Patent ID: 8364164

Claim:
A method for locating a wireless device, comprising the steps of: obtaining measured signal strengths of two or more identifiable signals from the wireless device; and determining location of the wireless device by comparing the measured signal strengths to reference signal strengths of the two or more identifiable signals, wherein the reference signal strengths have associated geographic contours, and wherein the determining includes: identifying first and second reference signal strengths between which the measured signal strengths for each of the identifiable signals respectively lie, the associated geographic contours for the first and second reference signal strengths defining an annular region for each of the identifiable signals; identifying two or more different intersecting geographic contours between the annular regions for each of the identifiable signals; constructing a single region that encompasses both of the two different intersecting geographic contours and has a geometrical shape that is fitted to the geographic contours; and computing the determined location using the geometrical shape of the single region.