Method and device to detect location of communication device

BACKGROUND

The present invention relates to communication devices or similar devices and, more particularly, to a method and apparatus for determining the location of a communication device or a similar device, adapted to transmit or receive electromagnetic or radio frequency signal.

There are various circumstances in which it is important to determine the location of a communication device or communication device operating in a transmit mode (transmitter) or a receive mode (receiver). For example, when used in military, law enforcement or other purposes the ability to determine the geographic location of the transmitter can be very useful, in particular the ability to determine the location where between transmitter and receiver is no route of transmission in the line of sight, or there is communication trail is not on the line of sight (NLOS) . Trails NLOS can be strong enough to not trigger a phase-coherent methods, or there is not enough space antennas for directional antennas. Such scenarios may occur in the operations in a close proximity, or when the transmitter and receiver may be in the same building.

Determining the location of the transmitter can be useful in navigation. One method for determining the geographical location of the transmitter is trilateration. Trilateration requires a minimum of three range measurements to determine receiver location. Existing solutions that demand for trilateration runs in a straight line of sight (LOS), do not apply when there are less than three transmitters, or when as a result of the path attenuation is available at least three detected signals LOS. Existing solutions when available three transmitter signal or LOS, can include increasing the number of transmitters to increase the probability that at least three of them may be available, the change of the radio link, such as frequency, antenna diversity, polarization diversity and other parameters, other means of navigation, such as inertial devices or the like, a temporary replacement navigation trilateratsionnoy until until it becomes available a greater number of transmitters or acceptable transmission paths.

Increasing the number of available transmitters increases operating costs and may decrease survivability of the system during operations such as military and other operations. The change of the radio link increases complexity of transmitters and receivers and requires the exchange of signals between the transmitters and the receivers to change the radio parameters. Intertsialnyh devices tend to decrease in accuracy over time.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, a method for determining a location of the communication device may include the measurement of time of arrival for each pulse received at a receiver. The method may also include generating a set of possible hypothetical matches between each received pulse and a transmission path between the transmitter and the receiver, wherein the communication device whose location is determined to be one unit from the group consisting of a transmitter and a receiver. The method may further include a position estimate of a communication device using the set of hypothetical matches.

In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, a method for determining a location of the communication device may include the measurement of time of arrival for each pulse received at a receiver. The method may also include generating a set of possible hypothetical matches by matching each pulse received by the receiver, with possible transmission paths received pulse between a transmitter and a receiver, wherein the communication device whose location is determined to be one unit from the group consisting of a transmitter and a receiver. The method may further include determining a locus of possible communications device locations using each set of hypothetical matches for each pulse. The method may further include determining the intended location of the communication device as the intersection of loci of possible communications device locations for each set of hypothetical matches for each pulse.

In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, an apparatus for determining the location of the communication device may include a processor. The apparatus may also include a location determination module including a hypothetical estimation element transmission path acting on the processor to evaluate the correspondence between each received pulse and possible transmission path pulse to determine the location of the communication device.

In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, a computer program product for determining the location of the communication device may include computer-useable medium having implemented therein computer usable program code. The computer-useable medium may include computer usable program code configured to measure the time of arrival for each pulse received at a receiver. The computer-useable medium may also include computer usable program code configured to generate a set of possible hypothetical matches between each received pulse and possible transmission path pulse between the transmitter and the receiver, wherein the communication device whose location is determined to be one unit from the group consisting a transmitter and a receiver. The computer-useable medium may also include computer usable program code configured to estimate the location of a communication device using the set of hypothetical matches.

In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, the vehicle may include a device for determining the position of the vehicle. The apparatus may include a processor and a location determination module including a hypothetical compliance assessment element acting in a processor for evaluating the correspondence between each received pulse and possible transmission path pulse to determine the location of the vehicle.

