Systems and methods for gathering information about discrete wireless terminals

• US 8,825,082 B2
• Filed: 11/19/2013
• Issued: 09/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Prima Research, LLC
• Original Assignee: Prima Research, LLC
• Inventors: Price, Christopher, Beveridge, Gregory J.
• Primary Examiner(s): SHAHEED, KHALID W
• Application Number:
  US14/084,576
• Publication Number:
  US 20140080518A1
• Time in Patent Office: 287 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456.1, 455/456.2, 455/456.3, 455/456.5, 455/456.6, 455/414.1, 455/414.2, 455/404.2, 455/411
• US Class Current: 455/456.2
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/14 Determining absolute distances from a plurality of spaced points of known location
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/04 based on user or terminal location or mobility data, e.g. moving direction, speed
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

The present invention is broadly directed to systems and methods for gathering information about wireless transceiver devices in a defined boundary region. To this end, the disclosure is more particularly directed to gathering movement information (e.g., via detection and location) about two-way end-user wireless terminals within three-dimensional boundaries of defined local space (“DLS”) to allow for selective control of the terminals and other subsystems, as desired. Additionally, the data collected can be used to improve accuracy and precision regarding the prediction of behavior characteristics and tendencies of populations based on a sampling of observed terminals.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring movement of two-way wireless terminals within a defined local space (DLS), the system comprising:

a mathematically characterized defined local space (DLS) architecture, including;

i) an array of at least four receivers that together identify a volume of the DLS;

ii) at least one processor in communication with the array of receivers;

the array of at least four receivers being operable with;

i) at least one two-way wireless terminal; and

ii) wherein the at least one two-way wireless terminal is operable with a base station, the base station being associated with a wireless service provider system, the base station being operable to periodically broadcast a series of request signals, the request signals being intended for one or more of the at least one wireless terminal;

wherein the DLS architecture is operable;

i) during a first time interval to;

(1) determine a first sampling of return signals intercepted with the array of at least four receivers, the first sampling of return signals transmitted by at least a first wireless terminal of the at least one wireless terminal while physically within the DLS during the first time interval in response to one or more of the request signals; and

(2) log initial location information for the at least first wireless terminal within the DLS based on the first sampling of return signals;

ii) during subsequent time intervals to;

(1) determine at least one subsequent sampling of return signals intercepted with the array of at least four receivers, the at least one subsequent sampling of return signals being transmitted by the first wireless terminal while physically located within the DLS during one or more of the subsequent time intervals in response to one or more of the request signals; and

(2) log subsequent location information for the first wireless terminal within the DLS based on the at least one subsequent sampling of return signals; and

iii) to compare said initial location information to said subsequent location information to ascertain tracking movement of wireless terminals within the DLS.

2. A system according to claim 1 wherein each request signal is a service request or ping signal transmitted by the base station in an RF signaling channel, and wherein each request signal includes identifying information that is unique to a particular one of the at least one wireless terminals, thereby causing only the corresponding wireless terminal to transmit the correspondingly intercepted signal.

3. A system according to claim 1 wherein no personal information is obtained concerning any of the wireless terminals within the DLS when tracking movement of wireless terminals within the DLS.

4. A system according to claim 1 wherein the at least one wireless terminal is selected from a group consisting of a cellular telephone, a pager, a personal data assistant (PDA), and other similar two-way wireless terminal devices.

5. A system according to claim 1 wherein the processor is operative to time stamp and determine intra-DLS physical location of wireless terminals within the DLS during the initial and all subsequent time intervals, respectively.

6. An information gathering method operable with a network architecture, the network architecture including a plurality of synchronized receivers, the method comprising:

mathematically characterizing a defined local space (DLS) as a volumetric array shaped relative to the receivers, the receivers operable to intercept return signals transmitted from two-way wireless terminals within the DLS to a base station of a wireless service provider system, the base station being operable to broadcast a series of request signals, the request signals being intended for one or more of the two-way wireless terminals; and

processing the intercepted return signals to extract terminal specific information therefrom sufficient to physically locate the return signal'"'"'s associated wireless terminal within the DLS.

7. An information gathering method according to claim 6 wherein the request signals include identifying information that is unique to a particular one of the two-way wireless terminals, thereby causing only the corresponding two-way wireless terminal to transmit the correspondingly intercepted signal.

8. An information gathering method according to claim 6 wherein the wireless terminals are one of a cellular telephone, a two-way pager or a personal data assistant (PDA).

