SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR LOCATION OF MOBILE DEVICES IN CONFINED ENVIRONMENTS

• US 20110210843A1
• Filed: 03/01/2010
• Published: 09/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CommScope Technologies, LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Andrew LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kummetz, Thomas
• Granted Patent: US 8,400,292 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/517
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0289 of multiple transceivers, e.g. in ad hoc networks
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/06 Position of source determined by co-ordinating a plurality of position lines defined by path-difference measurements G01S5/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements

Abstract

The sensor network may include a location capture processing unit; and a plurality of sensors in communication with the location capture processing unit. Each sensor of the plurality of sensors includes a controller and a RF receiver configured to receive RF signals. The RF receiver is in communication with the controller. A localization engine is configured to receive beacon signals transmitted by other sensors in the sensor network. The localization engine is in communication with the controller. The controller of each of the plurality of sensors is further configured to determine a position of its respective sensor using either RF receiver or localization engine or both. The plurality of sensors communicates their position to the location capture processing unit.

Claims

1. A sensor in a sensor network, comprising:

a controller;

a RF receiver configured to receive RF signals, the RF receiver in communication with the controller; and

a localization engine configured to receive beacon signals transmitted by other sensors in the sensor network, the localization engine in communication with the controller,

wherein the controller is configured to determine a position of the sensor using at least one of the RF receiver and localization engine.

2. The sensor of claim 1, further comprising:

a global positioning receiver configured to receive signals from a global positioning system, the global positioning receiver in communication with the controller,

wherein the controller is configured to determine a position of the sensor using at least one of the RF receiver, global positioning receiver, and localization engine.

3. The sensor of claim 1, wherein the position of the sensor is an absolute position.

4. The sensor of claim 1, wherein the position of the sensor is a position relative to another sensor in the sensor network or a base station in a mobile network.

5. The sensor of claim 1, further comprising:

a detector selected from the group consisting of;

a temperature detector, a movement detector, an acoustic noise detector, a fire detector, a smoke detector, a gas detector, and combinations thereof.

6. The sensor of claim 1, further comprising:

a device selected from the group consisting of;

a microphone, a wide angle video camera, a speaker, and combinations thereof.

7. The sensor of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to use trilateration to determine the position of the sensor.

8. The sensor of claim 1, wherein the localization engine is further configured to generate beacon signals.

9. A sensor network, comprising:

a location capture processing unit; and

a plurality of sensors in communication with the location capture processing unit, each sensor of the plurality of sensors including;

a controller;

a RF receiver configured to receive RF signals, the RF receiver in communication with the controller; and

a localization engine configured to receive beacon signals transmitted by other sensors in the sensor network, the localization engine in communication with the controller,

wherein the controller of each of the plurality of sensors is configured to determine a position of its respective sensor using at least one of the RF receiver and localization engine, and

wherein the plurality of sensors communicate their position to the location capture processing unit.

10. The sensor network of claim 9, further including:

a global positioning receiver configured to receive signals from a global positioning system, the global positioning receiver in communication with the controller,

wherein the controller of each of the plurality of sensors is configured to determine a position of its respective sensor using at least one of the RF receiver, global positioning receiver, and localization engine.

11. The sensor network of claim 9, wherein the position of the sensor is an absolute position.

12. The sensor network of claim 9, wherein the position of the sensor is a position relative to another sensor in the sensor network or a base station in a mobile network.

13. The sensor network of claim 9, wherein the location capture processing unit is further in communication with a mobile location center.

14. The sensor network of claim 9, wherein the location capture processing unit is further in communication with a building security system.

15. The sensor network of claim 9, wherein the plurality of sensors communicate their position to the location capture processing unit over a wired connection.

16. The sensor network of claim 9, wherein the plurality of sensors communicate their position to the location capture processing unit over a wireless connection.

17. The sensor network of claim 9, wherein the sensor network is coupled with an IT installation in a structure.

18. A distributed antenna system, comprising:

a master unit;

a location capture processing unit;

a plurality of coverage antennas in communication with the master unit; and

a plurality of sensors each proximate a respective coverage antenna of the plurality of coverage antennas and in communication with the location capture processing unit, each sensor of the plurality of sensors including;

a controller;

a RF receiver configured to receive RF signals, the RF receiver in communication with the controller;

a global positioning receiver configured to receive signals from a global positioning system, the global positioning receiver in communication with the controller; and

a localization engine configured to receive beacon signals transmitted by other sensors in the sensor network, the localization engine in communication with the controller,

wherein the controller of each of the plurality of sensors is configured to determine a position of its respective sensor using at least one of the RF receiver, global positioning receiver, and localization engine, and

wherein the plurality of sensors communicate their position to the location capture processing unit.

19. The distributed antenna system of claim 18, wherein the sensor and the respective coverage antenna are integrated.

20. The distributed antenna system of claim 18, wherein the sensor utilizes a separate antenna.

21. The distributed antenna system of claim 20, wherein the separate antenna is a remote unit (RU) antenna.

22. The distributed antenna system of claim 18, wherein the position of the sensor is an absolute position.

23. The distributed antenna system of claim 18, wherein the position of the sensor is a position relative to another sensor in the sensor network or a base station in a mobile network.

24. The distributed antenna system of claim 18, wherein the plurality of sensors communicate their position to the location processing unit over feeding cables of the distributed antenna system.

25. The distributed antenna system of claim 18, wherein the location capture processing unit is further in communication with a mobile location center.