Method and apparatus for determining location of a remote unit using GPS
First Claim
1. A method for determining location of a remote unit using GPS, the method comprising:
- receiving GPS-assist data associated with a location within a grid element, wherein the grid element is a geographical area within which a predetermined number of GPS satellites are viewable when the predetermined number of GPS satellites are viewable from a central point within the grid element, wherein a GPS satellite is viewable when the satellite is above a location'"'"'s level horizon; and
determining a location of the remote unit by using the GPS-assist data to acquire and track GPS satellites.
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Abstract
To address the need for faster location determination by GPS-equipped units, this application describes embodiments of the present invention that provide GPS-assist data to a remote unit (110) that is determining its location. This GPS assist data is relative to a central point of a grid element that contains the particular remote unit. The grid element is a geographical area within which the same 12 or more GPS satellites are viewable from anywhere within the grid element. By providing GPS-assist data for a grid element, the remote unit receives GPS-assist data sufficiently local in nature to help it determine its location more quickly. Also, because there are significantly fewer grid elements than cell sites over a region such as the US, the maintenance of current GPS-assist data on a grid element basis requires less network bandwidth than it would on a cell site basis.
68 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A method for determining location of a remote unit using GPS, the method comprising:
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receiving GPS-assist data associated with a location within a grid element, wherein the grid element is a geographical area within which a predetermined number of GPS satellites are viewable when the predetermined number of GPS satellites are viewable from a central point within the grid element, wherein a GPS satellite is viewable when the satellite is above a location'"'"'s level horizon; and
determining a location of the remote unit by using the GPS-assist data to acquire and track GPS satellites. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A communication unit comprising:
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a receiver;
a communication processor, coupled to the receiver, adapted to receive via the receiver GPS-assist data associated with a location within a grid element, wherein the grid element is a geographical area within which a predetermined number of GPS satellites are viewable when the predetermined number of GPS satellites are viewable from a central point within the grid element, wherein a GPS satellite is viewable when the satellite is above a location'"'"'s level horizon; and
a GPS processor, coupled to the receiver and the communication processor, adapted to determine a location of the remote unit by using the GPS-assist data to acquire and track GPS satellites via the receiver.
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15. A method for facilitating location determination for a remote unit using GPS, the method comprising:
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obtaining from a GPS reference network updated GPS-assist data associated with a central point of a grid element, wherein the grid element is a geographical area within which a predetermined number of GPS satellites are viewable when the predetermined number of GPS satellites are viewable from a central point within the grid element, wherein a GPS satellite is viewable when the satellite is above a location'"'"'s level horizon; and
receiving a GPS assist request that indicates GPS-assist data associated with the grid element is requested; and
sending GPS-assist data associated with a central point of the grid element. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18)
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19. A serving mobile location center (SMLC) comprising:
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a first network interface;
a second network interface; and
a processor, coupled the first and second network interfaces, adapted to obtain, from a GPS reference network via the first network interface, updated GPS-assist data associated with a central point of a grid element, adapted to receive via the second network interface a GPS assist request that indicates GPS-assist data associated with the grid element is requested, and adapted to send via the second network interface GPS-assist data associated with a central point of the grid element, wherein the grid element is a geographical area within which a predetermined number of GPS satellites are viewable when the predetermined number of GPS satellites are viewable from a central point within the grid element, wherein a GPS satellite is viewable when the satellite is above a location'"'"'s level horizon.
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Specification