Method and system for determining the location of an electronic device using multi-tone frequency signals

摘要

Embodiments of the present invention include a method of determining a location of a mobile device. The method comprises transmitting a signal between a plurality of known locations and receiving signal at device of unknown location such as a mobile device. The signal may include multiple tones having different frequencies and resulting in sets of residual phase differences. The location of the mobile device may be determined using the known locations and the frequency and phase differences between the transmitted tones. In one embodiment, OFDM signals may be used between an access point and mobile device, for example, to determine the location of the mobile device.

主权项

1. A system for determining a location of an electronic device, the system comprising:
(i) a first electronic device comprising:
(a) a plurality of antennas located at known locations, the plurality of antennas comprising three or more antennas; and(b) a transmitter; (ii) a second electronic device located at an unknown location, the second electronic device comprising a receiver; and (iii) a location determination engine,
wherein the transmitter of the first electronic device is configured to transmit one or more signals from each of the plurality of antennas of the first electronic device to the second electronic device located at the unknown location, each transmitted signal including a plurality of simultaneous pilot tones having different frequencies;wherein the receiver of the second electronic device is configured to:
(a) determine a first accumulated phase difference between at least two pilot tones having a first frequency difference in a signal transmitted from a first antenna of the first electronic device and received at the second electronic device;(b) determine a second accumulated phase difference between at least two pilot tones having a second frequency difference in a signal transmitted from a second antenna of the first electronic device and received at the second electronic device;(c) determine a third accumulated phase difference between at least two pilot tones having a third frequency difference in a signal transmitted from a third antenna of the first electronic device and received at the second electronic device; andwherein the location determination engine is configured to determine the location of the second electronic device using said first, second, and third accumulated phase differences and said first, second, and third frequency differences.