Location system
Systems and methods for allowing the location of transmitter to be determined (approximated) without requiring its distance from a receiver to be precisely known. Methods for determining a location of a transmitter without precise distance calculations. In one embodiment, a method is disclosed having the steps of: for a receiver, estimate a first zone a first transmitter is in; for remaining receivers that can receive a given transmitter, each estimate a second zone a first transmitter is in; and determine if there are overlaps in any of the zones. In another embodiment a potential target area is defined wherein the location of a transmitter can estimated.
1. A method for determining location of an object, comprising the steps of:
identifying receivers that received a signal from a transmitter;
generating one or more line segments connecting the identified receivers;
determining zones around identified receivers;
generating lines through intersections of zones and the one or more lines;
designating the area defined by lines as the potential target area; and
estimating a target location within the potential target area.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of generating lines comprises generating secants through the intersections between the line segments and the zones for each zone.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of generating lines comprises generating tangents at the intersections between the line segments and the zones for each zone.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein said zones are rings.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein said zone is defined as a sphere.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein a size of said zones is scalable.
7. The method of claims 1 , wherein said zones are determined using received signal strength indication.
8. The method of claims 1 , wherein said zones are determined using time of arrival of one or more signals.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of estimating a target location within the potential target area comprises finding the center of the potential target area.
10. A method for determining location of an object, comprising the steps of:
identifying receivers that received a signal from a transmitter;
generating one or more lines segments connecting the identified receivers;
determining zones around the identified receivers; or
generating lines through intersections of zones and the one or more line segments;
designating the area defined by the lines as the potential target area; and
determining center of potential target area.
11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the step of generating lines comprises generating secants through the intersections between the line segments and the zones for each zone.
12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the step of generating lines comprises generating tangents at the intersections between the line segments and the zones for each zone.
13. The method of claim 10 , wherein said zone is defined as a ring.
14. The method of claim 10 , wherein said zone is defined as a sphere.
15. The method of claim 10 , wherein a size of said zones is scalable.
16. The method of claims 10 , wherein said zones are determined using received signal strength indication.
17. The method of claims 10 , wherein said zones are determined using time of arrival of one or more signals.
18. In a computing device, a method for determining location of an object, comprising the steps of:
identifying receivers that received a signal from a transmitter;
generating one or more line segments connecting the identified receivers;
determining zones around the identified receivers;
generating lines through intersections of zones and the one or more line segments;
designating the area defined by lines as the potential target area; and
determining the center of the potential target area.
19. A computer program product holding instructions executable in a computer for determining location of an object, the instructions comprising the steps of:
identifying receivers that received a signal from a transmitter;
generating one or more line segments connecting the identified receivers;
determining zones around the identified receivers;
generating lines through intersections of zones and the one or more line segments;
designating the area defined by lines as the potential target area; and
determining the center of the potential target area.