IP Library › Granted Patent US 9,392,573
Granted Patent B2
US 9,392,573 · App. 13/094,049 · Granted Jul 12, 2016

Method for determining a geospatial location of a client in signal communication with a wireless array

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,392,573
App. No.
13/094,049
Granted
Jul 12, 2016
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method for determining a geospatial location of a client in signal communication with a wireless array is provided. A magnetometer is used to provide geospatial orientation information relating to an orientation of a wireless array relative to the surface of the Earth. The geospatial orientation of the wireless array is determined based on the geospatial orientation information provided by the magnetometer. A transceiver in the wireless array that the client is in signal communication with is identified. The geospatial orientation of the transceiver that the client is in signal communication with is identified based on the geospatial orientation of the wireless array and the position of the transceiver in the wireless array. A geospatial direction of the client relative to the wireless array is calculated based on the geospatial orientation of the transceiver the client is in signal communication with and is used to identify a geospatial sector in which the client is located.

Claims (22)

1. A method for determining a geospatial location of a client in signal communication with a wireless array, wherein the wireless array comprises a plurality of transceivers, each transceiver connected to communicate via a corresponding directional antenna, each directional antenna positioned at known radial intervals in the wireless array to form antenna sectors defined by a coverage pattern of each directional antenna, and configured to wirelessly communicate with a client located in the antenna sector corresponding to the transceiver on a distinct one of a plurality of channels, the method comprising:

identifying a transceiver with which the client is in signal communication as the client is positioned in the antenna sector corresponding to the transceiver;

determining a distance between the wireless array and the client in signal communication with the wireless array;

determining a geospatial orientation of the wireless array based on geospatial orientation information relating to an orientation of the wireless array relative to a magnetic field, the geospatial orientation information provided by a magnetometer;

determining a geospatial orientation of the transceiver with which the client is in signal communication based on the geospatial orientation of the wireless array and a position of the directional antenna of the transceiver in the wireless array relative to other directional antennas corresponding to the other transceivers of the plurality of transceivers;

calculating a geospatial direction of the client relative to the wireless array based on the geospatial orientation of the transceiver with which the client is in signal communication; and

identifying a geospatial location of in which the client is based on the geospatial direction of the client relative to the wireless array, and the distance between the wireless array and the client.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the geospatial orientation information provided by the magnetometer comprises an azimuth, the azimuth comprising an angular measurement between a bearing of the wireless array and a reference bearing.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the reference bearing is magnetic north.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the geospatial orientation of the transceiver that the client is in signal communication with is based on the azimuth and the known interval of the transceiver in the wireless array.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising calculating the geospatial orientation of the transceiver that the client is in signal communication with by adding the azimuth to the position of the transceiver in the wireless array.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising determining the distance between the wireless array and the client in signal communication with the wireless array based on a signal strength of a signal received at the wireless array from the client.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising determining a direction of movement of the client in signal communication with the wireless array by:

determining, at least twice, the geospatial direction of the client relative to the wireless array;

determining, at least twice, the distance between the wireless array and the client in signal communication with the wireless array; and

identifying a plurality of antenna sectors in which the client is successively located.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

identifying at least two wireless arrays that the client is in wireless communication with;

determining a plurality of antenna sectors in which the client is located based on respective geospatial directions of the client relative to each of the at least two wireless arrays and respective distances between the client and each of the at least two wireless arrays;

identifying at least two antenna sectors in the plurality of antenna sectors that overlap; and

determining that the client is located in an overlapping portion of the at least two antenna sectors that overlap.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising displaying the geospatial location of the client on a map.