Land Vehicle Location (e.g., Bus, Police Car Patents (Class 342/457)
  • Patent number: 9726495
    Abstract: A host application on a host computer system receives annotations made by drivers of respective navigation information displayed to the drivers by GPS devices in vehicles of the respective drivers. The host application saves the annotated navigation information for the respective drivers on a computer readable memory accessible by the host application. The host application receives a request from a first one of the drivers for annotated navigation information made by one or more of the other drivers. Responsive to the request, the host application selects one or more items of the saved annotated navigation information. The host application sends the selected one or more items of the saved annotated navigation information to the GPS device of the first one of the drivers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Sara H. Basson, Peter Gustav Fairweather, Dimitri Kanevsky, Edward Emile Kelley
  • Patent number: 9723588
    Abstract: A method for determining a location of a wireless transmitter includes: receiving, at data processing hardware, receiver signals from corresponding receivers located within an observation area; estimating, by the data processing hardware, the location of the rogue transmitter; and reporting the estimated location of the rogue transmitter to a remote system in communication with the data processing hardware. Estimating the location of a rogue transmitter includes, for each receiver, determining a transmitter location contour about the receiver based on the corresponding at least one receiver signal and one or more propagation path loss functions and identifying an intersection of the transmitter location contours of the receivers as the estimated location of the rogue transmitter. Each propagation path loss function is based on terrain information corresponding to the observation area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Carlos Urrutia, Guanghua Li, Jun Yin
  • Patent number: 9722682
    Abstract: The invention is directed to systems, methods and computer program products for determining an operational mode for a device in a network. An exemplary method comprises determining a device has a first antenna and a second antenna; determining a first number of multipath components and associated power levels for the first antenna; determining a second number of multipath components and associated power levels for the second antenna; and determining an operational mode for the device based on the first number of multipath components and its associated power levels for the first antenna and the second number of multipath components and its associated power levels for the second antenna.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignees: Sony Corporation, Sony Mobile Communications Inc.
    Inventor: Erik Bengtsson
  • Patent number: 9719850
    Abstract: A spatial light measuring system is disclosed, which is configured to store illuminance data acquired by measurement in a new state as initial data, to make the traveling vehicle run after acquiring the initial data, to save illuminance data acquired by the illuminance measuring instrument as daily management data, and to specify an illuminance measuring position and an image acquiring position based on the speed of the traveling vehicle and to use a correction coefficient due to a distance from the ground to an illuminance measuring instrument mounting position and a correction coefficient due to the speed of the traveling vehicle and is configured to correct daily management data into illuminance data on the ground based on both the correction coefficients and to judge the soundness of the illumination facility based on a comparison between the illuminance data as corrected, the initial data and based on the images as acquired.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: TOPCON Corporation
    Inventors: Hisashi Isozaki, Kazunori Sato
  • Patent number: 9712538
    Abstract: Secure networking processes, such as packet encapsulation and decapsulation, can be executed upstream of a user or guest operating system provisioned on a host machine, where the user has substantially full access to that machine. The processing can be performed on a device such as a network interface card (NIC), which can have a separate network port for communicating with mapping systems or other devices across a cloud or secure network. A virtual image of the NIC can be provided to the user such that the user can still utilize at least some of the NIC functionality. In some embodiments, the NIC can work with a standalone processor or control host in order to offload much of the processing to the control host. The NIC can further handle headers and payload separately where possible, in order to improve the efficiency of processing the various packets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Pradeep Vincent, Michael David Marr
  • Patent number: 9706517
    Abstract: A method of positioning a mobile station (MS) in a wireless communication system is provided. The method is performed by the MS. The method includes receiving information on a reference signal for positioning from a serving base station, measuring the reference signal, comparing a transmission polarization characteristic and reception polarization characteristic of the measured reference signal and determining whether a light of sight (LOS) link between a base station for transmitting the reference signal and the MS is present or not, when the information on the reference signal includes information on the transmission polarization characteristic of the reference signal, and transmitting information on whether the LOS link is present or not to the serving base station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Kijun Kim, Jonghyun Park
  • Patent number: 9689962
    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).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignees: Sony Corporation, Sony Mobile Communications Inc.