Other aspects and features of the present invention is defined solely by, will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the following detailed description of the invention unlimited in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

1A and 1B (collectively Figure 1) - the block diagram for an exemplary method for determining a location of a communication device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

2 - illustration of exemplary transmission paths for determining a location of a communication device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

3 - Illustration of pulses received signals corresponding to each of the exemplary transmission paths shown in Figure 2.

4A-4C - examples illustrate loci of possible locations of a communications device using hypothetical transmission paths in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

4D - illustration of an exemplary communications device location estimate based on the intersection of loci of possible locations in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

5 - illustrates an example of determining a residual error for the intended location of the communication device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

6A-6K illustrate an example of determining the intended location of a communications device when a pulse transmit time is unknown in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

7 - block diagram of an exemplary method of generating a possible hypothetical transmission paths for each received pulse and pulse transmission time in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

8A-8C - examples of hypothetical transmission paths from a transmitter to a receiver in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

9 - a block diagram of an exemplary method of selecting the best or optimum location estimate for a communications device by calculating a residual error for each location estimate in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

10 - a diagram illustrating an example of sets of hypothetical matches between each received pulse and possible transmission paths, on which may have been carried out the transmission pulse in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

11 - a block diagram of an apparatus for determining the location of a communication device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following detailed description of embodiments referring to appended drawings which illustrate specific embodiments of the invention. Other embodiments having different design features and steps without departing from the scope of the present invention.

As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the disclosed solution can be implemented as a method, system, or computer program product. Accordingly, the disclosed solution may take the form of an entirely hardware embodiment, an entirely software embodiment (including firmware, resident software, microcode, etc.) or an embodiment combining software and a hardware aspects that may all generally called herein "circuit," "module" or "system". Furthermore, the present invention may take the form of a computer program product on a computer usable storage medium having computer usable program code implemented in the carrier.

Any suitable computer usable or computer readable medium. In particular, the computer usable or computer readable medium can be an electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system, device, or propagation medium. Specific examples (a non-exhaustive list) of computer readable media include the following: an electrical connection having one or more wires, a portable computer diskette, a hard disk, a random access memory (RAM), read only memory (ROM), erasable programmable read only memory (EPROM or Flash memory), an optical fiber, a permanent memory on a portable compact disk (CD-ROM), an optical storage device, a transmission media such as the medium supporting the Internet and an intranet, or a magnetic storage device. Note that the used computer or a computer-readable medium could even be paper or another suitable medium upon which the printed program, as the program can be read electronically, for example by means of optical scanning the paper or other medium, then, if necessary, compiled, interpreted or otherwise processed appropriately, then stored in a computer memory. As used herein, computer usable or computer readable medium can be any carrier that can contain, store, transmit, distribute or transport the program for use by the system or apparatus to execute the instructions, or in connection with such a system or device.

Computer program code for performing the disclosed technical solution can be written in an object oriented programming language such as Java, Smalltalk, C ++, or the like. However, the computer program code to perform these operations can also be written in conventional procedural programming languages, such as the programming language "C", or similar programming languages. The program code may execute entirely on the user's computer, partly on the user's computer, as a stand-alone software package, partly on the user's computer and partly on a remote computer or entirely on the remote computer or server. In the latter scenario, the remote computer may be connected to the user's computer through a local area network (LAN) or wide area network (WAN), or the compound can be performed with an external computer (for example, through the Internet via a service provider on the Internet).

Our technical solution is described below with reference to flowcharts of operations and (or) block diagrams of methods, apparatus (systems) and computer program products according to embodiments of the invention. It should be understood that each block of the block diagrams and flowchart (or) in the block diagrams and combinations of blocks in the block diagrams and flowchart (or) the flowcharts may be implemented by computer program instructions. These coma ndy computer program can be provided to the processor a general purpose computer, special purpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus to create a machine, so that the commands are executed via the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus create means for implementing the functions / actions said block or blocks in flowcharts of operations, and (or) the flowcharts.

