Method and system for deriving location information from utility lines

• US 8,120,533 B2
• Filed: 09/28/2007
• Issued: 02/21/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University (Stanford University)
• Original Assignee: Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University (Stanford University)
• Inventors: Lo, Sherman Chih, Enge, Per, Alexeev, Nicolai V., Boneh, Dan, Boyce, C. O. Lee Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarcza, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): GALT, CASSI J
• Application Number:
  US11/864,333
• Publication Number:
  US 20080079631A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,607 Days
• Field of Search: 342/459, 342/465, 342/463, 342/357.06, 342387-391, 342/464
• US Class Current: 342/464
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 1/245 Details of receivers cooperating therewith, e.g. determining positive zero crossing of third cycle in LORAN-C
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 11/06 using intensity measurements
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/45 by combining measurements of signals from the satellite radio beacon positioning system with a supplementary measurement
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/466 by Trilateration, i.e. two antennas or two sensors determine separately the distance to a target, whereby with the knowledge of the baseline length, i.e. the distance between the antennas or sensors, the position data of the target is determined

Abstract

Location systems and methods are implemented using a variety of arrangements and methods. Using one such system location information is provided in response to a utility-line arrangement propagating signals that represent a wireless radio-frequency (RF) communication originating from one or more remote transmitters. The system includes a receiver circuit communicatively coupled and responsive to the utility-line arrangement. The system also includes a signal-processing logic circuit, communicatively coupled and responsive to the utility-line arrangement. The signal processing logic circuit is arranged to derive location information from characteristics of the signals that are indicative of a location of the receiver circuit relative to the remote transmitters.

Claims

1. A system for providing location information in response to a utility-line arrangement having conductors carrying power to sets of power terminals in different buildings on behalf of a utility entity, for the system comprising:

a receiver circuit communicatively coupled to receive low-frequency signals in a frequency range less than 1000 MHz from at least one of the power carrying conductors of the utility-line arrangement, the low-frequency signals representing broadcast radio signals provided by an external signal broadcasting source;

a signal-processing logic circuit, communicatively coupled and responsive to the at least one of the power carrying conductors of the utility-line arrangement, to derive location information of the receiver circuit from characteristics of the low-frequency signals, the characteristics being indicative of a location of the receiver circuit relative to said one or more remote transmitters; and

a transmitter arranged to inject a local signal on the utility-line arrangement, wherein the signal-processing logic circuit derives location information responsive to a reflection of the local signal, wherein the receiver circuit is coupled to the utility-line arrangement via a power outlet located within a structure and location information responsive to a reflection of the local signal provides an indication of a location of the power outlet within the structure.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the broadcast radio signals are part of a Long Range Navigation (LORAN) communication, wherein the receiver circuit includes a filter configured to pass LORAN radio signals by attenuating other signals, and wherein the characteristics of the low-frequency signals include data representative of the LORAN radio signals and different spatio-temporal data relative to a unique location in one of the different buildings.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the receiver circuit is coupled to the utility-line arrangement via a power outlet located within a structure and the location information is indicative of a latitude and longitude corresponding to the structure.

5. The system of claim 1, further including a tracking circuit arranged to provide, to a remote device, at least one of the location information or timing information.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the receiver circuit includes a filter circuit to remove noise from the utility-line arrangement using a low-pass filter circuit as an anti-aliasing filter for an analog to digital converter.

7. The system of claim 1, further including a transmitter arranged to inject a local signal on the utility-line arrangement, wherein the signal-processing logic circuit derives location information responsive to a reflection of the local signal.

9. The system of claim 1, further including a control circuit used to limit access to a device connected to the system in response to the location information.

10. The system of claim 9, further including a power circuit to provide power from the utility-line arrangement to the device, wherein the control circuit limits access by controlling the power provided to the device.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein limiting access to the device includes restricting access to one or more software applications.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the system is arranged to send the location information to a remote device and to limit access to the device until the remote device indicates that location information is acceptable.

13. The system of claim 1, further including a processor that implements a software application that determines whether to provide the location information in response to a query from a remote server over the Internet.

3. A system for providing location information in response to a utility-line arrangement propagating low-frequency signals in a frequency range significantly less than 1000 MHz that represent a broadcast (RF) communication originating from one or more remote transmitters, the system comprising:

a receiver circuit communicatively coupled to receive the low-frequency signals from the utility-line arrangement;

a signal-processing logic circuit, communicatively coupled and responsive to the utility-line arrangement, to derive location information from characteristics of the signals, the characteristics being indicative of a location of the receiver circuit relative to said one or more remote transmitters, wherein the signal-processing logic circuit derives location information by one or more of range, angle, time of arrival, time difference of arrival and signal strength, wherein the utility-line arrangement acts as an antenna for the receiver circuit which is antenna-coupled to receive the low-frequency signals from the utility-line arrangement; and

a transmitter arranged to inject a local signal on the utility-line arrangement, wherein the signal-processing logic circuit derives location information responsive to a reflection of the local signal, wherein the receiver circuit is coupled to the utility-line arrangement via a power outlet located within a structure and location information responsive to a reflection of the local signal provides an indication of a location of the power outlet within the structure.

