Location tracking using fiber optic array cables and related systems and methods

• US 9,590,733 B2
• Filed: 07/24/2009
• Issued: 03/07/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Corning Optical Communications LLC (Corning Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Corning Optical Communications LLC (Corning Incorporated)
• Inventors: George, Jacob, Sauer, Michael, Thelen, Dean M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bello, Agustin
• Application Number:
  US12/509,099
• Publication Number:
  US 20110019999A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,783 Days
• Field of Search: 398115-117
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/14 Determining absolute distances from a plurality of spaced points of known location
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/25754 Star network topology
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/25756 Bus network topology
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/808 Electrical power feeding of an optical transmission system
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/26 Cell enhancers or enhancement, e.g. for tunnels, building shadow
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Abstract

Fiber optic array cables and related systems and methods to determine and/or track locations of objects are disclosed. The fiber optic array cables can be employed in an optical-fiber-based communication system, including a centralized optical-fiber based communication system. In one embodiment, the fiber optic array cable is configured to carry optical RF or radio-over-fiber (RoF) signals to establish communications with objects. The fiber optic array cable includes multiple reference units along the length of the cable. The reference units can be configured to convert received optical RF signals into electrical RF signals to establish RF communications with objects capable of receiving electrical RF signals. The reference units are also configured to convert received electrical RF signals from the objects into optical RF signals, which are then used to determine the location of the object. Having the availability of the multiple reference units on one or more the fiber optic array cables can provide enhanced reliability in tracking objects.

Claims

1. A centralized optical-fiber-based wireless communication system, comprising:

a central head-end station each having at least one service unit; and

at least one fiber optic array cable coupled to the central head-end station and having multiple reference units disposed along a length of the fiber optic array cable, each of the multiple reference units containing at least one antenna, an electrical-to-optical (E/O) converter, and an optical-to-electrical (O/E) converter,

wherein the at least one service unit is configured to;

cause a radio frequency (RF) signal to be transmitted from one or more of the at least one antennas in the multiple reference units to form a picocellular coverage area associated with the reference unit;

receive a corresponding signal from each of a plurality of the multiple reference units indicative of a distance between each of the respective reference units and an object in the picocellular coverage areas associated with the respective reference units; and

process the corresponding signals received from the plurality of the multiple reference units to determine a location of the object.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one service unit is configured to receive corresponding signals from at least three of the reference units and process the corresponding signals to determine a two-dimensional location of the object.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the RF signal transmitted from the one or more antennas is an ultrawideband (UWB) signal.

4. The system of claim 3, where the UWB signal is transmitted at a frequency between 3.1 and 10.6 GHz.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one service unit is configured to receive corresponding signals from at least four of the reference units and process the corresponding signals to determine a three-dimensional location of the object.

6. The system of claim 5, further comprising an electrical power line extending from the central head-end station to provide power to the E/O converter and the O/E converter.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the corresponding signals are received from at least four reference units in a single fiber optic array cable.

8. The system of claim 5, further comprising multiple fiber optic reference array cables each having multiple reference units disposed along a length of the fiber optic array cable.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the corresponding signals are received from one reference unit in each of four of the multiple fiber optic array cables.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the central head-end station further comprises a switch.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the switch is selected from the group comprising an optical switch and an RF switch.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the switch is configured to dynamically select a combination of reference units to be used in obtaining the corresponding signals used to determine the location of the object.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the switch is configured to dynamically select a combination of reference units to simultaneously track the location of multiple objects.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the switch is configured to dynamically select a combination of reference units to simultaneously track the location of the object and to provide another wireless service.

15. A fiber optic array cable, comprising:

a fiber optic cable having a plurality of optical fibers and comprising;

multiple reference units disposed along a length of the fiber optic cable, and containing at least one antenna, an electrical-to-optical (E/O) converter, and an optical-to-electrical (O/E) converter,

wherein each of the at least one antenna associated with each of the multiple reference units is configured to;

transmit a radio frequency (RF) signal to respective picocellular coverage areas associated with the respective reference units; and

receive a corresponding signal from an object in the corresponding picocellular coverage area; and

wherein the corresponding signals received at a plurality of the reference units are used to determine a location of the object.

16. The fiber optic array cable of claim 15, wherein at least three of the reference units are configured to receive corresponding signals from the object and the corresponding signals are used to determine a two-dimensional location of the object.

17. The fiber optic array cable of claim 16, further comprising an electrical power line configured to provide power to the E/O converter and the O/E converter.

18. The fiber optic array cable of claim 16, wherein the RF signal transmitted from the one or more antennas is an ultrawideband (UWB) signal.

19. The fiber optic array cable of claim 18, where the UWB signal is transmitted at a frequency between 3.1 and 10.6 GHz.

20. The fiber optic array cable of claim 15, wherein at least four of the reference units are configured to receive corresponding signals from the object and the corresponding signals are used to determine a three-dimensional location of the object.

21. The fiber optic array cable of claim 20, wherein one or more of the multiple reference units contain two antennas.

22. The fiber optic array cable of claim 20, wherein one or more of the multiple reference units contains one antenna and an RF switch.

23. A method of tracking an object, comprising:

providing at least one fiber optic array cable having multiple reference units disposed along a length of the fiber optic cable, wherein each of the multiple reference units contain at least one antenna, an electrical-to-optical (E/O) converter, and an optical-to-electrical (O/E) converter;

transmitting a radio frequency (RF) signal from the at least one antenna of a plurality of the multiple reference units to form respective picocellular coverage areas associated with the respective reference units;

receiving corresponding signals at a plurality of the multiple reference units from an object in the corresponding picocellular coverage area;

determining a distance from each of a plurality of the respective reference units to the object to obtain a plurality of determined distances based on the received corresponding signal; and

determining a location of the object based on the plurality of determined distances.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

receiving corresponding signals from at least four of the reference units;

determining distances from at least four of the reference units to the object; and

determining a three-dimensional location of the object based on the determined distances.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

providing at least four fiber optic array cables, each having multiple reference units; and

dynamically selecting one reference unit in each of four of the at least four fiber optic array cables to be used in obtaining the corresponding signals used to determine the location of the object.

26. The method of claim 24, further comprising dynamically selecting at least four reference units in one of the at least one fiber optic array cable to be used in obtaining the corresponding signals used to determine the location of the object.

27. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

receiving corresponding signals from at least three of the reference units,

determining distances from at least three of the reference units to the object; and

determining a two-dimensional location of the object based on the determined distances.

28. The method of claim 27, further comprising dynamically selecting a combination of reference units in the at least one fiber optic array cable to be used in obtaining the corresponding signals used to determine the location of the object.

29. The method of claim 27, further comprising dynamically selecting a combination of reference units in the at least one fiber optic array cable to simultaneously track the location of multiple objects.

30. The method of claim 27, further comprising determining the location of the object at a centralized system coupled to the at least one fiber optic array cable based on the plurality of determined distances.

31. The method of claim 27, further comprising dynamically selecting a combination of reference units in the at least one fiber optic array cable to simultaneously track the location of an object and to provide another wireless service.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the another wireless service is WLAN service, and the method further comprising dynamically assigning a WLAN access point based on the determined location.

33. The method of claim 31, wherein the another wireless service is an E911 call, and further comprising providing the determined location with the E911 call.

34. The method of claim 27, wherein the RF signal is an ultrawideband (UWB) signal.

35. The method of claim 34, further comprising transmitting the UWB signal at a frequency between 3.1 and 10.6 GHz.