LOCATION IDENTIFICATION USING DIVERSITY FINGERPRINTING

• US 20170127234A1
• Filed: 10/29/2015
• Published: 05/04/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2015
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Pulleti, Uday, Muktevi, Srinivas, Volam, Praveen Kumar
• Application Number:
  US14/926,212
• Publication Number:
  US 20170127234A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2205/02 Indoor
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/08 Testing, supervising or monitoring using real traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

A device includes an anchor node configured for placement in a space containing an asset having an asset radio. An anchor node radio is supported by the anchor node. An attenuator is coupled to the anchor node radio to provide a distinctive fingerprint signature of transmissions from the anchor node radio within the space. The distinctive fingerprint is receivable by the asset radio to determine a location of the asset within the space.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

an anchor node configured for placement in a space containing an asset having an asset radio;

an anchor node radio supported by the anchor node; and

an attenuator coupled to the anchor node radio to provide a distinctive fingerprint signature of transmissions from the anchor node radio within the space, the distinctive fingerprint being receivable by the asset radio to determine a location of the asset within the space.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the attenuator is coupled between the anchor node and the anchor node radio.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein the attenuator is formed of metal.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein the attenuator comprises a directional printed circuit antenna.

5. The device of claim 1 wherein the anchor node radio comprises a Bluetooth®

low energy radio or a low power WiFi radio.

6. The device of claim 1 wherein the anchor node radio is an omni-directional radio.

7. A device comprising:

a multi-sided anchor node configured for placement in a space containing an asset having an asset radio; and

multiple anchor node radios supported by the multiple sides of the anchor node, the anchor node radios supported to provide multiple distinctive fingerprint signatures of transmissions from the anchor node radios within the space, the distinctive fingerprint being receivable by the asset radio to determine a location of the asset within the space.

8. The device of claim 7 wherein the anchor node radios are omni-directional radios and wherein each radio has a multiple part address, wherein a first part identifies the anchor node and a second part identifies the radio supported by the anchor node.

9. The device of claim 7 wherein the anchor node has two horizontally opposing sides and the multiple anchor node radios comprise an anchor node radio on each side and wherein each radio has a multiple part MAC address, wherein a first part identifies the anchor node and a second part identifies the radio supported by the anchor node.

10. The device of claim 7 wherein the anchor node comprises a cube shape with four sides, a top, and a bottom.

11. The device of claim 10 wherein the multiple anchor node radios comprise an anchor node radio on each of the four sides and the bottom of the anchor node, each of the radios powered by a single anchor node battery.

12. The device of claim 7 wherein the anchor node comprises a pyramid shape having a base adapted to couple to a ceiling of the space, and four faces, each supporting one of the multiple anchor node radios.

13. The device of claim 7 wherein the anchor node comprises a cube shape with four sides, a top, and a bottom, wherein at least one of the top and bottom are coupled to a base of a pyramid having four faces, the sides and faces each supporting an anchor node radio, wherein each of the radios is powered by a single anchor node battery.

14. The device of claim 13 wherein the space includes multiple anchor nodes with multiple anchor node radios mounted on poles of varying heights to form a location identifying infrastructure within the space.

15. The device of claim 7 wherein at least one of the multiple anchor node radios comprises a directional radio and wherein each radio has a multiple part address, wherein a first part identifies the anchor node and a second part identifies the radio supported by the anchor node.

16. A method comprising:

placing multiple anchor nodes having multiple sides dispersed about within a space containing an asset having an asset radio;

providing multiple anchor node radios on different sides of each anchor node; and

transmitting signals from each of the multiple anchor node radios to provide multiple distinctive fingerprint signatures of transmissions from the anchor node radios within the space, the distinctive fingerprint being receivable by the asset radio to determine a location of the asset within the space.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the multiple anchor node radios include attenuators to provide a distinctive fingerprint signature of transmitted signals and wherein each radio has a multiple part MAC address, wherein a first part identifies the anchor node and a second part identifies the radio supported by the anchor node.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the attenuators are formed of metal.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein the attenuators comprise directional printed circuit antennas.

20. The method of claim 17 wherein the attenuators cause the transmitters to transmit signals with more power in a direction orthogonal to respective sides of the anchor nodes on which they are provided.