A Wireless Location Determining System

• US 20160295362A1
• Filed: 11/06/2014
• Published: 10/06/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Ircoi Bvba
• Original Assignee: Ircoi Bvba
• Inventors: Ronse, Frederick
• Application Number:
  US15/038,508
• Publication Number:
  US 20160295362A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals

Abstract

The wireless device (100), preferably a wireless tag (100), comprises a first beacon parameter (142) formatted as a mobile phone parameter (42), a second beacon parameter (122) formatted as a base transceiver station parameter (22), and a wireless transmitter (102). The location processing module (50) determines a first range (200) in function of the connected base transceiver stations (10) that detected the first beacon signal (140); and determines a second range (300) in function of the connected mobile phones (30) that detected the second beacon signal (120), the second range (300) being smaller than the first range (200).

Claims

1. A wireless location determining system (1) comprising:

a plurality of base transceiver stations (10), each configured to transmit wireless base transceiver station signals (20) comprising a base transceiver station parameter (22) and to receive wireless mobile phone signals (40) each comprising a mobile phone parameter (42) from a mobile phone (30);

a plurality of mobile phones (30), each configured to transmit the wireless mobile phone signals (40) and to receive the wireless base transceiver station signals (20);

a location processing module (50) connected to the base transceiver stations (10) and the mobile phones (30) by means of a communication network (60);

a wireless device (100);

the wireless device (100) comprises a first beacon parameter (142) formatted as a mobile phone parameter (42), and a wireless transmitter (102) that is configured to transmit a first beacon signal (140) comprising the first beacon parameter (142);

the location processing module (50) is configured to;

determine a first range (200) of possible locations of the wireless device (100) in function of the connected base transceiver stations (10) that detected the first beacon signal (140);

wherein

the wireless device (100) further comprises a second beacon parameter (122) formatted as a base transceiver station parameter (22), and the wireless transmitter (102) is further configured to transmit a second beacon signal (120) comprising the second beacon parameter (122);

the location processing module (50) is further configured to;

connect to a plurality of mobile phones (30) present in the first range (200);

determine a second range (300) of possible locations of the wireless device (100) in function of the connected mobile phones (30) that detected the second beacon signal (120), the second range (300) being smaller than the first range (200).

2. A wireless location determining system according to claim 1, wherein the first beacon signal (140) resembles the wireless mobile phone signal (40), and the second beacon signal (120) resembles the wireless base transceiver station signal (20).

3. A wireless location determining system according to claim 1, wherein the wireless device (100) intermittently, alternatingly and/or cyclically transmits the first beacon signal (140) and the second beacon signal (120).

4. A wireless location determining system according to claim 1, wherein the base transceiver stations (10) comprise one or more of the following:

a land based cellular network base transceiver station;

a satellite based base transceiver station; and

in that the wireless device (100) comprises one or more of the following;

a wireless tag;

a mobile phone.

5. A wireless location determining system according to claim 1, wherein the base transceiver station parameter (22) comprises one or more of the following:

a Cell Global Identification comprising;

a Location Area Identity comprising;

a Mobile Country Code configured to uniquely identify a country in which the base transceiver station (10) operates;

a Mobile Network Code configured to uniquely identify a Public Land Mobile Network in which the base transceiver station (10) operates;

the Location Area Code configured to identify an area assigned by a network operator of the Public Land Mobile Network;

a Cell Identity configured to uniquely identify a cellular network base station (10) within the Public Land Mobile Network;

the Cell Identity;

the Mobile Country Code;

the Mobile Network Code;

the Location Area Code;

a Base Station Identity Code, which comprises a Network Colour Code NCC configured to identify the Public Land Mobile Network PLMN and a Base Station Colour Code configured to distinguish a cellular network base stations (10) from its neighbouring cellular network base stations (10).

