Location identification using broadcast wireless signal signatures

• US 8,106,828 B1
• Filed: 09/12/2008
• Issued: 01/31/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Skyhook Holding, Inc. (Liberty Broadband Corp.)
• Original Assignee: TruePosition Incorporated
• Inventors: Do, Ju-Yong, Lee, Andy, Rubin, Dimitri, Rabinowitz, Matthew, Gotwisner, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Phan, Dao
• Application Number:
  US12/209,971
• Time in Patent Office: 1,236 Days
• Field of Search: 342/450, 342/458, 342463-465, 342/451, 455/456.2, 455/456.6
• US Class Current: 342/463
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0252 Radio frequency fingerprinting
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/27 for locating or positioning the transmitter
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/51 of receiving stations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25841 involving the geographical location of the client retrieval from the Internet by querying based on geographical locations G06F16/9537; arrangements for identifying locations of receiving stations in broadcast systems H04H60/51; location of the user terminal in data switching networks H04L67/52; services making use of the location of users or terminals in wireless networks H04W4/02; locating users or terminals in wireless networks H04W64/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

An apparatus for location identification using broadcast wireless signal signatures includes a receiver to receive first measurements of a plurality of wireless television signals. The first measurements are made by a remote device receiving the plurality of wireless television signals. In addition, the apparatus includes a processor to select one or more of a plurality of possible locations of the remote device based on the first measurements and a plurality of associations each associating one of the possible locations with expected values. Moreover, the receiver receives second measurements of the wireless television signals made by one or more monitor units, and the processor generates the expected values for the first measurements and the associations based on the second measurements and the locations of the one or more monitor units.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a receiver to receive first measurements of a plurality of wireless television signals, wherein the first measurements are made by a remote device receiving the plurality of wireless television signals; and

a processor to select one or more of a plurality of possible locations of the remote device based on the first measurements and a plurality of associations each associating one of the possible locations with expected values for the first measurements for the one of the possible locations.

2. The apparatus of claim 1:

wherein the receiver receives second measurements of the plurality of wireless television signals, wherein the second measurements are made by one or more monitor units receiving the plurality of wireless television signals, and wherein locations of the one or more monitor units are known; and

wherein the processor generates the expected values for the first measurements and the associations, based on the second measurements and the locations of the one or more monitor units.

3. The apparatus of claim 2:

wherein the wireless television signals include broadcast television signals, wherein the broadcast television signals include synchronization pulses; and

wherein the first measurements and the second measurements include measurements of times of arrival of the synchronization pulses.

4. The apparatus of claim 2:

wherein the wireless television signals include digital broadcast television signals, wherein the digital broadcast television signals include data frames; and

wherein the first measurements and the second measurements include measurements of contents of the data frames, and wherein the first measurements and the second measurements of each digital broadcast television signal occur contemporaneously.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a transmitter to transmit a signal representing the one or more possible locations of the remote device.

6. The apparatus of claim 1:

wherein the processor determines a precise location of the remote device based on the one or more possible locations, one or more of the plurality of wireless television signals, and locations of transmitters of the one or more of the plurality of wireless television signals.

7. An apparatus comprising:

means for receiving first measurements of a plurality of wireless television signals, wherein the first measurements are made by a remote device receiving the plurality of wireless television signals; and

means for selecting one or more of a plurality of possible locations of the remote device based on the first measurements and a plurality of associations each associating one of the possible locations with expected values for the first measurements for the one of the possible locations.

8. The apparatus of claim 7:

wherein the means for receiving receives second measurements of the plurality of wireless television signals, wherein the second measurements are made by one or more monitor units receiving the plurality of wireless television signals, and wherein locations of the one or more monitor units are known; and

wherein the means for processing generates the expected values for the first measurements and the associations, based on the second measurements and the locations of the one or more monitor units.

9. The apparatus of claim 8:

wherein the wireless television signals include broadcast television signals, wherein the broadcast television signals include synchronization pulses; and

wherein the first measurements and the second measurements include measurements of times of arrival of the synchronization pulses.

10. The apparatus of claim 8:

wherein the wireless television signals include digital broadcast television signals, wherein the digital broadcast television signals include data frames; and

wherein the first measurements and the second measurements include measurements of contents of the data frames, and wherein the first measurements and the second measurements of each digital broadcast television signal occur contemporaneously.

11. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising:

means for transmitting a signal representing the one or more possible locations of the remote device.

12. The apparatus of claim 7:

wherein the means for processing determines a precise location of the remote device based on the one or more possible locations, one or more of the plurality of wireless television signals, and locations of transmitters of the one or more of the plurality of wireless television signals.

13. A method comprising:

receiving first measurements of a plurality of wireless television signals, wherein the first measurements are made by a remote device receiving the plurality of wireless television signals; and

selecting one or more of a plurality of possible locations of the remote device based on the first measurements and a plurality of associations each associating one of the possible locations with expected values for the first measurements for the one of the possible locations.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

receiving second measurements of the plurality of wireless television signals, wherein the second measurements are made by one or more monitor units receiving the plurality of wireless television signals, and wherein locations of the one or more monitor units are known; and

generating the expected values for the first measurements and the associations, based on the second measurements and the locations of the one or more monitor units.

15. The method of claim 14:

wherein the wireless television signals include broadcast television signals, wherein the broadcast television signals include synchronization pulses; and

wherein the first measurements and the second measurements include measurements of times of arrival of the synchronization pulses.

16. The method of claim 14:

wherein the wireless television signals include digital broadcast television signals, wherein the digital broadcast television signals include data frames; and

wherein the first measurements and the second measurements include measurements of contents of the data frames, and wherein the first measurements and the second measurements of each digital broadcast television signal occur contemporaneously.

17. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

transmitting a signal representing the one or more possible locations of the remote device.

18. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

determining a precise location of the remote device based on the one or more possible locations, one or more of the plurality of wireless television signals, and locations of transmitters of the one or more of the plurality of wireless television signals.

19. Computer-readable media embodying instructions executable by a computer to perform a method comprising:

receiving first measurements of a plurality of wireless television signals, wherein the first measurements are made by a remote device receiving the plurality of wireless television signals; and

selecting one or more of a plurality of possible locations of the remote device based on the first measurements and a plurality of associations each associating one of the possible locations with expected values for the first measurements for the one of the possible locations.

20. The computer-readable media of claim 19, further comprising:

receiving second measurements of the plurality of wireless television signals, wherein the second measurements are made by one or more monitor units receiving the plurality of wireless television signals, and wherein locations of the one or more monitor units are known; and

generating the expected values for the first measurements and the associations, based on the second measurements and the locations of the one or more monitor units.

21. The computer-readable media of claim 20:

wherein the wireless television signals include broadcast television signals, wherein the broadcast television signals include synchronization pulses; and

wherein the first measurements and the second measurements include measurements of times of arrival of the synchronization pulses.

22. The computer-readable media of claim 20:

wherein the wireless television signals include digital broadcast television signals, wherein the digital broadcast television signals include data frames; and

wherein the first measurements and the second measurements include measurements of contents of the data frames, and wherein the first measurements and the second measurements of each digital broadcast television signal occur contemporaneously.

23. The computer-readable media of claim 19, wherein the method further comprises:

causing transmission of a signal representing the one or more possible locations of the remote device.

24. The computer-readable media of claim 19, wherein the method further comprises:

determining a precise location of the remote device based on the one or more possible locations, one or more of the plurality of wireless television signals, and locations of transmitters of the one or more of the plurality of wireless television signals.