Location tracking method in coordinator-based wireless network

• US 8,504,057 B2
• Filed: 07/26/2005
• Issued: 08/06/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Choi, Yun-hwa, Choi, Hyong-uk
• Primary Examiner(s): Brandt, Christopher M
• Assistant Examiner(s): MANOHARAN, MUTHUSWAMY GANAPATHY
• Application Number:
  US11/189,061
• Publication Number:
  US 20060018295A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,933 Days
• Field of Search: 370/338, 370/256, 370/354, 370/351, 455/456.1, 455/456.2, 455/456.3
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/2612 Arrangements for wireless medium access control, e.g. by allocating physical layer transmission capacity H04B7/2615 - H04B7/2643 take precedence; provision for broadband connection H04Q11/0478
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

A location tracking method in a coordinator-based wireless network is provided. The location tracking method in a coordinator-based wireless network includes transmitting a first frame including its own identifier and time information to the wireless network by a device associated with the wireless network in order to disclose its location information; and receiving a second frame including the location information of the device transmitted from the wireless network by the device, as a response to the first frame.

Claims

1. A location tracking method in a coordinator-based wireless network, the location tracking method comprising:

transmitting, from a first device, a first frame including identifiers of the first device and a second device to at least two reference devices in the coordinator-based wireless network so that the first device associated to the wireless network becomes aware of a location of the second device;

requesting, by the at least two reference devices in response to receiving the first frame, the second device for time information,

receiving, by the at least two reference devices in response to the requesting, a second frame from the second device, the second frame including time information of the second device,

determining, by the at least two reference devices in response to the received second frame, respective positioning data values of the second device based on the time information included in the second frame;

transmitting, from the at least two reference devices to a coordinator of the coordinator-based wireless network, the respective positioning data values of the second device and respective signal strength values of the received second frame at the at least two reference devices;

determining, by the coordinator of the coordinator-based wireless network, location information of the second device based on the respective positioning data values of the second device and the respective signal strength values; and

transmitting, to the first device, a response frame including location information of the second device from the coordinator-based wireless network based on the identifier of the first device,

wherein the first device is a device which receives a beacon from the coordinator-based wireless network verifying the existence of the coordinator-based wireless network, requests to be associated with the coordinator-based wireless network, and receives an association response from the coordinator-based wireless network confirming that the first device is associated with the coordinator-based wireless network,

wherein if the second device denies location tracking, the second device transmits an alternative second frame to the coordinator-based wireless network, the alternative second frame including the identifier of the first device and the identifier of the second device, and

wherein if at least three reference devices transmit the respective positioning data values, the coordinator selects three positioning data values that are determined based on their received signal strength values.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the wireless network uses IEEE 802.15.4 protocol.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the identifiers of the first and second devices are medium access control (MAC) addresses of the first and second devices, respectively.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first device is a device which requests a probe for verifying the existence of the wireless network, receives a probe response from the wireless network verifying the existence of the wireless network, requests to be associated with the wireless network and receives the association response from the wireless network.

5. A location tracking method in a coordinator-based wireless network, the location tracking method comprising:

receiving, at a second device, a first frame including an identifier of a first device which requests location tracking of the second device, and an identifier of the second device from the coordinator-based wireless network;

determining whether location tracking is allowed;

if location tracking is allowed, transmitting from the second device a second frame including the identifier of the first device, and the identifier and time information of the second device to the coordinator-based wireless network, as a response to the first frame,

wherein the transmitting comprises transmitting the second frame to at least two reference devices within the coordinator-based wireless network and a network coordinator of the coordinator-based wireless network, wherein the at least two reference devices determine respective positioning data values of the second device based on the time information of the second device, and the at least two reference devices transmit the respective positioning data values and respective signal strength values of the received second frame at the at least two reference devices to the network coordinator, and the network coordinator determines location information of the second device based on the respective positioning data values and the respective signal strength values, and transmits the determined location information to the first device as a response to the first frame; and

if it determined that location tracking is not allowed, transmitting an alternative second frame from the second frame to the coordinator-based wireless network, the alternative second frame including the identifier of the first device and the identifier of the second device,

wherein if at least three reference devices transmit the respective positioning data values, the network coordinator selects three positioning data values that are determined based on their received signal strength values.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the determining operation comprises assessing a value inputted by a user of the second device allowing or denying location tracking.

7. The method according to claim 5, wherein the determining operation comprises determining by comparing a value which is previously set in the second device with the identifier of the first device.

8. The method according to claim 5, wherein the wireless network uses IEEE 802.15.4 protocol.

9. The method according to claim 5, wherein the identifiers of the first and second devices are medium access control (MAC) addresses of the first and second devices, respectively.

10. A location tracking method in a coordinator-based wireless network, the location tracking method comprising:

receiving, by at least two reference devices in the coordinator-based wireless network from a second device, a first frame including an identifier of a first device which requests location tracking of the second device, an identifier of the second device, and time information of the second device;

obtaining, by the at least two reference devices, respective location calculating information used in calculating a location of the second device using the time information;

transmitting a second frame including the identifier of the first device, the identifier of the second device, the respective location calculating information, and respective signal strength values of the received first frame at the at least two reference devices to a network coordinator of the coordinator-based wireless network;

determining, by the network coordinator of the coordinator-based wireless network, location information of the second device based on the respective location calculating information of the second device and the respective signal strength values; and

transmitting, by the network coordinator of the coordinator-based wireless network, the determined location information of the second device to the first device as a response to the location tracking request by the first device,

wherein the second device receives a beacon from the coordinator-based wireless network verifying the existence of the coordinator-based wireless network, requests to be associated with the coordinator-based wireless network, and receives an association response from the coordinator-based wireless network confirming that the second device is associated with the coordinator-based wireless network,

wherein if it is determined that location tracking is not allowed, transmitting an alternative second frame from the second frame to the coordinator-based wireless network, the alternative second frame including the identifier of the first device and the identifier of the second device, and

wherein if at least three reference devices transmit the respective location calculating information, the coordinator selects three location calculating information that are determined based on their received signal strength values.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the wireless network uses IEEE 802.15.4 protocol.

12. The method according to claim 10, wherein the time information is a transmission time of the first frame.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the location calculating information is a difference between reception time of the first frame and transmission time of the first frame.