Deriving location information about a communicating entity
US7050815B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 29, 2001 |
| Grant date | May 23, 2006 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 8, 2023 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04W64/00
- WIPO fieldDigital communication
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
Location information about a communicating entity (41), in particular a mobile entity, is derived by identifying intermediate nodes (42) along the communication path being used by the entity, and then looking up, in a database (44), the geographic significance of at least one of these nodes when considered in a direction along the communication path towards the entity of interest. Preferably, account is taken of any identified downstream/upstream nodes to refine the geographic significance of a node. The geographic significance information can be compiled by taking location fixes at a plurality of endpoint locations and associating the location data thus obtained with the intermediate nodes traversed when communication is effected from the corresponding endpoint locations.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.