System and method for 3-D position determination using RFID

• US 20070008129A1
• Filed: 05/03/2005
• Published: 01/11/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Soliman, Samir
• Granted Patent: US 7,489,240 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/572.100
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 1/68 Marker, boundary, call-sign, or like beacons transmitting signals not carrying directional information
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0289 of multiple transceivers, e.g. in ad hoc networks
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/28 the pass enabling tracking or indicating presence
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

Determining the location of wireless devices is improved by storing location information in RFID devices. As RFID devices come within range of each other they examine a confidence level associated with each others location information. The RFID device may update their location information based upon location information received from other RFID devices that have a higher confidence level.

Claims

1. An RFID device comprising:

an RF transceiver; and

a memory configured to store information about a geographic location of the device.

2. An RFID device as defined in claim 1, wherein the information includes the latitude and longitude of the location of the device.

3. An RFID device as defined in claim 1, wherein the information includes a street address of the location of the device.

4. An RFID device as defined in claim 1, wherein the information includes a location within a building where the device is located.

5. An RFID device as defined in claim 1, wherein the information includes a confidence level of the information about the location of the device.

6. An RFID device as defined in claim 1, wherein the device is included in a mobile device.

7. An RFID device as defined in claim 1, wherein the information about the location of the device is obtained from survey information about the device location.

8. An RFID device as defined in claim 1, wherein the information about the location of the device is learned by the device as it interacts with other devices.

9. An RFID device as defined in claim 8, wherein the device exchanges confidence level information with a second device, and a processor in the device updates the location information if it has a confidence level less than that of the second device.

10. An RFID device as defined in claim 1, wherein the information further includes environmental information.

11. An RFID device as defined in claim 10, wherein the environmental information includes information indicating the presence of smoke in a vicinity of the device.

12. An RFID device as defined in claim 10, wherein the environmental information is obtained from a sensor.

13. A mobile device comprising:

an RF transceiver;

an RFID reader;

a memory configured to store information about a location of the mobile device; and

a processor configured to update the information about the location of the mobile device.

14. A mobile device as defined in claim 13, wherein the processor updates the information about location of the mobile device based upon a confidence level.

15. A mobile device as defined in claim 13, wherein the RFID reader obtains location information from RFID devices that are in proximity to the mobile device.

16. A mobile device as defined in claim 13, wherein the information about the location of the mobile device is transmitted to an other device.

17. A mobile device as defined in claim 16, wherein the other device comprises an RFID device.

18. A mobile device as defined in claim 16, wherein the other device comprises a cell phone.

19. A mobile RFID device as defined in claim 13, wherein the mobile device comprises a cell phone.

20. A method of determining location of an RFID device, the method comprising:

interrogating an external device;

determining a confidence level of location information stored within the external device, and

updating location information of the RFID device based on location information of the external device if the confidence level of the external device location information is greater than a confidence level of the RFID device location information.

21. A method as defined in claim 20, further comprising transmitting the location of the first device to the second device if the confidence level of the first device location information is greater than the confidence level of the second device location information.

22. A method as defined in claim 20, wherein the RFID device is mobile.

23. A method as defined in claim 20, wherein the external device is mobile.

24. A method as defined in claim 20, wherein the RFID device comprises a cell phone.

25. A method as defined in claim 20, wherein the external device is comprises cell phone.

26. A method as defined in claim 20, wherein the RFID device comprises an RFID tag.

27. A method as defined in claim 20, wherein the external device comprises an RFID tag.

28. An RFID device comprising:

means for interrogating an external device;

means for determining a confidence level of location information stored within the external device, and

means for updating location information of the RFID device based on location information of the external device if the confidence level of the external device location information is greater than a confidence level of the RFID device location information.

29. An RFID device as defined in claim 28, further comprising means for transmitting the location of the RFID device to the external device if the confidence level of the RFID device location information is greater than the confidence level of the external device location information.

30. An RFID device as defined in claim 28, wherein the external device comprises an RFID device.