Position acquisition

• US 7,272,404 B2
• Filed: 05/09/2006
• Issued: 09/18/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Overy, Michael, Lobo, Natividade
• Primary Examiner(s): Trost; William
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ewart; James D
• Application Number:
  US11/429,937
• Publication Number:
  US 20060270349A1
• Time in Patent Office: 497 Days
• Field of Search: 455/3.01, 455/3.05, 455/11.1, 455/41.2, 455/41.3, 455/66.1, 455/115.3, 455/404.2, 455/420, 455/422.1, 455/446, 455/448, 455/456.1, 455/456.2, 455/456.6, 455/500, 370/252, 370/254, 370/310, 370/338, 370/351, 370/400, 370/407, 370/408, 370/432, 342/385, 342/386, 342/450, 342/453, 342/457, 342/458, 342/463, 379/102.01, 379/102.02, 379/102.03, 702150-153, 340/825.36, 340/825.49
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/14 by recording the course traversed by the object G01C21/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/876 Combination of several spaced transponders or reflectors of known location for determining the position of a receiver G01S13/874 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0244 Accuracy or reliability of position solution or of measurements contributing thereto
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0289 of multiple transceivers, e.g. in ad hoc networks
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/40 Means for monitoring or calibrating
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

A first transceiver (4, 30) can position itself by forming an ad hoc network (20) of transceivers which assist the first transceiver in acquiring its position. A dedicated infrastructure such as GPS satellites is not required. The first transceiver (4, 30), once it has acquired its position, can be involved in a network (20) by another transceiver (32, 34, 36, 38, 40) to assist in the positioning of that transceiver. The acquisition of the position may involve factors such as the trustworthiness of the transceivers in the network and/or the positions of transceivers with which the first transceiver cannot directly communicate.

Claims

1. A receiver for calculating a position of the receiver according to a plurality of transmitters, including a processor being

arranged to calculate a probability density function for each of said plurality of transmitters by the convolution of

(i). the probability density function representing a position of one of the plurality of said transmitters, sent by said one transmitter to the receiver;

with

(ii). the probability density function representing a likelihood that a transmission from said one transmitter will be successfully received at the receiver; and

arranged to combine the resultant plurality of probability density functions.

2. A receiver as claimed in claim 1 wherein the combination of the resultant probability density functions involves a pair-wise combination of probability density functions.

3. A receiver as claimed in claim 2 wherein the pair-wise combination involves a multiplication of one probability density function with another.

4. A receiver as claimed in claim 1 wherein the pair-wise combination involves an addition of one probability density function with another.

5. A receiver as claimed in claim 4, wherein the combination is a weighted combination.

6. A receiver as claimed in claim 5 wherein the weighted combination increases a contribution made from probability density functions derived from trusted transmitters.

7. A receiver as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the transmitters are not permanent infrastructure.

8. A receiver as claimed in claim 3, wherein the combination is a weighted combination.

9. A receiver as claimed in claim 8, wherein the weighted combination increases the combination made from the probability density functions derived from trusted transmitters.

10. A receiver as claimed in claim 1, wherein the probability density function representing the likelihood that a transmission from the first transmitter will be successfully received at the receiver is an approximation which simplifies processing.

11. A receiver as claimed in claim 1 wherein the possibility density function representing the likelihood that a transmission from a transmitter will be successfully received at the receiver is the same for each of the plurality of transmitters.

12. A receiver as claimed in 1, wherein the transmitters are not permanent infrastructure.

13. A receiver for calculating a position of the receiver according to a first transmitter, including a processor arranged to convolve:

(i). a probability density function representing a position of the first transmitter, sent by the first transmitter to the receiver;

with

(ii). the probability density function representing a likelihood that a transmission from the first transmitter will be successfully received at the receiver.

14. A receiver as claimed in claim 13 for calculating its position according to a second transmitter, including a processor arranged to convolve:

(i). a probability density function representing the position of the second transmitter, sent by the second transmitter to the receiver;

with

(ii). the probability density function representing a likelihood that a transmission from the second transmitter will be successfully received at the receiver.

15. A receiver as claimed in claim 14, wherein the probability density function representing the likelihood that a transmission from the first transmitter will be successfully received at the receiver is the same as the probability density function representing the likelihood that a transmission from the second transmitter will be successfully received at the receiver.

16. A receiver as claimed in claim 13 wherein the probability density function representing the likelihood that a transmission from the first transmitter will be successfully received at the receiver is an approximation which simplifies processing.

17. A method of calculating a position of a receiver by communication with a plurality of transceivers comprising the steps of:

for each of said plurality of transmitters, convolving;

(i). a probability density function representing a position of a transmitter, sent by the transmitter to the receiver, with

(ii). a probability density function representing a likelihood that a transmission from the transmitter will be successfully received at the receiver; and

combining the plurality of convolution products.

18. A method as claimed in claim 17 wherein the receiver is the master transceiver in an ad-hoc network of Bluetooth transceivers and the plurality of transmitters are slave transceivers in that Bluetooth network.

19. A method as claimed in claim 17 wherein the combination of the plurality of convolution products involves a pair-wise combination of convolution products.

20. A method as claimed in claim 19 wherein the combination is a weighted combination.

21. A method as claimed in claim 20 wherein the weighted combination increases the contribution made from convolution products derived from trusted transmitters.