Mobile multifrequency transmitter transmitting on frequencies based on geographic locations and a method thereof

• US 7,705,777 B2
• Filed: 11/22/2006
• Issued: 04/27/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sensus Spectrum, LLC (Xylem, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: M&FC Holding, LLC (Xylem, Inc.)
• Inventors: Naden, Gary A., Read, Marc L., Boudreaux, Gordon J., Brown, Michael R., Rouquette, Robert E., Sanderford, H. Britton Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): TSE, YOUNG TOI
• Application Number:
  US11/562,716
• Publication Number:
  US 20070071114A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,252 Days
• Field of Search: 342/352, 342/358, 342/357.06, 342/357.12, 342/357.15, 342/357.01, 342/357.08, 342/357.09, 375/130, 375/141, 375/259, 375/135, 375/146, 375/250, 375/260, 455/3.01, 455/3.05, 455/427, 455/12.1, 455/437, 455/438, 455/441, 455/456.1, 455/456.2, 455/456.3
• US Class Current: 342/357.62
• CPC Class Codes: H03B 21/00 Generation of oscillations by combining unmodulated signals of different frequencies H03B19/00 takes precedence; frequency changing circuits in general H03D
• CPC Class Codes: H03L 7/08 Details of the phase-locked loop
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 25/061 providing hard decisions only; arrangements for tracking or suppressing unwanted low frequency components, e.g. removal of dc offset removal of dc offset in coupling arrangements H04L25/029, H04L25/0296
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 25/4902 Pulse width modulation; Pulse position modulation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 25/4921 using quadrature encoding, e.g. carrierless amplitude-phase coding
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/12 Modulator circuits; Transmitter circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/2331 wherein the received signal is demodulated using one or more delayed versions of itself
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/32 Carrier systems characterised by combinations of two or more of the types covered by groups H04L27/02, H04L27/10, H04L27/18 or H04L27/26
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/34 Amplitude- and phase-modulated carrier systems, e.g. quadrature-amplitude modulated carrier systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/3433 using an underlying square constellation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/3483 using a modulation of the constellation points
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/364 Arrangements for overcoming imperfections in the modulator, e.g. quadrature error or unbalanced I and Q levels
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/38 Demodulator circuits; Receiver circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/3845 using non - coherent demodulation, i.e. not using a phase synchronous carrier
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/06 the signals being represented by different frequencies combined with time-division multiplexing H04L5/26
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/16 Half-duplex systems; Simplex/duplex switching; Transmission of break signals non-automatically inverting the direction of transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/083 wherein at least one of the access points is a moving node
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/27 between access points

Abstract

A mobile multifrequency transmitter includes a self-locator, a frequency selector, and a communication unit. The self-locator is configured to determine a current self location without transmitting an outgoing signal, and to provide the self location to the multifrequency transmitter. The frequency selector is configured to select a usable frequency based on the current self location. The communication unit is configured to transmit on said selected usable frequency. A mobile communication method includes the steps of obtaining a current self location from a self-locator without transmitting an outgoing signal, looking up in a database an allowable frequency band corresponding to the current self location, and transmitting on the allowable frequency band. Thus, the mobile multi-frequency transmitter is capable of handling an automatic frequency switchover without the need for higher level cellular direction.

Claims

1. A mobile multifrequency transmitter, comprising:

a self-locator configured to determine a current self location without transmitting an outgoing signal, and to provide the current self location to a frequency selector;

the frequency selector configured to select a usable frequency based on said current self location;

a timer configured to generate a wake-up event; and

a communication unit configured to transmit on said selected usable frequency in response to the wake-up event generated by the timer.

2. A mobile multifrequency transmitter according to claim 1, wherein the self-locator is a Global Positioning System receiver, configured to calculate the current self location based on a signal from a Global Positioning System satellite.

3. A mobile multifrequency transmitter according to claim 1, wherein the self-locator is an inertial navigation system.

4. A mobile multifrequency transmitter according to claim 1, further comprising a database configured to store geographic locations associated with usable frequencies, from which the frequency selector selects the useable frequency associated with a current geographic location.

6. A mobile multifrequency transmitter according to claim 1, wherein the communication unit is further configured to suspend transmitting on the selected usable frequency when the multifrequency transmitter moves to a new location and no new usable frequency can be selected based on the new location.

5. A mobile communication method, comprising:

obtaining a current self location from a self-locator without transmitting an outgoing signal;

retrieving from a database, an allowable frequency band corresponding to the current self location;

generating a wake-up event by an internal timer; and

transmitting on the allowable frequency band in response to the wake-up event generated by the internal timer.

7. A mobile multifrequency transmitter, comprising:

an inertial navigation system configured to determine a current self location without transmitting an outgoing signal and without receiving a radio frequency signal, and to provide the current self location to a frequency selector;

the frequency selector configured to select a usable frequency based on said current self location;

a timer configured to generate a wake-up event; and

a communication unit configured to transmit on said selected usable frequency in response to the wake-up event generated by the timer.

8. The mobile multifrequency transmitter according to claim 7, further comprising a database configured to store geographic locations associated with usable frequencies, from which the frequency selector selects the useable frequency associated with a current geographic location.

9. The mobile multifrequency transmitter according to claim 7, wherein the wake-up event is caused by an external sensor.

10. The mobile multifrequency transmitter according to claim 7, wherein the timer is an internal timer.

11. The mobile multifrequency transmitter according to claim 7, wherein the communication unit is further configured to suspend transmitting on the selected usable frequency when the multifrequency transmitter moves to a new location and no new usable frequency can be selected based on the new location.