Method and system for determining relative positions of networked mobile communication devices
First Claim
1. A method for determining relative positions in three dimensions of at least four mobile communications devices of a wirelessly networked group, the method comprising:
- providing each of the mobiles of the group with a transceiver for wirelessly communicating with the transceivers of the other respective mobiles of the group;
measuring ranges between each of the mobiles of the group and each of the other mobiles of the group respectively, wherein the measuring is based on propagation time data obtained from wireless communications between the respective mobiles of the group; and
constructing, based on the ranges, first and second virtual constellations representative of estimated actual locations of each of the mobiles of the group, wherein the first constellation is a mirror image of the second constellation.
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Abstract
Relative positions of a plurality of mobiles communication devices, which form a wirelessly networked group of mobiles, are determined at each of the mobiles of the group without the need for external positioning information obtained from a location remote from the actual locations of the mobiles of the group. The relative positions are determined at the mobiles of the group based on mobile-to-mobile range measurements, distance and direction of movement measurements and altitude measurements made at the respective mobiles.
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Citations
37 Claims
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1. A method for determining relative positions in three dimensions of at least four mobile communications devices of a wirelessly networked group, the method comprising:
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providing each of the mobiles of the group with a transceiver for wirelessly communicating with the transceivers of the other respective mobiles of the group;
measuring ranges between each of the mobiles of the group and each of the other mobiles of the group respectively, wherein the measuring is based on propagation time data obtained from wireless communications between the respective mobiles of the group; and
constructing, based on the ranges, first and second virtual constellations representative of estimated actual locations of each of the mobiles of the group, wherein the first constellation is a mirror image of the second constellation. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A mobile communications device for determining relative positions of a group of at least four wirelessly networked mobile communications devices comprising:
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a ranging transceiver module and a data transceiver module for wirelessly communicating with a ranging transceiver module and a data transceiver module contained in each of the other respective mobiles of the group, wherein the ranging transceiver module measures ranges to each of the other mobiles of the group, wherein the measuring is based on propagation time data obtained from wireless communications with each of the other respective mobiles of the group; and
a position processing module for constructing, based on the measured ranges and mobile-to-mobile ranges generated at each of the other mobiles of the group and received at the data transceiver module, first and second virtual constellations representative of estimated actual locations of each of the mobiles of the group, wherein the first constellation is a mirror image of the second constellation. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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Specification