System and method to communicate time stamped, 3-axis geo-position data within telecommunication networks

• US 6,144,336 A
• Filed: 05/13/1999
• Issued: 11/07/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Karma Automotive LLC (Wanxiang Group Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Integrated Data Communications Incorporated
• Inventors: Preston, Joseph D., Vroman, James, Preston, Dan A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Issing, Gregory C.
• Application Number:
  US09/230,079
• Time in Patent Office: 544 Days
• Field of Search: 342/357.06, 342/357.07, 342/357.09, 342/357.1, 379/50, 379/59, 455/521, 455/426, 455/456, 375/222
• US Class Current: 342/357.37
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2205/002 for traffic control, mobile tracking, guidance, surveillance or anti-collision
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2205/008 using a mobile telephone network
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0027 of actual mobile position, i.e. position determined on mobile

Abstract

In the case of a conventional radio telecommunication system for transmitting information between stationary transmitting/receiving units and mobile transmitting/receiving units it is proposed that the mobile units be additionally provided with a satellite navigation receiver for independently determining a position rough value. The stationary units are likewise provided with a satellite navigation receiver for independently determining a reference position rough value of a reference location of known exact geographical position as the reference position normal value, and with an error detection unit for detecting position determination errors by comparing the instantaneously determined reference position rough value with the reference position normal value. In the mobile units or in the stationary units, correction of the position rough values is then carried out with determination errors determined substantially isochronously, the required transmission of the position rough values and the position determination errors being carried out by radio over the radio channel used for the speech information.

Claims

1. A remote communications apparatus for voice and data communication exclusively over the audio traffic channel of a digital wireless telecommunication network comprising:

a source for generating digital data;

a tone generation module for encoding the digital data into a series of audio frequency tones;

the audio fragment tones being selected so as to avoid frequencies that are characteristic of human voice thereby minimizing interference with simultaneous voice traffic on the channel;

a voice/data signal encoder/decoder (vocoder) for sampling the audio frequency tones and forming digital signals for transmission over the digital wireless telecommunication network; and

a transmission system for transmitting the digital signals over the audio traffic channel of the digital wireless telecommunication network.

2. A remote communications apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the source for generating digital data comprises a satellite position system receiver.

3. A remote communications apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the satellite position system receiver includes means for providing raw position data received from a satellite position system, and a satellite position system data processor (30) to provide formatted, time-stamped, 3-axis geo-position data responsive to the raw position data.

4. A remote communication apparatus for voice and data communication exclusively over the voice channel of a digital wireless telecommunications network comprising:

a source for generating digital location data;

a tone generation module for encoding the digital location data into a series of audio frequency tones;

a voice/data signal encoder/decoder (vocoder

     62) for converting the series of audio frequency tones into a series of digital signals (64) arranged for Transmission over the digital wireless telecommunications network; and

an RF transceiver coupled to the vocoder for transmitting the digital signals (ever the digital wireless telecommunications network;

wherein the tone generation module is configured to encode the digital data using audio frequencies specially selected so as to pass through the vocoder and the digital wireless telecommunications network without substantial distortion; and

further comprising an activation interface for automatically initiating one of a pre-determined set of actions responsive with a corresponding one of a pre-determined set of event triggers.

5. A remote communication apparatus according to claim 4 and wherein the activation interface is responsive to user keypad input.

6. A remote communication apparatus according to claim 4 and wherein the activation interface is responsive to actuation of a selected momentary contact switch.

7. A remote communications apparatus according to claim 4 and wherein the activation interface includes means for decoding one or more audio tones received in the apparatus via the voice channel of the digital wireless telecommunications network and detecting a pre-determined request code from the decoded audio tones, whereby the apparatus responds to a request from a remote location without intervention by a local user.

8. A remote communications apparatus according to claim 4 and wherein the activation interface includes interface circuitry for activating the apparatus to transmit the digital location data in response to any one or more of an environmental sensor output, a physiological monitor output, a pre-determined alarm condition, and a manual input.

9. A remote communications apparatus according to claim 8 and wherein the apparatus further includes a keypad and the manual input to the activation interface includes manual input of one or more key presses to the keypad.

10. A remote communications apparatus according to claim 8 and wherein the environmental sensor output is indicative of a pre-determined environmental condition.

11. A remote communications apparatus according to claim 8 and wherein the physiological monitor output is indicative of a pre-determined physiological condition of the local user.

12. A remote communication apparatus according to claim 4 and wherein the activation interface is responsive to a measurement device.

13. A method for communication control signaling transparently over the voice channel of a digital wireless communication network comprising the steps of:

providing a wireless remote communication apparatus ("RCA") having a vocoder for transmitting and receiving human voice content over a voice channel of the digital wireless communication network;

providing a call receiver apparatus ("CRA") also capable of transmitting and receiving human voice content over a voice channel of the digital wireless communication network;

defining one or more control codes reserved for communication control signaling over the voice channel, each control code comprising one or more alpha-numeric characters;

establishing a digital voice channel connection between the RCA and the call receiver apparatus CRA;

in a first one of the RCA and the CRA, selecting one of the communication control codes for transmission to the other one of the RCA and the CRA;

in the first one of the RCA and the CRA, converting the selected control code into an audio tone representation;

in the first one of the RCA and the CRA, formatting the audio tones in a vocoder so as to form digital transmission data;

in the first one of the RCA and the CRA, transmitting the digital transmission data over the digital voice channel connection to the other one of the RCA and the CRA; and

in the other one of the RCA and the CRA, detecting the control code to effect control signaling transparently over the voice channel.

14. A method according to claim 13 wherein the defined control codes include a

request for assistance, thereby enabling automated response to the request.

15. A method according to claim 13 wherein the converting step includes converting the control code into at least two audio tones having frequencies selected for said formatting in the vocoder without substantial attenuation.

16. A method according to claim 13 wherein the defined control codes include a query for data.

17. A method according to claim 13 wherein the defined control codes include a request to update location data.

18. A method for communicating digital data exclusively over the voice channel of a digital wireless telecommunications network comprising:

providing digital source data;

encoding the digital source dam into a series of audio frequency signals, each signal comprising two or more selected audio frequency tones;

selecting the amplitudes, frequencies and duration of said two or more audio frequency tones by avoiding such amplitudes, frequencies and durations as are attacked as noise by a pre-determined vocoder, so that the selected audio frequency tones will pass through the vocoder without substantial attenuation;

formatting the series of audio frequency signals into a data stream in the vocoder for transmission over the digital wireless telecommunications network; and

transmitting the series of digital signals over the digital wireless telecommunications network.

19. A method according to claim 18 further comprising selecting the frequencies of the audio frequency tones so as to avoid frequencies that are characteristic of human voice so that simultaneous voice traffic on the channel does not substantially interfere with the encoded digital data.

20. A method according to claim 18 further comprising receiving and decoding the series of digital signals so as to recover the series of audio frequency signals encoding the digital source data.