Phased array wireless location method and apparatus

A method for determining the location of an item within a facility wherein the facility includes at least one stationary point, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a receiver on the item;
• (b) providing a transmitter including a phased array antenna at the stationary point;
• (c) causing the antenna to transmit signals within the facility having at least first and second different profiles;
• (d) receiving at least a sub-set of the transmitted signals via the receiver;
• and
• (e) performing a statistical analysis on the received signals to determine the location of the item.

A method for determining location within an area wherein the area includes at least one stationary point, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) transmitting signals from the stationary point along at least first and second different profiles within the area;
• (b) receiving at least a subset of the transmitted signals at a location within the area;
• (c) determining the signal strengths of the received signals;
• (d) correlating the signal strengths with the profiles;
• and
• (e) performing a statistical analysis on at least first and second of the correlated profile/signal strength combinations to determine location within the area.

A method for determining location within an area, the method comprising the steps of:

• performing a commissioning procedure including the steps of:
• (a) transmitting signals from a first location within the area along at least first and second different profiles within the area;
• (b) receiving at least a subset of the transmitted signals at a second location within the area, at least one of the first and second locations being a known location;
• (c) determining the signal strengths of the received signals;
• (d) correlating the signal strengths with the profiles and the known location to generate a learned location data set;
• (e) storing the learned data set for sub-sequent use;
• and
• (f) repeating steps (a) through (e) for a plurality of locations within the area.

A method for determining location within an area, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) transmitting signals from a first location within the area along at least first and second different profiles within the area;
• (b) receiving at least a subset of the transmitted signals at a second location within the area;
• (c) determining the signal strengths of the received signals;
• (d) correlating the signal strengths with the profiles to generate a measured location data set;
• and
• (e) using the measured data set to determine the second location.

A method for determining location within an area, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) transmitting profile sequence information within the area, the sequence information indicating the sequence of X profiles to be transmitted subsequently within the area;
• (b) receiving and storing the profile sequence information;
• (c) transmitting signals along the X profiles within the area;
• (d) receiving at least a sub-set of the transmitted signals at a location within the area;
• (e) determining the signal strengths of at least a subset of the received signals;
• (f) correlating the signal strengths and the profiles specified by the profile sequence to generate a measured location data set;
• and
• (g) using the measured data set to determine the receiving location within the area.

A system for determining the location of an item within a facility wherein the facility includes at least one stationary point, and the item and the stationary point are each facility objects, the system comprising:

• (a) a receiver on a first of the objects;
• (b) a transmitter on a second of the objects, wherein at least one of the receiver and the transmitter includes a phased array antenna;
• (c) where the receiver includes the antenna, a receiver processor causing the antenna to receive signals within at least first and second different profiles and causing the transmitter to transmit signals to the receiver;
• (d) where the transmitter includes the antenna, a transmitter processor causing the antenna to transmit signals having at least first and second different profiles and causing the receiver to receive at least a sub-set of the transmitted signals;
• and
• (e) a processor using the received signals to determine the location of the item.

A system for determining the location of an item within a facility wherein the facility includes at least one stationary point, the system comprising:

• (a) a receiver on the item;
• (b) a transmitter including a phased array antenna at the stationary point;
• (c) a transmitter processor causing the antenna to transmit signals within the facility having at least first and second different profiles;
• and
• (d) a processor programmed to perform a statistical analysis of the received signals to determine the location of the item.

A system for determining location within an area, the system comprising:

• (a) a transmitter transmitting signals from a first location within the area along at least first and second different profiles within the area;
• (b) a receiver receiving at least a subset of the transmitted signals at a second location within the area, at least one of the first and second locations being a known location;
• (c) a processor determining the signal strengths of the received signals, correlating the signal strengths with the profiles and the known location to generate a learned location data set;
• and
• (d) a memory linked to the processor for storing the learned data set for sub-sequent use.

A system for determining location within an area, the system comprising:

• (a) a transmitter transmitting signals from a first location within the area along at least first and second different profiles within the area;
• (b) a receiver receiving at least a subset of the transmitted signals at a second location within the area;
• and
• (c) a processor that determines the signal strengths of the received signals, correlates the signal strengths with the profiles to generate a measured location data set and uses the measured data set to determine the second location.