Vehicle locating and navigating system

• US 5,208,756 A
• Filed: 01/28/1991
• Issued: 05/04/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Han L. Song
• Original Assignee: Han L. Song
• Inventors: Song, Han L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Gary
• Application Number:
  US07/646,706
• Time in Patent Office: 827 Days
• Field of Search: 364/449, 364/443, 364/444, 342/457, 342/450, 342/465, 340/900, 340/991-993, 455/33, 455/53, 455/54, 455/56
• US Class Current: 455/456.3
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0009 Transmission of position information to remote stations involving assistance data G01S5/0236
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0027 of actual mobile position, i.e. position determined on mobile
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/04 Position of source determined by a plurality of spaced direction-finders
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/10 Position of receiver fixed by co-ordinating a plurality of position lines defined by path-difference measurements , e.g. omega or decca systemsG01S5/12 takes precedence ; beacons and receivers cooperating therewith G01S1/306, G01S1/308
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

A vehicle locating and navigating system operating in conjunction with a cellular telephone network is provided. A small, hidden device located in a vehicle is activated through DTMF signals transmitted from any telephone station. Upon activation, the device determines the power at which normally transmitted control channels are received from several base stations of the network. Based upon these determinations, the device then calculates the distance between the vehicle and each of the base stations and, using triangulation or arculation, determines the location of the vehicle. The locational information is transmitted through a voice synthesizer back to the telephone station from which the activation signal is received, or to a different telephone station dedicated to receive this information. The locational information also is transmitted digitally to a central station where the position of the vehicle is displayed on a computer screen along with a graphical representation of a map of the region served by the cellular telephone network. An operator at the central station can assist the vehicle'"'"'s operator with navigational information or provide tracking coordinates to a tracking vehicle equipped with a similar device.

Claims

1. A system for determining a vehicle'"'"'s location comprising:

(a) receiving means for receiving signals transmitted from a plurality of base stations of a cellular telephone network;

(b) first determining means for determining the received-power at which each of said signals is received;

(c) second determining means for determining the location of each of said base stations from which each of said signals is transmitted, the transmitting power at which each signal is transmitted, and the signal-attenuation factor of each signal;

(d) first calculating means for calculating the distance between said vehicle and each of said base stations as a function of the transmitting power, received-power, and signal-attenuation factor of each of said signals;

(e) second calculating means for calculating the vehicle-location of said vehicle as a function of said distances and the location of each of said base stations; and

(f) transmitting means for transmitting a signal identifying said vehicle-location.

2. A system as in claim 1, wherein said signals comprise control-channel signals transmitted from said base stations.

3. A system as in claim 1, wherein said first determining means comprise means for averaging the received-powers at which each of said signals is received over a fixed period of time.

4. A system as in claim 1, further comprising storing means for storing for each of said base stations data identifying said base station, said base station'"'"'s location, and the signal-attenuation factor of the signal transmitted by said base station.

5. A system as in claim 4, wherein said storing means further comprise means for storing for each of said base stations data identifying the transmitting power of the signal transmitted by the base station.

6. A system as in claim 1, wherein each of said signals includes information identifying the base station from which the signal is transmitted.

7. A system as in claim 6, wherein said information is the frequency of the signal'"'"'s transmission.

8. A system as in claim 6, wherein said information is digital data transmitted by the signal.

9. A system as in claim 6, wherein each of said signals further includes data identifying the transmitting power at which the signal is transmitted.

10. A system as in claim 9, wherein each of said signals further includes data identifying the signal-attenuation factor of the signal.

11. A system as in claim 4, wherein said storing means comprise a replaceable ROM.

12. A system as in claim 1, wherein said first calculating means calculates each of said distances on the basis of the formula:

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">P.sub.r =kP.sub.t /d.sup.n,

wherein P_r equals the received-power of the signal transmitted from the base station, k is a constant, P_t equals the transmitting power of the signal transmitted from the base station, n equals the signal-attenuation factor of the signal transmitted from the base station, and d equals the distance between the base station and the vehicle.

13. A system as in claim 12, wherein n ranges between 2 and 6.

14. A system as in claim 1, wherein said second calculating means calculates the latitude and longitude of the vehicle-location of said vehicle using arculation, and said transmitting means transmits a voice-synthesized message containing said latitude and longitude.

