Method and system for deriving location information from utility lines
First Claim
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.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
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.
-
Citations
29 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. - View Dependent Claims (2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
-
-
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. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
-
-
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. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
-
-
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. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28)
-
-
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.
-
Specification