Method and system for tracking and determining a location of a wireless transmission

• US 20090003490A1
• Filed: 06/11/2008
• Published: 01/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Binj Laboratories, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Binj Laboratories, Inc.
• Inventors: Fang, Maosen, Noonan, Joseph S., Nadler, Barry
• Granted Patent: US 8,238,936 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 375/316
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

An apparatus for detecting and timing a transmitting device is disclosed. The device includes a receiving system receiving a signal containing at least a preamble code of a known length and at least one pulse within a receive window after the preamble code, a circuit receiving the at least one pulse comprising a zero-crossing circuit for indicting a zero-voltage crossing of the at least one pulse and a trigger device for latching the indication of zero-voltage crossing, and a ripple circuit counter, receiving the latched indication of said zero-voltage crossing and associating a time to the receipt of the latched indication. A system for detecting and locating a transmitting device is further disclosed. The system includes a plurality of sensor apparatus each determining a reception time of a signal and a processor for determining a location based on groups of the reception times

Claims

1. An apparatus for detecting a transmitting device and a time for application in a tracking system, said apparatus comprising:

a receiving system receiving a signal containing at least a preamble code of a known length and at least one pulse within a receive window after said preamble code,

a circuit receiving said at least one pulse comprising;

a zero-crossing circuit for indicting a zero-voltage crossing of said at least one pulse; and

a trigger device for latching said indication of zero-voltage crossing; and

a ripple circuit counter, receiving said latched indication of said zero-voltage crossing and associating a time to the receipt of said latched indication.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said at least one pulse is composed of a plurality of pulses.

3. A system for locating a wireless communication transmission comprising:

a plurality of sensors distributed within a known area, each of said sensors comprising;

a receiving system receiving a signal containing at least a preamble code of a known length and at least one pulse within a receive window after said preamble code,

a circuit receiving said at least one pulse comprising;

a zero-crossing circuit for indicting a zero-voltage crossing of said at least one pulse; and

a trigger device for latching said indication of zero-voltage crossing;

a ripple circuit counter receiving said latched indication of said zero-voltage crossing and associating a time to the receipt of said latched indication; and

a processor in communication with a memory, said processor;

receiving a time value of said at least one pulse from each of said sensors; and

determining said location based on groups of said time values.