Location Tracking Using Fiber Optic Array Cables and Related Systems and Methods
First Claim
1. A centralized optical-fiber-based wireless communication system, comprising:
- a central head-end station each having at least one service unit; and
at least one fiber optic array cable coupled to the central head-end station and having multiple reference units disposed along a length of the fiber optic array cable, each of the multiple reference units containing at least one antenna, an electrical-to-optical (E/O) converter, and an optical-to-electrical (O/E) converter,wherein the at least one service unit is configured to;
cause an radio frequency (RF) signal to be transmitted from one or more of the at least one antennas in the multiple reference units to form a picocellular coverage area associated with the reference unit;
receive a corresponding signal from each of a plurality of the multiple reference units indicative of a distance between each of the respective reference units and an object in the picocellular coverage areas associated with the respective reference units; and
process the corresponding signals received from the plurality of the multiple reference units to determine a location of the object.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Fiber optic array cables and related systems and methods to determine and/or track locations of objects are disclosed. The fiber optic array cables can be employed in an optical-fiber-based communication system, including a centralized optical-fiber based communication system. In one embodiment, the fiber optic array cable is configured to carry optical RF or radio-over-fiber (RoF) signals to establish communications with objects. The fiber optic array cable includes multiple reference units along the length of the cable. The reference units can be configured to convert received optical RF signals into electrical RF signals to establish RF communications with objects capable of receiving electrical RF signals. The reference units are also configured to convert received electrical RF signals from the objects into optical RF signals, which are then used to determine the location of the object. Having the availability of the multiple reference units on one or more the fiber optic array cables can provide enhanced reliability in tracking objects.
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Citations
35 Claims
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1. A centralized optical-fiber-based wireless communication system, comprising:
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a central head-end station each having at least one service unit; and at least one fiber optic array cable coupled to the central head-end station and having multiple reference units disposed along a length of the fiber optic array cable, each of the multiple reference units containing at least one antenna, an electrical-to-optical (E/O) converter, and an optical-to-electrical (O/E) converter, wherein the at least one service unit is configured to; cause an radio frequency (RF) signal to be transmitted from one or more of the at least one antennas in the multiple reference units to form a picocellular coverage area associated with the reference unit; receive a corresponding signal from each of a plurality of the multiple reference units indicative of a distance between each of the respective reference units and an object in the picocellular coverage areas associated with the respective reference units; and process the corresponding signals received from the plurality of the multiple reference units to determine a location of the object. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A fiber optic array cable, comprising:
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a fiber optic cable having a plurality of optical fibers and comprising; multiple reference units disposed along a length of the fiber optic cable, and containing at least one antenna, an electrical-to-optical (E/O) converter, and an optical-to-electrical (O/E) converter, wherein each of the at least one antenna associated with each of the multiple reference units is configured to; transmit an radio frequency (RF) signal to respective picocellular coverage areas associated with the respective reference units; and receive a corresponding signal from an object in the corresponding picocellular coverage area; and wherein the corresponding signals received at a plurality of the reference units are used to determine a location of the object. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A method of tracking an object, comprising:
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providing at least one fiber optic array cable having multiple reference units disposed along a length of the fiber optic cable, wherein each of the multiple reference units contain at least one antenna, an electrical-to-optical (E/O) converter, and an optical-to-electrical (O/E) converter; transmitting a radio frequency (RF) signal from the at least one antenna of a plurality of the multiple reference units to form respective picocellular coverage areas associated with the respective reference units; receiving corresponding signals at a plurality of the multiple reference units from an object in the corresponding picocellular coverage area; determining a distance from each of a plurality of the respective reference units to the object to obtain a plurality of determined distances based on the received corresponding signal; and determining a location of the object based on the plurality of determined distances. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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Specification