System and method for locating a mobile terminal in a finite location

• US 9,638,786 B2
• Filed: 07/22/2011
• Issued: 05/02/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mobixity Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Mobixity Incorporated
• Inventors: Morrison, James
• Primary Examiner(s): HEIBER, SHANTELL LAKETA
• Application Number:
  US13/188,892
• Publication Number:
  US 20120021763A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,111 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/14 Determining absolute distances from a plurality of spaced points of known location

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention include methods, systems and computer program products. Systems, methods and computer program products of the various preferred embodiments can include one or more sensors disposable in a finite location and adapted to receive a communication channel signal from a mobile terminal located in the finite location and a controller connected to the one or more sensors and adapted to calculate a position of the mobile terminal within the finite location. The systems, methods and computer program products of the various preferred embodiments can also include a pseudo-station disposable in the finite location and connected to the controller and adapted to induce a communication channel signal from the mobile terminal by transmitting a control channel signal in the finite location.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a pseudo-station disposed in a finite location, the pseudo-station adapted to transmit a control channel signal at a predetermined RF spectrum frequency for a predetermined duration to interrogate and prompt a response from one or more mobile terminals within said finite location; and

a sensor having a range limited to a building structure and/or area proximate said building structure and disposed in the finite location, the sensor adapted to detect whether one or more mobile terminals are within said finite location by detecting one or more communication channel signals in said RF spectrum frequency transmitted by mobile terminals within said sensor range, said one or more communication channel signals transmitted by said one or more mobile terminals responsive to receiving said control channel signal transmitted by said pseudo-station, said control channel signal and one or more communication channel signals transmitted passively without user intervention, wherein the one or more communication channel signals each comprise a unique identification of the mobile terminal transmitting the responsive one or more communication channel signals.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the predetermined RF spectrum frequency comprises a RF spectrum frequency range correlated to a selected type of mobile terminal.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the pseudo-station is further adapted to transmit the control channel signal on one or more channels within the RF spectrum frequency range.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the RF spectrum frequency range comprises a portion of electromagnetic spectrum allocated for wireless communication by one or more selected types of mobile terminals.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the predetermined duration ranges between 1 microsecond and 10 seconds.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the predetermined duration is inversely proportional to an activity level within the finite location.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising a second sensor, a third sensor, and a fourth sensor disposable in the finite location and adapted to detect the one or more communication channel signals transmitted by the mobile terminal in the finite location.

8. The system of claim 7, further comprising a controller connected to the pseudo-station and the first, second, third and fourth sensors.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the controller is adapted to calculate a position of the mobile terminal within the first location in response to receipt of the one or more communication channel signals at the first, second, third and fourth sensors.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the position of the mobile terminal is calculated in three dimensions.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the pseudo-station and the sensor comprise an integrated cellular base station.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the integrated cellular base station comprises a femtocell.

13. A method comprising:

transmitting, from a pseudo-station disposed in a finite location, a control channel signal at a predetermined RF spectrum frequency for a predetermined duration to interrogate and prompt a response from one or more mobile terminals within said finite location; and

detecting at a sensor disposed in the finite location, one or more communication channel signals in the RF spectrum transmitted by a mobile terminal within a range of said sensor, said one or more communication channel signals transmitted by said one or more mobile terminals responsive to receiving said control channel signal transmitted by said pseudo-station, said control channel signal and one or more communication channel signals transmitted passively without user intervention, wherein the one or more communication channel signals each comprise a unique identification of the mobile terminal transmitting the one or more communication channel signals.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the predetermined RF spectrum frequency comprises a RF spectrum frequency range correlated to a selected type of mobile terminal.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the pseudo-station is further adapted to transmit the control channel signal on one or more channels within the RF spectrum frequency range.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the RF spectrum frequency range comprises a portion of electromagnetic spectrum allocated for wireless communication by one or more selected types of mobile terminals.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the predetermined duration ranges between 1 microsecond and 10 seconds.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the predetermined duration is inversely proportional to an activity level within the finite location.

19. The method of claim 13, further comprising detecting, at a second sensor, a third sensor and a fourth sensor disposable in the finite location, the one or more communication channel signals transmitted by the mobile terminal in the finite location.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising calculating a position of the mobile terminal within the first location in response to receipt of the one or more communication channel signals at the first, second, third and fourth sensors.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the position of the mobile terminal is calculated in three dimensions.

