System and method for analyzing the precision of geo-location services in a wireless network terminal

• US 20040179667A1
• Filed: 03/12/2004
• Published: 09/16/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ARRIS Enterprises LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: MeshNetworks, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Belcea, John M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,171,220 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/207.12
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/04 for emergency applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/14 with services dependent on location
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/30 Determination of the location of a subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/2263 Network management

Abstract

A system and method for presenting an interactive visual feedback, based upon input parameters, indicating quality levels in terminal location detection in a network at selectable points on a map. The system and method includes an application in which a user provides information regarding network terminals, terminal locations, and map parameters. In response, the application then provides a visual indication of expected accuracy in geo-location calculations for terminals at specific points in a network map.

Claims

1. A method for determining desired physical locations of reference points for use in identifying geographic locations of mobile terminals in a wireless network, the method comprising:

inputting information pertaining to a plurality of reference terminals in the wireless network, the information including respective location information for each of the reference terminals; and

generating, based on the input information, a visual display illustrating the locations of the reference terminals, along with a visual indication representing expected accuracy in geo-location calculations for determining respective geographic locations of the mobile terminals in the network.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the input information includes map parameters; and

the generating step generates the visual display which includes a map display that is generated based on the map parameters with the respective locations of the reference terminals and the visual indication of expected accuracy being included on the map display.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the information includes respective longitude, latitude and altitude information of each of the respective reference terminals; and

the visual display of the locations of the reference terminals is generated based on the longitude, latitude and altitude information.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the information includes signal propagation information indicating respective maximum distances at which signals emitted from the respective reference terminals can propagate; and

the visual indication representing the expected accuracy in geo-location calculations is generated based on the signal propagation information.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

modifying the input information pertaining to at least one of the reference terminals; and

modifying the visual display and visual indication based on the modified input information.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the wireless network includes an ad-hoc peer-to-peer wireless network, and the reference terminals and mobile terminals are fixed and mobile nodes, respectively, in the ad-hoc peer-to-peer wireless network.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the inputting step includes inputting the information via a computer; and

the generating step generates the visual display on a display screen of a computer.

8. A computer-readable medium of instructions, adapted to control a device to determine desired physical locations of reference points for use in identifying geographic locations of mobile terminals in a wireless network, the computer-readable medium of instructions comprising:

a first set of instructions, adapted to control the device to receive information pertaining to a plurality of reference terminals in the wireless network, the information including respective location information for each of the reference terminals; and

a second set of instructions, adapted to control the device to generate, based on the input information, a visual display illustrating the locations of the reference terminals, along with a visual indication representing expected accuracy in geo-location calculations for determining respective geographic locations of the mobile terminals in the network.

9. The computer-readable medium of instructions as claimed in claim 8, wherein:

the input information includes map parameters; and

the second set of instructions controls the device to generate the visual display which includes a map display that is generated based on the map parameters with the respective locations of the reference terminals and the visual indication of expected accuracy being included on the map display.

10. The computer-readable medium of instructions as claimed in claim 8, wherein:

the information includes respective longitude, latitude and altitude information of each of the respective reference terminals; and

the second set of instructions controls the device to generate the visual display of the locations of the reference terminals based on the longitude, latitude and altitude information.

11. The computer-readable medium of instructions as claimed in claim 8, wherein:

the information includes signal propagation information indicating respective maximum distances at which signals emitted from the respective reference terminals can propagate; and

the second set of instructions controls the device to generate the visual indication representing the expected accuracy in geo-location calculations based on the signal propagation information.

12. The computer-readable medium of instructions as claimed in claim 8, further comprising:

a third set of instructions, adapted to control the device to modify the input information pertaining to at least one of the reference terminals; and

a fourth set of instructions, adapted to control the device to modify the visual display and visual indication based on the modified input information.

13. The computer-readable medium of instructions as claimed in claim 8, wherein:

the wireless network includes an ad-hoc peer-to-peer wireless network, and the reference terminals and mobile terminals are fixed and mobile nodes, respectively, in the ad-hoc peer-to-peer wireless network.

14. The computer-readable medium of instructions as claimed in claim 8, wherein:

the device includes a computer;

the first set of instructions controls the computer to receive the information; and

the second set of instructions controls the computer to generate the visual display on a display screen of the computer.

15. A system for determining desired physical locations of reference points for use in identifying geographic locations of mobile terminals in a wireless network, the system comprising:

an input, adapted to input information pertaining to a plurality of reference terminals in the wireless network, the information including respective location information for each of the reference terminals; and

a processor, adapted to generate, based on the input information, a visual display illustrating the locations of the reference terminals, along with a visual indication representing expected accuracy in geo-location calculations for determining respective geographic locations of the mobile terminals in the network.

16. The system as claimed in claim 15, wherein:

the input information includes map parameters; and

the processor generates the visual display which includes a map display that is generated based on the map parameters with the respective locations of the reference terminals and the visual indication of expected accuracy being included on the map display.

17. The system as claimed in claim 15, wherein:

the information includes respective longitude, latitude and altitude information of each of the respective reference terminals; and

the processor generates the visual display of the locations of the reference terminals is based on the longitude, latitude and altitude information.

18. The system as claimed in claim 15, wherein:

the information includes signal propagation information indicating respective maximum distances at which signals emitted from the respective reference terminals can propagate; and

the processor generates the visual indication representing the expected accuracy in geo-location calculations based on the signal propagation information.

19. The system as claimed in claim 15, wherein:

the input is further adapted to input information for modifying the input information pertaining to at least one of the reference terminals; and

the processor is further adapted to modify the visual display and visual indication based on the modified input information.

20. The system as claimed in claim 15, wherein:

the wireless network includes an ad-hoc peer-to-peer wireless network, and the reference terminals and mobile terminals are fixed and mobile nodes, respectively, in the ad-hoc peer-to-peer wireless network.

21. The system as claimed in claim 15, wherein:

the input includes an input device of a computer; and

the processor generates the visual display on a display screen of the computer.