9. A method for monitoring movement of two-way wireless terminals within a defined local space (DLS), comprising:

mathematically characterizing a defined DLS to include a plurality of receivers arranged in a volumetric array;

during a first time interval;

i) determining a first sampling of signals intercepted with the receivers, the first sampling of signals being transmitted by an associated first set of two-way wireless terminals within the DLS, each received signal of the first sampling being associated with a particular two-way wireless terminal within the DLS during the first time interval;

ii) determining initial location information for the first set of two-way wireless terminals within the DLS based on said first sampling of signals;

during a second time interval;

i) determining at least one subsequent sampling of signals intercepted with the receivers, the at least one subsequent sampling of signals being transmitted by an associated subsequent set of two-way wireless terminals within the DLS, each received signal being associated with a particular two-way wireless terminal within the DLS during said subsequent time interval;

ii) determining subsequent location information for the subsequent set of wireless terminals within the DLS based on said subsequent sampling of signals; and

comparing the initial location information to the subsequent location information to ascertain tracking movement of wireless terminals within the DLS.

10. An information gathering method according to claim 9 wherein the intercepted first sampling and subsequent sampling of signals are transmitted from the corresponding two-way wireless terminals in response to receipt of one or more request signals, the request signals being a service request or ping signal transmitted by a base station in an RF signaling channel.

11. An information gathering method according to claim 10 wherein each request signal includes identifying information that is unique to a particular two-way wireless terminal, thereby causing only the corresponding two-way wireless terminal to transmit the correspondingly intercepted signal.

12. An information gathering method according to claim 9 whereby no personal information is obtained concerning any of the wireless terminals within the DLS.

13. An information gathering method according to claim 10 wherein each said wireless terminal is selected from a group consisting of a cellular telephone, a two-way pager, a personal data assistant (PDA), and other similar two-way wireless terminal devices.

18. An information gathering system according to claim 11 wherein the two-way wireless terminals are one a cellular telephone, a two-way pager, a personal data assistant (PDA) or and other similar two-way wireless terminal devices.

14. An information gathering system, comprising:

a mathematically characterized DLS architecture, including;

i) an array of receivers which are synchronized together to identify a volume within the defined local space (DLS);

ii) at least one processor in communication with the array of receivers;

wherein the array of receivers is positioned relative a plurality of two-way wireless terminals such that at least some of the wireless terminals are physically located within the DLS, a base station associated with a wireless service provider system being operable to broadcast an associated request signal to each of the wireless terminals, whereupon each wireless terminal within said DLS is operative to transmit an associated return signal; and

wherein the at least one processor identifies intercepted signals intercepted with the array of receivers, the intercepted signals being generated by one or more of the wireless terminals physically located within the DLS in response to receipt of one of the associated request signals, the at least one processor ascertaining physical location information associated with each wireless terminal within the DLS as function of the intercepted signals.

15. An information gathering system according to claim 14 wherein each request signal is a service request or ping signal transmitted by the base station in an RF signaling channel.

16. An information gathering system according to claim 14 wherein each request signal includes identifying information that is unique to a particular two-way wireless terminal, thereby causing only the corresponding two-way wireless terminal to transmit the correspondingly intercepted signal.

17. An information gathering system according to claim 14 whereby no personal information is obtained from the intercepted signals concerning any of the two-way wireless terminals within the DLS.

19. A system for monitoring movement of two-way wireless terminals with a defined local space (DLS), comprising:

a mathematically characterized DLS architecture, including;

i) an array of receivers which are synchronized together to identify a volume within the defined local space (DLS);

ii) at least one processor in communication with said array of receivers; and

a base station associated with a wireless service provider system, said base station adapted to periodically broadcast a series of request signals to a plurality of two-way wireless terminals, each intended for a particular one of said wireless terminals, whereupon said DLS architecture is operative;

i) during a first time interval to;

(1) intercept a first sampling of return signals transmitted by an associated first set of wireless terminals that are physically within said DLS during the first time interval; and

(2) log initial location information for the first set of wireless terminals within the DLS based on said first sampling of return signals;

ii) during subsequent time intervals to;

(1) intercept at least one subsequent sampling of return signals transmitted by an associated set of wireless terminals that are physically located within the DLS during the subsequent time intervals; and

iii) log subsequent location information for the set of wireless terminals within the DLS based on said sampling of return signals; and

iii. to compare said initial location information to said subsequent location information to ascertain tracking movement of wireless terminals within the DLS.

20. A system method according to claim 19 wherein each request signal is a service request or ping signal transmitted by a base station in an RF signaling channel, and wherein each request signal includes identifying information that is unique to a particular one of said two-way wireless terminals.

21. A system according to claim 19 wherein no personal information is obtained concerning any of the wireless terminals within the DLS.

22. A system according to claim 19 wherein each said wireless terminal is selected from a group consisting of a cellular telephone, a pager, a personal data assistant (PDA), and other similar two-way wireless terminal devices.

23. A system according to claim 19 wherein said processor is operative to time stamp and determine intra-DLS physical location of all wireless terminals within the DLS during the initial and all subsequent time intervals, respectively.