Signal comparison-based location determining method
DCFirst Claim
1. A location-determining method, operable by a first portable RF communications device, the method comprising:
- (a) the first portable RF communications device monitoring its location by (i) receiving communications signals from a first plurality of fixed-location service-area antenna stations capable of RF communication with the first portable RF communications device wherein the antenna stations are substantially continuously operating, (ii) identifying at least one ID within at least one of the received communications signals, and (iii) measuring a varying signal characteristic other than ID, which signal characteristic is associated with a received communications signal from each of the first plurality of antenna stations; and
(b) the first portable RF communications device determining if a first monitored location, monitored in accordance with part (a), is within proximity of a location chosen by a user of the first portable RF communications device, as a result of electronically comparing (i) the at least one ID at the first monitored location with at least one ID at the location chosen by the user and (ii) at least one number based on the varying signal characteristic of the communications signals from each of the first plurality of antenna stations at the first monitored location with at least one number based on corresponding varying signal characteristics of the communications signals from each of the first plurality of antenna stations at the location chosen by the user.
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Litigations
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Reexamination
Accused Products
Abstract
At least one portable RF communications device in conjunction with at least two fixed-location service-area antenna stations respectively capable of RF communication with the at least one device performs the steps of: (I) using a portable device at a selected location to measure RF communications signals from the plurality of local fixed-location service-area antenna stations and electronically storing at least two of the respective reception signal strength measurements; and (II) monitoring a portable device location by causing the device to measure reception signal strength associated with local fixed-location service-area antenna stations signals, and to electronically compare these measurements with the stored at least two measurements.
37 Citations
32 Claims
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1. A location-determining method, operable by a first portable RF communications device, the method comprising:
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(a) the first portable RF communications device monitoring its location by (i) receiving communications signals from a first plurality of fixed-location service-area antenna stations capable of RF communication with the first portable RF communications device wherein the antenna stations are substantially continuously operating, (ii) identifying at least one ID within at least one of the received communications signals, and (iii) measuring a varying signal characteristic other than ID, which signal characteristic is associated with a received communications signal from each of the first plurality of antenna stations; and (b) the first portable RF communications device determining if a first monitored location, monitored in accordance with part (a), is within proximity of a location chosen by a user of the first portable RF communications device, as a result of electronically comparing (i) the at least one ID at the first monitored location with at least one ID at the location chosen by the user and (ii) at least one number based on the varying signal characteristic of the communications signals from each of the first plurality of antenna stations at the first monitored location with at least one number based on corresponding varying signal characteristics of the communications signals from each of the first plurality of antenna stations at the location chosen by the user. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A portable RF communications device comprising an antenna, a user interface, and a storage device, wherein the storage device contains computer program code that, when executed by the portable device, controls the portable device to cause the portable device to perform a location-determining method, the method comprising:
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(a) monitoring the location of the portable device by (i) receiving with the antenna communications signals from a first plurality of fixed-location service-area antenna stations capable of RF communication with the portable device wherein the antenna stations are substantially continuously operating, (ii) identifying at least one ID within at least one of the received communications signals, and (iii) measuring a varying signal characteristic other than ID, which signal characteristic is associated with a received communications signal from each of the first plurality of antenna stations; and (b) determining if a first monitored location, monitored in accordance with part (a), is within proximity of a location entered by a user of the portable device on the user interface, as a result of electronically comparing (i) the at least one ID at the first monitored location with at least one ID at the location chosen by the user; and
(ii) at least one number based on the varying signal characteristics of the communications signals from each of the first plurality of antenna stations at the first monitored location with at least one number based on corresponding varying signal characteristics of the communications signals from each of the first plurality of antenna stations at the location chosen by the user.
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24. A method of determining whether a portable RF communications device is present at a device-specific target location, the method comprising:
with the portable RF communications device automatically; (a) receiving a first plurality of communications signals, each from one of a first plurality of antenna stations within range of the portable RF communications device, and each containing an identifier, wherein the antenna stations are fixed-location service-area antenna stations and are substantially continuously operating; and (b) determining whether the portable RF communications device is within proximity of the device-specific target location by electronically comparing at least one number based on signal characteristics of the first plurality of communications signals with at least one number based on corresponding signal characteristics of a second plurality of communication signals of a second plurality of antenna stations, each of which second plurality of communication signals contains an identifier matching one of the identifiers of the first plurality of communication signals; (c) wherein the second plurality of antenna stations have previously been identified as being within range of the same location as the device-specific target location, and the signal characteristics of the second plurality of communication signals have previously been determined for the same location as the device-specific target location, and (d) wherein the signal characteristics that are compared include at least one signal characteristic that, for each of the second plurality of antenna stations, differs at different locations within that antenna station'"'"'s range. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
Specification