    Inventors: Fredrik Tufvesson, Anders J. Johansson, Johan Karedal
  • Patent number: 9660772
    Abstract: A method for detecting and processing signals may include receiving a weak radio frequency (RF) signal by an array of antennas. The method may also include digitally sampling the weak RF signal from each antenna of the array of antennas and storing the digital samples of the weak RF signal from each antenna. The method may additionally include detecting a presence of the weak RF signal. Detecting the presence of the weak RF signal may include determining a correlation between the weak RF signal received by each of the antennas of the array of antennas using the digital samples of the weak RF signal from each antenna.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Anthony P. Goodson, William Preston Geren
  • Patent number: 9646008
    Abstract: An apparatus and computer implemented method for modifying a state of a virtual item and a corresponding computer-readable medium are disclosed. A receiving device receives information relating to one or more virtual items from a server via a broadcast signal. The information is filtered according to one or more criteria to select a selected virtual item from among the one or more virtual items. The criteria include a physical world location of the receiving device. A state of the selected virtual item is modified from an initial state to a modified state and information relating the modified state back is sent back to the server.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc.
    Inventors: Payton R. White, Stephen C. Detwiler
  • Patent number: 9648055
    Abstract: A processing device executing an application that is logged in to a user account recognized by a registration service receives information identifying a device that has not been bound to any user account, wherein the application supports a plurality of registration techniques. The processing device identifies a registration technique supported by the device that is to be used for registration of the device. The processing device performs at least one of sending information associated with the registration technique to the device or receiving the information associated with the registration technique. The processing device sends the information associated with the registration technique to the registration service, and then receives a message from the registration service, wherein the message indicates that the information satisfied a criterion of the registration technique and comprises a notification that the device is bound to the user account.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Assignee: Ayla Networks, Inc.
    Inventors: Vishwesh Pai, Sudha Sundaresan, Adrian Caceres
  • Patent number: 9638785
    Abstract: Ground stations 20, 21 receive any signal transmitted by a geostationary artificial satellite 10, and store the reception signal together with the reception time thereof. A difference ?t in reception time of a same signal between the ground station 20 and the ground station 21 is calculated by performing correlation processing of the reception signal of the ground station 20 and the reception signal of the ground station 21. A distance R20 between the ground station 20 and the geostationary artificial satellite 10 is measured by a distance measurement device. A distance R21 between the ground station 21 and the geostationary artificial satellite 10 is calculated on the basis of the distance R20 obtained by measurement and the difference ?t in reception times, as obtained by correlation processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: SKY Perfect JSAT Corporation
    Inventors: Eiji Sato, Yasuhide Ichie, Hiroaki Nagai
  • Patent number: 9633253
    Abstract: An information processing system may include a memory storing instructions and one or more processors configured to execute the instructions to receive inputs of pictures imaged by a plurality of imaging apparatuses. The system may detect a moving body appearing in an inputted picture imaged by a first imaging apparatus among the plurality of imaging apparatuses. The system may predict a time period in which the moving body will appear in a picture imaged by a second imaging apparatus among the plurality of imaging apparatuses, based on a calculated probability that the moving body will appear in the picture imaged by the second imaging apparatus and an elapsed time after the moving body leaves an imaging range. The system may notify the predicted time period in which the moving body is predicted to appear in the picture imaged by the second imaging apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroyoshi Miyano
  • Patent number: 9596582
    Abstract: Network devices in an Ad-Hoc wireless network self-survey themselves as necessary for approximate location or precise position information, based on methods employed, particularly useful for a non-open-sky environment. A WiFi Access Point (AP) with or without an internal GPS receiver and location conveyance support may utilize the mesh technique. If an Ad-Hoc network device is unable to contact a suitable location server, or a position request has otherwise failed to deliver a precise position, a WiFi AP is manually configured with appropriate location information, and then offers itself as if it were a location server (thereby becoming an ‘internal’ server’, containing either the determined or provisioned location of itself, for use by other APs or devices). A location server (either internal to the AP needing location, or external), performs a ‘mesh’ location determination by selecting position information from 3 or more location determined APs for subsequent processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2017
    Assignee: Telecommunication Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Roger S. Marshall
  • Patent number: 9588218
    Abstract: A system and method to opportunistically capture and use measurements on a priori unknown radio signals, not intended for radio navigation or geolocation, to improve navigation/geolocation position estimation yield and accuracy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: Echo Ridge LLC
    Inventors: Joseph P. Kennedy, John Carlson
  • Patent number: 9584252
    Abstract: A managed access system for mobile wireless devices (MWDs) in a facility that is geographically within a wireless communications network includes a plurality of antennas arranged at the facility. Radio equipment is coupled to the antennas. A management access controller cooperates with the radio equipment to communicate with a given MWD within the facility, block outside communications via the wireless communications network when the given MWD is an unauthorized MWD, and provide outside communications when the given MWD is an authorized MWD. The management access controller cooperates with at least one MWD geolocation device to locate the given MWD within the facility.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: HARRIS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Eric J. Salyers, Shawn H. Gallagher
