Method of location using signals of unknown origin

• US 7,031,727 B2
• Filed: 10/14/2003
• Issued: 04/18/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Brian L. Baskin
• Original Assignee: Brian L. Baskin
• Inventors: Baskin, Brian L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Feild, Joseph
• Assistant Examiner(s): Afshar, Kamran
• Application Number:
  US10/686,122
• Publication Number:
  US 20050079876A1
• Time in Patent Office: 917 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456.1, 455/456.2, 455/456.5, 455/456.6, 455/39, 455/67.11, 342/42, 342/44, 342/453, 342/357.02, 370/346, 370/324
• US Class Current: 455/456.2
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/06 Position of source determined by co-ordinating a plurality of position lines defined by path-difference measurements G01S5/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/10 Position of receiver fixed by co-ordinating a plurality of position lines defined by path-difference measurements , e.g. omega or decca systemsG01S5/12 takes precedence ; beacons and receivers cooperating therewith G01S1/306, G01S1/308
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

The present invention encompasses a method of location comprising: using a plurality of signal receivers to receive one or more multiple frequency input signals, wherein said multiple frequency input signals are of unknown origin, and said signal receivers are of known physical location, finding a difference in time of the reception of the signals between each of the signal receivers, using the difference in time of reception to locate the origin of the signals, utilizing the signals locate a signal receiver of unknown location.

Claims

1. A method of locating at a central processor a signal receiver comprising

using four signal receivers each at a different location to receive a plurality of multiple frequency input signals originating from an unknown origin transmitter, wherein said signal receivers are of known physical location except for one which is at an unknown location,

finding a difference in time of the reception at the central processor of said signals from said transmitter and between each of the signal receivers,

using the differences in time of reception at said signal receivers of known location to locate the origin of said signals from said transmitter, and

using the known location of three sites and the differences in time of reception from the transmitter to at least two signal receivers at known locations and the signal receiver at the unknown location, and determining the location of said signal receiver at said unknown location.

2. The method of claim 1, whereby said signal receivers at known locations are cellular base stations and said signal receiver at the unknown location is a cellular handset.

3. A signal receiver locating system including a central signal processor comprising:

a plurality of signal transmitters, each positioned at an unknown location,

three or more known location signal receivers,

an additional signal receiver at an unknown location,

said known location signal receivers and said additional signal receiver receiving signals from said signal transmitters,

said central signal processor receiving signals from said signal receivers and outputting a set of data, whereby said data is used to locate said signal transmitters and thereafter using information from three known sites to locate said additional signal receiver.

4. The method of claim 3 whereby said signal receivers at known locations are cellular base stations and said unknown location signal receiver is a cellular handset.

5. The method of determining at a central processing station the location of a cell phone at an unknown location using three cell sites, each at a known location, comprising

receiving signals from at least one transmitter at an unknown location at each of said cell sites and to the cell phone,

causing each of said cell sites and said cell phone to send to said central processing station a representation of said signals from said at least one transmitter,

measuring at said central processing station the difference in time delays to said cell sites and said cell phone of signals received at said cell sites and said cell phone from said at least one transmitter,

using said difference in time delay measurement to locate said at least one transmitter, and,

locating said cell phone using three known locations selected from the locations of said cell sites, and said at least one transmitter.

6. The method of locating at a central processing station a cell phone at an unknown location using at least three cellular base station sites, each at a known location, comprising

receiving signals from at least one transmitter at an unknown location at each of said three cellular base sites and said cell phone causing each of said cellular sites and said cell phone to send data of said signals from said at least one transmitter to said processing station,

measuring the difference in time delays to said cellular sites and said cell phone at said processing station of signals received at said cellular sites and said cell phone from said at least one transmitter and at said processing station locating said at least one transmitters, and,

then using three known locations from the known locations of said at least one transmitter and said three cellar base stations, locating said cell phone.

7. A signal transceiver locating system comprising,

a central processing station,

three or more signal transceivers at sites at known locations,

an additional signal transceiver at an unknown location, and

at least one power transmitter at an unknown location adapted to send signals to each of said signal transceivers,

said central processor adapted to receive signals from said signal transceivers and based on time delay information received in said signals determine the location of said unknown at least one power transmitter, and

based on the information in said signals and based on the knowledge of the location of said at least one transmitter, determine the location of said additional signal transceiver employing the information available for at least three known sites.

8. A signal transceiver locating system in accordance with claim 7 in which said three or more signal transceivers at sites at known locations comprise cellular base stations.

9. A signal transceiver locating system in accordance with claim 7 in which said signal transceiver initially at the unknown location comprises a cellular phone handset.

10. A method of locating at a central processor a first signal transceiver located at an unknown location, comprising

transmitting multiple frequency signals from at least one transmitter at an unknown location;

receiving at and transmitting signals from at least three transceivers each at a known location said signals from said at least one transmitter;

determining at said central processor the difference of arrival times at said transceivers from data representing the transmitted signals sent by said transceivers to said central processor;

determining the location of said at least one transmitter using three known locations of transceivers and the differences in arrival times of signals from said at least one transmitter;

determining the location of said first signal transceiver from differences in arrival times of said signal using three known locations from the group of known locations of transceivers and said at least one transmitter.

11. The method of claim 10 in which said three signal transceivers at a known location are cellular base stations.

12. The method of claim 11 in which said first signal transceiver comprises a cellular handset.