Decentralized Location Triangulation System and Data Transfer Protocol

• US 20140162702A1
• Filed: 07/11/2013
• Published: 06/12/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Brandon Robert Crawford, Darrell S. Mockus
• Original Assignee: Brandon Robert Crawford, Darrell S. Mockus
• Inventors: Mockus, Darrell S., Crawford, Brandon Robert
• Application Number:
  US13/940,252
• Publication Number:
  US 20140162702A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.6
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0081 Transmission between base stations
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/019 Energy consumption
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0205 Details
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0284 Relative positioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0209 in terminal devices terminal devices per se H04W88/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Systems and methods for distributed location determination are disclosed. Mobile computing devices within proximity of one another can exchange signals to determine relative physical locations. Such signals include signals for determining proximity or distances that can be used by the mobile computing devices to triangulate the relative positions of the mobile computing devices. The signals can also include unique identifiers that can be used to associate a determined position with a particular mobile computing device. The mobile computing devices share their own location information and location information for other known mobile computing devices to distribute the location determination tasks. Data from stationary nodes and external positioning systems may be superimposed on the relative position determination to add external location references. The resolution of the external location references can be enhanced using the relative positions determined by the mobile computing devices.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a plurality of mobile computing devices, wherein each mobile computing device comprises;

a mobile processor;

a transceiver coupled to the mobile processor, and

a non-transitory computer readable memory coupled to the mobile processor and comprising;

a unique identifier associated with the mobile computing device; and

executable code that when executed by the mobile processor causes the mobile processor to be configured to transmit the unique identifier using the transceiver of the mobile computing device; and

a plurality of nodes, wherein each node is coupled to at least some of the plurality of other nodes through a network, and wherein each node comprises;

a processor;

a transceiver coupled to the processor; and

a memory coupled to the processor and comprising;

a location data associated with the node; and

executable code that when executed by the mobile processor causes the mobile processor to be configured to receive signals comprising unique identifiers from the plurality of mobile computing devices and to send, in response to the unique identifiers, signals comprising the location data to the mobile computing devices.