Using signal-generated location information to identify and list available devices

• US 7,289,813 B2
• Filed: 12/09/2002
• Issued: 10/30/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies General IP PTE Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Karaoguz, Jeyhan
• Primary Examiner(s): Kincaid; Lester G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Figueroa; Marisol
• Application Number:
  US10/314,287
• Publication Number:
  US 20040203931A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,786 Days
• Field of Search: 340/539.13, 342/357.07, 342/357.08, 251/129.04, 455/456.1, 455 412- 413, 455/456.2, 455/457
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/878 Combination of several spaced transmitters or receivers of known location for determining the position of a transponder or a reflector G01S13/874 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/20 Services signaling; Auxiliary data signalling, i.e. transmitting data via a non-traffic channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

A signal-generated locator for locating at least one device can include a transmitter configured to transmit at least one first signal and a receiver configured to receive at least one second signal. In addition, the signal-generated locator can have a first processing unit configured to process the at least one second signal with respect to the at least one first signal, and a display unit configured to display information processed by the processing unit, wherein the information is related to at least one device.

Claims

1. A method of displaying information related to at least one device, said method comprising the steps of:

activating a signal-generated locator;

transmitting at least one first signal from the signal-generated locator;

receiving at least one second signal at the signal-generated locator;

processing the at least one second signal with respect to the at least one first signal;

determining a distance range with respect to the at least one device,

determining a geographic position with respect to the at least one device;

displaying information related to at least one device;

determining a location of the signal-generated locator in relation to a global position; and

determining a surrounding environment within a predetermined radius in relation to the location of the signal-generated locator,

wherein the step of displaying information related to the at least one device comprises displaying the geographic position with respect to the at least one device,

wherein the step of receiving the at least one second signal comprises receiving a reflected signal reflecting back from the at least one device,

wherein the step of processing the at least one second signal comprises identifying a starting time corresponding to the transmission of the at least one first signal, determining a propagation time corresponding to the at least first signal and corresponding to the at least second signal and determining a set of geographic coordinates related to the location of the at least one device, and

wherein the step of determining the geographic position with respect to the at least one device comprises

determining the geographic position with respect to the at least one device based on the starting time, the propagation time and the set of geographic coordinates.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of displaying information related to the at least one device comprises the step of:

displaying the geographic position with respect to the at least one device having a geographic map overlay.

3. A signal-generated locator for locating at least one device, said signal-generated locator comprising:

a transmitter configured to transmit at least one first signal;

a receiver configured to receive at least one second signal;

a first processing unit configured to process the at least one second signal with respect to the at least one first signal;

a display unit configured to display information processed by the processing unit, wherein the information is related to at least one device,

wherein the first processing unit comprises a second processing unit configured to determine a distance range with respect to the at least one device and a third processing unit configured to determine a geographic position with respect to the at least one device,

wherein the display unit is configured to display the geographic position with respect to the at least one device,

further comprising a geographic position unit configured to determine a location of the signal-generated locator in relation to a global position, and configured to determine a surrounding environment within a predetermined radius in relation to the location of the signal-generated locator,

wherein the receiver is configured to receive a reflected signal back from the at least one device,

wherein the second processing unit is configured to identify a starting time corresponding to the transmission of the at least one first signal and is configured to determine a propagation time corresponding to the at least first signal and corresponding to the at least second signal,

wherein the third processing unit is configured to determine a set of geographic coordinates related to the location of the at least one device based on the location, the surrounding environment, and the distance range, and

wherein the third processing unit is configured to determine the geographic position based on the starting time, the propagation time and the set of geographic coordinates.

4. The signal-generated locator of claim 3, wherein the display unit is configured to display the geographic position having a geographic map overlay provided by the geographic position unit.

5. A system of displaying information related to at least one device, said system comprising:

an activating means for activating a signal-generated locator;

a transmitting means for transmitting at least one first signal from the signal-generated locator;

a receiving mean for receiving at least one second signal at the signal-generated locator;

a processing means for processing the at least one second signal with respect to the at least one first signal;

a display means for displaying information related to at least one device; and

a first determining means for determining a distance range with respect to the at least one device,

wherein the display means displays the distance range with respect to the at least one device,

wherein the transmitting means transmits at least one message signal in duty cycles at a starting time,

wherein the receiving means receives the at least one acknowledgment signal sent from the at least one device at a turn-around time,

wherein the processing means identifies the starting time and the turn-around time, and determines a processing delay time with respect to the at least one device, and determines a total delay time with respect to the at least one message signal and with respect to the at least one acknowledgment signal,

wherein the first determining means determines the distance range with respect to the at least one device based on the starting time, the turn-around time, the processing delay time and the total delay time,

further comprising a second determining means for determining a geographic position with respect to the at least one device,

wherein the displaying means displays the geographic position with respect to the at least one device,

wherein the second determining means determines a location of the signal-generated locator in relation to a global position, and determines a surrounding environment within a predetermined radius in relation to the location of the signal-generated locator,

wherein the receiving means receives a reflected signal reflecting back from the at least one device,

wherein the processing means identifies a starting time corresponding to the transmission of the at least one first signal, determines a propagation time corresponding to the at least first signal and corresponding to the at least second signal; and

determines a set of geographic coordinates related to the location of the at least one device, and

wherein the second determining means determines the geographic position with respect to the at least one device based on the starting time, the propagation time and the set of geographic coordinates.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the displaying means displays the geographic position with respect to the at least one device having a geographic map overlay.