Determining relative elevation using GPS and ranging
First Claim
1. A method for determining a position of a wireless communication device, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) determining, utilizing electronics of a first wireless communication device, an (x,y) position of the first wireless communication device;
(b) determining, utilizing electronics of a second wireless communication device, an (x,y) position of the second wireless communication device;
(c) determining, utilizing electronics of the first wireless communication device or electronics of the second wireless communication device, a distance between the first wireless communication device and the second wireless communication device;
(d) communicating, from the second wireless communication device to the first wireless communication device, the determined (x,y) position of the second wireless communication device; and
(e) determining, utilizing electronics of the first wireless communication device, a relative elevational differential between the first wireless communication device and the second wireless communication device based on,(i) the determined (x,y) positions of the first and second wireless communication devices, and(ii) the determined distance between the first and second wireless communication devices;
(f) wherein the determined relative elevational differential is an absolute magnitude, the method further comprising the step of determining, separately from the determination of the relative elevational differential, the direction, relative to the first wireless communication device, in which the determined relative elevational differential is to be applied.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method are disclosed for determining a position of a wireless communication device. A method includes determining a respective (x,y) position of two wireless communication devices, determining a distance between the two wireless communication devices, and determining a relative elevational differential between the two wireless communication devices. The relative elevational differential is determined based on the determined (x,y) positions of the two wireless communication devices and the determined distance between the first and second wireless communication devices. The (x,y) positions may be determined using GPS receivers incorporated in the wireless communication devices. Determining the distance between the devices may be accomplished using RF ranging. The relative elevational differential may be derived using the Pythagorean theorem.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A method for determining a position of a wireless communication device, the method comprising the steps of:
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(a) determining, utilizing electronics of a first wireless communication device, an (x,y) position of the first wireless communication device; (b) determining, utilizing electronics of a second wireless communication device, an (x,y) position of the second wireless communication device; (c) determining, utilizing electronics of the first wireless communication device or electronics of the second wireless communication device, a distance between the first wireless communication device and the second wireless communication device; (d) communicating, from the second wireless communication device to the first wireless communication device, the determined (x,y) position of the second wireless communication device; and (e) determining, utilizing electronics of the first wireless communication device, a relative elevational differential between the first wireless communication device and the second wireless communication device based on, (i) the determined (x,y) positions of the first and second wireless communication devices, and (ii) the determined distance between the first and second wireless communication devices; (f) wherein the determined relative elevational differential is an absolute magnitude, the method further comprising the step of determining, separately from the determination of the relative elevational differential, the direction, relative to the first wireless communication device, in which the determined relative elevational differential is to be applied. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method for determining a position of a wireless communication device, the method comprising the steps of:
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(a) determining, utilizing electronics of a first wireless communication device, an (x,y) position of the first wireless communication device; (b) determining, utilizing electronics of a second wireless communication device, an (x,y) position of the second wireless communication device; (c) determining, utilizing electronics of the first wireless communication device or electronics of the second wireless communication device, a distance between the first wireless communication device and the second wireless communication device; and (d) determining, utilizing electronics of the first wireless communication device, a (z) position of the first wireless communication device; (e) communicating, from one of the first and second wireless communication devices to the other of the first and second wireless communication devices, the determined (x,y) position of the one of the first and second wireless communication devices; (f) determining, utilizing electronics of the other of the first and second wireless communication devices, a (z) position of the second wireless communication device based on, (i) the determined (x,y) positions of the first and second wireless communication devices, (ii) the determined distance between the first and second wireless communication devices, and (iii) the determined (z) position of the first wireless communication device; (g) wherein the (z) position of the second wireless communication device is determined by calculating the square root of, (i) the square of the determined distance between the first wireless communication device and the second wireless communication device less, (ii) the square of the distance in the X-Y plane between the first wireless communication device and the second wireless communication device, and then adding or subtracting the calculated square root to the (z) position of the first wireless communication device. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for determining a position of a wireless communication device, the method comprising the steps of:
