Method and apparatus for calibrating location finding equipment within a communication system
First Claim
1. A method for calibrating location finding equipment within a communication system, the method comprising the steps of:
- receiving an independently transmitted first location of a mobile unit;
determining, via the location finding equipment, a second location of the mobile unit;
determining an error vector based on the first and the second location;
determining, via the location finding equipment, a location of a remote unit; and
modifying the location of the remote unit with the error vector to produce a calibrated location estimate.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Error vectors are added to any position estimate determined by Location finding equipment (LFE) in order to give a corrected position estimate. Error vectors are determined utilizing calibration terminals (114), which are roaming vehicles that move throughout the communication system'"'"'s (100) coverage area. Each calibration terminal (114) comprises a remote unit (113) coupled with an independent position determining system (167) such as a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver. Error vectors are determined by periodically polling calibration terminals (114). In response, each terminal (114) sends back a reply message containing their actual, independently determined location, along with periodically broadcasting a known sequence at increased power utilized by the LFE in determining a position estimate of the calibration terminal (114). The difference between the actual, and LFE determined position estimates are utilized in calculation of error vectors.
192 Citations
13 Claims
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1. A method for calibrating location finding equipment within a communication system, the method comprising the steps of:
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receiving an independently transmitted first location of a mobile unit; determining, via the location finding equipment, a second location of the mobile unit; determining an error vector based on the first and the second location; determining, via the location finding equipment, a location of a remote unit; and modifying the location of the remote unit with the error vector to produce a calibrated location estimate. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method for calibrating location finding equipment within a communication system, the method comprising the steps of:
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receiving a plurality of independently transmitted first locations of a plurality of calibration units; determining, via the location finding equipment, a second plurality of locations of the plurality of calibration units; determining a plurality of error vectors based on the plurality of first and second locations; storing the plurality of error vectors along with the plurality of second locations of the calibration units; determining, via the location finding equipment, a location of a remote unit; retrieving the subset of the plurality of error vectors from the stored plurality of error vectors; and modifying the location of the remote unit with the subset of the plurality of error vectors to produce a calibrated location estimate. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. An apparatus comprising:
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location finding equipment coupled to the database, the location finding equipment having an independently transmitted first location of a mobile unit as an input and outputting an error vector based on the first location of the mobile unit and an estimated location of the mobile unit; and a database having the error vector and the estimated location of the mobile unit as an input.
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Specification