Method and apparatus for creating and using a base station almanac for position determination
First Claim
1. A method of using a base station almanac for position determination in a wireless communication network, comprising:
- storing, for the base station almanac, a plurality of records for a plurality of transmitting entities in the wireless communication network, wherein each of the plurality of records supports at least one protocol for position determination, and wherein the base station almanac supports a plurality of protocols for position determination; and
performing position determination for each of the plurality of protocols based on records supporting the protocol.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for creating and using a base station almanac for position determination is described. The base station almanac includes a number of records, where each record can describe a sector or a transmitter (e.g., a base station or a repeater) in a wireless communication network. Each record includes a protocol type field that indicates the one or more protocols supported by the record (e.g., IS-801, J-STD-36, GSM, W-CDMA, and so on). Each record also includes a unique sector identifier for the sector/transmitter for each supported protocol, where each identifier is defined based on the associated protocol. A record may also include multiple maximum antenna ranges (MARs), where each MAR is associated with a respective reference power level. One of the multiple MARs can be selected for use for position determination depending on received signal strength. The base station almanac further includes other features.
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Citations
48 Claims
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1. A method of using a base station almanac for position determination in a wireless communication network, comprising:
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storing, for the base station almanac, a plurality of records for a plurality of transmitting entities in the wireless communication network, wherein each of the plurality of records supports at least one protocol for position determination, and wherein the base station almanac supports a plurality of protocols for position determination; and
performing position determination for each of the plurality of protocols based on records supporting the protocol. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A position determination system comprising:
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a storage unit for storing a base station almanac with a plurality of records for a plurality of transmitting entities in a wireless communication network, wherein each of the plurality of records supports at least one protocol for position determination, and wherein the base station almanac supports a plurality of protocols for position determination; and
a controller operative to perform position determination for each of the plurality of protocols based on records supporting the protocol.
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6. A position determination apparatus, comprising:
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means for storing a base station almanac with a plurality of records for a plurality of transmitting entities in a wireless communication network, wherein each of the plurality of records supports at least one protocol for position determination, and wherein the base station almanac supports a plurality of protocols for position determination; and
means for performing position determination for each of the plurality of protocols based on records supporting the protocol.
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7. A method of using a base station almanac for position determination in a wireless communication network, comprising:
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storing a protocol type value for each of a plurality of records of the base station almanac, the protocol type value indicating at least one protocol for position determination supported by the record;
storing at least one sector identifier for each of the plurality of records, one sector identifier for each of the at least one protocol supported by the record, each sector identifier being defined based on the associated protocol; and
selecting a record for use for position determination based on the at least one sector identifier stored for the record. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A position determination system comprising:
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a storage unit for storing a base station almanac with a plurality of records for a plurality of transmitting entities in a wireless communication network, wherein each of the plurality of records includes a protocol type value indicating at least one protocol for position determination supported by the record, wherein each record further includes at least one sector identifier, one sector identifier for each of the at least one protocol supported by the record, each sector identifier being defined based on the associated protocol; and
a controller operative to select a record for use for position determination based on the at least one sector identifier stored for the record.
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14. A method of using a base station almanac for position determination in a wireless communication network, comprising:
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storing, in a single record of the base station almanac, at least two sector identifiers for a transmitting entity associated with the record, wherein each of the at least two sector identifiers is defined based on a respective protocol for position determination supported by the record; and
selecting the record for use for position determination based on the at least two sector identifiers stored for the record. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16)
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17. A method of using a base station almanac for position determination in a wireless communication network, comprising:
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storing, in a single record of the base station almanac, at least two data values for an attribute of a transmitting entity, wherein each of the at least two data values is stored in a respective instance or part of a field in the record for the attribute of the transmitting entity; and
using the at least two data values in the field of the record for position determination for wireless terminals in the wireless communication network. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A method of using a base station almanac for position determination in a wireless communication network, comprising:
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storing, in a single record of the base station almanac, at least two maximum antenna ranges (MARs) for a transmitting entity associated with the record; and
using the at least two MARs for position determination for wireless terminals in the wireless communication network. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A position determination system comprising:
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a storage unit for storing, in a single record of the base station almanac, at least two maximum antenna ranges (MARs) for a transmitting entity associated with the record; and
a controller operative to use the at least two MARs for position determination for wireless terminals in a wireless communication network.
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34. A position determination apparatus, comprising:
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means for storing, in a single record of the base station almanac, at least two maximum antenna ranges (MARs) for a transmitting entity associated with the record; and
means for using the at least two MARs for position determination for wireless terminals in the wireless communication network.
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35. A method of using a base station almanac for position determination in a wireless communication network, comprising:
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storing an enclosed space indicator for each of a plurality of records of the base station almanac, wherein the enclosed space indicator for each record indicates whether a transmitting entity described by the record is associated with an enclosed environment; and
using enclosed space indicators for the plurality of records for position determination for wireless terminals in a wireless communication network. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38)
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39. A position determination system comprising:
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a storage unit for storing an enclosed space indicator for each of a plurality of records of the base station almanac, wherein the enclosed space indicator for each record indicates whether a transmitting entity described by the record is associated with an enclosed environment; and
a controller operative to use enclosed space indicators for the plurality of records for position determination for wireless terminals in a wireless communication network.
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40. A method of using a base station almanac for position determination in a wireless communication network, comprising:
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storing a repeater flag for each of a plurality of records of the base station almanac, wherein the repeater flag for each record indicates whether the record described a coverage area for a transmitting entity or a generalized coverage area for a plurality of transmitting entities; and
using repeater flags for the plurality of records for position determination for wireless terminals in the wireless communication network. - View Dependent Claims (41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47)
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48. A position determination system comprising:
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a storage unit for storing a repeater flag for each of a plurality of records of the base station almanac, wherein the repeater flag for each record indicates whether the record describes a coverage area for a transmitting entity or a generalized coverage area for the transmitting entity and repeaters of the transmitting entity; and
a controller operative to use repeater flags for the plurality of records for position determination for wireless terminals in a wireless communication network.
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Specification