Systems, methods, and devices for electronic spectrum management with remote access to data in a virtual computing network

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for automated geolocation of a signal emitting device. A computing device is communicatively connected to a server coupled with a database. The computing device selects at least one signal from the signal emitting device for geolocation on a spectrum display and selects at least three apparatus units within a location or region. The at least three apparatus units are operable to detect and measure the at least one signal, thereby forming signal data; and the at least three apparatus units are not required to be synchronized. The database receives and stores the signal data from the at least three apparatus units. The server calculates distances from each of the at least three apparatus units to the signal emitting device based on a propagation model and derive a location of the signal emitting device based on the calculated distances.

The invention claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for geolocating a signal emitting device, comprising:
 a computing device communicatively connected to a server coupled with a database;   wherein the computing device is operable to select at least one signal from the signal emitting device for geolocation on a spectrum display and select at least three apparatus units within a location or region;   wherein the at least three apparatus units are operable to detect and measure the at least one signal, thereby forming signal data; wherein the at least three apparatus units are not required to be synchronized;   wherein the database is operable to receive and store the signal data from the at least three apparatus units;   wherein the server is operable to calculate distances from each of the at least three apparatus units to the signal emitting device based on a propagation model and derive a location of the signal emitting device based on the distances from each of the at least three apparatus units to the signal emitting device.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the computing device is selected from a group consisting of computer devices and mobile communication devices. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the signal data comprises center frequency, bandwidth, peak power, channel power, duration, modulation of protocol type, maximum power, median power, minimum power, and expected power. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the propagation model is one meter pass loss model. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least three apparatus units are operable to perform differential Received Signal Strength (RSS) measurements for the at least on signal from the signal emitting device to overcome errors in measurements due to imperfect knowledge of the transmit power or antenna gain, measurement error due to signal fading, interference, thermal noise, no line of sight (NLOS) propagation error and/or unknown propagation model. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the server is operable to perform statistical approximations to remove error causes from noise, timing and power measurements, multipath, and NLOS measurements. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the server is operable to incorporate Time Difference of Arrival (TDOA) and Frequency Difference of Arrival (FDOA) techniques to improve measurements and solve inconsistencies in distance calculations. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the computing device is operable to display the location of the signal emitting device on mapping software. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the system is operable to geolocate more than one signal emitting device at a time. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the system is operable in different environments including indoor environments, outdoor environments, hybrid environments, inner city environments, etc. 
     
     
         11 . The method of geolocating a signal emitting device, comprising:
 communicatively connecting a computing device and a server coupled with a database;   the computing device selecting at least one signal from the signal emitting device for geolocation on a spectrum display;   the computing device selecting at least three apparatus units within a location or region;   the at least three apparatus detecting and measuring the at least one signal, thereby forming signal data, wherein the at least three apparatus units are not required to be synchronized;   the database receiving and storing the signal data from the at least three apparatus units;   the server calculating distances from each of the three apparatus units to the signal emitting device based on a propagation model; and   the server deriving a location of the signal emitting device based on the distances from each of the at least three apparatus units to the signal emitting device.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the computing device is selected from a group consisting of computer devices and mobile communication devices. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the computing device comprises an application program for geolocation. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the signal data comprises center frequency, bandwidth, peak power, channel power, duration, modulation of protocol type, maximum power, median power, minimum power, and expected power. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the propagation model is one meter pass loss model. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising the at least three apparatus units performing differential Received Signal Strength (RSS) measurements for the at least on signal from the signal emitting device to overcome errors in measurements due to imperfect knowledge of the transmit power or antenna gain, measurement error due to signal fading, interference, thermal noise, no line of sight (NLOS) propagation error and/or unknown propagation model. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising the server performing statistical approximations to remove error causes from noise, timing and power measurements, multipath, and NLOS measurements. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising the server incorporating TDOA and FDOA techniques to improve measurements and solve inconsistencies in distance calculations. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising the computing device displaying the location of the signal emitting device on mapping software. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one signal can be detected in different environments including indoor environments, outdoor environments, hybrid environments, inner city environments, etc.