Sensor-based augmentation of blockage recovery

• US 7,177,635 B2
• Filed: 03/18/2005
• Issued: 02/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: 2201028 Ontario Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Transcore Link Logistics Corporation (Roper Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Roscoe, David J., McPherson, Wayne, Faulkner, Sean, Lafleur, Phil
• Primary Examiner(s): Anderson; Matthew
• Assistant Examiner(s): WEST, LEWIS G
• Application Number:
  US11/082,850
• Publication Number:
  US 20050208896A1
• Time in Patent Office: 697 Days
• Field of Search: 455/421, 455/574, 455/67.11, 455/67.13, 455/67.7, 455/556.1, 455/557, 340/540, 340/541, 340/686.1, 340/441, 340/445
• US Class Current: 455/421
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/373 Predicting channel quality or other radio frequency [RF] parameters

Abstract

A method for improving long-term blockage recovery of a communications signal is disclosed. The method includes monitoring a blockage source using at least one application specific-sensor. Time spent in the blockage source is ascertained. Information obtained from the application-specific sensor may be combined with the ascertained time spent in the blockage source to predict a likely blockage recovery time interval.

Claims

1. A method for improving long-term blockage recovery of a communications signal, said method comprising the steps of:

monitoring a blockage source using at least one application-specific sensor, said at least one application-specific sensor comprising a proximity sensor;

ascertaining time spent in blockage; and

predicting a likely blockage recovery interval from an output of the at least one application-specific sensor.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising combining information obtained from at least one application-specific sensor with the time spent in the blockage and predicting a likely blockage recovery interval.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one application-specific sensor directly measures the source of the blockage.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one application-specific sensor detects when static blockage conditions are likely to change.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the at least one application-specific sensor further comprises an accelerometer.

6. The method according to claim 4, wherein the at least one application-specific sensor further comprises a vehicle ignition sensor.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of determining whether blockage is short-term or long-term.

8. The method according to claim 1, comprising the step of monitoring the blockage source using a plurality of application-specific sensors.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the plurality of application-specific sensors is a mixture of proximity sensors, ignition sensors and accelerometers.

10. A method for predicting a likely long-term communications signal blockage recovery interval, the method comprising the steps of:

determining whether a signal is blocked;

assuming that the signal blockage is short term, determining whether the signal is still blocked but may still be considered a short-term blockage;

sampling the communications signal at a higher rate;

using at least one application-specific sensor which comprises a proximity sensor, detecting whether the short-term blockage may be considered detected long-term blockage;

assuming detected long-term blockage, sampling the communications signal at a lower rate;

returning to a higher rate and periodic communications signal sampling once removal of the source of blockage has been detected;

assuming the short-term blockage is still present, determining whether the blockage may now be considered undetected long-term blockage;

assuming undetected long-term blockage, sampling the communications signal at a lower rate;

returning to a higher rate and periodic communications signal sampling upon detection by the at least one application-specific sensor that static blockage conditions are likely to change; and

acquiring the detected signal from periodic sampling.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the at least one application-specific sensor further comprises an accelerometer.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the at least one application-specific sensor further comprises an ignition sensor.

13. A communication device for communicating over a signal and for recovering from a blockage in the signal, the communication device comprising:

an antenna for communicating over the signal;

at least one application-specific sensor, comprising a proximity sensor, for monitoring a source of the blockage in the signal;

a power source for the communication device; and

a processor, in communication with the antenna, the at least one application-specific sensor, and the power source, for predicting a likely blockage recovery interval from an output of the at least one application-specific sensor.

14. The communication device according to claim 13, wherein the processor predicts the likely blockage recovery interval further in accordance with time spent in blockage.

15. The communication device according to claim 13, wherein the at least one application-specific sensor further comprises an acceleration sensor.

16. The communication device according to claim 13, wherein the at least one application-specific sensor further comprises an ignition sensor.

17. The communication device according to claim 16, wherein the ignition sensor comprises a connection to a vehicle electrical system.

18. The communication device according to claim 17, wherein the connection is over a cable harness.