Repeater with positioning capabilities

• US 20050208889A1
• Filed: 05/13/2005
• Published: 09/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Sheynblat, Leonid, Willis, Daniel, Baker, Kenneth, Wheatley, Charles
• Granted Patent: US 7,457,584 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/7
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0242 Determining the position of transmitters to be subsequently used in positioning G01S5/0289 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/155 Ground-based stations H04B7/204 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/2606 Arrangements for base station coverage control, e.g. by using relays in tunnels
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/26 Cell enhancers or enhancement, e.g. for tunnels, building shadow

Abstract

This disclosure is directed to a repeater of a wireless communication system that includes a positioning unit, such as a GPS receiver, in order to calculate the location of the repeater. In addition, various techniques are described that exploit the positioning information generated by the repeater in order to improve the wireless communication system.

Claims

1. A repeater of a wireless communication system comprising:

repeating circuitry to receive a signal sent from a first device in the wireless communication system and repeat the signal to a second device in the wireless communication system; and

a positioning unit to receive positioning signals and calculate a position of the repeater based on the positioning signals.

2. The repeater of claim 1, wherein the positioning signals comprise satellite positioning signals received from positioning satellites and the positioning unit comprises a global positioning system (GPS) receiver.

3. The repeater of claim 1, wherein the repeater receives the signal from the first device via a first wireless link and repeats the signal to the second device via a second wireless link.

4. The repeater of claim 1, wherein the repeater receives the signal from the first device via a physical transmission line and repeats the signal to the second device via a wireless link.

5. A method comprising receiving positioning information from a repeater of a wireless communication system indicative of a location of the repeater.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

receiving information indicative of signals detected by a subscriber unit of the wireless communication system; and

generating position assistance information based on the positioning information received from the repeater and the information indicative of signals detected by the subscriber unit.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising sending the position assistance information to the subscriber unit.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the position assistance information identifies a set of positioning system satellites that are in view to the subscriber unit.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the information indicative of signals detected by the subscriber unit includes phase offsets, and the signals are associated with base stations of the wireless communication system.

10. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

receiving positioning information for a receiving device;

receiving positioning information for a sending device;

receiving observed information indicative of signals sent from the sending device to the receiving device; and

calculating a repeater delay for signals sent from the sending device to the receiving device through the repeater based on the positioning information for the repeater, the positioning information for the receiving device, the positioning information for the sending device, and the observed information.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein calculating the repeater delay includes:

identifying a predicted delay based on distances between the sending device and the repeater and the repeater and the receiving device;

identifying an observed delay from the observed information; and

calculating the repeater delay as a difference between the observed delay and the predicted delay.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein identifying the observed delay includes identifying from the observed information a phase offset of pilot symbols relative to system time associated with the wireless communication system.

13. A position determination entity (PDE) of a wireless communication system comprising:

a receiver to receive positioning information for a repeater of a wireless communication system indicative of a location of the repeater and to receive information indicative of signals detected by the subscriber unit; and

a position assistance unit to generate position assistance information based on the positioning information for the repeater and the information indicative of signals detected by the subscriber unit.

14. The PDE of claim 13, further comprising a transmitter to send the position assistance information to the subscriber unit.

15. The PDE of claim 13, wherein the position assistance information identifies a set of positioning system satellites that are in view to the subscriber unit.

16. The PDE of claim 13, wherein the information indicative of signals detected by the subscriber unit includes phase offsets, wherein the signals are associated with base stations of the wireless communication system.

17. A device of a wireless communication system comprising:

a receiver to receive positioning information indicative of locations of a repeater, a base station and a subscriber unit of a wireless communication system, and to receive observed information indicative of signals sent from the base station to the subscriber unit through the repeater; and

a control unit to calculate a repeater delay for signals sent from the base station to the subscriber unit through the repeater based on the positioning information, and the observed information indicative of signals sent from the base station to the subscriber unit through the repeater.

18. The device of claim 17, wherein the control unit calculates the repeater delay by identifying a predicted delay based on distances between the base station and the repeater and the repeater and the subscriber unit, identifying an observed delay from the observed information, and calculating the repeater delay as a difference between the observed delay and the predicted delay.

19. The device of claim 17, wherein identifying the observed delay includes identifying from the observed information a phase offset of pilot symbols relative to system time based on information sent from the subscriber unit indicative of signals sent from the base station to the subscriber unit through the repeater.

20. A computer-readable medium comprising instructions that when executed in a position determination entity (PDE) of a wireless communication system cause the PDE to generate position assistance information based on positioning information indicative of a location of the repeater and information indicative of signals detected by the subscriber unit.

21. The computer-readable medium of claim 20, further comprising instructions that when executed cause the PDE to send the position assistance information to the subscriber unit.

22. The computer-readable medium of claim 20, wherein the position assistance information identifies a set of positioning system satellites that are in view to the subscriber unit.

23. The computer-readable medium of claim 20, wherein the information indicative of signals detected by the subscriber unit includes phase offsets, wherein the signals are associated with base stations of the wireless communication system.

24. A computer-readable medium comprising instructions that when executed in a device of a wireless communication system cause the device to calculate a repeater delay for signals sent from a base station to a subscriber unit through a repeater based at least in part on positioning information associated with the repeater, the base station and the subscriber unit, and observed information indicative of signals sent from the base station to the subscriber unit through the repeater.

25. The computer-readable medium of claim 24, wherein calculating the repeater delay includes:

identifying a predicted delay based on distances between the base station and the repeater and the repeater and the subscriber unit;

identifying an observed delay from the observed information; and

calculating the repeater delay as a difference between the observed delay and the predicted delay.

26. The computer-readable medium of claim 25, wherein identifying the observed delay includes identifying from the observed information a phase offset of pilot symbols relative to system time associated with the wireless communication system.

27. A repeater of a wireless communication system comprising:

means for receiving a signal sent from a first device in the wireless communication system; and

means for repeating the signal to a second device in the wireless communication system;

means for receiving positioning signals; and

means for calculating a position of the repeater based on the positioning signals.

28. The repeater of claim 27, further comprising means for sending information indicative of the position of the repeater to another device.