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(a) determining, utilizing electronics of a first wireless communication device, an (x,y) position of the first wireless communication device; (b) determining, utilizing electronics of a second wireless communication device, an (x,y) position of the second wireless communication device; (c) determining, utilizing electronics of the first wireless communication device or electronics of the second wireless communication device, a distance between the first wireless communication device and the second wireless communication device; (d) determining, utilizing electronics of the first wireless communication device, electronics of the second wireless communication device, or electronics of a third wireless communication device, a relative elevational differential between the first wireless communication device and the second wireless communication device based on, (i) the determined (x,y) positions of the first and second wireless communication devices, and (ii) the determined distance between the first and second wireless communication devices; (e) determining, utilizing electronics of the third wireless communication device, an (x,y) position of the third wireless communication device; (f) determining, utilizing electronics of the first wireless communication device or electronics of the third wireless communication device, a distance between the first wireless communication device and the third wireless communication device; (g) determining, utilizing electronics of the first wireless communication device or electronics of the third wireless communication device, a relative elevational differential between the first wireless communication device and the third wireless communication device based on, (i) the determined (x,y) positions of the first and third wireless communication devices, and (ii) the determined distance between the first and third wireless communication devices; (h) wherein; (i) the relative elevational differential between the first wireless communication device and the second wireless communication device is determined by calculating the square root of, (A) the square of the determined distance between the first wireless communication device and the second wireless communication device less, (B) the square of the distance in the X-Y plane between the first wireless communication device and the second wireless communication device, and (ii) the relative elevational differential between the first wireless communication device and the third wireless communication device is determined by calculating the square root of, (A) the square of the determined distance between the first wireless communication device and the third wireless communication device less, (B) the square of the distance in the X-Y plane between the first wireless communication device and the third wireless communication device. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method for determining a position of a wireless communication device, the method comprising the steps of:
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(a) determining, utilizing electronics of a first wireless communication device, an (x,y) position of the first wireless communication device; (b) determining, utilizing electronics of a second wireless communication device, an (x,y) position of the second wireless communication device; (c) determining, utilizing electronics of the first wireless communication device, a distance between the first wireless communication device and the second wireless communication device; (d) communicating, from the first wireless communication device to a third wireless communication device, the determined (x,y) position of the first wireless communication device; (e) communicating, from the first wireless communication device to the third wireless communication device, the determined distance between the first wireless communication device and the second wireless communication device; (f) communicating, from the second wireless communication device to the third wireless communication device, the determined (x,y) position of the second wireless communication device; and (g) determining, utilizing electronics of the third wireless communication device, a relative elevational differential between the first wireless communication device and the second wireless communication device based on, (i) the determined (x,y) positions of the first and second wireless communication devices, and (ii) the determined distance between the first and second wireless communication devices; (h) wherein the determined relative elevational differential is an absolute magnitude, the method further comprising the step of determining, separately from the determination of the relative elevational differential, the direction, relative to the first wireless communication device, in which the determined relative elevational differential is to be applied.
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22. A method for determining a position of a wireless communication device, the method comprising the steps of:
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(a) determining, utilizing electronics of a first wireless communication device, an (x,y) position of the first wireless communication device; (b) determining, utilizing electronics of a second wireless communication device, an (x,y) position of the second wireless communication device; (c) determining, utilizing electronics of the first wireless communication device or electronics of the second wireless communication device, a distance between the first wireless communication device and the second wireless communication device; and (d) communicating, from the first wireless communication device to a third wireless communication device, the determined (x,y) position of the first wireless communication device; (e) communicating, from the first wireless communication device to a third wireless communication device, the determined distance between the first wireless communication device and the second wireless communication device; (f) communicating, from the second wireless communication device to a third wireless communication device, the determined (x,y) position of the second wireless communication device; (e) determining, utilizing electronics of the first wireless communication device, a (z) position of the first wireless communication device; (e) communicating, from the first wireless communication device to the third wireless communication device, the (z) position of the first wireless communication device; (f) determining, utilizing electronics of the third wireless communication device, a (z) position of the second wireless communication device based on, (i) the determined (x,y) positions of the first and second wireless communication devices, (ii) the determined distance between the first and second wireless communication devices, and (iii) the determined (z) position of the first wireless communication device; (g) wherein the (z) position of the second wireless communication device is determined by calculating the square root of, (i) the square of the determined distance between the first wireless communication device and the second wireless communication device less, (ii) the square of the distance in the X-Y plane between the first wireless communication device and the second wireless communication device, and then adding or subtracting the calculated square root to the (z) position of the first wireless communication device.
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Specification