6. A wireless location determining system according to claim 1, wherein the mobile phone parameter (42) comprises one or more of the following:

an International Mobile Subscriber Identity comprising;

a Mobile Country Code configured to uniquely identify a country in which the subscription of a mobile phone (30) operates;

a Mobile Network Code configured to uniquely identify a Public Land Mobile Network in which the subscription of a mobile phone (30) operates;

a Mobile Subscriber Identification Number configured to uniquely identify the subscription of a mobile phone (30) within the Public Land Mobile Network;

an International Mobile Station Equipment Identity to uniquely identify the mobile phone (30);

a Mobile Network Code configured to uniquely identify a Public Land Mobile Network in which the subscription of a mobile phone (30) operates.

7. A wireless location determining system according to claim 1, wherein the location processing module (50) is further configured to determine the first range (200) in function of the base transceiver station parameters (22) of the connected base transceiver stations (10) that detected the first beacon signal (140).

8. A wireless location determining system according to claim 1, wherein the location processing module (50) further comprises a base station locator (52) configured to determine the geographic location of a base transceiver station (10) in function of its base station parameter (22);

and in that the location processing module (50) is further configured to determine the first range (200) in function of the geographic location of the connected base transceiver stations (10) that detected the first beacon signal (140).

9. A wireless location determining system according to claim 1, wherein:

the connected base transceiver stations (10) that detected the first beacon signal (140) are further configured to determine the signal strength and/or timing difference of the first beacon signal (140); and

the location processing module (50) is further configured to, when a plurality of connected base transceiver stations (10) detected the first beacon signal (140), determine the first range (200) in function of the signal strength and/or timing difference of the first beacon signal (140) by means of triangulation and/or trilateration.

10. A wireless location determining system according to claim 1, wherein the location processing module (50) is further configured to determine the second range (300) of possible locations of the wireless device (100) in function of the mobile phone parameters (42) from the connected mobile phones (30) that detected the second beacon signal (120);

and in that the location processing module (50) further comprises a mobile phone locator (54) configured to determine the geographic location of a mobile phone (30) in function of its mobile phone parameter (22).

11. A wireless location determining system according to claim 10, wherein the location processing module (50) is further configured to determine the second range (300) in function of the geographic location of the connected mobile phones (10) that detected the second beacon signal (120).

12. A wireless location determining system according to claim 1, wherein:

the connected mobile phones (30) that detected the second beacon signal (120) are further configured to determine the signal strength and/or timing difference of the second beacon signal (120); and

the location processing module (50) is further configured to, when a plurality of connected mobile phones (30) detected the second beacon signal (120), determine the second range (300) in function of the signal strength and/or timing difference of the second beacon signal (120) by means of triangulation and/or trilateration.

13. A location processing module for use in the wireless location determining system according to claim 1, wherein the location processing module (50) is configured to:

determine a first range (200) of possible locations of the wireless device (100) in function of the connected base transceiver stations (10) that detected the first beacon signal (140);

wherein

the location processing module (50) is further configured to;

connect to a plurality of mobile phones (30) present in the first range (200);

determine a second range (300) of possible locations of the wireless device (100) in function of the connected mobile phones (30) that detected the second beacon signal (120), the second range (300) being smaller than the first range (200).

14. A method of operating a wireless location determining system according to claim 1, wherein the method comprises the steps of:

the wireless transmitter (102) of the wireless device (100) transmitting the first beacon signal (140) comprising the first beacon parameter (142); and

the location processing module (50);

determining the first range (200) of possible locations of the wireless device (100) in function of the connected base transceiver stations (10) that detected the first beacon signal (140);

wherein the method further comprises the steps of;

the wireless transmitter (102) of the wireless device (100) transmitting the second beacon signal (120) comprising the second beacon parameter (122); and

the location processing module (50);

connecting to a plurality of mobile phones (30) present in the first range (200);

determining the second range (300) of possible locations of the wireless device (100) in function of the connected mobile phones (30) that detected the second beacon signal (120), the second range (300) being smaller than the first range (200).