Wireless node location mechanism using antenna pattern diversity to enhance accuracy of location estimates

Patent # 7,260,408 (issued August 21, 2007)

http://www.google.co.ug/patents/US7260408

 

Wireless node location mechanism using antenna pattern diversity to enhance accuracy of location estimates 
US 7260408 B2

Abstract

A wireless node RF Fingerprinting location mechanism that uses multiple antenna patterns to enhance the accuracy of wireless node location in an RF environment. In one implementation, substantially non-overlapping antenna pattern diversity is used to provide a degree of sectorization in computing the estimated location of a wireless node.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides methods, apparatuses and systems directed to a wireless node RF Fingerprinting location mechanism that uses multiple antenna patterns to enhance the accuracy of wireless node location in an RF environment. In one implementation, substantially non-overlapping antenna pattern diversity is used to provide a degree of sectorization in computing the estimated location of a wireless node. As discussed in more detail below, the wireless node location mechanism can be incorporated into wireless network environments, such as 802.11 networks, to estimate the location of mobile stations, rogue access points and other wireless nodes.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application makes reference to the following commonly owned U.S. patent applications and/or patents, which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety for all purposes:

• • U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/155,938 in the name of Patrice R. Calhoun, Robert B. O'Hara, Jr. and Robert J. Friday, entitled "Method and System for Hierarchical Processing of Protocol Information in a Wireless LAN;"
  • U.S. application Ser. No. 10/183,704 in the name of Robert J. Friday, Patrice R. Calhoun, Robert B. O'Hara, Jr., Alexander H. Hills and Paul F. Dietrich, and entitled "Method and System for Dynamically Assigning Channels Across Multiple Radios in a Wireless LAN;"
  • U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/407,357 in the name of Patrice R. Calhoun, Robert B. O'Hara, Jr. and Robert J. Friday, entitled "Method and System for Hierarchical Processing of Protocol Information in a Wireless LAN;"
  • U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/407,370 in the name of Patrice R. Calhoun, Robert B. O'Hara, Jr. and David A. Frascone, entitled "Wireless Network System Including Integrated Rogue Access Point Detection;"
  • U.S. application Ser. No. 10/447,735 in the name of Robert B. O'Hara, Jr., Robert J. Friday, Patrice R. Calhoun, and Paul F. Dietrich and entitled "Wireless Network Infrastructure including Wireless Discovery and Communication Mechanism;" and
  • U.S. application Ser. No. 10/611,522 in the name of Robert J. Friday and entitled "Non-Overlapping Antenna Pattern Diversity In Wireless Network Environments."

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to location of wireless nodes in wireless network environments and, more particularly, to a wireless node location mechanism employing antenna pattern diversity to enhance the accuracy of estimating the location of wireless nodes.

Ken Zakreski

ken.zakreski@gmail.com