Localization identification system for wireless devices
First Claim
1. A method of determining the location of a wireless device, the method comprising:
- providing a wireless device and a plurality of anchor nodes, the anchor nodes having known locations and a synchronized sense of time;
generating a message from the wireless device, wherein the message is generated using a carrier signal that is modulated according to a predetermined modulation communication protocol in conjunction with data for transmission, the message including a modulated signal having a modulated preamble, a modulated data portion, and a modulated postamble;
during at least one of the modulated preamble, the modulated data portion, and the modulated postamble, providing at least one timing pulse in the modulated signal making up the message from the wireless device;
receiving the message that includes the timing pulse at more than one of the plurality of anchor nodes; and
comparing the times at which the more than one anchor nodes received the timing pulse in the modulated signal making up the message.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Wireless devices, systems and approaches or methods having the capability of determining the location of a given wireless device. An example system includes a wireless device that generates at least one pulse as a part of an output signal, and the at least one pulse is captured by anchor devices and used, in a time of arrival approach, to determine the location of the example device. The at least one pulse may be generated during a designated portion of an otherwise normally modulated message. Another example system includes an anchor node that generates a directional output signal, the direction output signal including data indicating its direction, and the directions of output signals from plural anchor nodes when pointed at a wireless device are used to determine the location of the wireless device. Combinations of the pulse and directional antenna systems, devices used within each of these systems, and approaches associated with these systems are also included.
58 Citations
26 Claims
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1. A method of determining the location of a wireless device, the method comprising:
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providing a wireless device and a plurality of anchor nodes, the anchor nodes having known locations and a synchronized sense of time; generating a message from the wireless device, wherein the message is generated using a carrier signal that is modulated according to a predetermined modulation communication protocol in conjunction with data for transmission, the message including a modulated signal having a modulated preamble, a modulated data portion, and a modulated postamble; during at least one of the modulated preamble, the modulated data portion, and the modulated postamble, providing at least one timing pulse in the modulated signal making up the message from the wireless device; receiving the message that includes the timing pulse at more than one of the plurality of anchor nodes; and comparing the times at which the more than one anchor nodes received the timing pulse in the modulated signal making up the message. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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- 11. A wireless device comprising generating circuitry that generates a carrier signal, and modulating circuitry that modulates the carrier signal relative to data for transmission in accordance with a predetermined modulation communication protocol to generate a signal for transmission, the device further comprising pulse creation circuitry adapted to selectively create one or more pulses in association with the signal for transmission, the one or more pulses being generated and applied in a manner inconsistent with the predetermined modulation communication protocol associated with modulation of the carrier signal by the modulating circuitry, resulting in one or more pulses disposed in the signal for transmission.
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22. A wireless communication system comprising:
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a first anchor node configured to receive a data transmission from a distributed node using at least a first predetermined modulation communication protocol, the first anchor node having a sense of time synchronization and known locations with reference to a second node, the first anchor node being configured to observe, in at least some data transmissions modulated with the first predetermined modulation communication protocol, one or more pulses created by modification of a carrier in a manner that is inconsistent with the first predetermined modulation communication protocol; a second anchor node having a known location and a directional antenna; wherein the wireless communication system is configured to perform localization of distributed nodes therein by the use of a time of arrival method for at least some distributed nodes and a directional method for at least some other distributed nodes. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26)
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Specification