Wireless wide area networked precision geolocation

• US 20050231425A1
• Filed: 06/01/2005
• Published: 10/20/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: American GNC Corporation
• Original Assignee: American GNC Corporation
• Inventors: Lin, Ching-Fang, Lam, Ken, Coleman, Norman, Papanagopoulos, George
• Application Number:
  US11/142,927
• Publication Number:
  US 20050231425A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 342/385
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/206 specially adapted for indoor navigation
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/14 specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0072 Transmission between mobile stations, e.g. anti-collision systems
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/20 Monitoring the location of vehicles belonging to a group, e.g. fleet of vehicles, countable or determined number of vehicles

Abstract

A networked position multiple tracking system includes a plurality of individual units which are networked multi-tracking devices networked and their location information is shared via a data link. The individual units are organized as groups and groups are further networked to facilitate the data transfer in a large area or different geographical areas. The typical applications of the present invention include tracking of family members; tracking of cab vehicles of a taxi company; tracking of law enforcement officials pursuing criminals or suspects. In a military environment, the soldiers in a regiment can track each other during military missions by using the present invention. The pilots of aircraft in a formation can use the multi-tracking system to maintain formation flight and evade potential collision.

Claims

1. A wireless wide area networked precision geolocation (WWANPG), comprising:

two or more unit-groups, each of which comprises;

two or more individual units each of which is carried by an individual carrier, wherein one of said individual units is assigned as a unit group controller, and

a unit communication network, which networks said individual units to form an intra group, comprising a first communication means for transferring a data exchange package which includes position data and an individual identification (IID) of each of said individual units among said individual units, wherein said unit group controller collects all said position data of said individual units and sends said position data of said individual units under request of each of said individual units; and

an inter communication network, which networks said unit-groups, comprising a second communication means for communicating said intra groups with each other to transfer an intra-group data exchange package which includes position data and a group identification (GID) of each of said unit group controllers among said unit-groups.

2. The wireless wide area networked precision geolocation, as recited in claim 1, wherein said first communication means comprises a WLAN for short-range intra-group communication and said second communication means comprises a wireless modem for ling-range inter-group data transmission.

3. The wireless wide area networked precision geolocation, as recited in claim 1, wherein one of said individual units in said intra-group is assigned as an intra group controller which collects all said position data of said unit group controllers and sends said position data of said unit group controllers under request of each of said unit group controllers.

4. The wireless wide area networked precision geolocation, as recited in claim 2, wherein one of said individual units in said intra-group is assigned as an intra group controller which collects all said position data of said unit group controllers and sends said position data of said unit group controllers under request of each of said unit group controllers.

5. The wireless wide area networked precision geolocation, as recited in claim 3, wherein said intra group controller is assigned from one of said unit group controllers.

6. The wireless wide area networked precision geolocation, as recited in claim 4, wherein said intra group controller is assigned from one of said unit group controllers.

7. The wireless wide area networked precision geolocation, as recited in claim 4, wherein said position data collected from and sent to each of said unit group controllers include said position data of each of said individual units in said respective unit-group.

8. The wireless wide area networked precision geolocation, as recited in claim 6, wherein said position data collected from and sent to each of said unit group controllers include said position data of each of said individual units in said respective unit-group.

9. The wireless wide area networked precision geolocation, as recited in claim 1, wherein each of said individual units further comprises a position producer producing said position data of said individual unit including three dimensional vector of (x, y, z) coordinates in an Earth-Centered-Earth-Fixed (ECEF) coordinate system.

10. The wireless wide area networked precision geolocation, as recited in claim 4, wherein each of said individual units further comprises a position producer producing said position data of said individual unit including three dimensional vector of (x, y, z) coordinates in an Earth-Centered-Earth-Fixed (ECEF) coordinate system.