8. A system for providing location information in response to a utility-line arrangement propagating low-frequency signals in a frequency range less than 1000 MHz that represent a wireless radio-frequency (RF) communication originating from one or more remote transmitters, the system comprising:

a receiver circuit communicatively coupled to receive the low-frequency signals from the utility-line arrangement;

a signal-processing logic circuit, communicatively coupled and responsive to the utility-line arrangement, to derive location information from characteristics of the signals, the characteristics being indicative of a location of the receiver circuit relative to said one or more remote transmitters; and

a transmitter arranged to inject a local signal on the utility-line arrangement, wherein the signal-processing logic circuit derives location information responsive to a reflection of the local signal, wherein the receiver circuit is coupled to the utility-line arrangement via a power outlet located within a structure and location information responsive to a reflection of the local signal provides an indication of a location of the power outlet within the structure.

14. A method for providing location information in response to a utility-line arrangement acting as a receiving antenna for receiving and then propagating low-frequency signals in a frequency range less than 1000 MHz and that include a wireless radio-frequency (RF) communication originating from one or more remote transmitters, the method comprising:

receiving the low-frequency signals at a receiving location by communicatively coupling to the utility-line arrangement; and

deriving the receiving location from characteristics of the signals, the characteristics being indicative of the receiving location relative to said one or more remote transmitters without use of a transmitter that receives the wireless RF communication and retransmits a wireless RF communication onto the utility line.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the wireless RF communication is a Long Range Navigation (LORAN) communication.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of receiving the signals is via a power outlet that is communicatively coupled to the utility line arrangement and that is located within a structure.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the location information is indicative of latitude and longitude coordinates corresponding to the structure.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the location information corresponds to a street address of the structure.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the street address is used by emergency services in connection with a telephone call.

20. A system for providing location information in response to a utility-line arrangement that functions as an antenna that wirelessly receives and then propagates low-frequency signals in a frequency range less than 1000 MHz and that include a wireless radio-frequency (RF) communication originating from one or more remote transmitters, the system comprising:

a receiver circuit communicatively coupled to receive the low-frequency signals from the utility-line arrangement; and

a signal-processing logic circuit responsive to the utility-line arrangement and configured to;

derive location information from characteristics of the signals, the characteristics being indicative of a location of the receiver circuit relative to said one or more remote transmitters, and

derive location information from an input other than the utility-line arrangement without use of a transmitter that receives the wireless RF communication and retransmits a wireless RF communication onto the utility line.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the signal-processing logic circuit uses a Global Positioning System (GPS) signal from the input to derive location information.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein the signal-processing logic circuit uses a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) signal from the input to derive location information.

23. The system of claim 20, wherein the input is a wireless Ethernet receiver that provides location information derived from a wireless access point and the system is integrated into a motherboard of a computer.

24. The system of claim 20, wherein the receiver circuit is coupled to the utility-line arrangement via a power outlet located within a structure and the location information is indicative of a latitude and longitude corresponding to the structure.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein information indicative of the location of the power outlet within the structure is provided using the input.

26. An apparatus for providing location information in response to a utility-line arrangement propagating low-frequency signals in a frequency range less than 1000 MHz that represent a wireless radio-frequency (RF) communication originating from one or more remote transmitters, the apparatus comprising:

a receiver circuit communicatively coupled to receive the low-frequency signals from the utility-line arrangement;

a signal-processing logic circuit, communicatively coupled and responsive to the utility-line arrangement, to derive location information from characteristics of the signals, the characteristics being indicative of a location of the receiver circuit relative to said one or more remote transmitters; and

wherein the receiver circuit is coupled to the utility-line arrangement via a power outlet located within a structure, and is responsive to another source of location information as an indication of a location of the power outlet within the structure, wherein the signal-processing logic circuit is configured to drive the location information without use of a transmitter that receives the wireless RF communication and retransmits a wireless RF communication onto the utility line.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, further including a control circuit configured to limit access to a device connected to the system in response to the location information.

28. The apparatus of claim 27, further including a power circuit to provide power from the utility-line arrangement to the device, wherein the control circuit limits access by controlling the power provided to the device.

29. A system for providing location information in response to a utility-line arrangement acting as a radio frequency (RF) receiving antenna for a wireless RF communication originating from one or more remote transmitters and transmitted as low frequency signals at frequency less than 1000 MHz, the utility-line arrangement propagating the low-frequency signals, the system comprising:

a receiver circuit communicatively coupled to receive the low-frequency signals from the utility-line arrangement; and

a signal-processing logic circuit, communicatively coupled and responsive to the utility-line arrangement, to derive location information from characteristics of the signals without use of a transmitter that receives the wireless RF communication and retransmits a wireless RF communication onto the utility line, the characteristics being indicative of a location of the receiver circuit relative to said one or more remote transmitters.