These computer program instructions may also be stored in computer-readable memory that can direct a computer or other programmable data processing apparatus to function in a certain way so that the instructions stored in computer readable memory, creating a product which includes instruction means which implement the function / the actions specified in the block or blocks flowcharts of operations, and (or) the flowcharts.

Computer program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer or other programmable data processing apparatus to cause execution of a sequence of functional steps on the computer or other programmable apparatus to create a computer-implemented process such that the instructions that execute on the computer or other programmable apparatus provide steps for implementing the functions / acts specified in the block or blocks of the block diagrams and operations (or) the flowcharts.

1A and 1B (collectively Figure 1) shows a block diagram of an exemplary method 100 for determining the location of a communication device according to an embodiment of the present invention. As used herein a communication device may be a receiver or transmitter, and these terms may be used herein interchangeably. The receiver may be a communications device operating as a receiver or in a receive mode. The transmitter may be a communication device operating as a transmitter or in the transmission mode.

In block 102 can estimate the location of the receiver. The location may be a geographic location, location on some grid or coordinate system to some or otherwise identify the location of a communication device relative to another communications device or other landmarks or objects. Location receiver can be estimated with the help of global positioning system (GPS), surveying, triangulation LOS, triangulation NLOS, triangulation using radio frequency or optical transmitter or other methods of determining the location.

Furthermore, at block 102 can be transmitted pulse or set of pulses from the transmitter. Depending on whether a communication device whose location is to be determined, a transmitter or receiver, the location of the other device, whose location is not determined or estimated, may be known or may be used in the reference receiver of known location and the length of the path from the device, the location of which is not It is determined to determine the location of the unknown device.

In block 104 may be measured or recorded at the receiver pulse arrival time or pulses. Time of arrival of pulses can be determined by cross-correlation or other methods.

In block 106 may be generated by a set of hypothetical matches by matching each received pulse to a possible transmission path between the transmitter and receiver. Each hypothetical line may be a hypothesis that the received pulse has been transmitted via mapped the route of transmission. If the pulse transmit time is unknown, it may be generated by another set of hypotheses for each hypothetical transmit time and route. An example of a method for generating hypothetical matches in more detail below with reference to Figure 7. In short, it is possible to determine all the possible transmission path from the transmitter to the receiver, including deviations, reflection or scattering of the pulse signal from any scattering centers, which may be on the transmission path. All combinations of transmission paths may be grouped into sets of elements (tracks) on the basis of the number of received pulses. It may then be installed one correspondence between each set of elements or transmission paths with the received pulse. Received pulses can be mapped to a hypothetical set of possible routes of transmission. It may then be determined the best or the best match between each received pulse and possible transmission path.

Transmission path can be defined as an ordered set of a transmitter, zero or more scattering centers, and a receiver. Trails transmission line of sight (LOS) have scattering centers on the track. Transmission path is not a straight line of sight (NLOS) have one or more scattering centers on the track. Transmitters, receivers and scattering centers may be defined as nodes on the transmission path. The method 100 or algorithm assumes that the geographical location of each node is known before the start of work, except for one communications device (transmitter or receiver depending on the situation), whose location must be determined. The method 100 or algorithm also assumes that any propagation delay inherent in each node and any delay on the links between each node are known, excluding the last link which terminates on the communications device whose location must be determined. The scattering center may be any structure that can be located on the transmission path between the transmitter and receiver.

Referring also to Figure 2 and 3, Figure 2 illustrates examples of transmission routes 200 to determine the location of a communication device according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the example of Figure 2 may be unknown location of the transmitter (T). Exemplary transmission route 200 may include a direct transmission route or track 202 LOS transmission from the receiver (R) to the transmitter (T). Transmission paths S1-T-R 204 from the transmitter is reflected or scattered by the scattering center S1 and then comes into the receiver. Transmission path T-S2-R 206 from the transmitter is reflected or scattered by the scattering center S2 and then comes into the receiver. It is also possible transmission path with double reflection, which is not shown in Figure 2, such as T-S1-S2-R or T-S2-S1-R. As described above, the transmission path with one or more scattering centers (S1 and S2) can be called NLOS transmission paths.

