Wireless node location mechanism responsive to observed propagation characteristics of wireless network infrastructure signals

Abstract

A wireless node location mechanism that dynamically adapts to changes to a surrounding physical environment that affect the propagation of radio signals. The wireless node location mechanism assesses radio signals from transmitters associated with a wireless node location infrastructure to adjust one or more parameters used to estimate location of a wireless node. In one implementation, path loss exponents are re-computed based on the signals transmitted between infrastructure radio transceivers. These path loss exponents are used, in one implementation, to compute the distance between a wireless node and a given infrastructure radio transceiver and, ultimately, to determine the location of the wireless node based on triangulation. In one implementation, path loss exponents are computed on demand based on the signals observed between infrastructure radios that detect the wireless node whose location is to be estimated.