Methods, systems and computer program products for providing location determination information to an assisted location service

• US 20040192345A1
• Filed: 03/24/2003
• Published: 09/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications USA Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications USA Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Osborn, William R., Bloebaum, Leland S.
• Granted Patent: US 8,010,124 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/02 Details of the space or ground control segments
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/09 providing processing capability normally carried out by the receiver
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0036 of measured values, i.e. measurement on mobile and position calculation on base station

Abstract

Systems for providing location determination information to an assisted location service associated with a wireless communication network include a satellite positioning system receiver that generates a set of first format location information based on measurements of signals transmitted from positioning system satellites. A conversion circuit of the system, separate from the satellite positioning system receiver, is configured to receive the set of first format location information from the satellite positioning system receiver and to convert the set of first format location information to a second format, different from the first format to provide the location determination information. The system further includes a transmitter configured to transmit the location determination information to the assisted location service over the wireless communication network. Methods and computer program products for providing location determination information to an assisted location service associated with a wireless communication network are also provided.

Claims

1. A method for providing location determination information to an assisted location service associated with a wireless communication network, the method comprising:

receiving a set of first format location information based on measurements of signals transmitted from positioning system satellites from a full function autonomous satellite positioning system (SPS) receiver;

converting the set of first format location information to a second format, different from the first format, external to the full function autonomous SPS receiver to provide the location determination information; and

transmitting the location determination information to the assisted location service over the wireless communication network.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the SPS receiver comprises a global positioning system (GPS) receiver and wherein the assisted location service comprises a TIA/EIA/IS-801-1 compatible service.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the set of first format location information includes Euclidian space location information for at least one of the positioning system satellites and wherein converting the set of first format location information comprises converting the Euclidian space location information to signal space location information to provide the location determination information.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the Euclidian space location information comprises a pseudo-range to at least one of the positioning system satellites and the signal space location information comprises a code phase in chips.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the SPS receiver comprises a global positioning system (GPS) receiver that receives a GPS signal having an associated code and wherein converting the pseudo-range to a code phase in chips comprises:

converting the pseudo-range to units of time related to a period of the code to provide a code time; and

converting a fractional part of the code time into a phase of the code in chips.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the pseudo-range is in meters and wherein converting the pseudo-range to units of time comprises:

dividing the pseudo-range by the speed of light to provide a quotient;

multiplying the quotient by one thousand to provide a product having an integer part and a fractional part; and

wherein converting a fractional part of the code time comprises multiplying the fractional part of the product by 1023 to provide the code phase in chips.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein the code phase in chips has an integer part and a fractional part and wherein transmitting the location determination information comprises transmitting the integer part of the code phase as a first parameter and the fractional part of the code phase as a second parameter over the wireless communication network.

8. The method of claim 5 further comprising:

determining a measurement time in SPS time for a received signal from at least one of the positioning system satellites; and

converting the measurement time in SPS time to wireless communication network time to provide the location determination information.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising receiving wireless communication network time information over the wireless communication network and wherein converting the measurement time information comprises converting the measurement time in SPS time to wireless communication network time based on the received wireless communication network time information.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the wireless communication network comprises a code division multiple access (CDMA) system and wherein converting the measurement time in SPS time to wireless communication network time to provide the location determination information comprises subtracting a number of leap seconds added to a universal time clock since a reference time from GPS system time.

11. The method of claim 8 further comprising receiving universal time clock time information from at least one of the positioning system satellites and wherein converting the measurement time information comprises converting the measurement time in SPS time to wireless communication network time based on the received universal time clock time information.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving a set of first format location information includes determining a measurement time in SPS time for received signal from at least one of the positioning system satellites and wherein converting the set of first format location information includes converting the measurement time in SPS time to wireless communication network time to provide the location determination information.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the SPS comprise a global positioning system (GPS) and wherein the method further comprises receiving wireless communication network time information over the wireless communication network and wherein converting the measurement time information comprises converting the measurement time in GPS time to wireless communication network time based on the received wireless communication network time information.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the wireless communication network comprises a code division multiple access (CDMA) system and wherein the received wireless communication network time information comprises a number of leap seconds added to a universal time clock since a reference time and wherein converting the measurement time in SPS time to wireless communication network time to provide the location determination information comprises subtracting the number of leap seconds from GPS time.

15. A method for providing location determination information to an assisted location service associated with a wireless communication network, the method comprising:

determining Euclidian space location information based on measurements of signals transmitted from positioning system satellites;

converting the Euclidian space location information to signal space location information to provide the location determination information; and

transmitting the location determination information to the assisted location service over the wireless communication network.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the positioning system satellites comprise global positioning system (GPS) satellites and wherein the assisted location service comprises a TIA/EIA/IS-801-1 compatible service.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein the Euclidian space location information comprises a pseudo-range to at least one of the positioning system satellites and the signal space location information comprises a code phase in chips.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the SPS receiver comprises a global positioning system (GPS) receiver that receives a GPS signal having an associated code and wherein converting the pseudo-range to a code phase in chips comprises:

converting the pseudo-range to units of time related to a period of the code to provide a code time; and

converting a fractional part of the code time into a phase of the code in chips.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the pseudo-range is in meters and wherein converting the pseudo-range to units of time comprises:

dividing the pseudo-range by the speed of light to provide a quotient;

multiplying the quotient by one thousand to provide a product having an integer part and a fractional part; and

wherein converting a fractional part of the code time comprises multiplying the fractional part of the product by 1023 to provide the code phase in chips.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein the code phase in chips has an integer part and a fractional part and wherein transmitting the location determination information comprises transmitting the integer part of the code phase as a first parameter and the fractional part of the code phase as a second parameter over the wireless communication network.