Figure 3 shows the pulses of the signal received by receiver (R), which hypothetically may correspond to each of the exemplary transmission routes 200 in Figure 2. 3 also illustrates measuring or determining the time of arrival for each pulse, in block 104. In block 108 for each received pulse may be determined by the locus of possible locations of the communication device (transmitter or receiver, depending on the location of the device is determined) using a hypothetical matching or correspondence, including the possible transmission path, which may be followed by each pulse. If a communication device whose location is needed to determine the transmitter, the loci of possible locations of the communication device may include a circle centered at the receiver for a hypothetical matching associated with a particular received pulse, that includes a transmission path LOS, and a circle centered at each first scattering center, counting from the transmitter for each hypothetical match, associated with a particular received pulse, that includes a NLOS transmission route. If a communication device whose location is needed to determine the receiver, the loci of possible locations of the communication device may include a circle centered at the transmitter for each hypothetical matching associated with a particular received pulse, that includes a communication trail LOS, and a circle centered each last scattering center before the receiver for each hypothetical matching associated with a particular received pulse, that includes a NLOS transmission route.

Referring also to Figures 4A-4C, the 4A-4C illustrate examples of loci 400-404 of possible locations of a communications device using hypothetical received correspondence between each received pulse and a transmission path in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Specific example shown in Figures 4A-4C, relates to determining the location of the transmitter (T) in Figure 2. Accordingly, the possible locations of the communications device or transmitter (T) for the hypothetical conformity comprising communication trail TR, given locus 400 defined by a circle 406 centered at the receiver (R). The possible locations of the transmitter (T) for the hypothetical matching or hypothesis including transmission route T-S1-R, given locus 402 defined by a circle 408 centered at the scattering center S1. Possible locations of the transmitter (T) for a hypothetical transmission path T-S2-R gives the locus 404 defined circle 410 centered at the scattering center S2.

The radius of each circle 406, 408 and 410 may be determined by the following calculations for each transmission path:

a) the calculation of the propagation time from the first scattering center on the road to the receiver:

t1 = (length of the track / speed distribution) + time-delay scattering centers;

b) calculation of the total propagation time:

t2 = time of reception of the corresponding pulse;

c) the calculation of the propagation time of the first link (from the transmitter to the first scattering centers):

t3 = t2-t1 - the time delays at the receiver;

d) calculation of the length of the route of the first link:

R = t3 * the speed of propagation;

e) To find the location of possible locations of the transmitter:

the locus of possible locations - a circle of radius R centered at the first scattering center on the transmission path.

A similar set of calculations can be performed in the determination or evaluation of the location of the receiver. It can be calculated from the propagation time of the known locations of the transmitter until the last scattering center in front of the receiver. You can then determine the propagation time of the last scattering center to the receiver by the difference between the total propagation time and the propagation time from the transmitter to the last scattering center minus any propagation delay at the receiver. The locus of possible locations of the receiver may in this case be a circle centered at the last scattering center with a radius corresponding to the segment of the route from the last scattering center to the receiver. Long stretches of the route can be calculated by multiplying the propagation time of the last scattering center to the receiver on the velocity of propagation.

In block 110, the estimated location or locations of the transmitter or receiver, depending on the location of the device need to determine may be defined as the intersection of loci for each received pulse. In other words, if the determined location of the transmitter, the estimated location of the communication device may be the intersection of circles for each corresponding received pulse centered at the first scattering pulses, counting from the transmitter, and a circle centered at the receiver for the received pulse or hypothetical conformity comprising communication trail LOS. If it is determined the location of the receiver, the estimated location or locations may be the intersection of the circles for each respective received pulse with the center in the last scattering centers to the receiver and the circle centered at the transmitter for a hypothetical compliance, including transmission route LOS.

