WIRELESS LOCATION ROUTING APPLICATIONS AND ARCHECTITURE THEREFOR

• US 20080133126A1
• Filed: 01/28/2008
• Published: 06/05/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mobile Maven LLC (Dennis J. Dupray)
• Original Assignee: TracBeam LLC (Dennis J. Dupray)
• Inventors: Dupray, Dennis J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,082,096 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/204
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/878 Combination of several spaced transmitters or receivers of known location for determining the position of a transponder or a reflector G01S13/874 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/466 by Trilateration, i.e. two antennas or two sensors determine separately the distance to a target, whereby with the knowledge of the baseline length, i.e. the distance between the antennas or sensors, the position data of the target is determined
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/468 by Triangulation, i.e. two antennas or two sensors determine separately the bearing, direction or angle to a target, whereby with the knowledge of the baseline length, the position data of the target is determined
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0018 Transmission from mobile station to base station
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/02521 using a radio-map
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0289 of multiple transceivers, e.g. in ad hoc networks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3224 Transactions dependent on location of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096811 where the route is computed offboard
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• 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 88/005 Data network PoA devices

Abstract

A system for wirelessly locating mobile station/units (MS) and using resulting location determinations for providing a product or service is disclosed. The system is useful for routing an MS user to a plurality of desired locations, alerting an MS user to a nearby desired product or service based on satisfaction of user criteria, and providing enhanced security and 911 response. In one embodiment, the system responds to MS location requests via, e.g., Internet communication between a distributed network of location processing sites. A plurality of locating technologies including those based on: (1) TDOA; (2) pattern recognition; (3) timing advance; (5) GPS and network assisted GPS, (6) angle of arrival, (7) super resolution enhancements, and (8) supplemental information from low cost base stations can be activated, in various combinations, by system embodiments. MS location difficulties resulting from poor location accuracy/reliability and/or poor coverage are alleviated via such technologies in combination with automatically adapting and calibrating system performance according to environmental and geographical changes so that the system becomes progressively more comprehensive and accurate. Further, the system can be modularly configured for use in location signaling environments ranging from urban, dense urban, suburban, rural, mountain to low traffic or isolated roadways. Accordingly, the system is useful for 911 emergency calls, tracking, routing, people and animal location including applications for confinement to and exclusion from certain areas.

Claims

1. A method for communicating information to a plurality of mobile units, wherein for each of the mobile units, wireless signal measurements are obtained from transmissions between the mobile unit and a plurality of terrestrial communication stations, and wherein each of the mobile units is independently moveable from each of the communication stations, and each of said communications stations includes one or more of:

a transmitter for transmitting wireless signals to the mobile units, and a receiver for receiving wireless signals from the mobile units, comprising;

receiving, for a first of the mobile units, first input for determining first preference information, the first preference information for determining, for one or more of a plurality of products or services, corresponding presentation data for providing one or more corresponding presentations to the first mobile unit;

first obtaining a first estimate indicative of a location of the first mobile unit, wherein one of the location techniques (A-1) through (A-5) is used for locating the first mobile unit;

identifying, using the first preference information and the first estimate, an instance (I_1,1) of at least one the plurality of products or services according to both;

(a) one or more characteristics of the instance I_1,1 identified by the first preference information, and

(b) a result from a first condition dependent upon both;

(b-i) location data identifying a corresponding geographic location (L₁) for accessing the instance I_1,1, and

(b-ii) the first estimate, or a location along an expected route of the first mobile unit determined using the first estimate;

obtaining a route (R) to substantially the geographic location L₁;

wherein the route R is determined using a geographic location (L₂) providing access to an additional instance (I_1,2) of one of the plurality of the products or services (DI), wherein the additional instance I_1,2 is determined according to one or more characteristics of Di identified by the first preference information, and the geographic location L₂;

outputting, for the first mobile unit, a first of the presentation data (P_1,1) providing information for accessing the instance I_1,1, additional presentation data (P_1,2) providing information for accessing the instance I_1,1 and the route R.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the route R commences at substantially the first estimate.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the route R commences at substantially the expected route of the first mobile unit determined using the first estimate.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first input is from the first mobile unit.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first preference information includes one or more of the following (a) through (k) informational items related to accessing the at least one product or service:

(a) a characteristic or identification of the at least one product or service, (b) a relative location an of the at least one product or service (c) a merchant preference, (d) traffic condition, (e) a parking condition, (f) price information, (g) a merchant preference, (h) an availability of the at least one product or service, (i) coupon information, (j) discount information, (j) a quality rating, and (k) an acceptable method of payment.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the first preference information includes at least three of the informational items.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first condition includes one of the following criteria:

(a1) through (a3) so that;

for some estimated location of the first mobile unit, or location of the first mobile unit along an expected future route,

(a1) first mobile unit is within one of;

a specified user travel distance of a location for accessing an instance of one of the one or more products or services, or within a specified geographically identified area of a location for accessing an instance of one of the one or more products or services,

(a2) first mobile unit is within a specified expected elapsed time of travel from a location for accessing an instance of one of the one or more products or services; and

(a3) first mobile unit is nearer to a location for accessing an instance of one of the one or more products or services than at least one other location for accessing an instance of one of the one or more products or services.