METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR LOCATION DETECTION USING GPS AND WIFI/WIMAX

• US 20100026569A1
• Filed: 07/31/2008
• Published: 02/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Amidi, Soroush
• Granted Patent: US 8,633,853 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 342/357.480
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/48 by combining or switching between position solutions derived from the satellite radio beacon positioning system and position solutions derived from a further system

Abstract

A system, apparatus and method are provided for location detection using GPS or WiFi/WiMAX. The apparatus includes a global positioning system (GPS) receiver, a transceiver, and a controller. The transceiver is a WiFi or WiMAX transceiver. The controller determines whether GPS location sensing is possible and, if so, receives geographical location data from the GPS receiver. If GPS location sensing is not possible, the controller determines whether location sensing via the transceiver is possible and, if so, receives geographical location data from the transceiver. The controller sends a signal based on the location data to a location monitoring application via the transceiver. The controller may send a signal to the location monitoring application that no location sensing is possible.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

determining, with a global positioning system (GPS) receiver in a location detecting device (LDD), whether location sensing via GPS is possible;

if location sensing via GPS is possible, sensing a geographical location of the LDD using the GPS receiver;

if location sensing via GPS is not possible, determining, with a transceiver in the LDD, whether location sensing via the transceiver is possible, the transceiver comprising one of a WiFi transceiver and a WiMAX transceiver;

if location sensing via GPS is not possible and if location sensing via the transceiver is possible, sensing a geographical location of the LDD using the transceiver;

sending a signal based on the geographical location of the LDD to a location monitoring application via the transceiver.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein sensing a geographical location of the LDD comprises:

receiving location data, the location data based on the geographical location of the LDD; and

sending a signal based on the location data to a location detector via the transceiver.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein receiving location data comprises:

receiving location data from a plurality of sources.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein sensing a geographical location of the LDD comprises:

receiving location data, the locations data based on the geographical location of the LDD;

determining the geographical location of the LDD from the location data.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein receiving location data comprises:

receiving location data from a plurality of sources.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

if location sensing via GPS is not possible and location sensing via the transceiver is not possible, sending to the location monitoring application a signal indicating that location sensing is not possible.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending a signal based on the geographical location of the LDD to a process control system.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

archiving the geographical location of the LDD along with an identifier of the LDD and an associated timestamp for the geographical location of the LDD.

9. An apparatus, comprising:

a global positioning system (GPS) receiver;

a transceiver comprising one of a WiFi transceiver and a WiMAX transceiver; and

a controller adapted to;

determine, using the GPS receiver, whether location sensing via GPS is possible;

if location sensing via GPS is possible, receive location data associated with a geographical location of the apparatus from the GPS receiver;

if location sensing via GPS is not possible, determine, using the transceiver, whether location sensing via the transceiver is possible;

if location sensing via GPS is not possible and if location sensing via the transceiver is possible, receive location data associated with a geographical location of the apparatus from the transceiver;

send a signal based on the location data to a location monitoring application via the transceiver.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the controller is adapted to send the location data to the location monitoring application.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the location data is received from a plurality of sources.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising:

a location detector adapted to determine a geographical location of the apparatus from the location data,

wherein the controller is adapted to send to the location monitoring application a signal based on the geographical location of the apparatus determined by the location detector.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the location data is received from a plurality of sources.

14. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the controller is adapted, if location sensing via GPS is not possible and location sensing via the transceiver is not possible, to send to the location monitoring application a signal indicating that location sensing is not possible.

15. A system comprising:

a location monitoring application; and

a location detecting device (LDD) comprising;

a global positioning system (GPS) receiver;

a transceiver comprising one of a WiFi transceiver and a WiMAX transceiver; and

a controller adapted to;

determine, using the receiver, whether location sensing via GPS is possible;

if location sensing via GPS is possible, receive location data associated with a geographical location of the LDD from the GPS receiver;

if location sensing via GPS is not possible, determine, using the transceiver, whether location sensing via the transceiver is possible;

if location sensing via GPS is not possible and if location sensing via the transceiver is possible, receive location data associated with a geographical location of the LDD from the transceiver;

send a signal based on the location data to the location monitoring application via the transceiver.

16. The system of claim 15, further comprising a network, wherein the controller sends the signal based on the location data to the location monitoring application via the network.

17. The system of claim 16, further comprising:

a location detector adapted to determine a geographical location of the LDD from the location data,

wherein the controller sends the signal based on the location data to the location detector through the network.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the location data is received from a plurality of sources.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein:

the location detecting device further comprises a location detector adapted to determine a geographical location of the LDD from the location data, and

the controller sends a signal based on the geographical location to the location monitoring application through the network.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the location data is received from a plurality of sources.