21. The method of claim 18 further comprising:

determining a measurement time in satellite positioning system (SPS) time for a received signal from at least one of the positioning system satellites; and

converting the measurement time in SPS time to wireless communication network time to provide the location determination information.

22. The method of claim 21 further comprising receiving wireless communication network time information over the wireless communication network and wherein converting the measurement time information comprises converting the measurement time in SPS time to wireless communication network time based on the received wireless communication network time information.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein the wireless communication network comprises a code division multiple access (CDMA) system and wherein converting the measurement time in SPS time to wireless communication network time to provide the location determination information comprises subtracting a number of leap seconds added to a universal time clock since a reference time from GPS system time.

24. The method of claim 21 further comprising receiving universal time clock time information from at least one of the positioning system satellites and wherein converting the measurement time information comprises converting the measurement time in SPS time to wireless communication network time based on the received universal time clock time information.

25. A system for providing location determination information to an assisted location service associated with a wireless communication network, the system comprising:

a satellite positioning system (SPS) receiver that generates a set of first format location information based on measurements of signals transmitted from positioning system satellites;

a conversion circuit separate from the SPS receiver that is configured to receive the set of first format location information from the SPS receiver and to convert the set of first format location information to a second format, different from the first format to provide the location determination information; and

a transmitter configured to transmit the location determination information to the assisted location service over the wireless communication network.

26. The system of claim 25 wherein the SPS receiver comprises a full function autonomous global positioning system (GPS) receiver and wherein the assisted location service comprises a TIA/EIA/IS-801-1 compatible service.

27. The system of claim 25 wherein the set of first format location information includes Euclidian space location information for at least one of the positioning system satellites and wherein the conversion circuit is configured to convert the Euclidian space location information to signal space location information to provide the location determination information.

28. The system of claim 27 wherein the Euclidian space location information comprises a pseudo-range to at least one of the positioning system satellites and the signal space location information comprises a code phase in chips.

29. A mobile terminal including the system of claim 28.

30. The system of claim 28 wherein the satellite positioning receiver is configured to determine a measurement time in SPS time for a received signal from at least one of the positioning system satellites and wherein the conversion circuit is configured to convert the measurement time in SPS time to wireless communication network time to provide the location determination information.

31. The system of claim 30 further comprising a receiver that receives wireless communication network time information over the wireless communication network and wherein the conversion circuit is configured to convert the measurement time in SPS time to wireless communication network time based on received wireless communication network time information.

32. A mobile terminal including the system of claim 31.

33. The system of claim 25 further comprising a wireless communication network receiver that receives wireless communication network time information over the wireless communication network and wherein the conversion circuit is configured to convert the measurement time in SPS time to wireless communication network time based on received wireless communication network time information.

34. The system of claim 33 wherein the SPS receiver comprises a global positioning system (GPS) receiver and wherein the wireless communication network comprises a code division multiple access (CDMA) system and wherein the received wireless communication network time information comprises a number of leap seconds added to a universal time clock since a reference time and wherein the conversion circuit is configured to subtract the number of leap seconds from GPS time to provide the location determination information.

35. A mobile terminal including the system of claim 25.

36. A system for providing location determination information to an assisted location service associated with a wireless communication network, the system comprising:

means for receiving a set of first format location information based on measurements of signals transmitted from positioning system satellites from a full function autonomous satellite positioning system (SPS) receiver;

means for converting the set of first format location information to a second format, different from the first format, external to the full function autonomous SPS receiver to provide the location determination information; and

means for transmitting the location determination information to the assisted location service over the wireless communication network.

37. A mobile terminal including the system of claim 36.

38. A system for providing location determination information to an assisted location service associated with a wireless communication network, the system comprising:

means for determining Euclidian space location information based on measurements of signals transmitted from positioning system satellites;

means for converting the Euclidian space location information to signal space location information to provide the location determination information; and

means for transmitting the location determination information to the assisted location service over the wireless communication network.

39. A mobile terminal including the system of claim 38.

40. A computer program product for providing location determination information to an assisted location service associated with a wireless communication network, the computer program product comprising:

a computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code embodied in said medium, said computer-readable program code comprising;

computer-readable program code that receives a set of first format location information based on measurements of signals transmitted from positioning system satellites from a full function autonomous satellite positioning system (SPS) receiver;

computer-readable program code that converts the set of first format location information to a second format, different from the first format, external to the full function autonomous SPS receiver to provide the location determination information; and

computer-readable program code that transmits the location determination information to the assisted location service over the wireless communication network.

41. A computer program product for providing location determination information to an assisted location service associated with a wireless communication network, the computer program product comprising:

a computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code embodied in said medium, said computer-readable program code comprising;

computer-readable program code that determines Euclidian space location information based on measurements of signals transmitted from positioning system satellites;

computer-readable program code that converts the Euclidian space location information to signal space location information to provide the location determination information; and

computer-readable program code that transmits the location determination information to the assisted location service over the wireless communication network.