Telecommunications – Radiotelephone system – Zoned or cellular telephone system
Reexamination Certificate
1999-05-28
2002-07-23
Le, Thanh Cong (Department: 2684)
Telecommunications
Radiotelephone system
Zoned or cellular telephone system
C455S073000, C455S067700, C455S457000, C340S870030, C342S044000, C342S442000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06424838
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to the field of detecting one or several transponders in a predetermined detection region. Within the scope of this technical field the invention relates, in particular, to a process for detecting one or several transponders in a detection region structured into at least two cells, in which a transponder can be detected with reference to a particular cell, as well as a configuration for detecting one or several transponders in a predetermined detection region.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A process for determining the position of a mobile telephone registered as a known telephone within a specific network and referred to as a transponder is used, for example, in the network operation of GSM mobile telephones. The transmitting range of the network provider—the detection region—is divided into discrete cells. With each cell is associated a transmitting/receiving unit (fixed station) via which the telephone operation is handled in this cell on a frequency specific to this cell. In this respect each cell differs with respect to frequency from the adjacent cells. When a mobile telephone is put into operation in such a cell, it is identified at the network end by transmission of its identity such that with the aid of this identification and knowing the fixed station which has received this identification, it is possible to determine in which cell of the detection region this mobile telephone is located. If the mobile radio subscriber crosses the boundary of such a cell with his transmission- or reception-ready mobile telephone and enters the next adjacent cell, his identification data are received by another fixed station such that it is possible to determine at the network end that this mobile telephone is now within this adjacent cell. However, due to a desired overlapping of the cells, a mobile telephone does not change its frequency at the cell boundary proper but rather only after it is, in fact, already within the adjacent cell. By a time-recursive comparison of the mobile telephone positions it is possible to trace the executed motions retroactively. For carrying out such a process it is therefore necessary that the mobile telephone can operate on all frequencies made available by the network provider. The equipment expenditures required are not inconsiderable.
The communication between a mobile telephone and the fixed station of such a cell takes place on HF bands. Through alternative orientation of the antennas between the mobile telephone and a fixed station associated with a cell, and through shadowing due to environmental factors, reflections as well as differing climatic conditions, the actual course of the cell boundaries often deviates considerably from the theoretical cell boundaries. Factors which cannot be influenced, for example, differing and continuously changing weather conditions, however, lead to the fact that the cell boundaries change continuously. If a mobile telephone is located in the margin area of a first cell, communication can take place in ways that cannot be affected alternatively with the fixed station of the first cell and with the fixed station of the adjacent cell. This gives the impression that the mobile telephone migrates back and forth from one cell into the other, suggesting a situation which, in fact, does not exist. The position detected in this case does not correspond to the actual position.
There are applications in which it is necessary to acquire a highly precise detection of the transition of a transponder from one cell into an adjacent cell.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Building on the above-discussed prior art, the invention is therefore based on the task of proposing a process for detecting one or several transponders in a detection region structured into at least two cells, according to which the transition of the transponder from a first cell into a second cell is improved. The invention is further based on the task of providing a corresponding configuration as well as a preferred use of such configuration.
The task with reference to the detecting process is solved according to the invention by the provision of a process for spatially-resolved detecting a transponder in a detection region structured into at least two adjacent regionally-overlapped cells in which the transponder is detectable with reference to a particular one of the cells. The detecting process comprises the following steps of: (a) providing in each of the at least two adjacent overlapped cells a field with a detectable field characteristic; (b) acquiring the field characteristic of a first of the cells using a sensing unit of the transponder; (c) cyclically transmitting a response signal from a transmitting unit of the transponder containing the acquired field characteristics; (d) receiving the response signal by a receiver which contains response signal information regarding the acquired field characteristic; (e) evaluating the response signal with respect to the information of the acquired field characteristic contained in the receiver; (f) comparing the acquired field characteristic with field characteristics provided in the cells; (g) determining the possible position(s) of the transponder on the basis of the results of the performed comparison; and (h) verifying a position determination, wherein, after the detection of a transponder in the first cell, the field characteristic of the adjacent cell is adjusted such that it differs from that of the first cell.
The task with reference to the configuration is solved according to the invention through the provision of a configuration for detecting a transponder in a detection region structured into at least two adjacent regionally-overlapped cells in which the transponder is detectable with reference to a particular one of the cells. The configuration comprises: (a) a plurality of stationary field-generating devices each associated with a respective one of the cells and for generating a field with detectable field characteristics changing at predetermined time intervals, the devices being operable with identical field characteristics as well as with differing field characteristics; (b) a transponder having a sensing unit operable for acquiring detectable field characteristics or changes thereof and a transmitting unit operable for transmitting response signals in response to the operation of the sensing unit; (c) a receiver for receiving the response signals transmitted by the transmitting unit; and (d) a control and memory device connected to the field-generating devices for driving the field-generating devices and connected to the receiver for evaluating the response signals received by the receiver.
As mentioned above, the detecting process according to the invention uses at least two adjacent cells which regionally overlap and thus form an overlap region. For the sake of simplifying the explanations, in the following description the detecting process on the border of two adjacent cells will be discussed. In each cell a field of magnetic or electromagnetic type is provided. The fields are structured identically and comprise a detectable field characteristic which differ, for example, by different phase positions. In the case of such a field characteristic, only one frequency need be made available. The field characteristic in each cell is thus known. This field characteristic is acquired by the sensing unit associated with the transponder. A transmitting unit also associated with transponder cyclically transmits a response signal having information regarding the acquired field characteristic of the field in a cell. The reception of this response signal indicates that a transponder is located in the field or in the cell having this field characteristic. The field-generating device of the adjacent second cell is now driven such that the field characteristic to be detected of the field in this cell is different from the field characteristic of the field in the first cell.
The two fields of the adjacent cells overlap in the overlap regi
Merk Holger
Stobbe Anatoli
Cong Le Thanh
Flanagan John R.
Flanagan & Flanagan
Le Lana
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