Referring also to Figure 4D, which is an example of a communication device location estimates from the intersection of loci of possible locations 412 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 4D is a continuation of the same example, that shown in Figures 2 and 4A-4C. Estimated location of the communication device or transmitter (T) in this example is the intersection 414.

In block 112 may be an error by setting the intersection of a set of control points on one of the circular loci. For each test point, this point may be substituted into each of the remaining loci and for each permutation is computed residual error. Intersection error at each test point may be determined as the sum of residual errors from each locus in block 110. A possible communications device location may be selected test point with the minimum sum of residual errors. Intersection error for this set of loci - is the intersection error corresponding to the intended location of the communication device. 5 illustrates an example of determining a residual error for the intended location of the communication device according to an embodiment of the present invention. 5 is a graph of residual error versus point index on a locus. The vertical axis represents the amount of residual errors on all other geometric locations, and the horizontal axis shows index of the point on locus 0. An example of a method for determining the intersection error for each communications device location estimate in more detail below with reference to Figure 9.

At block 114 it may be determined whether to estimate the location of another hypothetical transmit time. As mentioned above, if the transmission times of pulses is unknown, may be brought additional hypotheses for possible transmission times and transmission paths. If there is an additional hypothetical transmit time, which is to be applied, the execution of the method 100 may return to block 106 and the method 100 may further be performed as described above. If no additional hypothetical transmit times are absent, the method 100 may proceed to block 116.

In block 116 may determine whether the new hypothetical correspondence between received pulses and transmission paths. If new hypothetical correspondence between received pulses and transmission paths are required, the method 100 may return to block 106 and execution of method 100 may be performed as described above. If a new hypothetical match between a received pulse and a transmission path is not required in block 116, the method 100 may proceed to block 118.

In block 118 may be chosen the best or optimum location estimate for a communications device (transmitter or receiver) as an estimate of the possible location of the communication device 120 with the lowest intersection error.

6A-6K shows an example of determining the intended location of a communications device when a pulse transmit time is unknown in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. It can be determined by the intersection of loci 600 for each hypothetical transmission path for each pulse and each hypothetical pulse transmit time 602 (t0 = -1.0; -0.5 = t0; t0 = 0,0, etc.) (as at block 110 in Figure 1) that the graphs 604-612 shows how the estimated location for a communications device. Intersection error for each communications device location estimate in the graphs 604-612 may be determined in a manner analogous to that described in regard to block 112 in Figure 1. Schedule of intersection errors for each of the respective communication device location estimates given on charts 604-612 is shown in graphs 614-622. Each of the plots 614-622 respectively correspond to the intended locations shown in the graph 604-612. Charts are 614-622 depending on the residual error of index points. The vertical axis represents the amount of residual errors on all other geometric locations, and the horizontal axis shows index of the point on locus 0. The best or an optimum communications device location estimate may be selected location estimate with the lowest intersection error (as determined in block 118 1), which is shown in graph 624 at fig.6K. Graph 624 is a graph of the minimum residual errors (vertical axis) of transmission pulse time (t0) 602 (horizontal axis) for each sum of residual errors shown in graphs 614-622. As can be seen from the graph 624, the optimum or best communications device location estimate is given by the intersection of the circles or loci in the graph 608 in the example illustrated in Figures 6A-6K.

Figure 7 shows a block diagram of an exemplary method 700 generate possible hypothetical transmission paths for each received pulse and pulse transmission time in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Method 700 can be used in block 106 of method 100 in Figure 1. In block 702, possible transmission path from the transmitter (T) to the receiver (R) include all combinations of reflections and scattering from any scattering centers (SM). Example identify possible paths 800 shown in Figure 8A-8C. Possible transmission route 800 may include a straight track TR 802, one reflection from each scattering center SM, T-SJ-R 804, T-SM-R 806, double reflection T-SJ-SM-R 808 or T-SM- SJ-R 810. The total number of possible routes for M scattering centers can be represented by Equation 1:

<img file="00000001.tif" he="8" wi="106" img-format="tif" img-content="undefined" />

Ntrass where - the number of tracks, and K - the maximum number of reflections on the track.

