System and method for establishing real-time location

A device for establishing real-time location information about a portable device, said device comprising:

• a first communication interface operable to receive wireless communication transmissions from the portable device, said first communication interface configured to obtain one or more device signal characteristics relating to said wireless communication transmissions received by the device from the portable device;
• a second communication interface configured for communications with at least one fixed position device separate from the device, said communications including one or more communicated signal characteristics of wireless communication transmissions received by the at least one fixed position device from the portable device;
• a controller operably coupled to said first communication interface and said second communication interface;
• wherein location information about said portable device is determined based on said one or more signal characteristics;
• and
• wherein an identity of the portable device is authenticated and/or authorized, and wherein said determined location information is deemed valid if said identity of the portable device is authenticated and/or authorized.

A method of determining a location of a portable device in real-time, said method comprising:

• receiving, in a master device, wireless communications from a portable device via a wireless communication link;
• directing at least one fixed position device to monitor the wireless communications from the portable device to the master device;
• receiving, via an auxiliary communication link separate from the wireless communication, one or more signal characteristics based on the wireless communication monitored by the fixed position device;
• obtaining position information relating to a position of the fixed position device;
• and
• determining a location of the portable device based on the one or more signal characteristics and the position information;
• authenticating and/or authorizing an identity of the portable device;
• and
• deeming valid the one or more signal characteristics based on the identity of the portable device being authenticated and/or authorized.

A method of calibrating a system for establishing location information about a portable device in real-time, said method comprising:

• providing a first device and a second device in known locations relative to each other;
• providing a plurality of uncalibrated devices in a fixed position relationship relative to each other and the first and second devices;
• obtaining location information about the first device and the second device relative to each other;
• establishing a communication connection via a primary communication link between the first device and at least one of the second device and the plurality of uncalibrated devices;
• monitoring the communication connection to determine one or more signal characteristics indicative of position information with respect to the first device and each of the second device and the plurality of uncalibrated devices;
• communicating information pertaining to the one or more signal characteristics via an auxiliary communication link separate from the primary link;
• and
• determining calibration information with respect to the plurality of uncalibrated devices to yield a plurality of calibrated devices, wherein the calibration information facilitates determining positions of the plurality of calibrated devices relative to at least one of the first device and the second device.