SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR DETERMINING LOCATION OF DEVICES WITHIN A WIRELESS NETWORK

• US 20080032705A1
• Filed: 04/27/2007
• Published: 02/07/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CommWorks Solutions, LLC (IP Investments Group LLC)
• Original Assignee: Misonimo Chi Acquisitions LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Nova, Michael, Gui, Chao, Wang, Weilin, Wang, Xudong, Patel, Abhishek
• Granted Patent: US 8,175,613 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/104 in the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/104 Peer-to-peer [P2P] networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/18 Information format or content conversion, e.g. adaptation by the network of the transmitted or received information for the purpose of wireless delivery to users or terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/04 Network layer protocols, e.g. mobile IP [Internet Protocol]

Abstract

Systems and methods for determining a location of a device with a wireless network. Characteristics of signals received from the device at a plurality of nodes are measured. Based upon the measurements, estimates of the range from the device to the nodes are made. Then, based upon the estimated ranges, and knowing the location of the nodes, a location of the device is determined.

Claims

1. A method for determining a location of a device within a wireless network, the method comprising:

receiving a signal from the device at a plurality of nodes in the network;

measuring a characteristic of the signal received at the plurality of nodes in the network;

estimating a range from the device to each of the plurality of nodes based upon the measured characteristics; and

determining a location of the device based upon the estimated ranges.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless network is a wireless mesh network.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the signal conforms to IEEE 802.11 standard.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the signal is an ultra-wideband signal.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the measured characteristic is the strength of the received signal.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the measured characteristic is timing information.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the measured characteristic is time of arrival.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the measured characteristic is time difference of arrival.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein determining a location comprises triangulation.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein determining a location comprises trilateration.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein determining a location comprises weighting.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein determining a location comprises estimating the location at the centroid of a region.

13. A node in a wireless network, comprising:

a topology module configured to align a beacon signal of the node with the wireless network;

a signaling module configured to send and receive data communications over the wireless communication network with a device; and

a measurement module configured to receive measurement data from the device and communicates the data to a location server.

14. The mode of claim 13, wherein the wireless network is a wireless mesh network.

15. The node of claim 13, wherein the data communicated over the wireless network comprises a signal that conforms to IEEE 802.11 standard.

16. The node of claim 13, wherein the data communicated over the wireless network comprises an ultra-wideband signal.

17. The node of claim 13, wherein the measurement data is the strength of a received signal.

18. The node of claim 13, wherein the measurement data is timing information.

19. The node of claim 18, wherein the timing information is time of arrival.

20. The node of claim 18, wherein the timing information is time difference of arrival.

21. The node of claim 13, further comprising estimating a range to the device based upon the measurement data, and to communicate the estimated range to the location server.

22. A location server in a wireless network, comprising:

a mesh network interface configured to allow the server to communicate with nodes in the wireless network;

a processor configured to receive information about the location of the nodes in the network, and measurements of characteristic of signals received at a plurality of nodes from a device within the network, wherein the processor estimates a range from the device to the plurality of nodes and determines a location of the device based upon the ranges and the location of the nodes.

23. The server of claim 22, where in the wireless network is a wireless mesh network.

24. The server of claim 22, wherein the signals received at the nodes are radio frequency signals.

25. The server of claim 22, wherein the signals received at the nodes conform with the IEEE 802.11 standard.

26. The server of claim 22, wherein the signal received at the nodes are ultra-wideband signals.

27. The server of claim 22, wherein the measured characteristics comprise the strength of received signals.

28. The server of claim 22, wherein the measured characteristics comprise timing information.

29. The server of claim 28, wherein the timing information comprises a time of arrival.

30. The server of claim 28, wherein the timing information comprises a time difference of arrival.

31. A method of providing location based services to a device within a mesh network, the method comprising:

receiving a signal from the device at a plurality of nodes in the mesh network;

measuring a characteristic of the signal received at the plurality of nodes in the mesh network;

estimating a range from the device to each of the plurality of nodes based upon the measured characteristics;

determining a location of the device based upon the estimated ranges; and

transmitting information based upon the determined location to the device.

32. A mesh network adapted to provide location based services to a device within a mesh network, the network comprising:

a plurality of nodes within the mesh network that are adapted to receive a signal from the device and to measure characteristics of the received signal; and

a location server adapted to receive information about the location of the nodes in the mesh network, and measurements of characteristic of signals received at the nodes, to estimate a range from the device to the nodes, and to estimate a location of the device based upon the ranges and the location of the nodes