Patent ID: 8687560

Claim:
A positioning system, comprising N network access devices, wherein N is greater than 2, wherein each network access device in a first subset of N1 of the N network access devices, wherein N1 is at least 2, transmits a wireless location beacon signal, producing N1 wireless location beacon signals that are transmitted by the first subset, each network access device in a second subset of N2 of the N network access devices, wherein N2 is at least 2, receives the N1 wireless location beacon signals from the first subset and calculates N1 time of arrivals (TOAs) from each of the N1 received wireless location beacon signals, producing N1Ã—N2 calculated TOAs by the second subset, using one or more wireless transmissions, one or more network access devices of the N network access devices transmit location coordinates of the N network access devices and transmit the N1Ã—N2 calculated TOAs, differences calculated among the N1Ã—N2 calculated TOAs, or a combination of one or more of the N1Ã—N2 calculated TOAs and one or more of the differences calculated among the N1Ã—N2 calculated TOAs, and at least one mobile device that receives the N1 wireless location beacon signals, the location coordinates of the N network access devices, and the N1Ã—N2 calculated TOAs, differences calculated among the N1Ã—N2 calculated TOAs, or a combination of one or more the N1Ã—N2 calculated TOAs and one or more of the differences calculated among the N1Ã—N2 calculated TOAs, and calculates a location of the at least one mobile device from the N1 wireless location beacon signals, the location coordinates of the N network access devices, and the N1Ã—N2 calculated TOAs, differences calculated among the N1Ã—N2 calculated TOAs, or a combination of one or more the N1Ã—N2 calculated TOAs and one or more of the differences calculated among the N1Ã—N2 calculated TOAs.