Distributed wireless positioning engine method and assembly
First Claim
1. A system for use with a portable wireless information device (WID) within a space, the WID including a transmitter for transmitting wireless WID signals, the system comprising:
- a plurality of communication units spaced apart within the space, each unit cooperating with the WID to generate position information, the position information useable to generate a WID position estimate, the plurality of units including at least first and second sub-sets, each unit including at least one of a wireless receiver and a wireless transmitter;
at least a first receiver; and
at least a first processor linked to the at least a first receiver for receiving position information therefrom, the at least a first processor running at least first and second position estimating programs on position information associated with the first and second sub-sets, respectively, for identifying at least first and second WID position estimates within the space, respectively.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus for use with a portable wireless information device (WID) and a plurality of receivers spaced apart within a facility having a space, the receivers and WID cooperating to generate position information indicative of the distances of signal paths between the receivers and the WID, the apparatus comprising at least a first processor linked to the receivers for receiving signal strength information therefrom, the at least a first processor running at least first and second position estimating programs on signal strength information associated with first and second sub-sets of the receivers, respectively, for identifying first and second position estimates of the WID within the space, respectively.
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Citations
107 Claims
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1. A system for use with a portable wireless information device (WID) within a space, the WID including a transmitter for transmitting wireless WID signals, the system comprising:
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a plurality of communication units spaced apart within the space, each unit cooperating with the WID to generate position information, the position information useable to generate a WID position estimate, the plurality of units including at least first and second sub-sets, each unit including at least one of a wireless receiver and a wireless transmitter;
at least a first receiver; and
at least a first processor linked to the at least a first receiver for receiving position information therefrom, the at least a first processor running at least first and second position estimating programs on position information associated with the first and second sub-sets, respectively, for identifying at least first and second WID position estimates within the space, respectively. - 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, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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40. An apparatus for use with a portable wireless information device (WID) and a plurality of receivers spaced apart within a facility having a space, the receivers and WID cooperating to generate position information indicative of the distances of signal paths between the receivers and the WID, the apparatus comprising:
at least a first processor linked to the receivers for receiving signal strength information therefrom, the at least a first processor running at least first and second position estimating programs on signal strength information associated with first and second sub-sets of the receivers, respectively, for identifying first and second position estimates of the WID within the space, respectively. - View Dependent Claims (41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52)
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53. A method for use with a portable wireless information device (WID) within a space, the WID including a transmitter for transmitting wireless WID signals, the method comprising the steps of:
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obtaining position information indicative of the distances of signal paths between the WID and specific locations within the space;
using a first sub-set of the position information to identify a first estimate of WID location;
using a second sub-set of the position information to identify a second estimate of WID position; and
using the first and second estimates to identifying a final estimate of the WID location. - View Dependent Claims (54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81)
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82. A method for use with a portable wireless information device (WID) within a space, the WID including a transmitter for transmitting wireless WID signals, the method for tracking the position of the WID within the space and comprising the steps of:
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obtaining position information indicative of the distances of signal paths between the WID and specific locations within the space;
attempting to use a first sub-set of the position information to identify a first estimate of WID location;
attempting to use a second sub-set of the position information to identify a second estimate of the WID location;
when one of the first and second estimates is identified, rendering the one of the first and second estimates accessible by applications requiring WID location; and
when the one of the first and second estimates is not identified and the other of the first and second estimates is identified, rendering the other of the first and second estimates accessible by applications requiring WID location. - View Dependent Claims (83, 84, 85, 86)
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87. A method for use with a portable wireless information device (WID) within a space, the WID including a transmitter for transmitting wireless WID signals, the method for tracking location of the WID within the space and comprising the steps of:
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tracking WID location with a first wireless position estimating system to generate a first position estimate;
tracking WID location with a second wireless position estimating system to generate a second position estimate; and
using the first and second estimates to identifying a final WID position estimate. - View Dependent Claims (88, 89, 90, 91, 92)
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93. An apparatus for use with a portable wireless information device (WID) within a space, the WID including a transmitter for transmitting wireless WID signals, the apparatus for tracking WID location within the space and comprising:
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a plurality of receivers spaced apart within the space, each receiver receiving signals transmitted by the WID and determining signal strength of the received signals, the plurality of receivers including N sub-sets of receivers associated with N separate regions within the space; and
at least a first processor linked to the receivers for receiving signal strength information therefrom, the at least a first processor running first through Nth separate position estimating programs on signal strength information associated with the first through Nth sub-sets, respectively, for identifying first through Nth estimates of the WID location within the space, respectively. - View Dependent Claims (94, 95)
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96. A method for estimating the position of a wireless information device (WID) within a space, the method comprising the steps of:
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a) estimating WID position via a first estimating program;
b) identifying a confidence factor for the WID position estimate;
c) when the confidence factor meets a threshold requirement, rendering the position estimate accessible to other applications; and
d) when the confidence factor fails to meet a threshold requirement, repeating steps (a) through (c) with a second estimating program. - View Dependent Claims (97, 98, 99)
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100. A method for estimating the position of a wireless information device (WID) within a space, the method comprising the steps of:
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a) generating a first WID position estimate via a first estimating program;
b) generating a second WID position estimate via a second estimating program; and
c) using the first and second estimates to identify a final WID position estimate. - View Dependent Claims (101, 102, 103, 104, 106, 107)
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105. A method for use with a portable wireless information device (WID) within a space, the WID including a transmitter for transmitting wireless WID signals, the method for tracking the position of the WID within the space and comprising the steps of:
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obtaining position information indicative of the distances of signal paths between the WID and specific locations within the space;
attempting to use a first sub-set of the position information to identify a first estimate of WID location;
attempting to use a second sub-set of the position information to identify a second estimate of the WID location;
determining if at least one of the estimates is sufficiently accurate;
when at least one of the estimates is sufficiently accurate, rendering the likely most accurate of the estimates accessible as the final estimate; and
when none of the estimates is sufficiently accurate, performing another function.
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Specification