The hypothesis may include a transmit time t0 and Nimpulsov pairs of pulses and transmission paths. The route of transmission may be determined or set the value Trassaj where j - integer between 1 and Ntrass. The pulse can be determined value Impulsi where i - is an integer between 1 and Nimpuls. Connecting pulse Impulsi Trassaj and tracks in a couple can be referred to as (Impulsi, Trassaj). This compound may represent a hypothesis that is the result Impulsi signal traveling along the track Trassaj.

Only one hypothesis may involve the transmission time t0 and the Nimpulsov pairs (pulse circuit). Each pair (pulse runs) may have a non-repeating pulse so that the hypothesis includes a single route for each pulse. For example, if you have taken the pulse 3 and 10 possible routes, the set of pairs of the hypothesis could be: (Impuls1, Trassa10) (Impuls2, Trassa1) (Impuls3, Trassa4).

In block 704 may be determined by all the permutations Ntpass transmission paths and grouped in sets of elements (tracks) based on the number of received pulses (Nimpulsov). The number of permutations Ntpacc tracks at a time is given by: M = Ntpacc! / (Ntpacc Nimpulsov-)!

Nh number of hypotheses can be obtained by multiplying the number of times transmission Ntt the number of permutations of routes M. In block 706, each set of elements (tracks) can be linked or associated with a unique impetus for each permutation. In block 708 may be obtained by a hypothetical match for each permutation for each transmit time or hypothetical transmit time if the transmit time is unknown. This method may be generalized to apply more than one receiver. In this case, the method of creating transmission paths can be used cyclically to produce another set of transmission paths for each receiver.

9 is a block diagram of an exemplary method 900 of selecting the best or optimum location estimate for a communications device by calculating a residual error for each location estimate in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Method 900 can be used to perform operations in the module or block 112 in Figure 1. In block 902 can be selected by one of the loci of possible locations of the communication device (transmitter or receiver). In block 904, the loci may be approximated by a set of individual points (xi, yi).

In block 906, each individual point can be cyclically substituted in other loci for each possible communications device location. Each single point may be substituted into a mathematical representation for other loci (k) for each possible communications device location.

In block 908 may determine the residual error for each point in the geometric locations (k) for each other possible communications device location. (Pogreshnosti, k = (xi-xk) 2+ (yk-y1) 2- (rk) 2). Where rk - radius loci (k). In block 910 may be determined by the sum of squared residuals for each point (Pogreshnosti = Σk | Pogreshnosti, k | 2).

At block 911 it may be determined whether the selected all loci of possible positions of the communication device. If not all, can be selected for the other locus of possible communications device locations, and the execution method 900 may return to block 904. Next, the method may be performed as described above. If all the loci of possible locations of a communication device, the method 900 may proceed to block 914.

In block 914 may be selected by the possible location of the communication device at a single point with a minimum sum of residual errors. The minimum sum of residual errors may be used to select the point as an indicator of error in the position estimate.

10 is a table 1000 illustrating an example of sets of hypothetical matches 1002 between each received pulse and possible transmission path along which the impulse may be transmitted in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Hypothetical compliance in 1002 based on the example shown in Figure 2. The hypothetical matches can be prepared in a manner analogous to that described in regard to block 106 in Figure 1 and method 700 in Figure 7. As shown in Figure 10, the first arriving pulse or pulse with the shortest time of arrival in the column 1004 may be considered LOS transmission path or direct path from the transmitter (T1) to the receiver (R1), or transfer to route 202 2. Other possible transmission path, with the pulses being compared to the later time of arrival may be NLOS transmission paths, which include scattering centers (S1 or S2 or both of the center), as shown in Figure 10.

