Network aided terrestrial triangulation using stars (NATTS)
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A system, comprising:
- at least one asset tracking device, the asset tracking device including a communications module, a processing and storage module coupled to the communications module, and a location module coupled to the processing and storage module;
a network access point, wirelessly coupled to the at least one asset tracking device; and
a local positioning system comprising a plurality of reference tags, each of the reference tags having its known position coordinates stored therein, the reference tags wirelessly coupled to receive signals transmitted from the at least one asset tracking device, and to transmit signals to the at least one asset tracking device;
wherein the at least one asset tracking device is operable to determine that its location module is unable to determine position coordinates from GPS signals, is further operable to search for one or more reference tags of the local positioning system, to communicate with the local positioning system so as to gather the information necessary to compute its position coordinates; and
wherein the at least one asset tracking device is an RFID tag attached to an item to be tracked; and
wherein one of the reference tags includes an imaging component configured to capture an earthbound image of the sky for calculating its position coordinates.
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Abstract
A method for determining a terrestrial location of an apparatus that is deployed in a generally known geographical region includes capturing, by the apparatus, an earthbound image of the sky from a terrestrial location at an identified time; communicating, by the apparatus, data representative of the captured earthbound image of the sky; and determining the terrestrial location of the apparatus based on the data communicated by the apparatus by comparing the captured earthbound image of the sky to a master mapping of the sky relative to the surface of the Earth.
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Citations
9 Claims
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1. A system, comprising:
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at least one asset tracking device, the asset tracking device including a communications module, a processing and storage module coupled to the communications module, and a location module coupled to the processing and storage module; a network access point, wirelessly coupled to the at least one asset tracking device; and a local positioning system comprising a plurality of reference tags, each of the reference tags having its known position coordinates stored therein, the reference tags wirelessly coupled to receive signals transmitted from the at least one asset tracking device, and to transmit signals to the at least one asset tracking device; wherein the at least one asset tracking device is operable to determine that its location module is unable to determine position coordinates from GPS signals, is further operable to search for one or more reference tags of the local positioning system, to communicate with the local positioning system so as to gather the information necessary to compute its position coordinates; and wherein the at least one asset tracking device is an RFID tag attached to an item to be tracked; and wherein one of the reference tags includes an imaging component configured to capture an earthbound image of the sky for calculating its position coordinates. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. A system, comprising:
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an asset tracking device including a transceiver for sending and receiving communications, a processor and memory coupled to the transceiver for wireless communications, and a GPS receiver coupled to the processor and memory for computing position coordinates of the asset tracking device; a network access point wirelessly coupled to the asset tracking device; and a plurality of wireless devices, each wireless device having its known position coordinates stored therein, the wireless devices wirelessly coupled to receive signals transmitted from the asset tracking device, and to transmit signals to the asset tracking device; wherein the asset tracking device is operable to determine that its GPS receiver is unable to determine position coordinates from GPS signals, is further operable to search for one or more of the wireless devices, to communicate with the wireless devices so as to gather information necessary to compute its position coordinates; wherein the asset tracking device includes a radio frequency identification for an item to be tracked, with which item the asset tracking device is associated; and wherein one of the wireless devices includes an imaging component configured to capture an earthbound image of the sky for calculating its position coordinates. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 9)
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7. A system, comprising:
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an asset tracking device including a transceiver for sending and receiving communications, a processor and memory coupled to the transceiver for wireless communications, and a GPS receiver coupled to the processor and memory for computing position coordinates of the asset tracking device; a network access point wirelessly coupled to the asset tracking device; and a plurality of wireless devices, each wireless device wirelessly coupled to receive signals transmitted from the asset tracking device, and to transmit signals to the asset tracking device; wherein the asset tracking device is operable, when the asset tracking device is unable to determine its position coordinates from GPS signals, to communicate with one or more of the wireless devices so as to gather information necessary to compute its position coordinates, such information including the respective position coordinates of the one or more wireless devices; wherein the asset tracking device includes a radio frequency identification for an item to be tracked, with which item the asset tracking device is associated; and wherein one of the wireless devices includes an imaging component configured to capture an earthbound image of the sky for calculating its position coordinates. - View Dependent Claims (8)
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Specification