Method and system for tracking and determining a location of a wireless transmission

• US 8,238,936 B2
• Filed: 06/11/2008
• Issued: 08/07/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Binj Laboratories, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Binj Laboratories, Inc.
• Inventors: Nadler, Barry, Noonan, Joseph S., Fang, Maosen
• Primary Examiner(s): LEE, JUSTIN YE
• Application Number:
  US12/157,530
• Publication Number:
  US 20090003490A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,518 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456.1, 455/456.2, 455/456.3, 455/456.5, 375/316
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• 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 detecting and timing a transmitting device is disclosed. The device includes a receiving system receiving a signal containing at least a preamble code of a known length and at least one pulse within a receive window after the preamble code, a circuit receiving the at least one pulse comprising a zero-crossing circuit for indicting a zero-voltage crossing of the at least one pulse and a trigger device for latching the indication of zero-voltage crossing, and a ripple circuit counter, receiving the latched indication of said zero-voltage crossing and associating a time to the receipt of the latched indication. A system for detecting and locating a transmitting device is further disclosed. The system includes a plurality of sensor apparatus each determining a reception time of a signal and a processor for determining a location based on groups of the reception times.

Claims

1. An apparatus for detecting a transmitting device and a time of detecting in a tracking system, said apparatus comprising:

a receiving system receiving a signal containing at least a preamble code of a known length and at least one pulse within a receive window of a predetermined time duration, said receive window occurring a predetermined time after said preamble code has completed and one of said at least one pulse is greater than a known threshold, said threshold being determined based on an amplitude of pulses within the preamble code;

a circuit receiving said at least one pulse comprising;

a zero-crossing circuit providing an indication of a zero-voltage crossing of said one of said at least one pulse being greater than the known threshold; and

a trigger device latching said indication of said zero-voltage crossing; and

a ripple circuit counter receiving said latched indication of said zero-voltage crossing, said latched indication of said zero-voltage crossing operating as a stop clock signal to associate a count within the ripple circuit counter with a time of receipt of said latched indication.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said at least one pulse is composed of a plurality of pulses.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said threshold is determined dynamically based on an average of a measured amplitude of said preamble code.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said preamble code comprises a plurality of pulses.

5. A system for locating a wireless communication transmission comprising:

a plurality of sensors distributed within a known area, each of said sensors comprising;

a receiving system receiving a signal containing at least a preamble code of a known length and at least one pulse within a receive window of a predetermined time duration, said receive window occurring a predetermined time after said preamble code has completed and one of said at least one pulse being greater than a known threshold, said threshold being determined based on an amplitude of pulses within the preamble code;

a circuit receiving said at least one pulse comprising;

a zero-crossing circuit providing an indication of a zero-voltage crossing of said one of said at least one pulse being greater than the known threshold; and

a trigger device latching said indication of said zero-voltage crossing;

a ripple circuit counter receiving said latched indication of said zero-voltage crossing said latched indication of said zero-voltage crossing operating as a stop clock signal to associate a count within the ripple circuit counter with a time of receipt value of said latched indication; and

a processor in communication with a memory, said processor;

receiving the time of receipt value of said at least one pulse from each of said sensors; and

determining said location of the wireless transmission based on groups of said time of receipt values.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said threshold is determined dynamically based on an average of a measured amplitude of said preamble code.

7. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said preamble code comprises a plurality of pulses.

8. An apparatus for detecting a transmitting device and a time of detecting in a tracking system, said apparatus comprising:

a receiving system receiving a signal containing at least a preamble code of a known length comprising a plurality of pulses and at least one pulse within a receive window of a predetermined time duration, said receive window occurring a predetermined time after said preamble code has completed and one of said at least one pulse in said received window is greater than a known threshold, wherein said threshold is determined as being within a known level with regard to a maximum amplitude value;

a circuit receiving said at least one pulse comprising;

a zero-crossing circuit providing an indication of a zero-voltage crossing of said one of said at least one pulse being greater than the known threshold; and

a trigger device latching said indication of said zero-voltage crossing; and

a ripple circuit counter receiving said latched indication of said zero-voltage crossing, said latched indication of said zero-voltage crossing operating as a stop clock signal to associate a count within the ripple circuit counter with a time of receipt of said latched indication.

9. A system for locating a wireless communication transmission comprising:

a plurality of sensors distributed within a known area, each of said sensors comprising;

a receiving system receiving a signal containing at least a preamble code of a known length wherein said preamble code comprises a plurality of pulses and at least one pulse within a receive window of a predetermined time duration, said receive window occurring a predetermined time after said preamble code has completed and one of said at least one pulse within said receive window being greater than a known threshold, wherein said threshold is determined as being within a known level with regard to a maximum amplitude value,

a circuit receiving said at least one pulse comprising;

a zero-crossing circuit providing an indication of a zero-voltage crossing of said one of said at least one pulse being greater than the known threshold; and

a trigger device latching said indication of said zero-voltage crossing;

a ripple circuit counter receiving said latched indication of said zero-voltage crossing said latched indication of said zero-voltage crossing operating as a stop clock signal to associate a count within the ripple circuit counter with a time of receipt value of said latched indication; and

a processor in communication with a memory, said processor;

receiving the time of receipt value of said at least one pulse from each of said sensors; and

determining said location of the wireless transmission based on groups of said time of receipt values.

10. An apparatus for detecting a transmitting device and a time of detecting in a tracking system, said apparatus comprising:

a receiving system receiving a signal containing at least a preamble code of a known length and at least one pulse within a receive window of a predetermined time duration, said receive window occurring a predetermined time after said preamble code has completed and one of said at least one pulse within said receive window is greater than a known threshold, wherein said threshold is determined dynamically based on an average of a measured amplitude of said preamble code;

a circuit receiving said at least one pulse comprising;

a zero-crossing circuit providing an indication of a zero-voltage crossing of said one of said at least one pulse being greater than the known threshold; and

a trigger device latching said indication of said zero-voltage crossing; and

a ripple circuit counter receiving said latched indication of said zero-voltage crossing, said latched indication of said zero-voltage crossing operating as a stop clock signal to associate a count within the ripple circuit counter with a time of receipt of said latched indication.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein said at least one pulse is composed of a plurality of pulses.

12. A system for locating a wireless communication transmission comprising:

a plurality of sensors distributed within a known area, each of said sensors comprising;

a receiving system receiving a signal containing at least a preamble code of a known length and at least one pulse within a receive window of a predetermined time duration, said receive window occurring a predetermined time after said preamble code has completed and one of said at least one pulse being greater than a known threshold, wherein said threshold is determined dynamically based on an average of a measured amplitude of said preamble code,

a circuit receiving said at least one pulse comprising;

a zero-crossing circuit providing an indication of a zero-voltage crossing of said one of said at least one pulse being greater than the known threshold; and

a trigger device latching said indication of said zero-voltage crossing;

a ripple circuit counter receiving said latched indication of said zero-voltage crossing said latched indication of said zero-voltage crossing operating as a stop clock signal to associate a count within the ripple circuit counter with a time of receipt value of said latched indication; and

a processor in communication with a memory, said processor;

receiving the time of receipt value of said at least one pulse from each of said sensors; and

determining said location of the wireless transmission based on groups of said time of receipt values.