Patent ID: 6922635
Filing Date: 2005-07-26
Classification: G01S

Abstract:
1. A method for determining absolute positions of respective first and second mobile communications devices, wherein each of the first and second mobiles can receive usable positioning information signals transmitted from at most three visible remotely located positioning information signal sources such that each of the first and second mobiles cannot determine its absolute position solely based on the usable received positioning information signals, the method comprising: obtaining first-to-second mobile position information based on wireless communications between the first and second mobiles; establishing at least a predetermined number of line of sight (“LOS”) communications signal reception paths between each of the first mobile and the second mobile and and the remotely located positioning information signal sources visible to the first mobile or the second mobile; and computing the absolute positions of the respective first and second mobiles based on the first-to-second mobile position information and positioning information signals transmitted over the predetermined number of LOS paths by the sources visible to the first mobile or second mobile and received at the first mobile or the second mobile.