Wireless station location detection and management

Abstract

A wireless base station (such as disposed in a building) synchronizes itself with each of multiple reference stations in a network environment that transmit wireless signals. The wireless base station receives the wireless signals from the multiple reference stations. Based on timing of the received wireless signals, the wireless base station determines its location in a building with respect to the multiple reference stations. The determined location is then used as a basis to notify an allocation management resource of a location of the wireless base station for allocation of one or more wireless channels.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 via a first transponder:
 receiving a first satellite signal transmitted from a first satellite, the first satellite signal received at a first wireless carrier frequency from the first satellite and supporting location determination; and 
 modulating the first satellite signal with a second carrier frequency to output a first wireless transponder signal from the first transponder, the first wireless transponder signal supporting location determination by a wireless station. 
   
     
     
         2 . The method as in  claim 1  further comprising:
 via the first transponder, receiving the first satellite signal as one of multiple satellite signals; and 
 selecting the first satellite signal amongst the multiple satellite signals to modulate with the second carrier frequency to produce the first wireless transponder signal. 
 
     
     
         3 . The method as in  claim 2 , wherein the selection of the first satellite signal amongst the multiple satellite signals is based upon a respective nearness of the first transponder to the first satellite. 
     
     
         4 . The method as in  claim 1 , wherein the first wireless transponder signal is one of multiple sideband signals produced by a modulator converting the first satellite signal into the first transponder signal. 
     
     
         5 . The method as in  claim 1 , wherein the first wireless satellite signal is transmitted from a first GPS (Global Positioning System) satellite. 
     
     
         6 . The method as in  claim 1  further comprising:
 via the first transponder:
 receiving a second satellite signal transmitted from a second satellite, the second satellite signal received at a third wireless carrier frequency from the second satellite and supporting location determination; and 
 modulating the second satellite signal with a fourth carrier frequency to output a second wireless transponder signal from the first transponder, the second wireless transponder signal supporting location determination by the wireless station. 
 
 
     
     
         7 . The method as in  claim 1  further comprising:
 wirelessly transmitting a message in the network environment, the message indicating a location of the first transponder. 
 
     
     
         8 . The method as in  claim 1 , wherein the first wireless transponder signal provides an indication of a broadcast time of the first satellite transmitting the first satellite signal. 
     
     
         9 . The method as in  claim 1  further comprising:
 via the first transponder, determining a location of the first transponder based on the first satellite signal and a second wireless satellite signal received by the first transponder. 
 
     
     
         10 . The method as in  claim 1 , wherein the first transponder resides outside of a building and the wireless station resides in the building. 
     
     
         11 . A system comprising:
 a first transponder operative to:
 receive a first satellite signal transmitted from a first satellite, the first satellite signal received at a first wireless carrier frequency from the first satellite and supporting location determination; and 
 modulate the first satellite signal with a second carrier frequency to output a first wireless transponder signal from the first transponder, the first wireless transponder signal supporting location determination by a wireless station. 
   
     
     
         12 . The system as in  claim 11 , wherein the first transponder is further operative to:
 receive the first satellite signal as one of multiple satellite signals; and   select the first satellite signal amongst the multiple satellite signals to modulate with the second carrier frequency to produce the first wireless transponder signal.   
     
     
         13 . The system as in  claim 12 , wherein the selection of the first satellite signal amongst the multiple satellite signals is based upon a respective nearness of the first transponder to the first satellite. 
     
     
         14 . The system as in  claim 11 , wherein the first wireless transponder signal is one of multiple sideband signals produced by a modulator converting the first satellite signal into the first transponder signal. 
     
     
         15 . The system as in  claim 11 , wherein the first wireless satellite signal is transmitted from a first GPS (Global Positioning System) satellite. 
     
     
         16 . The system as in  claim 11 , wherein the first transponder is further operative to:
 receive a second satellite signal transmitted from a second satellite, the second satellite signal received at a third wireless carrier frequency from a second satellite and supporting location determination; and   modulate the second satellite signal with a fourth carrier frequency to output a second wireless transponder signal from the first transponder, the second wireless transponder signal supporting location determination by the wireless station.   
     
     
         17 . The system as in  claim 11 , wherein the first transponder is further operative to:
 wirelessly transmitting a message in the network environment, the message indicating a location of the first transponder.   
     
     
         18 . The system as in  claim 11 , wherein the first wireless transponder signal provides an indication of a broadcast time of the first satellite transmitting the first satellite signal. 
     
     
         19 . The system as in  claim 11 , wherein the first transponder is further operative to:
 determine a location of the first transponder based on the first satellite signal and a second wireless satellite signal received by the first transponder.   
     
     
         20 . The system as in  claim 11 , wherein the first transponder resides outside of a building and the wireless station resides in the building. 
     
     
         21 . Computer-readable storage hardware having instructions stored thereon, the instructions, when carried out by computer processor hardware, cause the computer processor hardware to:
 receive a first satellite signal transmitted from a first satellite, the first satellite signal received at a first wireless carrier frequency from the first satellite and supporting location determination; and   modulate the first satellite signal with a second carrier frequency to output a first wireless transponder signal from the first transponder, the first wireless transponder signal supporting location determination by a wireless station.   
     
     
         22 . A method comprising:
 at a wireless station:
 receiving a first wireless transponder signal from a first transponder, the first wireless transponder signal generated via modulation of a first satellite signal received at the first transponder; 
 receiving a second wireless transponder signal from a second transponder, the second wireless transponder signal generated via modulation of a second satellite signal received at the second transponder; and 
 determining a location of the wireless station based on the first wireless transponder signal and the second wireless transponder signal. 
   
     
     
         23 . The method as in  claim 22 , wherein determining the location of the wireless station includes:
 demodulating the first wireless transponder signal to obtain the first satellite signal;   demodulating the second wireless transponder signal to obtain the second satellite signal; and   producing location information indicating the location of the wireless station based on the first satellite signal and the second satellite signal.   
     
     
         24 . The method as in  claim 22 , wherein determining the location of the wireless station includes:
 producing location information indicating the location of the wireless station based on a time of flight of the first wireless transponder signal and a time of flight of the second wireless transponder signal.