Method, apparatus, and computer program product for real time location system referencing in physically and radio frequency challenged environments

1. A method comprising:

receiving environmental data from a plurality of receivers, wherein a reference phase offset is used to calculate a location of a tag configured to transmit signals to the receivers;

calculating, using a processor, an environmental offset based on the environmental data wherein calculating the environmental offset includes determining a difference in the environmental data;

applying the environmental offset to the reference phase offset by adjusting the reference phase offset proportional to the difference in the environmental data; and

calculating, using the processor, the location of the tag based on the reference phase offset as adjusted by the applied environmental offset.

2. A method of claim 1 , wherein the environmental data comprises temperature data.

3. A method of claim 1 , wherein the environmental data comprises voltage data.

4. A The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving receiver cable length measurements for a plurality of receiver cables; and

determining a change in cable length based on the received environmental data, wherein the calculating the environmental offset is based on the change in receiver cable length.

5. A The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving values for reference environmental data; and

comparing the reference environmental data to the received environmental data, wherein the difference is between the reference environmental data and the received environmental data.

6. A method of claim 1 , wherein the calculating the environmental offset is performed in response to an environmental condition satisfying a predetermined threshold difference from a reference value.

7. An apparatus comprising a processor and a memory including computer program code, the memory and computer program code configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to:

receive environmental data from a plurality of receivers, wherein a reference phase offset is used to calculate a location of a tag configured to transmit signals to the receivers;

calculate an environmental offset based on the environmental data, wherein calculating the environmental offset includes determining a difference in the environmental data;

apply the environmental offset to the reference phase offset by adjusting the reference phase offset proportional to the difference in the environmental data; and

calculate the location of the tag based on the reference phase offset as adjusted by the applied environmental offset.

8. An apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the environmental data comprises temperature data.

9. An apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the environmental data comprises voltage data.

10. An apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the memory and computer program code are configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to:

receive receiver cable length measurements for a plurality of receiver cables; and

determine change in cable length based on the received environmental data, wherein the calculating the environmental offset is based on the change in receiver cable length.

11. An apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the memory and computer program code are further configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to:

receive values for reference environmental data; and

compare the reference environmental data to the received environmental data, wherein the difference is between the reference environmental data and the received environmental data.

12. An apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the calculating the environmental offset is performed in response to an environmental condition satisfying a predetermined threshold difference from a reference value.

13. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable medium having program code portions stored thereon, the program code portions configured, upon execution to:

receive environmental data from a plurality of receivers, wherein a reference phase offset is used to calculate a location of a tag configured to transmit signals to the receivers;

calculate an environmental offset based on the environmental data, wherein calculating the environment offset includes determining a difference in the environmental data;

apply the environmental offset to reference phase offset by adjusting the reference phase offset proportional to the difference in the environmental data

calculate the location of the tag based on the reference phase offset as adjusted by the applied environmental offset.

14. A computer program product according to claim 13 , wherein the environmental data comprises temperature data.

15. A computer program product according to claim 13 , wherein the environmental data comprises voltage data.

16. A computer program product according to claim 13 , wherein the program code portions are further configured, upon execution, to:

receive receiver cable length measurements for a plurality of receiver cables; and

determine change in cable length based on the received environmental data, wherein the calculating the environmental offset is based on the change in receiver cable length.

17. A computer program product according to claim 13 , wherein the program code portions are further configured, upon execution, to:

receive values for reference environmental data; and

compare the reference environmental data to the received environmental data, wherein the difference is between the reference environmental data and the received environmental data.

18. A computer program product according to claim 13 , wherein the calculating the environmental offset is performed in response to an environmental condition satisfying a predetermined threshold difference from a reference value.