Radio frequency navigation using frequency response matching

• US 7,701,393 B2
• Filed: 12/19/2006
• Issued: 04/20/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Bornholdt, James M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarcza; Thomas H
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen; Nga X
• Application Number:
  US11/612,663
• Publication Number:
  US 20080143605A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,218 Days
• Field of Search: 342450-457
• US Class Current: 342/451
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/02521 using a radio-map
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/02528 Simulating radio frequency fingerprints
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/14 Determining absolute distances from a plurality of spaced points of known location

Abstract

A method for radio navigation may include predicting a frequency response for each of a multiplicity of possible device locations. The method may also include measuring a frequency response at an actual device location. The method may further include matching the measured frequency response to one of the predicted frequency responses to determine an estimated device location, wherein the estimated device location corresponds to the possible device location associated with the one predicted frequency response that most closely matches the measured frequency response.

Claims

1. A method for radio navigation, comprising:

predicting a frequency response for each of a multiplicity of possible device locations, wherein predicting the frequency response comprises;

determining a location of any objects proximate to the device;

determining physical dimensions of any objects proximate to the device; and

determining electromagnetic properties of any objects proximate to the device;

measuring a frequency response at an actual device location; and

matching the measured frequency response to one of the predicted frequency responses to determine an estimated device location, wherein the estimated device location corresponds to the possible device location associated with the one predicted frequency response that most closely matches the measured frequency response, wherein each predicted frequency response for each of the multiplicity of possible device locations and the measured frequency response at the actual device location are representable by a plot of received power over a selected range of frequencies to match the measured frequency response to one of the predicted frequency responses.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein matching the measured frequency response to one of the predicted frequency responses comprises:

comparing the measured frequency response to each of the predicted frequency responses respectively associated with each of the multiplicity of possible device locations; and

selecting the estimated device location from the multiplicity of possible device locations based on a best fit between the measured frequency response and one of the predicted frequency responses.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining a fitness metric between each predicted frequency response and the measured frequency response.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining a least square fit between the measured frequency response and each predicted frequency response.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising determining a fitness metric as being inversely proportional to a residue of the least square fit for the measured frequency response and each predicted frequency response.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising selecting a best fit metric corresponding to a lowest residue of the least square fit determination between the measured frequency response and each predicted frequency response, wherein the estimated device location corresponds to the possible device location with the best fit metric.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising estimating a coarse location of the device.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein estimating the coarse location of the device comprises at least one of determining a global position system location;

surveying;

line of sight trilateration;

non-line of sight trilateration, triangulation from a radio frequency or optical transmitter whose location is known; and

a combination of any of these.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining scattering from any objects proximate to the device in predicting the frequency response.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining multipath interference caused by any objects proximate to the device in predicting the frequency response.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein determining multipath interference by any objects proximate to the device comprises at least one of:

using physical optics;

using physical theory of diffraction;

using geometric theory of diffraction;

using uniform theory of diffraction;

using ray tracing;

using ray bouncing;

using finite difference time domain techniques;

using method of moments;

using fast multipole techniques; and

using a combination of these.

12. A method for radio navigation, comprising:

predicting a frequency response for each of a multiplicity of possible device locations, wherein predicting the frequency response comprises;

determining a location of any objects proximate to the device;

determining physical dimensions of any objects proximate to the device; and

determining electromagnetic properties of any objects proximate to the device;

measuring a frequency response at an actual device location;

comparing the measured frequency response to each of the predicted frequency responses respectively associated with each of the multiplicity of possible device locations; and

selecting an estimated device location from the multiplicity of possible device locations based on a best fit between the measured frequency response and one of the predicted frequency responses, wherein each predicted frequency response for each of the multiplicity of possible device locations and the measured frequency response at the actual device location are each representable by a plot of received power over a selected range of frequencies to determine the best fit between the measured frequency response and one of the predicted frequency responses.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising determining a fitness metric between each predicted frequency response and the measured frequency response.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein determining the fitness metric comprises determining a residue of a least square fit for the measured frequency response and each predicted frequency response, wherein the fitness metric is inversely proportional to the residue of the least square fit.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising selecting a best fit metric corresponding to a lowest residue of the least square fit determination between the measured frequency response and each predicted frequency response, wherein the estimated device location corresponds to the possible device location with the best fit metric.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising determining multipath interference caused by any objects proximate to the device in predicting the frequency response.