Each cell in table 1 000 may represent the locus or circle of possible positions of the transmitter or receiver depending on the location of the device is determined the same way as described above with respect to block 108 in Figure 1 and shown in Figures 4A-4C. Estimated location of the transmitter or receiver may be the intersection of the circles or loci for each set of hypothetical matches for each pulse on line 1006 the same manner as was described with respect to block 110 in Figure 1 and shown in Figure 4D.

For each location estimate for rows 1006 in Figure 10 can be determined intersection error similarly as described in block 112 and the method 900 in Figure 1. Examples error indicators for the intersection loci or circles for each row 1006 are shown in the column 1008 of table 1000. In Example 10, a set of hypothetical matches with the minimum error is in row 12 rows 1006. Accordingly, the intersection may be selected loci or circles, hypothetical correspondences formed in line 12, as the best location estimate, similar to as described at block 118.

11 is a block diagram of an example apparatus 1100 for determining the location of a communication device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Apparatus 1100 may itself be a communication device for which is required to determine the location, or the device 1100 may be associated with another device for which is required to determine location. Apparatus 1100 can be part of a vehicle or other device may be a means of transportation, such as aerospace vehicle, ground vehicle, a water vehicle or any other vehicle type.

Apparatus 1100 may include a processor and control logic unit 1 102 to control operation of other components of the device 1100. The processor and control logic block 1102 can act 1104 determining location. Positioning module 1104 may include a hypothetical element evaluation or testing of a hypothetical transmission path. The method 100 may be implemented in a position determination module 1104, which includes evaluation or testing element hypothetical transmission path. The processor and control logic unit 1102 may be other modules, programs or the like 1 106 to perform other functions and operations associated with the device 1100.

Apparatus 1100 may also include a transmitter 1108 for transmitting signals through the antenna system 1110 to another communication device (transmitter or receiver) 1111. The transmitted signals are reflected or scattered by scattering centers similar to that described above.

Apparatus 1100 may also include a receiver 1112 for receiving signals through the antenna system 1110 from other communications devices 1111.

Apparatus 1100 may also include a user interface 1114 allows the operator to use the device 1100 and to control its operation. The user interface may include a speaker 1116 for transmitting sound signals to the user, and a microphone 1118 for receiving voice messages from the user to convert them into RF signals for transmission transmitter 1108. User interface 1114 may also include a display 1120, a keypad 1122 or a similar device and function buttons, joystick or similar control apparatus 1124 to the user to enter commands to operate the device 1100.

Apparatus 1100 may also include a power source 1126. Power source 1126 can be a battery or other power storage device providing mobile operation apparatus 1100.

Block flowcharts and block diagrams in the figures illustrate the architecture, functionality, and operation of possible embodiments of systems, methods and computer program products according to various embodiments of the invention. In this regard, each block in a block flowchart or block diagrams may represent a module, segment, or portion of code, which comprises one or more executable instructions for implementing specific (s), logical (their) function (s). It should also be noted that in some alternative implementations, the functions specified in the block can be performed in an order different from that indicated in the drawings. For example, two blocks shown in series, may in fact be performed substantially concurrently or the blocks may sometimes be executed in reverse order depending on the functionality. It should also be noted that each block of the flow chart, and (or) the flowcharts, and combinations of blocks in the block diagram, and (or) the flowcharts may be implemented using hardware special-purpose system that performs certain functions or action, or using combinations of special purpose hardware and computer instructions.

As used herein, the terminology is intended only to describe particular embodiments, and does not impose any limitations on the invention. In this application, it is meant that the singular forms also include the plural, unless otherwise apparent from the context. It should also be understood that the terms "comprises" and (or) "comprising" used in this specification are indicative of the presence of these features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and (or) components but does not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and (or) their groups.

Although in the present application have been illustrated and described particular embodiments, those skilled in the art will appreciate that any scheme which, according to calculations, achieves the same purpose, may be replaced given particular embodiments and that the invention has other applications in other conditions. It is intended that the present application covers any adaptations and variations of the present invention. The formula below or in any way limit the scope of the invention involves a particular embodiment described herein.