  • Patent number: 9572009
    Abstract: A network-centric device discovery solution that leverages area event location services. A proximity server (PS) performing device discovery for a discoverer mobile initiates an area event, via a location server, for each device subscribed to the same proximity service group as the discoverer mobile and camped on the same zone as the discoverer mobile. The area event notifies the PS each time such device moves into an area of an E-CGI and/or WiFI access point where the discoverer mobile attaches. If the PS receives an area event notification for the device camped on the same zone as the discoverer mobile, the PS requests location information for the device and uses returned location information to determine if the device is within a predefined proximity of the discoverer mobile. If the device is within a predefined proximity of the discoverer mobile, the PS sends a proximity alert message to the discoverer mobile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: Telecommunication Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Yinjun Zhu
  • Patent number: 9558652
    Abstract: In one example embodiment, an apparatus includes a reader configured to read motion information, received from an end device, regarding a motion that was enacted by a user relative to the end device; a request generator configured to generate a service request that includes an identifier of the apparatus and the read motion information; a transmitter configured to transmit, to a service provider, the service request; and a receiver configured to receive, from the service provider, an expression of a service that is associated with the identifier of the apparatus and the read motion information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: KT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Moon-Soon Kang, Jang-hyuk Park
  • Patent number: 9553358
    Abstract: Antenna assemblies, which may be used in meter reading systems, are provided. One example of antenna assembly includes a first antenna vertically configured to be mounted on a top surface of a vehicle and a second antenna vertically configured to be mounted on the top surface of the vehicle. The antenna assembly also includes a receiver configured to communicate with a plurality of wireless utility meters via the first and second antennas. The first and second antennas are aligned with a direction of travel of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2017
    Assignee: Mueller International, LLC
    Inventor: Edward C. Parish
  • Patent number: 9536007
    Abstract: A method provides for real-time asset location tracking. An asset in a wide area network, be it a utilities network or a communication network, registers itself with a network management center. The registration process includes identification of a physical location of the asset usable for mapping and tracking the asset.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC
    Inventors: Charles C. Cheng, Xinguo Wei
  • Patent number: 9535152
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Mayor, Matthew Scott Klahn, Longda Xing, Jinghua Ling, Jason Shi, Arun G. Mathias
  • Patent number: 9529074
    Abstract: A ranging method, executed in a ranging device, comprising steps of: obtaining a trip time of a received wireless signal, wherein the received wireless signal is a wireless signal from an object; calculating a statistical value of a rising time of the received wireless signal; correcting the trip time according to the statistical value of the rising time; and estimating a distance between the object and the ranging device according to the corrected trip time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Assignee: DIZIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Daniel Mastio, Zbigniew Ianelli
  • Patent number: 9523762
    Abstract: It is disclosed an apparatus, a method and a computer program for determining a position of a terminal. It is checked if an intersection of all areas of a set of areas that are associated with one or more communication nodes and represent and/or limit possible positions of a terminal is potentially non-empty. Each of the areas is associable with a respective bounding box. The intersection is defined to be potentially non-empty if an intersection of all of the bounding boxes would be non-empty. A position of the terminal is determined in dependence on a result of the checking if the intersection of all areas of the set of areas is potentially non-empty.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy
    Inventors: Lauri Aarne Johannes Wirola, Tommi Antero Laine, Matti Samuli Raitoharju, Niilo Torsten Sirola
  • Patent number: 9515983
    Abstract: An apparatus performs a method for managing mobility of a terminal by a Base Station (BS) in a wireless communication system. The method includes receiving information on whether a time for which a terminal had been located at a cell managed by a first BS before the terminal has moved to a cell managed by the BS is equal to or longer than a predetermined threshold. The method also includes controlling data transmission/reception of the terminal by using one of an address allocated to the terminal by the BS or an address allocated to the terminal by a home server according to whether the time for which the terminal had been located at the cell managed by the first BS is equal to or longer than the predetermined threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2016
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ki-Suk Kweon, Jung-Shin Park, Yeong-Moon Son, Antony Franklin
  • Patent number: 9513362
    Abstract: A method for enhancing positioning measurement and a communications apparatus are disclosed. The method includes receiving an observed mobility difference of arrival (OTDOA) request and a search list of cells provided by a network at a second time point, comparing the received search list to a stored search list of cells which is received from the network at a first time point and stored in a database, searching at least one of the cells from the received search list by using different search ranges adjusted according to the comparison result, and storing the at least one of the cells in the database, and performing OTDOA measurements from the at least one of the cells. The corresponding communications apparatus includes a receiving module, a comparing module, a searching module, and a measuring module, configured to carry out the above-identified operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2016
    Assignee: MEDIATEK INC.
