ENHANCED LOCATION BASED SERVICE FOR POSITIONING INTERSECTING OBJECTS IN THE MEASURED RADIO COVERAGE

• US 20080102756A1
• Filed: 10/11/2006
• Published: 05/01/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Lehtinen, Joni
• Granted Patent: US 7,890,060 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/67.11
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/003 Bistatic radar systems; Multistatic radar systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/00 Position-fixing by co-ordinating two or more direction or position line determinations; Position-fixing by co-ordinating two or more distance determinations using active systems G01S13/00, G01S15/00, G01S17/00

Abstract

A method, apparatus or tangible computer medium (which stores computer executable code or program code) performs or facilitates obtaining information concerning one or more characteristics of one or more monitored wireless signals or links, such as radio frequency (RF) signals, transmitted across a geographic area; and detecting a presence of an object in the geographic area according to a variation of a characteristic of one or more of the RF signals reflecting interference of the RF signal(s) by the object.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

obtaining information concerning one or more characteristics of one or more monitored radio frequency (RF) signals transmitted across a geographic area; and

detecting a presence of an object in the geographic area according to a variation of a characteristic of one or more of the RF signals reflecting interference of the RF signal(s) by the object.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the one or more RF signals comprises one or more RF links between stationary signal source(s) and/or stationary receiver(s).

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the one or more RF links form a plurality of grids over the geographic area.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein the signal source(s) or receiver(s) are part of a wireless or mobile communications infrastructure.

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

detecting at least two instances of the object interfering with RF signals according to a variation of a characteristic of the RF signals at different times; and

estimating a location of at least a terminating or originating route point of the at least two instances at which the object interfered with the RF signals.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the location is estimated based on at least a probability density function applied to possible terminating or originating route points.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the probability density function is customized.

8. The method according to claim 5, wherein the location is estimated based on at least a maximum speed constraint.

9. The method according to claim 5, further comprising determining a path of the object based on at least an estimated terminating or originating route point.

10. The method according to claim 9, further comprising:

updating the path of the object as new instances of interference with the RF signals by the object are detected.

11. The method according to claim 5, wherein the plurality of RF signals form a plurality of grid areas in the geographic region, the estimating comprises:

reducing an active grid area in the geographic area traversed by the object.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the reducing comprises:

determining possible routes or possible originating and terminating route points in an active grid area bound by the RF signals interfered by the object and an assumed maximum speed of the object.

13. The method according to claim 12, further comprising:

applying a weight to each possible route or each possible originating and terminating route point according to a probability density function (PDF),

wherein the location of at least the terminating or originating route point of one of the at least two instances at which the object interfered with the RF signals is estimated based on the weighted possible routes or weighted possible originating and terminating route points.

14. The method according to claim 5, further comprising:

determining an expected direction to be traveled or traveled by the object based on an estimated originating and terminating route point of two instances at which the object interfered with the RF signals.

15. The method according to claim 5, further comprising:

determining a confidence area for an estimated terminating route point.

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

transmitting information pertaining to an object or lack of an object in the geographic area to a party, across a network.

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

storing information pertaining to each detected instance of an object interfering with an RF signal, the information including information pertaining to the interfered wireless signal and a time at which the interference occurred.

18. The method according to claim 1, wherein the variation comprises degradation of a signal strength of an RF signal.

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

filtering one or more of the RF signals to reduce noise.

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

displaying a layout of the RF signals over the geographic area and information pertaining to an object in the geographic area.

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

monitoring the one or more RF signals.

22. The method according to claim 1, wherein the one or more RF signals are received at a base station of a mobile network.

23. A system, comprising:

a transmitter for transmitting one or more RF signals across a geographic area;

a receiver for receiving one or more the RF signals;

a processor for;

obtaining information concerning one or more characteristics of one or more monitored radio frequency (RF) signals transmitted across a geographic area; and

detecting a presence of an object in the geographic area according to a variation of a characteristic of one or more RF signals reflecting interference of the wireless signal(s) by the object.

24. The system according to claim 23, wherein the transmitter and/or receiver are stationary.

25. The system according to claim 23, wherein the receiver is part of a LMU type of equipment interfacing a controlling network element.

26. The system according to claim 23, wherein the processor further detects at least two instances of the object interfering with RF signals according to a variation of a characteristic of the RF signals;

and estimates a location of at least a terminating or originating route point for the at least two instances at which the object interfered with the RF signals.

27. The system according to claim 26, wherein the processor further:

determines possible routes or possible originating and terminating route points in an active grid area bound by the RF signals interfered by the object and an assumed maximum speed of the object; and

applies a weight to each possible route or each possible originating and terminating route point according to a probability density function (PDF),

wherein the location of at least the terminating or originating route point of one of the at least two instances at which the object interfered with the RF signals is estimated based on the weighted possible routes or weighted possible originating and terminating route points.

28. An apparatus, comprising:

a receiver for receiving one or more RF signals transmitted across a geographic area;

a processor for;

obtaining information concerning one or more characteristics of one or more monitored radio frequency (RF) signals transmitted across the geographic area; and

detecting a presence of an object in the geographic area according to a variation of a characteristic of one or more monitored RF signals reflecting interference of the RF signal(s) by the object.

29. A tangible computer medium having computer executable code which when executed by a computer performs the following method:

obtaining information concerning one or more characteristics of one or more monitored radio frequency (RF) signals transmitted across a geographic area; and

detecting a presence of an object in the geographic area according to a variation of a characteristic of one or more monitored RF signals reflecting interference of the RF signal(s) by the object.