System and method for establishing real-time location
First Claim
1. A system for establishing location information in real-time, the system comprising:
- a plurality of fixed position devices, each of said fixed position devices configured to communicate via an auxiliary communication link with at least one other of said plurality of fixed position devices, wherein fixed position information about each of said fixed position devices is stored in memory;
a portable device configured to communicate wirelessly via a primary communication link with a first one of said fixed position devices, wherein a second one of said fixed position devices is configured to monitor communication over said primary communication link between said first one of said fixed position devices and said portable device, wherein said second one of said fixed position devices determines one or more signal characteristics pertaining to said monitored communication and communicates signal information relating to said one or more signal characteristics, via said auxiliary communication link, to said at least one other of said fixed position devices;
wherein location information about said portable device is determined based on said signal information relating to said one or more signal characteristics communicated over said auxiliary communication link; and
wherein at least one of said fixed position devices is configured to authenticate and/or authorize an identity of said portable device, and wherein said determined location information is deemed valid if said identity of said portable device is authenticated and/or authorized.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A communication system with a master device configured to determine location information in real-time with respect to a portable device. The master device may direct one or more monitor devices to monitor communications that occur over a primary communication link. The monitor devices may sense characteristic information about the signal from the portable device, and communicate this characteristic information to the master device via an auxiliary communication link. The communication system may determine location of the portable device, authenticate the portable device, determine whether the portable device is authorized to allow or initiate an action, and command or enable an action with respect to equipment.
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Citations
27 Claims
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1. A system for establishing location information in real-time, the system comprising:
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a plurality of fixed position devices, each of said fixed position devices configured to communicate via an auxiliary communication link with at least one other of said plurality of fixed position devices, wherein fixed position information about each of said fixed position devices is stored in memory; a portable device configured to communicate wirelessly via a primary communication link with a first one of said fixed position devices, wherein a second one of said fixed position devices is configured to monitor communication over said primary communication link between said first one of said fixed position devices and said portable device, wherein said second one of said fixed position devices determines one or more signal characteristics pertaining to said monitored communication and communicates signal information relating to said one or more signal characteristics, via said auxiliary communication link, to said at least one other of said fixed position devices; wherein location information about said portable device is determined based on said signal information relating to said one or more signal characteristics communicated over said auxiliary communication link; and wherein at least one of said fixed position devices is configured to authenticate and/or authorize an identity of said portable device, and wherein said determined location information is deemed valid if said identity of said portable device is authenticated and/or authorized. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A device for establishing real-time location information about a portable device, said device comprising:
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a first communication interface operable to receive wireless communication transmissions from the portable device, said first communication interface configured to obtain one or more device signal characteristics relating to said wireless communication transmissions received by the device from the portable device; a second communication interface configured for communications with at least one fixed position device separate from the device, said communications including one or more communicated signal characteristics of wireless communication transmissions received by the at least one fixed position device from the portable device; a controller operably coupled to said first communication interface and said second communication interface; wherein location information about said portable device is determined based on said one or more signal characteristics; and wherein an identity of the portable device is authenticated and/or authorized, and wherein said determined location information is deemed valid if said identity of the portable device is authenticated and/or authorized. - View Dependent Claims (13, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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14. The device as claimed in 12 wherein said second communication interface includes auxiliary communication circuitry, and wherein said first communication interface includes primary communication circuitry, wherein said auxiliary communication circuitry and said primary communication circuitry are substantially the same such that said first and second communication interface use the same type of hardware protocol, and wherein said communications via said first communication interface are separate from said communications via said second communication interface such that portable device operation is substantially unaffected by said communications via said secondary communication interface.
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19. A method of determining a location of a portable device in real-time, said method comprising:
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receiving, in a master device, wireless communications from a portable device via a wireless communication link; directing at least one fixed position device to monitor the wireless communications from the portable device to the master device; receiving, via an auxiliary communication link separate from the wireless communication, one or more signal characteristics based on the wireless communication monitored by the fixed position device; obtaining position information relating to a position of the fixed position device; and determining a location of the portable device based on the one or more signal characteristics and the position information; authenticating and/or authorizing an identity of the portable device; and deeming valid the one or more signal characteristics based on the identity of the portable device being authenticated and/or authorized. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A method of calibrating a system for establishing location information about a portable device in real-time, said method comprising:
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providing a first device and a second device in known locations relative to each other; providing a plurality of uncalibrated devices in a fixed position relationship relative to each other and the first and second devices; obtaining location information about the first device and the second device relative to each other; establishing a communication connection via a primary communication link between the first device and at least one of the second device and the plurality of uncalibrated devices; monitoring the communication connection to determine one or more signal characteristics indicative of position information with respect to the first device and each of the second device and the plurality of uncalibrated devices; communicating information pertaining to the one or more signal characteristics via an auxiliary communication link separate from the primary link; and determining calibration information with respect to the plurality of uncalibrated devices to yield a plurality of calibrated devices, wherein the calibration information facilitates determining positions of the plurality of calibrated devices relative to at least one of the first device and the second device. - View Dependent Claims (27)
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Specification