    Inventors: Tsung-Yu Chiou, Yuan-Wen Ting
  • Patent number: 9503332
    Abstract: A method comprising storing identification information in a memory medium of a portable computing device, communicating with a network access point to gain access to a network, sending the identification information from the portable computing device to the network access point, and receiving at the portable computing device access to the network through the network access point based on the identification information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2016
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Brett B. Stewart, James Thompson, Kathleen E. McClelland
  • Patent number: 9467966
    Abstract: Techniques are provided that provide for or otherwise support positioning and related services for mobile devices via wireless signals. In an example, a mobile device in a communication network may acquire a first downlink signal from a first node in the communication network and a second downlink signal from a second node in the communication network. The first node may also be configured to transmit a data service signal and/or a voice service signal via the first downlink signal. However, the second node, by design, is not configured to transmit either a voice service signal or a data service signal via the second downlink signal. An estimated location of the mobile device may subsequently be determined, for example, based, at least in part, on the first and second terrestrial positioning signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2016
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Kirk Burroughs, Ie-Hong Lin
  • Patent number: 9455762
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a system and method for positioning and navigation using hybrid spectral compression and cross correlation signal processing of signals of opportunity, which may include Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) as well as other wideband energy emissions in GNSS obstructed environments. Examples of these signals of opportunity include but are not limited to GPS, GLONASS, cellular Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) communications signals, and 802.11 Wi-Fi. Combining spectral compression with spread spectrum cross correlation enables extraction of code and carrier observables without the need to implement the tracking loops (e.g. Costas tracking loop) commonly used in conventional GNSS receivers. For applications where dynamics and transmission medium may make it difficult to continuously track carrier phase, the hybrid approach of the present invention has significant utility.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: Telecommunication Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael B. Mathews, Peter F. MacDoran
  • Patent number: 9443243
    Abstract: Location-based services are provided in a communication system comprising at least a portion of at least one wireless network. In one aspect of the invention, mobile user devices that are located within a common geographic area are identified, and location-based service information is delivered to the identified mobile user devices over a broadcast channel shared by those mobile user devices. A response to the location-based service information maybe received from at least a given one of the mobile user devices, and at least one message maybe controllably delivered to the given one of the mobile user devices based on the response to the location-based service information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: IDPA Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Karl Georg Hampel, William Michael MacDonald, Viswanath Poosala
  • Patent number: 9435106
    Abstract: In a display system in an excavator, a position of an upper boundary line and a position of a lower boundary line are calculated. The upper boundary line indicates a height of a top of a cross section of a display object surface. The lower boundary line indicates a height of a bottom of the cross section of the display object surface. When the current position of the excavator is between the upper boundary line and the lower boundary line, a predetermined reference point of a display range is set to a predetermined position between the upper and lower boundary lines. When the current position of the excavator is above the upper boundary line, the reference point is set above the predetermined position. When the current position of the excavator is below the lower boundary line, the reference point is set below the predetermined position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2016
    Assignee: KOMATSU LTD.
