Multi-RAT node used for search and rescue

• US 10,212,535 B2
• Filed: 08/07/2014
• Issued: 02/19/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Parallel Wireless, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Parallel Wireless, Inc.
• Inventors: Mishra, Rajesh Kumar, Papa, Steven Paul, Donepudi, Sridhar, Agarwal, Kaitki
• Primary Examiner(s): Neff, Michael R
• Application Number:
  US14/454,670
• Publication Number:
  US 20150045063A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,657 Days
• Field of Search: 4554562
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/06 at the transmitting station
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/28 using beam steering
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/50 for emergency connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

Systems and methods are presented for using a mobile multi-radio access technology (multi-RAT) device for locating an individual, for example, in a search-and-rescue application. The multi-RAT device may permit the individual'"'"'s cell phone to attach to the mobile multi-RAT device, and then may use a directional antenna to locate the individual. Various embodiments of such a device are described.

Claims

1. A system for facilitating search and rescue operations, comprising:

a first multi-radio access technology (RAT) base station for connecting with and providing network access to a mobile device, the first multi-RAT base station further comprising a timing source producing a timing signal;

a first directional antenna coupled to the first multi-RAT base station;

a processor configured to compute a location of the mobile device based on a response received from the mobile device at the first directional antenna and based on a direction and a beamwidth of the first directional antenna at a time the response is received, and to perform a triangulation operation to compute the location of the mobile device based on the timing signal;

a mini-evolved packet core (EPC) for collecting a user identifier of the mobile device and for authenticating the mobile device with the user identifier at the first multi-RAT base station; and

a second multi-RAT base station connected to the operator network for providing a backhaul connection to the first multi-RAT base station via a mesh network connection with the first multi-RAT base station,

wherein the first multi-RAT base station is configured to use the first directional antenna to scan a designated area for mobile devices and to thereby identify locations of a plurality of mobile devices within the designated area, and

wherein the second multi-RAT base station is configured to obtain the timing signal from the first multi-RAT base station.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first multi-RAT base station is mobile and is positioned based on a last known position of an individual.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the first directional antenna is configured to perform beamforming.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the first and the second multi-RAT base station are reconfigurable to operate on multiple operator networks.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the first multi-RAT base station is configured to solicit a global positioning system (GPS) location from the mobile device once the response is received from the mobile device.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the first multi-RAT base station is configured to send a pre-recorded message to the mobile device once the response is received from the mobile device.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein one of the first and the second multi-RAT base station performs measurement of signal strength of a plurality of radio networks at a particular location using at least two radio access technologies.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the timing source is one of a global positioning system (GPS) or an IEEE 1588 timing source.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to perform a triangulation operation based on a plurality of timing signals from a plurality of multi-RAT nodes.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the first multi-RAT base station is configured to provide access to communications services to rescuers on a search-and-rescue communications band.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the first multi-RAT base station is configured to focus transmit power in the direction of the first directional antenna.

4. A system for facilitating search and rescue operations, comprising:

a first multi-radio access technology (RAT) base station for connecting with and providing network access to a mobile device, the first multi-RAT base station further comprising a timing source producing a timing signal and a television white space (TVWS) radio access module;

a first directional antenna coupled to the first multi-RAT base station;

a processor configured to compute a location of the mobile device based on a response received from the mobile device at the first directional antenna and based on a direction and a beamwidth of the first directional antenna at a time the response is received, and to perform a triangulation operation to compute the location of the mobile device based on the timing signal;

a mini-evolved packet core (EPC) for collecting a user identifier of the mobile device and for authenticating the mobile device with the user identifier at the first multi-RAT base station; and

a second multi-RAT base station connected to the operator network for providing a backhaul connection to the first multi-RAT base station via a mesh network connection with the first multi-RAT base station,

wherein the first multi-RAT base station is configured to use the first directional antenna to scan a designated area for mobile devices and to thereby identify locations of a plurality of mobile devices within the designated area.

9. A system for facilitating search and rescue operations, comprising:

a first multi-radio access technology (RAT) base station for connecting with and providing network access to a mobile device, the first multi-RAT base station further comprising a timing source producing a timing signal;

a first directional antenna coupled to the first multi-RAT base station;

a processor configured to compute a location of the mobile device based on a response received from the mobile device at the first directional antenna and based on a direction and a beamwidth of the first directional antenna at a time the response is received, and to perform a triangulation operation to compute the location of the mobile device based on the timing signal;

a mini-evolved packet core (EPC) for collecting a user identifier of the mobile device and for authenticating the mobile device with the user identifier at the first multi-RAT base station;

a second multi-RAT base station connected to the operator network for providing a backhaul connection to the first multi-RAT base station via a mesh network connection with the first multi-RAT base station; and

a third multi-RAT base station,

wherein the first multi-RAT base station is configured to use the first directional antenna to scan a designated area for mobile devices and to thereby identify locations of a plurality of mobile devices within the designated area, and

wherein the second and third multi-RAT bas stations are configured to differentially synchronize a second and a third timing signal with the first multi-RAT base station.