WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM INCLUDING A WIRELESS DEVICE LOCATOR AND RELATED METHODS
First Claim
1. A wireless communications system comprising:
- a plurality of wireless communications devices each having a device type associated therewith from among a plurality of different device types, and each device type having a known device latency associated therewith; and
a wireless device locator comprising at least one antenna and a transceiver connected thereto, and a controller for cooperating with said transceiver for transmitting a plurality of location finding signals to a target wireless communications device from among said plurality of wireless communications devices;
said target wireless communications device transmitting a respective reply signal for each of said location finding signals;
said controller of said wireless device locator also for cooperating with said transceiver for receiving the reply signals, determining a propagation delay associated with the transmission of each location finding signal and the respective reply signal therefor based upon the known device latency of said target wireless communications device, and estimating a range to said target wireless communications device based upon a plurality of determined propagation delays.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A wireless communications system may include a plurality of wireless communications devices and a wireless device locator. More particularly, the wireless device locator may include at least one antenna and a transceiver connected thereto, and a controller for cooperating with the transceiver for transmitting a plurality of location finding signals to a target wireless communications device from among the plurality thereof. The target device may transmit a respective reply signal for each of the location finding signals. Additionally, the controller may also cooperate with the transceiver for receiving the reply signals, and it may determine a propagation delay associated with the transmission of each location finding signal and the respective reply signal therefor based upon a known device latency of the target device. As such, the controller may estimate a range to the target device based upon a plurality of determined propagation delays.
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Citations
37 Claims
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1. A wireless communications system comprising:
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a plurality of wireless communications devices each having a device type associated therewith from among a plurality of different device types, and each device type having a known device latency associated therewith; and
a wireless device locator comprising at least one antenna and a transceiver connected thereto, and a controller for cooperating with said transceiver for transmitting a plurality of location finding signals to a target wireless communications device from among said plurality of wireless communications devices;
said target wireless communications device transmitting a respective reply signal for each of said location finding signals;
said controller of said wireless device locator also for cooperating with said transceiver for receiving the reply signals, determining a propagation delay associated with the transmission of each location finding signal and the respective reply signal therefor based upon the known device latency of said target wireless communications device, and estimating a range to said target wireless communications device based upon a plurality of determined propagation delays. - View Dependent Claims (2, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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3-6. -6. (canceled)
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14. A wireless communications system comprising:
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a plurality of wireless local area network (WLAN) devices each having a device type associated therewith from among a plurality of different device types, and each device type having a known device latency associated therewith; and
a wireless device locator comprising at least one antenna and a transceiver connected thereto, and a controller for cooperating with said transceiver for transmitting a plurality of location finding signals to a target WLAN device from among said plurality of WLAN devices;
said target WLAN device transmitting a respective reply signal for each of said location finding signals;
said controller of said wireless device locator also for cooperating with said transceiver for receiving the reply signals, determining a propagation delay associated with the transmission of each location finding signal and the respective reply signal therefor based upon the known device latency of said target WLAN device, and estimating a range to said target WLAN device based upon an average of a plurality of determined propagation delays. - View Dependent Claims (19)
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15-18. -18. (canceled)
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20. A wireless device locator for locating a target wireless communications device comprising:
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at least one antenna and a transceiver connected thereto; and
a controller for cooperating with said transceiver for transmitting a plurality of location finding signals to the target wireless communications device and receiving a respective reply signal therefrom for each of said location finding signals, determining a propagation delay associated with the transmission of each location finding signal and the respective reply signal therefor based upon a known device latency of the target wireless communications device, and estimating a range to the target wireless communications device based upon a plurality of determined propagation delays. - View Dependent Claims (21, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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22-23. -23. (canceled)
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30. A method for locating a target wireless communications device from among a plurality of wireless communications devices, each wireless communications device having a device type associated therewith from among a plurality of different device types, and each device type having a known device latency associated therewith, the method comprising:
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transmitting a plurality of location finding signals to the target wireless communications device, and receiving a respective reply signal for each of the location finding signals therefrom;
determining a propagation delay associated with the transmission of each location finding signal and the respective reply signal therefor based upon the known device latency of the target wireless communications device; and
estimating a range to the target wireless communications device based upon a plurality of determined propagation delays. - View Dependent Claims (31, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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32-33. -33. (canceled)
Specification