Method for location

• US 9,226,166 B2
• Filed: 07/07/2011
• Issued: 12/29/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: T-Mobile International AG (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: T-Mobile International AG (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Kurz, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Sivji, Nizar
• Application Number:
  US13/810,217
• Publication Number:
  US 20130143576A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,636 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0289 of multiple transceivers, e.g. in ad hoc networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/303 Terminal profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/10 Scheduling measurement reports ; Arrangements for measurement reports
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/08 Access restriction or access information delivery, e.g. discovery data delivery signalling during connection H04W76/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

A method for locating mobile devices in a mobile radio network having first, second, and third mobile devices in first, second, and third locations, includes: transmitting a pilot signal to the second mobile device; measuring a signal strength of the pilot signal; transmitting information related to the signal strength of the pilot signal to the first mobile device; determining the second location relative to the first location based on the information related to the signal strength; transmitting a further pilot signal to the third mobile device; measuring a further signal strength of the further pilot signal; transmitting further information related to the further signal strength to the second mobile device; determining the third location relative to the second location based on the further information related to the further signal strength; and transmitting information related to the third location to the first mobile device.

Claims

1. A method for locating mobile devices in a mobile radio network, the mobile radio network including a first mobile device in a first location, a second mobile device in a second location, and a third mobile device in a third location, the method comprising:

transmitting, by the first mobile device, a pilot signal;

measuring, by the second mobile device, a signal strength of the pilot signal;

transmitting, by the second mobile device, information related to the signal strength of the pilot signal to the first mobile device;

determining, by the first mobile device, the second location relative to the first location based on the information related to the signal strength; and

obtaining, by the first mobile device, the third location corresponding to the third mobile device, wherein an obstruction that attenuates or blocks the pilot signal with respect to the third mobile device is located between the third location corresponding to the third mobile device and the first location corresponding to the first mobile device, wherein obtaining the third location further comprises;

transmitting, by the second mobile device, a further pilot signal to the third mobile device;

measuring, by the third mobile device, a further signal strength of the further pilot signal;

transmitting, by the third mobile device, further information related to the further signal strength to the second mobile device;

determining, by the second mobile device, the third location relative to the second location based on the further information related to the further signal strength; and

transmitting, by the second mobile device, information related to the third location to the first mobile device;

wherein at least one of the pilot signal or the information related to the signal strength are transmitted using Bluetooth, NFC (Near Field Communication), RFID (Radio Frequency Identification), WIMAX (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access), or WLAN (Wireless Local Area Network) connection; and

wherein the method further comprises;

determining, by an internal compass or gyro sensor in the first mobile device, for a handover procedure, a direction that a user of the first mobile device is looking towards.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting, by the first mobile device, the second location to the second mobile device; and

storing the second location is stored in at least one of the first or the second mobile device.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the pilot signal or the information related to the signal strength is encrypted.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

determining, by the first mobile device, a further second location of a further second mobile device.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first mobile device receives information of a satellite navigation system.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the second mobile device is connected with a location based service.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the second mobile device responds to the pilot signal with at least one of an acoustic or an optic signal.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the obstruction is a wall.

8. A system for locating mobile devices in a mobile radio network, the system comprising:

a first mobile device in a first location;

a second mobile device in a second location; and

a third mobile device in a third location;

wherein the first mobile device is configured to transmit a pilot signal;

wherein the second mobile device is configured to measure a signal strength of the pilot signal, and to transmit information related to the signal strength of the pilot signal to the first mobile device;

wherein the first mobile device is further configured to determine the second location relative to the first location based on the information related to the signal strength;

wherein an obstruction that attenuates or blocks the pilot signal with respect to the third mobile device is located between the third location corresponding to the third mobile device and the first location corresponding to the first mobile device;

wherein the second mobile device is further configured to transmit a further pilot signal to the third mobile device;

wherein the third mobile device is configured to measure a further signal strength of the further pilot signal, and to transmit further information related to the further signal strength to the second mobile device; and

wherein the second mobile device is further configured to determine the third location relative to the second location based on the further information related to the further signal strength, and to transmit information related to the third location to the first mobile device;

wherein at least one of the pilot signal or the information related to the signal strength are transmitted using Bluetooth, NFC (Near Field Communication), RFID (Radio Frequency Identification), WIMAX (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access), or WLAN (Wireless Local Area Network) connection; and

wherein an internal compass or gyro sensor in the first mobile device is configured to determine, for a handover procedure, a direction that a user of the first mobile device is looking towards.

9. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media with computer-executable instructions stored thereon for locating mobile devices in a mobile radio network, the mobile radio network including a first mobile device in a first location, a second mobile device in a second location, and a third mobile device in a third location, the computer-executable instructions, when executed by a processor, causing the following steps to be performed:

transmitting, by the first mobile device, a pilot signal to the second mobile device;

measuring, by the second mobile device, a signal strength of the pilot signal;

transmitting, by the second mobile device, information related to the signal strength of the pilot signal to the first mobile device;

determining, by the first mobile device, the second location relative to the first location based on the information related to the signal strength;

obtaining, by the first mobile device, the third location corresponding to the third mobile device, wherein an obstruction that attenuates or blocks the pilot signal with respect to the third mobile device is located between the third location corresponding to the third mobile device and the first location corresponding to the first mobile device, wherein obtaining the third location further comprises;

transmitting, by the second mobile device, a further pilot signal to the third mobile device;

measuring, by the third mobile device, a further signal strength of the further pilot signal;

transmitting, by third mobile device, further information related to the further signal strength to the second mobile device;

determining, by the second mobile device, the third location relative to the second location based on the further information related to the further signal strength; and

transmitting, by the second mobile device, information related to the third location to the first mobile device

wherein at least one of the pilot signal or the information related to the signal strength are transmitted using Bluetooth, NFC (Near Field Communication), RFID (Radio Frequency Identification), WIMAX (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access), or WLAN (Wireless Local Area Network) connection; and

wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed by a processor, further cause the following step to be performed;

determining, by an internal compass or gyro sensor in the first mobile device, for a handover procedure, a direction that a user of the first mobile device is looking towards.

11. A method for locating mobile devices in a mobile radio network, the mobile radio network including a first mobile device in a first location, a second mobile device in a second location, and a third mobile device in a third location, the method comprising:

transmitting, by the first mobile device, a pilot signal;

measuring, by the second mobile device, a signal strength of the pilot signal;

transmitting, by the second mobile device, information related to the signal strength of the pilot signal to the first mobile device;

determining, by the first mobile device, the second location relative to the first location based on the information related to the signal strength; and

obtaining, by the first mobile device, the third location corresponding to the third mobile device, wherein an obstruction that attenuates or blocks the pilot signal with respect to the third mobile device is located between the third location corresponding to the third mobile device and the first location corresponding to the first mobile device, wherein obtaining the third location further comprises;

transmitting, by the second mobile device, a further pilot signal to the third mobile device;

measuring, by the third mobile device, a further signal strength of the further pilot signal;

transmitting, by the third mobile device, further information related to the further signal strength to the second mobile device;

determining, by the second mobile device, the third location relative to the second location based on the further information related to the further signal strength; and

transmitting, by the second mobile device, information related to the third location to the first mobile device;

wherein at least one of the pilot signal or the information related to the signal strength are transmitted using Bluetooth, NFC (Near Field Communication), RFID (Radio Frequency Identification), WIMAX (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access), or WLAN (Wireless Local Area Network) connection; and

wherein at least one of the pilot signal or the information related to the signal strength is encrypted.

12. A system for locating mobile devices in a mobile radio network, the system comprising:

a first mobile device in a first location;

a second mobile device in a second location; and

a third mobile device in a third location;

wherein the first mobile device is configured to transmit a pilot signal;

wherein the second mobile device is configured to measure a signal strength of the pilot signal, and to transmit information related to the signal strength of the pilot signal to the first mobile device;

wherein the first mobile device is further configured to determine the second location relative to the first location based on the information related to the signal strength;

wherein an obstruction that attenuates or blocks the pilot signal with respect to the third mobile device is located between the third location corresponding to the third mobile device and the first location corresponding to the first mobile device;

wherein the second mobile device is further configured to transmit a further pilot signal to the third mobile device;

wherein the third mobile device is configured to measure a further signal strength of the further pilot signal, and to transmit further information related to the further signal strength to the second mobile device; and

wherein the second mobile device is further configured to determine the third location relative to the second location based on the further information related to the further signal strength, and to transmit information related to the third location to the first mobile device;

wherein at least one of the pilot signal or the information related to the signal strength are transmitted using Bluetooth, NFC (Near Field Communication), RFID (Radio Frequency Identification), WIMAX (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access), or WLAN (Wireless Local Area Network) connection; and

wherein at least one of the pilot signal or the information related to the signal strength is encrypted.

13. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media with computer-executable instructions stored thereon for locating mobile devices in a mobile radio network, the mobile radio network including a first mobile device in a first location, a second mobile device in a second location, and a third mobile device in a third location, the computer-executable instructions, when executed by a processor, causing the following steps to be performed:

transmitting, by the first mobile device, a pilot signal to the second mobile device;

measuring, by the second mobile device, a signal strength of the pilot signal;

transmitting, by the second mobile device, information related to the signal strength of the pilot signal to the first mobile device;

determining, by the first mobile device, the second location relative to the first location based on the information related to the signal strength;

obtaining, by the first mobile device, the third location corresponding to the third mobile device, wherein an obstruction that attenuates or blocks the pilot signal with respect to the third mobile device is located between the third location corresponding to the third mobile device and the first location corresponding to the first mobile device, wherein obtaining the third location further comprises;

transmitting, by the second mobile device, a further pilot signal to the third mobile device;

measuring, by the third mobile device, a further signal strength of the further pilot signal;

transmitting, by third mobile device, further information related to the further signal strength to the second mobile device;

determining, by the second mobile device, the third location relative to the second location based on the further information related to the further signal strength; and

transmitting, by the second mobile device, information related to the third location to the first mobile device;

wherein at least one of the pilot signal or the information related to the signal strength are transmitted using Bluetooth, NFC (Near Field Communication), RFID (Radio Frequency Identification), WIMAX (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access), or WLAN (Wireless Local Area Network) connection; and

wherein at least one of the pilot signal or the information related to the signal strength is encrypted.