scattering properties such that the scattering of a radio signal gives rise to a distortion by which said scattering properties may be identified.

Abstract: A platform for collecting activity data comprising a ranging network of ranging transceivers which discover each others presence, range each other and report ranging and other sensor data via a gateway and data path to a computer which may itself report the ranging data to a remotely located computer. One or the other of the computers is programmed to display a set of primitives each of which is an event recognizer. A user interface allows a user of the computer to compose said primitives into inference rules to analyze activity by applying said inference rules to said ranging data.

Abstract: A method of analyzing a path by defining a plurality of contiguous geographical regions, each to have a uniform value of a characteristic affecting travel through the region and evaluating the path from a point in an origin region through an intermediate region to a point in a destination region. Related methods and means of representing paths, and systems to implement the methods are also described and claimed.