    Inventors: Ryo Fukano, Azumi Nomura, Takashi Kurihara, Etsuo Fujita, Masao Ando, Toshihiro Koide
  • Patent number: 9439164
    Abstract: The claimed technology provides a new method and process for locating and sharing information regarding the location of checked-in luggage while traveling. As part of the claimed technology, a GSM device is placed into luggage to be checked in by the traveler at the airline counter. A mobile device such as a phone or tablet lets the traveler know that their luggage has arrived in sync with the air flight. If the luggage has not arrived, the claimed technology notifies both traveler and airline of the airport location of the luggage, and proactively triggers the airline to coordinate with the passenger for delivery of the luggage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2016
    Inventors: Robert John Stewart, Charbel Abi Antoun, William Naim, Rabih Aridi, Harry Steck, Joseph LaMance Morgan
  • Patent number: 9419650
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer program products for flexible event data content management for relevant event and alert analysis within a distributed processing system are provided. Embodiments include capturing, by an interface connector, an event from a resource of the distributed processing system; inserting, by the interface connector, the event into an event database; receiving from the interface connector, by a notifier, a notification of insertion of the event into the event database; based on the received notification, tracking, by the notifier, the number of events indicated as inserted into the event database; receiving from the notifier, by a monitor, a cumulative notification indicating the number of events that have been inserted into the event database; in response to receiving the cumulative notification, retrieving, by the monitor, from the event database, events inserted into the event database; and processing, by the monitor, the retrieved events.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2016
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: James E. Carey, Matthew W. Markland, Philip J. Sanders
  • Patent number: 9404995
    Abstract: Apparatus is provided for: storing a four-dimensional matrix of fixed point calibration data; rearranging the four-dimensional matrix of fixed point calibration data into a one-dimensional sequence; calculating a differential sequence of the one-dimensional sequence; saving the differential sequence and a first element of the one-dimensional sequence into a binary file; and compressing the binary file using a DEFLATE algorithm. Apparatus is provided for corresponding decompression also.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2016
    Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy
    Inventor: Xianjun Jiao
  • Patent number: 9408034
    Abstract: A network-centric device discovery solution that leverages area event location services. A proximity server (PS) performing device discovery for a discoverer mobile initiates an area event, via a location server, for each device subscribed to the same proximity service group as the discoverer mobile and camped on the same zone as the discoverer mobile. The area event notifies the PS each time such device moves into an area of an E-CGI and/or WiFI access point where the discoverer mobile attaches. If the PS receives an area event notification for the device camped on the same zone as the discoverer mobile, the PS requests location information for the device and uses returned location information to determine if the device is within a predefined proximity of the discoverer mobile. If the device is within a predefined proximity of the discoverer mobile, the PS sends a proximity alert message to the discoverer mobile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2016
    Assignee: Telecommunication Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Yinjun Zhu
  • Patent number: 9405292
    Abstract: A traveling controller of a delivery vehicle includes a command generator and an acceptable value calculator. The acceptable value calculator calculates a command acceptable value based on a current position of the delivery vehicle. An acceptable value determiner of the command generator determines whether a command position generated by a command position generator exceeds the command acceptable value. When the command position is determined to exceed the command acceptable value, a command position changer of the command generator changes the command position to the command acceptable value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2016
    Assignee: MURATA MACHINERY, LTD.
    Inventor: Atsuo Nagasawa
  • Patent number: 9392409
    Abstract: A method and system for proximity detection, recognition and classification of a wireless local area network (WLAN) enabled device without a WLAN infrastructure. The proximity recognition system monitors WLAN communications at one or more known locations. The proximity of a WLAN device (transmitter) is sensed by examining signal strength received therefrom as the device engages in a sequence of protocol data unit exchanges seeking WLAN association.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2016
    Assignee: Locality Systems Inc.
    Inventors: Kirk Arnold Moir, James Francis Hallett
  • Patent number: 9389304
    Abstract: A wireless device performs a transmission on a primary and auxiliary access channels to enable reception by at least three base stations. The base stations perform a measurement on the received transmission, e.g., a time of arrival of the transmission. The base stations report their measurements to a position determination entity. The position determination entity estimates geographic position of the wireless device. One method used by the position determination entity includes tri-lateralization based on the received measurement reports.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2016
    Assignees: ZTE Corporation, ZTE (USA) Inc.
