Wireless network access point configuration

• US 20030234741A1
• Filed: 06/24/2002
• Published: 12/25/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Rogers, Christopher B., Wood, Stephen R.
• Granted Patent: US 6,956,527 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 342/463
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/016 between areas within a building
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0242 Determining the position of transmitters to be subsequently used in positioning G01S5/0289 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0289 of multiple transceivers, e.g. in ad hoc networks
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/06 Position of source determined by co-ordinating a plurality of position lines defined by path-difference measurements G01S5/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/10 Position of receiver fixed by co-ordinating a plurality of position lines defined by path-difference measurements , e.g. omega or decca systemsG01S5/12 takes precedence ; beacons and receivers cooperating therewith G01S1/306, G01S1/308
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

A wireless network having wireless network access devices may determine the location of newly added wireless network access devices.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving at a plurality of wireless network access point devices a wireless signal transmitted from a first wireless network access point device;

determining distances from the first wireless network access point device to each of the plurality of wireless network access point devices; and

solving for a location of the first wireless network access point device.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving a wireless signal transmitted from the first wireless network access point device comprises receiving electromagnetic pulses transmitted by the first wireless network access point device.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein determining distances comprises measuring a time-of-arrival of at least one electromagnetic pulse received from the first wireless network access point device.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein determining distances comprises measuring an angle-of-arrival of at least one electromagnetic pulse received from the first wireless network access point device.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein determining distances comprises a combination of measuring time-of-arrival and angle-of-arrival of at least one electromagnetic pulse received from the first wireless network access point device.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising storing the location in a memory in the first wireless network access point device.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising storing the location in a memory in a server coupled to the first wireless network access point device.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the location is relative to locations of the plurality of wireless network access point devices.

9. A method comprising:

receiving at a wireless network access point device wireless signals transmitted from a plurality of known locations;

determining distances between the plurality of known locations and the wireless network access point device; and

resolving a location of the wireless network access point device from the distances.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein receiving wireless signals comprises receiving electromagnetic pulses.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein determining distances comprises measuring a time-of-arrival of pulses received at the wireless network access point device.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein determining distances comprises measuring an angle-of-arrival of pulses received at the wireless network access point device.

13. The method of claim 9 further comprising repeating the listed actions for each of a plurality of wireless network access point devices.

14. The method of claim 9 further comprising moving a transmitter to the plurality of known locations to transmit the wireless signals.

15. The method of claim 9 wherein the plurality of known locations correspond to known locations in a building.

16. The method of claim 9 wherein the plurality of known locations correspond to known geographical locations.

17. The method of claim 9 wherein the plurality of known locations correspond to a plurality of other wireless network access point devices.

18. An article comprising a machine-accessible media having associated data, wherein the data, when accessed, results in a machine performing:

transmitting wireless signals to a location-aware network;

receiving information from the location-aware network describing a location of the machine; and

storing the information in a memory.

19. The article of claim 18 wherein transmitting wireless signals comprises transmitting electromagnetic pulses.

20. The article of claim 18 wherein receiving information comprises receiving coordinates that describe the location of the machine relative to a floorplan.

21. The article of claim 18 wherein receiving information comprises receiving coordinates that describe the location of the machine relative to a plurality of wireless network access point devices.

22. The article of claim 18 wherein receiving information from the location-aware network comprises receiving information on a link other than a wireless link.

23. A wireless network comprising:

a plurality of wireless network access point devices, each of the plurality of wireless network access point devices including circuitry to measure attributes of received signals; and

a server coupled to the plurality of wireless network access point devices, the server configured to receive the attributes and determine a location of at least one of the plurality of wireless network access point devices.

24. The wireless network of claim 23 wherein the server is configured to determine the location of the at least one wireless network access point device from attributes of wireless signals transmitted by the at least one wireless network access point device.

25. The wireless network of claim 23 wherein the server is configured to determine the location of the at least one wireless network access point device from attributes of wireless signals received by the at least one wireless network access point device.

26. The wireless network of claim 23 wherein the plurality of wireless network access point devices are configured to transmit and receive pulse-based wireless signals.

27. A network server comprising at least one port to couple the network server to a plurality of wireless network access point devices, the network server being configured to receive wireless signal attributes from the plurality of wireless network access point devices, to determine a location of one of the plurality of wireless network access point devices from the wireless signal attributes, and to send information describing the location to at least one of the plurality of network access point devices.

28. The network server of claim 27 wherein the network server is further configured to receive time-of-arrival information from the wireless network access point devices.

29. The network server of claim 28 wherein the network server is further configured to resolve the location using the time-of-arrival information.

30. The network server of claim 29 wherein the network server is configured to receive time-of-arrival information describing electromagnetic pulses received from at least three known locations.