17. A device for radio navigation, comprising:

a frequency response prediction subsystem to predict a frequency response for each of a multiplicity of possible device locations;

a frequency response measurement subsystem to measure a frequency response at an actual device location;

a location estimation subsystem to compare the measured frequency response to each of the predicted frequency responses respectively associated with each of the multiplicity of possible device locations, and to select an estimated device location from the multiplicity of possible device locations based on a best fit between the measured frequency response and one of the predicted frequency responses, wherein each predicted frequency response for each of the multiplicity of possible device locations and the measured frequency response at the actual device location are each representable by a plot of received power over a selected range of frequencies to determine the best fit between the measured frequency response and one of the predicted frequency responses; and

a geographic and materials database to store locations, physical dimensions and electromagnetic properties of any objects proximate to the device; and

an apparatus to sense or locate any objects proximate to the device.

18. The device of claim 17, further comprising a user interface to present a device location estimate.

19. The device of claim 17, further comprising a transceiver to transmit a device location to a remote communications device.

20. The device of claim 17, wherein the frequency response measurement system comprises a dynamically tunable receiver.

21. The device of claim 17, wherein the frequency response subsystem comprises a module to determine multipath interference caused by any objects proximate to the device.

22. The device of claim 17, further comprising location determination devices associated with the location estimation subsystem to refine a location estimate.

23. A device for radio navigation, comprising:

means for predicting a frequency response for each of a multiplicity of possible device locations, wherein the means for predicting a frequency response comprises;

means for determining a location of any objects proximate to the device;

means for determining physical dimensions of any objects proximate to the device; and

means for determining electromagnetic properties of any objects proximate to the device;

means for measuring a frequency response at an actual device location; and

means for matching the measured frequency response to one of the predicted frequency responses to determine an estimated device location, wherein the estimated device location corresponds to the possible device location associated with the one predicted frequency response that most closely matches the measured frequency response, wherein each predicted frequency response for each of the multiplicity of possible device locations and the measured frequency response at the actual device location are representable by a plot of received power over a selected range of frequencies to match the measured frequency response to one of the predicted frequency responses.

24. The device of claim 23, further comprising means for determining scattering or multipath interference caused by any objects proximate to the device.

25. The device of claim 23, further comprising means for determining a fitness metric between each predicted frequency response and the measured frequency response.

26. The device of claim 23, further comprising means for determining a coarse location of the device.

27. A computer program product for radio navigation, the computer program product comprising:

a computer usable storage medium having computer usable program code embodied therein, the computer usable storage medium comprising;

computer usable program code configured to predict a frequency response for each of a multiplicity of possible device locations, wherein the computer usable program code to predict the frequency response comprises;

computer usable program code configured to determine a location of any objects proximate to the device;

computer usable program code configured to determine physical dimensions of any objects proximate to the device; and

computer usable program code configured to determine electromagnetic properties of any objects proximate to the device;

computer usable program code configured to compare a measured frequency response to each of the multiplicity of predicted frequency responses respectively associated with each of a multiplicity of possible device locations; and

computer usable program code configured to select an estimated device location from the multiplicity of possible device locations based on a best fit between the measured frequency response and one of the predicted frequency responses, wherein each predicted frequency response for each of the multiplicity of possible device locations and the measured frequency response at the actual device location are each representable by a plot of received power over a selected range of frequencies to determine the best fit between the measured frequency response and one of the predicted frequency responses.

28. The computer program product of claim 27, further comprising computer usable program code configured to determine a fitness metric between each predicted frequency response and the measured frequency response.

29. The computer program product of claim 28, further comprising computer usable program code configured to determine a residue of a least square fit for the measured frequency response and each predicted frequency response, wherein the fitness metric is inversely proportional to the residue of the least square fit.

30. The computer program product of claim 27, further comprising computer usable program code configured to select a best fit metric corresponding to a lowest residue of the least square fit determination between the measured frequency response and each predicted frequency response, wherein the estimated device location corresponds to the possible device location with the best fit metric.

31. A vehicle, comprising:

a device for radio navigation, wherein the device for radio navigation includes;

means for predicting a frequency response for each of a multiplicity of possible vehicle locations, wherein the means for predicting a frequency response comprises;

means for determining a location of any objects proximate to the device;

means for determining physical dimensions of any objects proximate to the and

means for determining electromagnetic properties of any objects proximate to the device;

means for measuring a frequency response at an actual vehicle location; and

means for matching the measured frequency response to one of the predicted frequency responses to determine an estimated vehicle location, wherein the estimated vehicle location corresponds to the possible vehicle location associated with the one predicted frequency response that most closely matches the measured frequency response, wherein each predicted frequency response for each of the multiplicity of possible device locations and the measured frequency response at the actual device location are representable by a plot of received power over a selected range of frequencies to match the measured frequency response to one of the predicted frequency responses.

32. The vehicle of claim 31, further comprising means for determining scattering or multipath interference caused by any objects proximate to the vehicle.

33. The vehicle of claim 31, further comprising means for determining a fitness metric between each predicted frequency response and the measured frequency response.