    Inventors: Yonggang Fang, YuanFang Yu, Ting Lu, Xiaowu Zhao
  • Patent number: 9381983
    Abstract: This document provides a method of determining an absolute position of a diver, comprising: providing a dive leader unit having a GPS receiver and an underwater acoustic modem configured to retransmit GPS coordinates of the dive leader unit under water, providing the diver with a monitoring unit comprising several microphones so that it is possible to detect a direction of the dive leader unit, pairing the monitoring unit to the dive leader unit to form a communication network so as to identify differences between system clocks of the dive leader unit and the monitoring unit and make it possible to calculate a distance from the dive leader unit to the monitoring unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2016
    Assignee: AQWARY AB
    Inventor: Anders Brodin
  • Patent number: 9361783
    Abstract: Disclosed is a locator device that identifies a location of a person wearing or carrying the device, while providing a user with imbedded electronic feature to store personally identifiable information. The locator device takes the form of an article of jewelry or a retractable keychain, which may be provided in various ornamental designs having a housing member. Within the housing member of the device may include a GPS transceiver chip and an identifying integrated circuit that stores personally identifiable information. The housing member further includes an internal battery that provides electrical power when the device is utilized. The purpose of the device is to provide an aesthetically pleasing accessory while providing a discrete locator device that includes identifiable information of the person wearing or carrying the same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Inventor: Darcia Harvey
  • Patent number: 9344848
    Abstract: Methods, devices and systems for generating enhanced location information on or about a mobile device may include hybrid lateration and/or trilateration solutions in which the mobile device determines whether information obtained via a geospatial system of the mobile device is accurate, collects location information from a plurality of mobile devices in a communication group in response to determining that the information obtained via the geospatial system of the mobile device is not accurate, computes computing more precise location information (including three-dimensional location and position information) based on the location information collected from the plurality of mobile devices, and using the generated location and position information to provide an enhanced location based service, such as an emergency location service, a commercial location service, an internal location service and/or a lawful intercept location service.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: RIVADA RESEARCH, LLC
    Inventor: Clint Smith
  • Patent number: 9332120
    Abstract: A call processing system for processing calls in a communications network comprising an interface configured to receive a message to register a device with a communications network, wherein the message indicates a device code associated with the device and a processing system configured to process the message to determine a directory code associated with the device based on the device code, process the directory code to determine an override dialing rule based on the directory code, and apply the override dialing rule to calls placed from the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventors: Larry H. Piercy, Trey A. Hilyard
  • Patent number: 9325533
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed herein to provide improved channel estimation in a wireless data communication system, including but not limited to Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) and Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) communication systems. In accordance with one or more embodiments and aspects thereof, a channel estimation system is disclosed that regenerates a representation of the original transmitted signal from the received digital bitstream and selectively applies it to refine and improve channel estimation and signal equalization calculations using the data symbols contained within received frames. Such a system may offer improved capabilities such as more accurate signal reception, reduced bit error ratio, and improved Multi-User MIMO (MU-MIMO) reception.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2016
    Assignee: IXIA
    Inventors: David Jennings Wicker, Jr., Thomas Alexander
  • Patent number: 9319519
    Abstract: A method and system for precise position determination of general Internet Protocol (IP) network-connected devices. A method enables use of remote intelligence located at strategic network points to distribute relevant assistance data to IP devices with embedded receivers. Assistance is tailored to provide physical timing, frequency and real time signal status data using general broadband communication protocols. Relevant assistance data enables several complementary forms of signal processing gain critical to acquire and measure weakened or distorted in-building Global Navigation Satellite Services (GNSS) signals and to ultimately extract corresponding pseudo-range time components. A method to assemble sets of GNSS measurements that are observed over long periods of time while using standard satellite navigation methods, and once compiled, convert using standard methods each pseudo-range into usable path distances used to calculate a precise geographic position to a known degree of accuracy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2016
    Assignee: iPosi, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard M. Lee, Richard Keegan
  • Patent number: 9313764
    Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus for estimating the location of a remote node. The apparatus comprises an antenna array comprising a plurality of elements in a fixed spatial arrangement, at least one element being a transmitting element configured to transmit a first wireless signal to the remote node, and at least two elements being receiving elements configured to receive a second wireless signal transmitted by the remote node in response to the first wireless signal. The apparatus further comprises a signal processing unit connected to the antenna array, the signal processing unit being configured to: estimate a plurality of round trip distances using the wireless signals, each round trip distance being from a transmitting element to the remote node and back to a receiving element; and estimate the location of the remote node using the round trip distance estimates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2016
