Precise positioning system enabled product location method

Abstract

A product location system comprises a plurality of nodes, each of which being enabled to receive and transmit signals from a user equipment device after a reading is made of a product identifier. The system also comprises a processor configured to determine a location of the user equipment device in a space containing at least one of the nodes, associate the location of the user equipment device in the space with a location of the product identifier, and build a map comprising the location of the product identifier.

The invention claimed is: 
     
         1 . A product location system, comprising:
 a plurality of nodes, wherein each of the plurality of nodes receives and transmits signals from a user equipment device after a reading is made of a product identifier; and   a processor configured to determine a location of the user equipment device in a space containing at least one of the plurality of nodes, associate the location of the user equipment device in the space with a location of the product identifier, and build a map comprising the location of the product identifier.   
     
     
         2 . The location system of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is located within the user equipment device. 
     
     
         3 . The location system of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is located within at least one of the plurality of nodes. 
     
     
         4 . The location system of  claim 3 , wherein the processor is located within each of the plurality of nodes. 
     
     
         5 . The location system of  claim 1 , wherein the processor interprets the location of the user equipment device based on information from a network server connected to one of the user equipment device or one of the plurality of nodes. 
     
     
         6 . The location system of  claim 1 , wherein the space contains a plurality of nodes. 
     
     
         7 . The location system of  claim 6 , wherein the space contains at least three nodes, wherein each of the at least three nodes measures received signal strengths of at least one other node as well as the user equipment device. 
     
     
         8 . The location system of  claim 7 , wherein the location of the user equipment device is further based on a pair of distances and received signal strengths between at least two nodes. 
     
     
         9 . The location system of  claim 1 , wherein the space contains at least four nodes, wherein each of the at least four nodes receives signals of substantially equal power from the user equipment device. 
     
     
         10 . The location system of  claim 9 , wherein the processor interprets the location of the user equipment device based on a ratio of received signal strengths of the user equipment device from at least two of the at least four nodes. 
     
     
         11 . The location system of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one transceiver; a processor coupled to the at least one transceiver; a casing enclosing the processor and the at least one transceiver; and a plurality of antenna coupled to the at least one transceiver, wherein each of the plurality of antenna has an operational angle defined by the casing, and wherein the plurality of antenna achieve a uniform antenna gain for a plurality of positions about the casing. 
     
     
         12 . The location system of  claim 11 , wherein each of the plurality of antenna has a unique received signal strength that varies with the operational angle for at least one of the plurality of antenna. 
     
     
         13 . The location system of  claim 11 , wherein each of the plurality of antenna has a unique received signal strength that varies with the operational angle for each of the plurality of antenna. 
     
     
         14 . The location unit of  claim 11 , wherein each of the plurality of antenna are offset from one another about the casing and share operational angles with at least one of the plurality of antenna. 
     
     
         15 . The location unit of  claim 11 , wherein each of the plurality of antenna are offset from one another about the casing. 
     
     
         16 . The location unit of  claim 11 , wherein each of the plurality of antenna possesses non-overlapping operational angles. 
     
     
         17 . The location unit of  claim 14 , wherein each of the plurality of antenna possesses non-overlapping operational angles. 
     
     
         18 . The location unit of  claim 11 , further comprising a transceiver coupled to each of the plurality of antenna. 
     
     
         19 . The location unit of  claim 11 , wherein the processor encodes a data packet based on which antenna in the plurality of antenna is used to transmit the data packet. 
     
     
         20 . The location unit of  claim 19 , wherein each of the plurality of antenna transmit a plurality of data packets simultaneously.