15. A system as in claim 1, wherein said second calculating means calculates the latitude and longitude of the vehicle-location of said vehicle using arculation, and said transmitting means transmits a digital signal containing said latitude and longitude.

16. A system as in claim 1, further comprising means for activating said system in response to an activation-signal transmitted over said cellular telephone network.

17. A system as in claim 16, wherein said activation signal comprises a DTMF signal transmitted from a telephone station.

18. A system as in claim 1, further comprising a computer console for receiving the signal identifying said vehicle-location, and wherein said console comprises means for displaying a map of the geographical area covered by said cellular telephone network and the vehicle-location of said vehicle on said map.

19. A system as in claim 1, further comprising means for transmitting the signal identifying said vehicle-location over said cellular telephone network.

20. A system as in claim 19, further comprising means for transmitting the signal identifying said vehicle-location to a predetermined telephone station.

21. A method for determining a vehicle'"'"'s location comprising:

(a) receiving signals transmitted from a plurality of base stations of a cellular telephone network;

(b) determining the received-power at which each of said signals is received;

(c) determining the location of each of said base stations from which each of said signals is transmitted, the transmitting power at which each of said signals is transmitted, and the signal-attenuation factor of each of said signals;

(d) calculating the distance between said vehicle and each of said base stations as a function of the transmitting power, received-power, and signal-attenuation factor of each of said signals;

(e) calculating the vehicle-location of said vehicle as a function of said distances and the location of each of said base stations; and

(f) transmitting a signal identifying said vehicle-location.

22. A method as in claim 21, wherein said signals comprise control-channel signals transmitted from said base stations.

23. A method as in claim 21, further comprising the step of averaging the received-powers at which each of said signals is received over a fixed period of time.

24. A method as in claim 21, further comprising the step of storing for each of said base stations data identifying said base station, said base station'"'"'s location, and the signal-attenuation factor of the signal transmitted by said base station.

25. A method as in claim 24, further comprising the step of storing for each of said base stations data identifying the transmitting power of the signal transmitted by the base station.

26. A method as in claim 21, wherein each of said signals includes information identifying the base station from which said signal is transmitted.

27. A method as in claim 26, wherein said information is the frequency of the signal'"'"'s transmission.

28. A method as in claim 26, wherein said information is digital data transmitted by the signal.

29. A method as in claim 26, wherein each of said signals further includes data identifying the transmitting power at which said signal is transmitted.

30. A method as in claim 29, wherein each of said signals further includes data identifying the signal-attenuation factor of said signal.

31. A method as in claim 24, wherein said step of storing comprises storing said data in a replaceable ROM.

32. A method as in claim 21, wherein said step of calculating the distance between said vehicle and each of said base stations is based on the formula:

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">P.sub.r =kP.sub.t /d.sup.n,

wherein P_r equals the received-power of the signal transmitted from the base station, k is a constant, P_t equals the transmitting power of the signal transmitted from the base station, n equals the signal-attenuation factor of the signal transmitted from the base station, and d equals the distance between the base station and the vehicle.

33. A method as in claim 32, wherein n ranges between 2 and 6.

34. A method as in claim 21, wherein said step of calculating the vehicle-location of said vehicle includes calculating the latitude and longitude of the location of said vehicle using arculation, and said step of transmitting a signal identifying said vehicle-location includes transmitting a voice-synthesized message containing said latitude and longitude.

35. A method as in claim 21, wherein said step of calculating the vehicle-location of said vehicle includes calculating the latitude and longitude of the location of said vehicle using arculation, and said step of transmitting a signal identifying said vehicle-location includes transmitting a digital signal containing said latitude and longitude.

36. A method as in claim 21, further comprising the step of initiating said method in response to an activation-signal transmitted over said cellular telephone network.

37. A method as in claim 36, wherein said activation signal comprises a DTMF signal transmitted from a telephone station.

38. A method as in claim 21, further comprising the step of receiving the signal identifying said vehicle-location at a computer console, and displaying a map of the network and the vehicle-location of said vehicle on said map.

39. A method as in claim 21, further comprising the step of transmitting the signal identifying said vehicle-location over said cellular telephone network.

40. A method as in claim 39, further comprising the step of transmitting the signal identifying said vehicle-location to a predetermined telephone station.