The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jun. 01, 2004
Filed:
Dec. 15, 1999
Frank Dunne, Dublin, IE;
Brian J. Forde, Dublin, IE;
Paul C. Weinmann, Dublin, IE;
Marc Smaak, Bergen Op Zoom, NL;
Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V., Eindhoven, NL;
Abstract
A location system for establishing the position of a portable terminal that transmits identity information indicative of the identity of the individual terminal is provided. The portable terminals transmit their identity information at a first predetermined power level. The system includes location beacons having a known position and the beacons are capable of receiving the identity information transmitted by the portable terminals. Each location beacon generates an output signal when identity information of a portable terminal is received at that beacon with a power level greater than a predetermined threshold value, which value may be set independently for each beacon. The output signal is indicative that such a portable terminal is within a particular distance range of the beacon and the output signal is made available to a control unit. By providing the control unit with information relating to the position of each of the location beacons, it is possible to establish the position of a particular portable terminal as being within a given range of that known beacon position when the beacon receives identity information associated with that portable terminal with a power level greater than the beacon threshold value. In one embodiment the portable terminals are DECT handsets.