22. A system comprising:

a sensor array disposable in a finite location and comprising first, second, third and fourth sensors, each of the first second, third and fourth sensors adapted to receive one or more communication channel signals in the RF spectrum from a mobile terminal located in the finite location, said finite location defined by a range of coverage of said sensor array and limited to a building structure and/or area proximate said building structure;

a controller connected to the sensor array and adapted to calculate a three-dimensional position of the mobile terminal within the finite location in response to receipt of the one or more communication channel signals in the RF spectrum from the mobile terminal within said range of said sensor array at each of the first, second, third and fourth sensors; and

a pseudo-station disposed in the finite location and connected to the controller and adapted to induce a communication channel signal from the mobile terminal by transmitting a control channel signal in the finite location at a predetermined RF spectrum frequency to interrogate and prompt a response from one or more mobile terminals in range of the sensor array.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the sensor array comprises a predetermined geometrical configuration within the finite location.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the geometrical configuration comprises a polygon, the sides of which are of a substantially uniform predetermined length.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the substantially uniform predetermined length is inversely proportional to a confidence level of the three-dimensional position of the mobile terminal.

26. The system of claim 22, further comprising a fifth sensor integrated with the pseudo-station.

27. The system of claim 22, wherein the pseudo-station is adapted to transmit the control channel signal on a predetermined RF spectrum frequency.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the predetermined RF spectrum frequency comprises one or more RF spectrum frequency bands correlated with one or more types of mobile terminals.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the pseudo-station is further adapted to re-transmit the control channel signal on the RF spectrum frequency band after a predetermined interval.

30. The system of claim 22, wherein the pseudo-station is adapted to transmit the control channel signal for a predetermined duration.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein the predetermined duration ranges between 1 microsecond and 10 seconds.

32. A system comprising:

a pseudo-station disposable in a finite location and adapted to transmit a control channel signal at a predetermined RF spectrum frequency for a predetermined duration to interrogate and prompt a response from one or more mobile terminals within said finite location, said finite location defined by a range of coverage of said sensor array and limited to a building structure and/or area proximate said building structure; and

a controller connected to the pseudo-station and adapted to control the pseudo station to transmit the control channel signal at a predetermined RF spectrum frequency and for a predetermined duration, the controller further adapted to calculate a position of a mobile terminal within the finite location in response to a detected communication channel signal from the mobile terminal within a range of a sensor within said finite location and without the need for a call being placed by said mobile terminal, the one or more communication channel signals induced in response to the control channel signal.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein the pseudo-station is adapted to transmit the control channel signal on a predetermined RF spectrum frequency.

34. The system of claim 33, wherein the predetermined RF spectrum frequency comprises one or more RF spectrum frequency bands correlated with one or more types of mobile terminals.

35. The system of claim 34, wherein the pseudo-station is further adapted to re-transmit the control channel signal on the RF spectrum frequency band after a predetermined interval.

36. The system of claim 32, wherein the pseudo-station is adapted to transmit the control channel signal for a predetermined duration.

37. The system of claim 36, wherein the predetermined duration ranges between 1 microsecond and 10 seconds.

38. A system comprising:

a sensor array disposable in a finite location and comprising first, second, third and fourth sensors, each of the first second, third and fourth sensors adapted to receive one or more communication channel signals in the RF spectrum from a mobile terminal located in the finite location, said finite location defined by coverage range of said sensor array and limited to a building structure and/or area proximate said building structure; and

a controller connected to the sensor array and adapted to calculate a three-dimensional position of the mobile terminal within the finite location in response to receipt of the one or more communication channel signals in the RF spectrum from the mobile terminal within said range of said sensor array at each of the first, second, third and fourth sensors, the one or more communication channel signals transmitted in response to a control channel signal transmitted by a pseudo-station to interrogate and prompt a response from one or more mobile terminals within said finite location.

39. The system of claim 38, wherein the sensor array comprises a predetermined geometrical configuration within the finite location.

40. The system of claim 39, wherein the geometrical configuration comprises a polygon, the sides of which are of a substantially uniform predetermined length.

41. The system of claim 40, wherein the substantially uniform predetermined length is inversely proportional confidence level of the three-dimensional position of the mobile terminal.

42. The system of claim 38, further comprising a fifth sensor in the sensor array, the fifth sensor comprising a pseudo-station adapted to transmit the control channel signal.