    Assignee: Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation
    Inventors: Mark Hedley, Yingjie Jay Guo, Xiaojing Huang
  • Patent number: 9307465
    Abstract: A femto cell is located within a macro cell of a wireless communication system. A method of identifying the femto cell comprises: determining at least one timing difference, the at least one timing difference being observed for communications between a wireless communication unit and each of a femto cell and at least one macro cell; and comparing the at least one observed timing difference to reference timing difference data. The identity of the femto cell may allow the location of the femto cell to be set as a geographical location for a wireless communication device that is within the footprint of the femto cell. The identity of the femto cell may allow hand in of an ongoing call, from the macro cell to the femto cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: Viavi Solutions UK Limited
    Inventor: Michael Joseph Flanagan
  • Patent number: 9300368
    Abstract: Information may be communicated between two or more wireless devices via adaptive or steered antennas or antenna systems and 60 GHz signals. The adaptive or steered antennas or antenna systems may be initialized based upon location information determined from a beacon signal and/or a reference system. The beacon signal may be swept through an angle and may be utilized along with reference system information to determine the direction and/or distance between the two or more wireless devices. Spatial relationships between the two or more wireless devices may vary. The two or more wireless devices may communicate and coordinate communications between them via alternate lower frequency signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Christopher J. Hansen, Jeyhan Karaoguz
  • Patent number: 9292978
    Abstract: System and method for reducing data transfer rates when a quality of the cellular or satellite link (i.e., a long range wireless data link) is poor. Such a concept is particularly well suited to embodiments where the vehicle data being logged or collected includes position data, because consumers of vehicle data that includes position data often desire to have such data exported from the vehicle on frequent basis, so that the physical location of fleet vehicles can be tracked in real-time. In one embodiment, before transmitting data a current location of the vehicle is checked against known bad locations, and no data is sent when the current location is known to be bad. In another embodiment, if successful data transmission is not confirmed during a first time period, additional transmission attempts are delayed for a second time period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: ZONAR SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventor: Bryan Hunt
  • Patent number: 9285450
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are embodiments of a balloon-based positioning system and method. In one example embodiment, a system includes at least three balloons, with each balloon including a position-determining module (PDM) and a position-broadcasting module (PBM). Each PDM is configured for determining a position of the respective balloon and each PBM is configured for broadcasting a balloon signal containing balloon-positioning data of the respective balloon. The balloon-positioning data includes the determined position of the respective balloon and a corresponding time of broadcast.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Richard Wayne DeVaul, Waleed Kadous, Eric Teller, Cliff Biffle, Edward Allen Keyes
  • Patent number: 9280778
    Abstract: Techniques for performing location logging and location and time based filtering are described. In one design of location logging, a terminal periodically determines its location, e.g., during its paging slots. The terminal determines whether there is a change in its location and stores its location if a change in location is detected. In one design of location and time based filtering, the terminal obtains a location and time criterion with a target area and a time period. The terminal determines its location during the time period, e.g., based on the location log. The terminal evaluates the location and time criterion based on the target area and its location during the time period, e.g., based on at least one sector ID for the target area and one or more sector IDs for its location. The terminal determines whether to download and/or present broadcast information based on the result of the evaluation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2016
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Donald William Gillies, Charles N. Lo, Stephen W. Edge
  • Patent number: 9274206
    Abstract: A wireless device includes a receiver that receives a first radio signal transmitted from a first communication device and a second radio signal transmitted from a second communication device, and a processor that detects a first arrival direction which is a direction opposite to a propagation direction of the received first radio signal and a second arrival direction which is a direction opposite to a propagation direction of the received second radio signal and generates a first signal for guiding the wireless device so as to be located on a straight line that extends in a propagation direction of the second radio signal received by the first communication device based on the detected first and second arrival directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: FUJITSU LIMITED
    Inventor: Atsushi Honda
  • Patent number: 9277351
    Abstract: The exemplary embodiments provide a computer implemented method, apparatus, and computer usable program code for managing location-based services provided via a wireless access point. A signal is received from a client device by at least one wireless access point. A distance the signal has traveled to the at least one wireless access point is determined. A determination as to whether the client device is within an allowed range of the at least one wireless access point is made based on the determined distance. Responsive to a determination that the client device is within an allowed range, a location of the client device is determined. Location-based service information is sent to the client device based on the determined location of the client device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Christopher Kent Karstens, Michael Lee Massimi