Multiple location estimators for wireless location
DC CAFCFirst Claim
1. A method for locating, from a plurality of wireless mobile stations, one of the wireless mobile stations using measurements of wireless signals, wherein at least one of:
- (i) said measurements and (ii) said wireless signals are transmitted between said one wireless mobile station and at least one of a plurality of fixed location communication stations, each communication station capable of at least one of receiving wireless signals from, and transmitting wireless signals to said one wireless mobile station, comprising the following steps at A and B which are performed by computational machinery;
(A) receiving, from each of at least first and second mobile station location estimators, corresponding first and second information related to likely geographical approximations for a location of said one wireless mobile station, wherein (a) and (b) following are satisfied;
(a) for determining a likely geographical approximation, GAA, for a location, LA, of a second of the wireless mobile stations at a time TA, said first mobile station location estimator generates GAA without requiring a prior likely geographical location approximation generated by said second mobile station location estimator for locating the second wireless mobile station at substantially the location LA at substantially the time TA, and,(b) for estimating a likely geographical approximation, GAB, for a location, LB, of a third one of the wireless mobile stations at a time TB, said second mobile station location estimator generates GAB without requiring a prior likely geographical location approximation generated by said first mobile station location estimator for locating the third wireless mobile station at the location LB at substantially the time TB;
(B) determining a resulting location estimate of said one wireless mobile station, wherein said step of determining includes at least one of the substeps (B1) through (B2) following;
(B1) when said first and second information include, respectively, first and second likely geographical approximations, combining said first and second likely geographical approximations so that said resulting location estimate is dependent on each of said first and second location likely geographical approximations; and
(B2) selecting one of said first and second information for receiving preference in determining said resulting location estimate, wherein said selecting is dependent upon location related data in at least one of said first and second information.
2 Assignments
Litigations
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Accused Products
Abstract
A wireless location system is disclosed that may be configured as a gateway for receiving a plurality of requests for locating mobile stations for, e.g., E911 requests, vehicle location or tracking. For each mobile station (MS) location request, the system: (a) activates one or more location estimators for locating the MS, (b) receives one or more MS location estimates from the estimators, and (c) transmits a resulting location estimate(s) to an identified destination. MS locations are determined using one or more locating technologies based on, e.g.: computed offsets from terrestrial base stations, satellite transmissions, indoor antennas, low range base stations, and/or signal fingerprinting. The system may: adapt with environmental changes, evaluate MS locations using heuristics/constraints, and/or adjust MS estimates for more reliable and accurate estimates. The system is useful for 911 emergencies, tracking, routing (e.g., to desired products/services), people and animal location including applications for confinement to and exclusion from certain areas.
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Citations
44 Claims
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1. A method for locating, from a plurality of wireless mobile stations, one of the wireless mobile stations using measurements of wireless signals, wherein at least one of:
- (i) said measurements and (ii) said wireless signals are transmitted between said one wireless mobile station and at least one of a plurality of fixed location communication stations, each communication station capable of at least one of receiving wireless signals from, and transmitting wireless signals to said one wireless mobile station, comprising the following steps at A and B which are performed by computational machinery;
(A) receiving, from each of at least first and second mobile station location estimators, corresponding first and second information related to likely geographical approximations for a location of said one wireless mobile station, wherein (a) and (b) following are satisfied; (a) for determining a likely geographical approximation, GAA, for a location, LA, of a second of the wireless mobile stations at a time TA, said first mobile station location estimator generates GAA without requiring a prior likely geographical location approximation generated by said second mobile station location estimator for locating the second wireless mobile station at substantially the location LA at substantially the time TA, and, (b) for estimating a likely geographical approximation, GAB, for a location, LB, of a third one of the wireless mobile stations at a time TB, said second mobile station location estimator generates GAB without requiring a prior likely geographical location approximation generated by said first mobile station location estimator for locating the third wireless mobile station at the location LB at substantially the time TB; (B) determining a resulting location estimate of said one wireless mobile station, wherein said step of determining includes at least one of the substeps (B1) through (B2) following; (B1) when said first and second information include, respectively, first and second likely geographical approximations, combining said first and second likely geographical approximations so that said resulting location estimate is dependent on each of said first and second location likely geographical approximations; and (B2) selecting one of said first and second information for receiving preference in determining said resulting location estimate, wherein said selecting is dependent upon location related data in at least one of said first and second information. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
- (i) said measurements and (ii) said wireless signals are transmitted between said one wireless mobile station and at least one of a plurality of fixed location communication stations, each communication station capable of at least one of receiving wireless signals from, and transmitting wireless signals to said one wireless mobile station, comprising the following steps at A and B which are performed by computational machinery;
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43. An apparatus for locating, from a plurality of wireless mobile stations, one of the wireless mobile stations using measurements of wireless signals, wherein at least one of:
- (i) said measurements and (ii) said wireless signals are transmitted between said one wireless mobile station and at least one of a plurality of fixed location communication stations, each communication station capable of at least one of;
receiving wireless signals from, and transmitting wireless signals to, said one wireless mobile station, comprising;first and second mobile station location estimators provided by computational machinery; wherein the apparatus is operative to accomplish (A) and (B) following; (A) receive, from each of at least first and second mobile station location estimators, corresponding first and second information related to likely geographical approximations for a location of said one wireless mobile station, wherein (a) and (b) following are satisfied; (a) for determining a likely geographical approximation, GAA, for a location, LA, of a second of the mobile stations at a time TA, said first mobile station location estimator generates GAA without requiring a prior likely geographical location approximation generated by said second mobile station location estimator for locating the second mobile station at substantially the location LA at substantially the time TA, and, (b) for estimating a likely geographical approximation, GAB, for a location, LB, of a third one of the mobile stations at a time TB, said second mobile station location estimator generates GAB without requiring a prior likely geographical location approximation generated by said first mobile station location estimator for locating the third mobile station at the location LB at substantially the time TB; (B) determine a resulting location estimate of said one wireless mobile station, wherein said step of determining includes at least one of the substeps (B1) through (B2) following; (B1) when said first and second information include, respectively, first and second likely geographical approximations, combining said first and second likely geographical approximations so that said resulting location estimate is dependent on each of said first and second likely geographical approximations; and (B2) selecting one of said first and second information for receiving preference in determining said resulting location estimate, wherein said selecting is dependent upon location related data in at least one of said first and second information. - View Dependent Claims (44)
- (i) said measurements and (ii) said wireless signals are transmitted between said one wireless mobile station and at least one of a plurality of fixed location communication stations, each communication station capable of at least one of;
Specification