Received signal strength distance determination of low frequency tags
First Claim
1. A method of determining a distance between a signpost and a tag, the method comprising:
- receiving at the tag a near-field magnetic signal from the signpost;
measuring at the tag a first signal strength of the near-field magnetic signal received from the signpost with respect to a first antenna on the tag;
calculating a received signal strength indication using the first signal strength of the near-field magnetic signal received from the signpost at the first antenna;
determining a distance between the signpost and the tag based on the calculated received signal strength indication;
measuring at the tag a second signal strength of a signal received from the signpost with respect to a second antenna on the tag;
measuring at the tag a third signal strength of a signal received from the signpost with respect to a third antenna on the tag; and
determining location information for the tag using the measured signal strengths from the first antenna, the second antenna, and the third antenna, wherein determining the location information comprises calculating an eight position vector using the measured signal strength of the signals received from the signpost at the first antenna, the second antenna, and the third antenna to yield eight possible locations for the tag.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Systems and methods provide for determining a distance between a signpost and a tag and for locating a tag using multiple signposts. The system uses a signal received at a tag from a signpost, and from them measures the signal strength of the signal with respect to one or more antennas on the tag. The system calculates an RSSI using the measured signal strength, from which a distance can be determined between the signpost and the tag. The system also uses signals received from multiple signposts, to measure multiple signal strengths, resulting in multiple distance determinations corresponding to the various signposts, thereby establishing a location for the tag.
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Citations
37 Claims
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1. A method of determining a distance between a signpost and a tag, the method comprising:
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receiving at the tag a near-field magnetic signal from the signpost; measuring at the tag a first signal strength of the near-field magnetic signal received from the signpost with respect to a first antenna on the tag; calculating a received signal strength indication using the first signal strength of the near-field magnetic signal received from the signpost at the first antenna; determining a distance between the signpost and the tag based on the calculated received signal strength indication; measuring at the tag a second signal strength of a signal received from the signpost with respect to a second antenna on the tag; measuring at the tag a third signal strength of a signal received from the signpost with respect to a third antenna on the tag; and determining location information for the tag using the measured signal strengths from the first antenna, the second antenna, and the third antenna, wherein determining the location information comprises calculating an eight position vector using the measured signal strength of the signals received from the signpost at the first antenna, the second antenna, and the third antenna to yield eight possible locations for the tag. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A tag, comprising:
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a receive module for receiving at the tag a near-field magnetic signal from the signpost; a measure module for measuring at the tag a first signal strength of the near-field magnetic signal received from the signpost with respect to a first antenna on the tag, measuring at the tag a second signal strength of a signal received from the signpost with respect to a second antenna on the tag, measuring at the tag a third signal strength of a signal received from the signpost with respect to a third antenna on the tag, the measure module enabled to receive signals from the receive module; a distance module for determining a distance between the signpost and the tag based on the first signal strength, the distance module enabled to receive signals from the measure module; and a location module for determining location information for the tag using the measured signal strengths from the first antenna, the second antenna, and the third antenna, wherein determining the location information comprises calculating an eight position vector using the measured signal strength of the signals received from the signpost at the first antenna, the second antenna, and the third antenna to yield eight possible locations for the tag. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A signpost, comprising:
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a transmit module for transmitting to a tag a near-field magnetic signal; a receive module for receiving from the tag information regarding a first signal strength measured with respect to a first antenna on the tag, a second signal strength measured with respect to a second antenna on the tag, and a third signal strength measured with respect to a third antenna on the tag; a calculate module for calculating a received signal strength indication using the first signal strength; a distance module for determining a distance between the signpost and the tag based on the calculated received signal strength indication; and a location module for determining location information for the tag using the measured signal strengths from the first antenna, the second antenna, and the third antenna, wherein determining the location information comprises calculating an eight position vector using the measured signal strength of the signals received from the signpost at the first antenna, the second antenna, and the third antenna to yield eight possible locations for the tag. - View Dependent Claims (29)
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30. A system, comprising:
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a signpost for transmitting a near-field magnetic signal; and a tag for receiving the near-field magnetic signal from the signpost and for determining a distance between the signpost and the tag using a signal strength of the received signal, the tag comprising; a receive module for receiving at the tag the near-field magnetic signal from the signpost; a measure module for measuring at the tag a first signal strength of the near-field magnetic signal received from the signpost with respect to a first antenna on the tag, measuring at the tag a second signal strength of a signal received from the signpost with respect to a second antenna on the tag, measuring at the tag a third signal strength of a signal received from the signpost with respect to a third antenna on the tag, the measure module enabled to receive signals from the receive module; a distance module for determining a distance between the signpost and the tag based on the first signal strength, the distance module enabled to receive signals from the measure module; and a location module for determining location information for the tag using the measured signal strengths from the first antenna, the second antenna, and the third antenna, wherein determining the location information comprises calculating an eight position vector using the measured signal strength of the signals received from the signpost at the first antenna, the second antenna, and the third antenna to yield eight possible locations for the tag.
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31. A computer program product comprising a computer-readable medium having computer program instructions embodied thereon for determining a distance between a signpost and a tag, the computer program product comprising:
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a receive module for receiving at the tag a near-field magnetic signal from the signpost; a measure module for measuring at the tag a first signal strength of the near-field magnetic signal received from the signpost with respect to a first antenna on the tag, measuring at the tag a second signal strength of a signal received from the signpost with respect to a second antenna on the tag, measuring at the tag a third signal strength of a signal received from the signpost with respect to a third antenna on the tag, the measure module enabled to receive signals from the receive module; a distance module for determining a distance between the signpost and the tag based on the first signal strength, the distance module enabled to receive signals from the measure module; and a location module for determining location information for the tag using the measured signal strengths from the first antenna, the second antenna, and the third antenna, wherein determining the location information comprises calculating an eight position vector using the measured signal strength of the signals received from the signpost at the first antenna, the second antenna, and the third antenna to yield eight possible locations for the tag. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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Specification