A system and method for determining the presence of an individual at a particular spot within a location preferably based on the strength of signals received from beacons assigned to the particular spot by a software application (App) running on an electronic device of the individual. In one embodiment, certain presence calculations are performed by the App. In another embodiment, the App forwards information regarding the received beacon signals to an electronic identification and location tracking system and the presence calculations are performed by the system.

A key can be configured for interfacing with a dispenser in a commercial facility, the key can include a body and key hardware configured to unlock the dispenser. A beacon device can be incorporated into the body and configured to transmit beacon data including an identity of the beacon device. The key can be used for maintenance of commercial facilities by maintenance personnel, wherein the commercial facilities include consumable product dispensers that require periodic refill. Maintenance can include interfacing a receiver device incorporated in a product dispenser with a beacon device incorporated into a key configured to unlock the product dispenser, interfacing the receiver device with a server system to transmit the identity of the beacon device to the server system, and identifying, by the server system, an identity of a maintenance personnel that unlocks the product dispenser based at least in part on the identity of the beacon device.

A method and system for enabling the determination of a position of a receiver within a space includes transmitting a beacon signal from each of a plurality of beacon devices located at different locations within the space. The beacon signal transmitted from each beacon device has a unique information component and may have a unique frequency pattern of multiple frequencies. Each beacon signal can be distinguishable from the beacon signals transmitted from any other of the beacon devices based on the combination of its unique information component and its unique frequency pattern. The beacon signals are received at a receiver. At the receiver, for each beacon signal of a working subset, time-delay information of the received beacon signal is determined and multilateration is applied to determine the position of the receiver based on the location of each beacon device of the working subset.

An underwater communications network may include spaced apart nodes on a bottom of a body of water. The underwater communications network may also include fiber optic cabling connecting the spaced apart nodes. Each node may include a frame, a node short-range navigation device carried by the frame, and an unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV) carried by the frame after delivering a fiber optic cable along a navigation path from an adjacent node. The UUV may be configured to cooperate with the node short-range navigation device during an end portion of the navigation path adjacent the frame.

An aspect is directed to signaling, to a target UE, a required reference signal for positioning (RS-P) measurement set and an optional RS-P measurement set (e.g., for a positioning session associated with a DDT procedure or a non-DDT procedure). In another aspect, a double differential timing (DDT) procedure is triggered based at least upon a trajectory of a target user equipment (UE). Another aspect is directed to a joint DDT (J-DDT) procedure involving multiple reference wireless nodes.

A method of delivering an order to a customer of a quick service restaurant can include transmitting, from a first beacon to a receiver adjacent the customer, a first signal; transmitting, from a second beacon to the receiver adjacent the customer, a second signal; from the first signal received by the receiver, a first timestamp reflective of a time the first signal is received by the receiver, the second signal received by the receiver, and a second timestamp reflective of a time the second signal is received by the receiver, determining a location of the customer within a zone surrounding the quick service restaurant; communicating the location of the customer to a display within the quick service restaurant; and delivering the order to the customer at the location.

A system and method for determining the presence of an individual at a particular spot within a location preferably based on the strength of signals received from beacons assigned to the particular spot by a software application (App) running on an electronic device of the individual. In one embodiment, certain presence calculations are performed by the App. In another embodiment, the App forwards information regarding the received beacon signals to an electronic identification and location tracking system and the presence calculations are performed by the system.

A beacon system is disclosed. The beacon system includes a case that defines a compartment and a lid. Also, the beacon system includes a ground plane mount that is pivotally coupled to the case, a monopole antenna carried by the ground plane mount, and an ADS-B transmitter. In that regard, the ADS-B transmitter is disposed within the compartment and electrically coupled to the monopole antenna.

A method and system to automatically change an operation of a vehicle, wherein the change is based upon obtained information associated with a road sign. The system provides accurate information associated with road signs, identified as way points, in real time to a user's navigation system, to a user's cellular telephone and/or to a vehicle computer. The waypoint and associated information would be obtained according to a location of the respective receiving device. The information can be presented on a display of the user's cellular telephone, the GPS navigation system, any other Bluetooth-enabled device, etc. The system can interface with an existing GPS navigation system, a vehicle computer, etc. The process can be adapted to parking, navigation, roadway assistance, emergency conditions, mass transits, and the like.

Methods of determining beacon relevance include receiving a beacon broadcast resulting in a received beacon broadcast, wherein the beacon broadcast comprises a range of relevance and informational data, determining a strength of the received beacon broadcast, comparing the range of relevance with the strength of the received beacon broadcast, and identifying the beacon broadcast as relevant if the strength of the received beacon broadcast exceeds the range of relevance.