Method and apparatus for transmitting location data within an ad-hoc communication system

• US 20050192748A1
• Filed: 02/26/2004
• Published: 09/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ruckus IP Holdings LLC
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kyperountas, Spyros, Andric, Oleg, Allen, Vernon A., Pham, Minh T., Cornett, Kenneth D.
• Granted Patent: US 7,321,331 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/300
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/02 Topology update or discovery

Abstract

To reduce interference and increase battery life, a method and apparatus for transmitting location data within an ad-hoc communication system is provided herein. During operation, a portion of a beacon payload is reserved to broadcast location information (coordinates) for a node as well as other parameters that may be needed for location estimation. In addition to a node'"'"'s location, an accuracy of the nodes location is also included within the beacon field. Because nodes will no longer have to awake outside their beacon transmit times to broadcast location information, battery life is extended. In addition, because nodes will no longer be transmitting location information outside their guaranteed time slot, system interference is also reduced.

Claims

1. A method for transmitting location data, the method comprising the steps of:

determining a location;

determining when a beacon transmission will take place; and

transmitting the location within the beacon.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

determining an accuracy of the location; and

transmitting the location and the accuracy of the location within the beacon.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of transmitting the location and the accuracy of the location within the beacon comprises the step of transmitting the location and the accuracy of the location within an ad-hoc network beacon.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the step of transmitting the location and the accuracy of the location within an ad-hoc network beacon comprises the step of transmitting the location and the accuracy of the location within an IEEE 802.15.3 or an IEEE 802.15.4 ad-hoc network beacon.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein the step of determining the accuracy of the location comprises the step of determining if the location is an absolute or an estimated location.

6. The method of claim 2 wherein the step of determining the accuracy of the location comprises the step of determining an error in the location.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of determining the accuracy of the location comprises the step of determining a binary 0 or 1 indicating a known or derived location.

8. A method for transmitting location data, the method comprising the steps of:

determining a location for a first node within an ad-hoc communication system;

determining an accuracy of the location for the first node;

determining when the first node will be transmitting a beacon; and

transmitting the location and the accuracy of the location within the beacon.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising the steps of:

determining by a second node when the first node will be transmitting the beacon;

receiving the beacon by the second node; and

determining the location of the first node based on the received beacon.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising the step of:

determining the accuracy of the location based on the received beacon.

11. An apparatus comprising:

location-finding equipment outputting a location of a node in an ad-hoc communication system, the location-finding equipment additionally outputting an accuracy of the location;

logic circuitry determining when a beacon transmission will take place; and

a transceiver transmitting the location and the accuracy of the location within the beacon.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the beacon comprises an IEEE 802.15.3 or an IEEE 802.15.4 ad-hoc network beacon.

13. The apparatus of claim 11 the accuracy of the location comprises if the location is an absolute or an estimated location.

14. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the accuracy of the location comprises an error in the location.

15. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the accuracy of the location comprises a binary 0 or 1 indicating a known or derived location.