A SYSTEM AND METHOD OF TRANSMITTING POSITION DATA

• US 20030066345A1
• Filed: 01/02/1997
• Published: 04/10/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/02/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bayer AG, Nokia of America Corporation (Nokia Corporation), Sound View Innovations, LLC (Sound View Innovation Holdings, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: GITLIN, RICHARD D., DRIESSEN, PETER F., SABNANI, KRISHAN K., SIZER, THEODORE II, CHEN, KUO-WEI H.
• Granted Patent: US 6,968,737 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/178R
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 1/68 Marker, boundary, call-sign, or like beacons transmitting signals not carrying directional information
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/13 Receivers
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0226 Transmitters

Abstract

The present invention is a system and method for automated position location using RF signposting. The present invention comprises a plurality of transmitting units placed throughout a service area. Each transmitting unit repeatedly transmits a signal including position information related to a position associated with the transmitting unit. The position information may be an absolute position or an encoded position based on the structure of a building in which the transmitting unit is located. A receiving unit receives the signal transmitted from a transmitting unit and determines the position of the receiving unit, based on the received indication. The transmitting units are placed to provide uniform coverage of the service area, thus providing position location indoors and in urban areas where GPS does not function properly.

Claims

1. A system for automated position location comprising:

at least one transmitting unit transmitting a signal including position information related to a position associated with each respective transmitting unit; and

at least one receiving unit, receiving the signal including position information and determining a position of the receiving unit, based on the received position information.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein each transmitting unit periodically transmits the signal including position information.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein each transmitting unit has a different period of transmission.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the transmitted position information comprises absolute position information.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the absolute position information comprises a latitude field and a longitude field.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the absolute position information further comprises an altitude field.

7. The system of claim 2, wherein the position information of a transmitting unit comprises encoded position information.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the encoded position information is based on a structure of a building.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the encoded position information comprises a format indicator and information relating to an encoded position.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the encoded position information further comprises information having the indicated format.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the encoded position information comprises an indication of a building.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the encoded position further comprises an indication of a location within the building.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein each transmitting unit comprises:

a memory storing position information related to a position associated with the transmitting unit;

a signal generator, coupled to the memory, generating a baseband signal including the stored position information; and

a transmitter, coupled to the signal generator, generating a radio-frequency signal including the stored position information.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the signal generator periodically generates the signal.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the signal generator of each transmitting unit generates the signal with a different period.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the receiving unit comprises:

a receiver, receiving the transmitted signal and generating position information; and

a processing unit, coupled to the receiver, determining the position of the receiving unit based on the generated position information.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the received signal is a radio-frequency signal and the receiver comprises:

a detector demodulating the received radio-frequency signal to form a baseband signal;

an amplifier, coupled to the detector, generating a digital signal from the baseband signal; and

a controller, coupled to the amplifier, generating the position information from the digital signal.

18. A method for automated position location comprising the steps of:

transmitting a signal from at least one transmitting unit, the signal including position information related to a position associated with each respective transmitting unit; and

receiving the signal at a receiving unit, the received signal including position information; and

generating a position of the receiving unit, based on the received position information.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the transmitting step comprises the step of:

transmitting the signal including position information periodically.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the transmitting step comprises the step of:

transmitting the signal including position information periodically, each transmitting unit having a different period of transmission.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein transmitted position information comprises absolute position information.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the absolute position information comprises a latitude field and a longitude field.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the absolute position information further comprises an altitude field.

24. The method of claim 18, wherein the position information of a transmitting unit comprises encoded position information.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the encoded position information is based on a structure of a building.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the encoded position information comprises a format indicator and information relating to an encoded position.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the encoded position information further comprises information having the indicated format.

28. The method of claim 24, wherein the encoded position information comprises an indication of a building.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the encoded position information further comprises an indication of a location within the building.

30. A transmitting unit for automated position location, comprising:

a memory storing position information related to a position associated with the transmitting unit;

a signal generator, coupled to the memory, generating a baseband signal including the stored position information; and

a transmitter, coupled to the signal generator, outputting a radio-frequency signal including the stored position information.

31. The transmitting unit of claim 30, wherein the signal generator periodically generates the signal.

32. The transmitting unit of claim 31, wherein the signal generator of each transmitting unit generates the signal with a different period.

