Method and Apparatus for Location Determination in a Wireless Assisted Hybrid Positioning System

• US 20090131076A1
• Filed: 11/13/2008
• Published: 05/21/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Moeglein, Mark Leo, Riley, Wyatt Thomas
• Granted Patent: US 8,688,138 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.100
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0257 Hybrid positioning by coordinating position lines of different shape G01S5/12
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/10 Position of receiver fixed by co-ordinating a plurality of position lines defined by path-difference measurements , e.g. omega or decca systemsG01S5/12 takes precedence ; beacons and receivers cooperating therewith G01S1/306, G01S1/308
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/12 by co-ordinating position lines of different shape, e.g. hyperbolic, circular, elliptical or radial

Abstract

Methods and apparatuses for location determination in wireless assisted positioning systems. In one aspect of the disclosed method and apparatus, a method to determine a position of a mobile device in a positioning system includes: computing a second estimated position of a mobile device using a first assumed geometric relationship for a location of the mobile device in relation to a navigational transmitter (e.g., a basestation, a pseudolite, or a Satellite Positioning System (SPS) satellite). The first geometric relationship is linearly independent from the altitude of the mobile device (e.g., obtained from an altitude aiding) and a second geometric relationship based on range information (e.g., a range from the mobile device to the navigational transmitter, a pseudorange, an arrival time, or a round trip time) measured with respect to the navigational transmitter. In another embodiment of the disclosed method and apparatus, the method to determine a position of a mobile device in a positioning system includes: determining an estimated clock bias from a strength indicator of a signal transmitted from a navigational transmitter to the mobile device.

Claims

1. A method to determine a position of a mobile device in a positioning system, the method comprising:

determining an estimated clock bias from a strength indicator of a signal transmitted from a navigational transmitter to the mobile device.

2. The method as in claim 1 wherein the navigational transmitter comprises one of:

a) a basestation; and

b) a pseudolite.

3. The method as in claim 1 further comprising:

determining an estimated position of the mobile device using the estimated clock bias.

4. The method as in claim 3 wherein the estimated clock bias is weighted against other constraints in determining the estimated position of the mobile device.

5. The method as in claim 1 wherein the strength indicator comprises an Estimated Input Power (EIP).

6. The method as in claim 5 wherein said determining the estimated clock bias comprises:

receiving parameters from the navigational transmitter; and

computing the Estimated Input Power (EIP) from the parameters.

7. The method as in claim 6 wherein the parameters comprise at least one of:

a) Ec/I0; and

b) total pilot power.

8. A machine readable media containing executable computer program instructions which when executed by a digital processing system cause said system to perform a method to determine a position of a mobile device in a positioning system, the method comprising:

determining an estimated clock bias from a strength indicator of a signal transmitted from a navigational transmitter to the mobile device.

9. The media as in claim 8 wherein the navigational transmitter comprises one of:

a) a basestation; and

b) a pseudolite.

10. The media as in claim 8 further comprising:

determining an estimated position of the mobile device using the estimated clock bias.

11. The media as in claim 10 wherein the estimated clock bias is weighted against other constraints in determining the estimated position of the mobile device.

12. The media as in claim 8 wherein the strength indicator comprises an Estimated Input Power (EIP).

13. The media as in claim 12 wherein said determining the estimated clock bias comprises:

receiving parameters from the navigational transmitter; and

computing the Estimated Input Power (EIP) from the parameters.

14. The media as in claim 13 wherein the parameters comprise at least one of:

a) Ec/I0; and

b) total pilot power.

15. A digital processing system to determine a position of a mobile device in a positioning system, the processing system comprising:

means for determining an estimated clock bias from a strength indicator of a signal transmitted from a navigational transmitter to the mobile device.

16. The digital processing system as in claim 15 wherein the navigational transmitter comprises one of:

a) a basestation; and

b) a pseudolite.

17. The digital processing system as in claim 15 further comprising:

means for determining an estimated position of the mobile device using the estimated clock bias.

18. The digital processing system as in claim 17 wherein the estimated clock bias is weighted against other constraints in determining the estimated position of the mobile device.

19. The digital processing system as in claim 15 wherein the strength indicator comprises an Estimated Input Power (EIP).

20. The digital processing system as in claim 19 wherein said means for determining the estimated clock bias comprises:

means for receiving parameters from the navigational transmitter; and

means for computing the Estimated Input Power (EIP) from the parameters.

21. The digital processing system as in claim 20 wherein the parameters comprise at least one of:

a) Ec/I0; and

b) total pilot power.