11. The wireless wide area networked precision geolocation, as recited in claim 8, wherein each of said individual units further comprises a position producer producing said position data of said individual unit including three dimensional vector of (x, y, z) coordinates in an Earth-Centered-Earth-Fixed (ECEF) coordinate system.

12. The wireless wide area networked precision geolocation, as recited in claim 1, wherein each of said individual units further comprises a position producer producing said position data of said individual unit including latitude, longitude, and altitude coordinates in a Geodetic coordinate system.

13. The wireless wide area networked precision geolocation, as recited in claim 4, wherein each of said individual units further comprises a position producer producing said position data of said individual unit including latitude, longitude, and altitude coordinates in a Geodetic coordinate system.

14. The wireless wide area networked precision geolocation, as recited in claim 8, wherein each of said individual units further comprises a position producer producing said position data of said individual unit including latitude, longitude, and altitude coordinates in a Geodetic coordinate system.

15. A process of wireless wide area networked precision geolocation (WWANPG), comprising the steps of:

(a) networking two or more individual units to form an intra group, each of which is a position tracking device carried by an individual carrier, to form a host unit-group via WLAN, wherein each of said individual units is assigned with a unique individual identification (IID);

(b) assigning one of said individual units in said host unit-group as a host unit group controller, wherein a unique group identification (GID) is assigned to said host unit group controller; and

(c) collecting position data of said individual units by said host unit group controller via said WLAN so as to ensure said host unit group controller having said position data of all said individual units of said host unit-group;

(d) obtaining said position data of said other individual units within said host unit-group by one of said individual units from said host unit group controller via said WLAN;

(e) providing one or more client unit-groups to network with said host unit-group via a wireless modem to form an intra-group, wherein

(i) each of said client unit-groups also comprises two or more individual units networked with an independent unit communication network,

(ii) each of said individual units networked in each of said client unit-groups is assigned with a unique individual identification;

(iii) one of said individual units is assigned as a client unit group controller and a unique group identification (GID) is assigned to said client unit group controller;

(iv) said client unit group controller collects position data of said individual units in each of said client unit-groups, so as to ensure said client group controller having said position data of all said individual units of said client unit-groups; and

(v) each of said individual units of each of said client unit-groups is capable of obtaining said position data of said other individual units within said client unit-group from said client unit group controller via said independent unit communication network of said client unit-group;

(f) assigning one of said individual units in said intra-group as an intra group controller of said intra-group, wherein a unique group identification (GID) is assigned to said intra group controller; and

(g) collecting position data of said host and client unit-groups by said intra group controller via said wireless modem so as to ensure said intra group controller having said position data of all said host and client unit-groups; and

(h) obtaining said position data of said other host and client unit-groups within said intra-group by one of said client unit group controllers from said intra group controller via said wireless modem.

16. The process, as recited in claim 15, further comprising the steps of:

(i) providing one or more additional intra-groups to network with said intra-group via a high level intra communication network to form a high level intra-group;

(j) assigning one of said individual units in said intra-groups as a high level intra group controller of said high level intra-group which is responsible for communication with said other intra group controllers of said intra-groups, wherein a unique group identification (GID) is assigned to said high level intra group controller;

(k) collecting position data of said intra-groups by said high level intra group controller via said high level intra communication network so as to ensure said high level intra group controller having said position data of all said intra-groups; and

(l) obtaining said position data of said other intra-groups within said high level intra-group by one of said intra group controllers from said high level intra group controller via said high level intra communication network.

17. The process, as recited in claim 16, wherein said high level intra group controller is assigned from one of said intra group controllers of said intra-groups.

18. The process, as recited in claim 15, wherein said position data of each of said intra-groups include said position data of all said individual units of said host and client unit-groups within said intra-group.

19. The process, as recited in claim 16, wherein said position data of each of said intra-groups include said position data of all said individual units of said host and client unit-groups within said intra-group.

20. The process, as recited in claim 17, wherein said position data of each of said intra-groups include said position data of all said individual units of said host and client unit-groups within said intra-group.