33. The transmitting unit of claim 31, wherein the transmitted position information comprises absolute position information.

34. The transmitting unit of claim 33, wherein the absolute position information comprises a latitude field and a longitude field.

35. The transmitting unit of claim 34, wherein the absolute position information further comprises an altitude field.

36. The transmitting unit of claim 31, wherein the position information of a transmitting unit comprises encoded position information.

37. The transmitting unit of claim 36, wherein the encoded position information is based on a structure of a building.

38. The transmitting unit of claim 37, wherein the encoded position information comprises a format indicator and information relating to an encoded position.

39. The transmitting unit of claim 38, wherein the encoded position information further comprises information having the indicated format.

40. The transmitting unit of claim 37, wherein the encoded position information comprises an indication of a building.

41. The transmitting unit of claim 40, wherein the encoded position further comprises an indication of a location within the building.

42. A method for transmitting position location information, comprising:

generating position information related to a position associated with a transmitting unit; and

transmitting a signal including the generated position information.

43. The method of claim 42, wherein the transmitting step comprises the step of:

transmitting the signal including position information periodically.

44. The method of claim 43, wherein the transmitting step comprises the step of:

transmitting the signal including position information periodically, each transmitting unit having a different period of transmission.

45. The method of claim 42, wherein the position information of a transmitting unit comprises absolute position information.

46. The method of claim 45, wherein the absolute position information comprises a latitude field and a longitude field.

47. The method of claim 46, wherein the absolute position information further comprises an altitude field.

48. The method of claim 42, wherein the position information of a transmitting unit comprises encoded position information.

49. The method of claim 48, wherein the encoded position information is based on a structure of a building.

50. The method of claim 49, wherein the encoded position information comprises a format indicator and information relating to an encoded position.

51. The method of claim 50, wherein the encoded position information further comprises information having the indicated format.

52. The method of claim 48, wherein the encoded position information comprises an indication of a building.

53. The method of claim 52, wherein the encoded position information further comprises an indication of a location within the building.

54. A receiving unit for automated position location, comprising:

a receiver, receiving a signal including position information related to a position associated with a transmitting unit and generating position information from the signal; and

a processing unit, coupled to the receiver, determining the position of the receiving unit based on the generated position information.

55. The receiving unit of claim 54, wherein the received signal is a radio-frequency signal and the receiver comprises:

a detector demodulating the received radio-frequency signal to form a baseband signal;

an amplifier, coupled to the detector, generating a digital signal from the baseband signal; and

a controller, coupled to the amplifier, generating the position information from the digital signal.

56. The receiving unit of claim 54, wherein the position information comprises absolute position information.

57. The receiving unit of claim 56, wherein the absolute position information comprises a latitude field and a longitude field.

58. The receiving unit of claim 57, wherein the absolute position information further comprises an altitude field.

59. The receiving unit of claim 54, wherein the position information comprises encoded position information.

60. The receiving unit of claim 59, wherein the encoded position information is based on a structure of a building.

61. The receiving unit of claim 60, wherein the encoded position information comprises a format indicator and information relating to an encoded position.

62. The receiving unit of claim 61, wherein the encoded position information further comprises information having the indicated format.

63. The receiving unit of claim 60, wherein the encoded position information comprises an indication of a building.

64. The receiving unit of claim 63, wherein the encoded position further comprises an indication of a location within the building.

65. A method for receiving position location information, comprising the steps of:

receiving a signal at a receiving unit, the received signal including position information related to a position associated with a transmitting unit; and

generating a position of the receiving unit, based on the received position information.

66. The method of claim 65, wherein the position information comprises absolute position information.

67. The method of claim 66, wherein the absolute position information comprises a latitude field and a longitude field.

68. The method of claim 67, wherein the absolute position information further comprises an altitude field.

69. The method of claim 66, wherein the position information comprises encoded position information.

70. The method of claim 69, wherein the encoded position information is based on a structure of a building.

71. The method of claim 70, wherein the encoded position information comprises a format indicator and information relating to an encoded position.

72. The method of claim 71, wherein the encoded position information further comprises information having the indicated format.

73. The method of claim 70, wherein the encoded position information comprises an indication of a building.

74. The method of claim 73, wherein the encoded position information further comprises an indication of a location within the building.