Apparatus and method for locating devices using an acoustic gyroscope

• US 6,792,381 B2
• Filed: 05/06/2002
• Issued: 09/14/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Avaya Technology Corporation Miami Lakes FLA US
• Inventors: Petty, Norman W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Barlow, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): Washburn, Douglas N
• Application Number:
  US10/140,134
• Publication Number:
  US 20030208336A1
• Time in Patent Office: 862 Days
• Field of Search: 701/200, 701/207, 701/213, 701/214, 701/216, 701/220, 701/221, 701/217, 701/244, 702/150, 340/671, 340/967, 340/973, 340/974, 340/975, 340/976, 731/78.R, 73/651, 738/623.81, 735/033, 735/042, 735/041.2, 202/150, 202/152
• US Class Current: 702/152
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence

Abstract

Accurately determining a location of a device by using an acoustic gyroscope within the device The acoustic gyroscope is periodically adjusted using information from external sources.

Claims

1. Apparatus for determining a location of a device, comprising:

acoustic gyroscope;

controller for calculating the location of the device from information received from the acoustic gyroscope;

the controller further responsive to external location information for adjusting the acoustic gyroscope;

a detector for receiving information from local fixed location transmitters; and

the controller further responsive to the received information for calculating the location of the device to generate the external location information.

2. Apparatus for determining a location of a wireless telephone, comprising:

acoustic gyroscope;

controller for calculating the location of the wireless telephone from information received from the acoustic gyroscope; and

the controller further responsive to external location information for adjusting the acoustic gyroscope.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 further comprises a wireless circuit for receiving wireless transmissions from external transmitting stations;

and

the controller further responsive to the received wireless transmissions for calculating the location of the device to generate the external location information.

4. Apparatus for determining a location of a wireless personal digital assistant, comprising:

acoustic gyroscope;

controller for calculating the location of the wireless personal digital assistant from information received from the acoustic gyroscope; and

the controller further responsive to external location information for adjusting the acoustic gyroscope.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 further comprises a wireless circuit for receiving wireless transmissions from external transmitting stations;

and

the controller further responsive to the received wireless transmissions for calculating the location of the device to generate the external location information.

6. A wireless telephone for determining a location of the wireless telephone, comprising:

acoustic gyroscope;

controller for calculating the location of the wireless telephone from information received from the acoustic gyroscope;

wireless circuit for receiving wireless transmissions from external transmitting stations;

the controller further responsive to the received wireless transmissions for generating external location information; and

the controller further responsive to external location information for adjusting the acoustic gyroscope.

7. A wireless personal digital assistant for determining a location of the wireless personal digital assistant, comprising:

acoustic gyroscope;

controller for calculating the location of the wireless personal digital assistant from information received from the acoustic gyroscope;

wireless circuit for receiving wireless transmissions from external transmitting stations;

the controller further responsive to the received wireless transmissions for generating external location information; and

the controller further responsive to external location information for adjusting the acoustic gyroscope.

8. A wireless device for determining a location of the wireless device, comprising:

acoustic gyroscope;

controller for calculating the location of the wireless device from information received from the acoustic gyroscope;

a detector for receiving information from local fixed location transmitters;

the controller further responsive to the received information for calculating external location information; and

the controller further responsive to external location information for adjusting the acoustic gyroscope.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the wireless device is a wireless telephone.

10. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the wireless device is a wireless personal digital assistant.

11. A method for determining a location of a wireless telephone, comprising the steps of:

analyzing information from an acoustic gyroscope;

calculating the location of the wireless telephone from the analyzed information; and

adjusting the acoustic gyroscope periodically using external location information.

12. A method for determining a location of a wireless personal digital assistant, comprising the steps of:

analyzing information from an acoustic gyroscope;

calculating the location of the wireless personal digital assistant from the analyzed information; and

adjusting the acoustic gyroscope periodically using external location information.

13. A method for determining a location of a device, comprising the steps of:

analyzing information from an acoustic gyroscope;

calculating the location of the device from the analyzed information;

adjusting the acoustic gyroscope periodically using external location information;

receiving the external location information from local fixed location transmitters; and

the step of adjusting comprises the steps of generating adjustment information from the received external location information and transmitting the adjustment information to the acoustic gyroscope.

14. A method for determining a location of a wireless telephone, comprising the steps of:

analyzing information from an acoustic gyroscope;

calculating the location of the wireless telephone from the analyzed information;

receiving the external location information from external transmitting stations;

generating periodically adjustment information from the received external location information;

transmitting the adjustment information to the acoustic gyroscope,

adjusting the acoustic gyroscope periodically using the generated adjustment information.

15. A method for determining a location of a wireless personal digital assistant, comprising the steps of:

analyzing information from an acoustic gyroscope;

calculating the location of the wireless personal digital assistant from the analyzed information;

receiving the external location information from external transmitting stations;

generating periodically adjustment information from the received external location information;

transmitting the adjustment information to the acoustic gyroscope,

adjusting the acoustic gyroscope periodically using the generated adjustment information.

16. A method for determining a location of a wireless device, comprising the steps of:

analyzing information from an acoustic gyroscope;

calculating the location of the device from the analyzed information;

receiving the external location information from local fixed location transmitters;

generating periodically adjustment information from the received external location information;

transmitting the adjustment information to the acoustic gyroscope,

adjusting the acoustic gyroscope periodically using the generated adjustment information.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the wireless device is a wireless telephone.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein the wireless device is a wireless personal digital assistant.

19. An apparatus for calculating a position of a wireless device, comprising:

means for periodically receiving location information from external cellular base stations;

means for obtaining the position of the wireless device from an acoustic gyroscope;

means for analyzing the received location information to determine an adjustment for the acoustic gyroscope using multi-path calculations; and

transmitting the adjustment to the acoustic gyroscope.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein the wireless device is a wireless telephone.

21. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein the wireless device is a wireless personal digital assistant.

22. An apparatus for calculating a position of a wireless device, comprising:

means for periodically receiving location information from local fixed location transmitters via infra-red transmission;

means for obtaining the position of the wireless device from an acoustic gyroscope;

means for analyzing the received location information to determine an adjustment for the acoustic gyroscope; and

transmitting the adjustment to the acoustic gyroscope.

23. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the wireless device is a wireless telephone.

24. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the wireless device is a wireless personal digital assistant.

27. The apparatus of claim 24 wherein the wireless device is a wireless personal digital assistant.

25. An apparatus for calculating a position of a wireless device, comprising:

means for periodically receiving location information from external cellular base stations;

means for obtaining the position of the wireless device from an acoustic gyroscope;

means for analyzing the received location information to determine an adjustment for the acoustic gyroscope using triangulation calculations; and

transmitting the adjustment to the acoustic gyroscope.

26. The apparatus of claim 25 wherein the wireless device is a wireless telephone.