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. 18, 2013
Filed:
Feb. 23, 2010
Minan Miin-nan Lee, Tempe, AZ (US);
Susan S. Chen, Chandler, AZ (US);
Kungwel Liu, Chandler, AZ (US);
Merlin J. Smith, Chandler, AZ (US);
Subhash Uppalapati, Tempe, AZ (US);
Chetan V. Kale, Chandler, AZ (US);
Minan Miin-Nan Lee, Tempe, AZ (US);
Susan S. Chen, Chandler, AZ (US);
Kungwel Liu, Chandler, AZ (US);
Merlin J. Smith, Chandler, AZ (US);
Subhash Uppalapati, Tempe, AZ (US);
Chetan V. Kale, Chandler, AZ (US);
Garmin Switzerland GmbH, , CH;
Abstract
A method and apparatus for collecting and analyzing cellular identification (ID) numbers at various geographic locations to estimate cellular tower locations. The method may include collecting cellular ID numbers obtained by collection mobile devices at a plurality of geographic locations then calculating minimum bounding circles encompassing a set of geographic location points with the same cellular identification numbers. If the cellular ID number of a set of location points indicates that the cellular tower is omni-directional, a center of the minimum bounding circle is an estimated cellular tower location. If the cellular ID number indicates that the cellular tower is multi-sector, the apparatus may calculate the estimated cellular tower location as the location at which lines that extend from the centers of a plurality of related minimum bounding circles intersect with each other to form equal angles.