Locating devices based on antenna coordinates
First Claim
1. A method of locating electronic devices in a physical space, the method comprising:
- generating multiple antenna coordinates based on receipt of wireless packets by a system that includes multiple antenna units, each antenna coordinate based on timing information from the antenna units and representing a region in a multi-dimensional antenna coordinate system whose dimensions are denominated in non-spatial units;
storing entries for antenna coordinates in a data store, each entry associating a respective antenna coordinate with information about that antenna coordinate, the information including, for one or more of the entries, a Cartesian coordinate that maps to the respective antenna coordinate, the Cartesian coordinate belonging to a Cartesian coordinate system whose dimensions are denominated in non-spatial units; and
in response to the antenna units receiving a new wireless packet, (i) generating a current antenna coordinate for the new wireless packet, (ii) accessing a matching entry in the data store by applying the current antenna coordinate as a set of lookup indices into the data store, the matching entry storing information about the current antenna coordinate, and (iii) providing a Cartesian coordinate stored in the matching entry as a source location of the new wireless packet,the method thereby identifying Cartesian coordinates of sources of wireless packets based on matching of antenna coordinates.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A technique for locating devices detects wireless packets using multiple antenna units and generates antenna coordinates in an antenna coordinate system on a per-packet basis. Information about antenna coordinates are stored in entries of a data store. Packets originating from different locations produce different antenna coordinates, enabling antenna coordinates to differentiate regions in physical space. Although antenna coordinates do not directly describe physical locations, they are stable over time given a stable environment and thus allow determination as to whether a location has been visited before. Entries in the data store may store Cartesian (physical) coordinates associated with respective antenna coordinates, enabling real-time tracking of physical device locations by lookups into the data store based on antenna coordinates.
21 Citations
28 Claims
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1. A method of locating electronic devices in a physical space, the method comprising:
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generating multiple antenna coordinates based on receipt of wireless packets by a system that includes multiple antenna units, each antenna coordinate based on timing information from the antenna units and representing a region in a multi-dimensional antenna coordinate system whose dimensions are denominated in non-spatial units; storing entries for antenna coordinates in a data store, each entry associating a respective antenna coordinate with information about that antenna coordinate, the information including, for one or more of the entries, a Cartesian coordinate that maps to the respective antenna coordinate, the Cartesian coordinate belonging to a Cartesian coordinate system whose dimensions are denominated in non-spatial units; and in response to the antenna units receiving a new wireless packet, (i) generating a current antenna coordinate for the new wireless packet, (ii) accessing a matching entry in the data store by applying the current antenna coordinate as a set of lookup indices into the data store, the matching entry storing information about the current antenna coordinate, and (iii) providing a Cartesian coordinate stored in the matching entry as a source location of the new wireless packet, the method thereby identifying Cartesian coordinates of sources of wireless packets based on matching of antenna coordinates. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. An electronic system for locating electronic devices in a physical space, the electronic system comprising a base station coupled to multiple WAPs (wireless access points), each WAP including multiple antennas, the base station including control circuitry constructed and arranged to:
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generate multiple antenna coordinates based on receipt of wireless packets, each antenna coordinate (i) generated based on timing information from measurements made by no greater than three WAPs and (ii) representing a region in a multi-dimensional antenna coordinate system whose dimensions are denominated in non-spatial units; store entries for antenna coordinates in a data store, each entry associating a respective antenna coordinate with information about that antenna coordinate, the information including, for one or more of the entries, a Cartesian coordinate that maps to the respective antenna coordinate, the Cartesian coordinate belonging to a Cartesian coordinate system whose dimensions are denominated in non-spatial units; and in response to a new wireless packet, (i) generate a current antenna coordinate for the new wireless packet, (ii) access a matching entry in the data store by applying the current antenna coordinate as a set of lookup indices into the data store, the matching entry storing information about the current antenna coordinate, and (iii) provide a Cartesian coordinate stored in the matching entry as a source location of the new wireless packet.
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28. A computer program product including a set of non-transitory, computer-readable media that store instructions which, when executed by control circuitry of an electronic system, cause the electronic system to perform a method of locating electronic devices in a physical space, the method comprising:
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generating multiple antenna coordinates based on receipt of wireless packets by a system that includes multiple antenna units, each antenna coordinate based on timing information from the antenna units and representing a region in a multi-dimensional antenna coordinate system whose dimensions are denominated in non-spatial units; storing entries for antenna coordinates in a data store, each entry associating a respective antenna coordinate with information about that antenna coordinate, the information including, for one or more of the entries, a Cartesian coordinate that maps to the respective antenna coordinate, the Cartesian coordinate belonging to a Cartesian coordinate system whose dimensions are denominated in spatial units; and in response to the antenna units receiving a new wireless packet, (i) generating a current antenna coordinate for the new wireless packet, (ii) accessing a matching entry in the data store by applying the current antenna coordinate as a set of lookup indices into the data store, the matching entry storing information about the current antenna coordinate, and (iii) providing a Cartesian coordinate stored in the matching entry as a source location of the new wireless packet, the method thereby identifying Cartesian coordinates of sources of wireless packets based on matching of antenna coordinates.
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Specification