Provision of location information

• US 20090184872A1
• Filed: 03/24/2009
• Published: 07/23/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WSOU Investments, LLC (WSOU Holdings, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Niemenmaa, Jarko, Ruutu, Ville
• Granted Patent: US 7,646,337 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 342/357.290
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/06 employing an initial estimate of the location of the receiver as aiding data or in generating aiding data
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/256 relating to timing, e.g. time of week, code phase, timing offset
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0244 Accuracy or reliability of position solution or of measurements contributing thereto

Abstract

A method of providing information regarding the location of a mobile user equipment (1) in a system wherein the location is determined based on information signalled from entities (10) of a positioning system and assistance data signalled from a station (5) of a communication system. In the method the likely location of the mobile user equipment relative to the station is first determined. Based on the determined likely location, an estimate of the delay in transmitting a signal from the station to the mobile user equipment is estimated. Assistance data is then signalled from the station to the mobile user equipment, said assistance data comprising information about the timing of the positioning system. A more accurate location determination is accomplished at the user equipment based on signals from the entities of the positioning system, the assistance data and said estimated delay.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a positioning system comprising entities configured to signal information, the configuration being such that mobile user equipment may receive and use the information from said entities when determining its location;

a station of a communication system configured to transmit information signals to the mobile user equipment;

a location estimator configured to provide an estimate of the likely location of the mobile user equipment relative the station;

a processor configured to provide an estimate of the delay between transmission of an information signal from the station and reception of said information signal at the mobile user equipment based on said estimated location; and

a location determination processor configured to determine the location of the mobile user equipment based on signals from the entities of the position system, assistance data from the station, said assistance data comprising information about the timing of the positioning system and said estimate of the delay.

2. An apparatus, comprising:

a first receiver configured to receive information signals from entities of a positioning system for use in location determinations by the mobile user equipment;

a second receiver configured to receive signals from a station of a communication system; and

location determination circuitry configured to determine the location of the mobile user equipment based on signals from the entities of the position system, assistance data signal received from the station, said assistance data comprising information about the timing of the positioning system, and a computed difference between the time of transmission of said assistance data signal from the station and the time of reception of said assistance data signal at the mobile user equipment, said difference being computed based on an estimated likely location of the mobile user equipment relative to the base station.

5. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein information about the estimated delay is transmitted from the station to the mobile user equipment.

6. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the estimate of the delay is determined at the mobile user equipment.

7. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the entities of the positioning system comprise at least one satellite.

8. An apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein the positioning system comprises a global positioning system.

9. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the delay estimate is used to relate the timing of the positioning system with the time at which the mobile user equipment is likely to receive a certain signal from the communication system.

10. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the delay estimate is used to relate the timing of the positioning system with the time at which the mobile user equipment is likely to receive said assistance data signal.

11. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein said delay estimate is included in the assistance data.

12. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the likely location of the user equipment is estimated based on information about the mass center of the coverage area of the station.

13. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the location determination circuitry is further configured to use information about a weighted mass centre.

14. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein average timing advance or round trip time is used in estimation of said delay in transmission of signals from the station to the mobile user equipment.

15. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the likely location is determined based on information of the average location of the mobile user equipment.

16. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the likely location is determined based on at least one signal strength measurement.

17. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the location determination circuitry is further configured to broadcast in a cell information regarding estimated delay in transmission of signals from the base station of the cell to a mobile user equipment in a location within said cell.

18. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the estimated delay in transmission of the signal from the station to the mobile user equipment is determined based on information of at least one further condition regarding the radio propagation conditions of signals transmitted from the station to the mobile user equipment.

3. A system, comprising:

a positioning system comprising entities configured to signal information, the configuration being such that mobile user equipment can receive and use the information from said entities when determining its location;

a station of a communication system configured to transmit information signals to the mobile user equipment;

location estimation means for providing an estimate of the likely location of the mobile user equipment relative the station;

processor means for providing an estimate of the delay between transmission of an information signal from the station and reception of said information signal at the mobile user equipment based on said estimated location; and

location determination means for determining the location of the mobile user equipment based on signals from the entities of the position system, assistance data from the station, said assistance data comprising information about the timing of the positioning system and said estimate of the delay.

4. An apparatus, comprising:

a first receiver means for receiving information signals from entities of a positioning system for use in location determinations by the mobile user equipment;

a second receiver means for receiving signals from a station of a communication system; and

location determination means for determining the location of the mobile user equipment based on signals from the entities of the position system, assistance data signal received from the station, said assistance data comprising information about the timing of the positioning system, and a computed difference between the time of transmission of said assistance data signal from the station and the time of reception of said assistance data signal at the mobile user equipment, said difference being computed based on an estimated likely location of the mobile user equipment relative to the base station.

19. A computer-readable medium having computer executable components configured to implement a method, the method comprising:

determining a likely location of mobile user equipment relative to a station;

determining an estimate of a delay between transmission of a signal from the station and reception of said signal at the mobile user equipment based on the determined likely location;

signaling assistance data from the station to the mobile user equipment, said assistance data comprising information about the timing of a positioning system; and

calculating a more accurate location determination at the user equipment based on signals from the entities of the positioning system, the assistance data and said estimated delay,

wherein the location is determined based on information signaled from entities of a positioning system and assistance data signaled from the station of the communication system.

20. A computer readable medium according to claim 19, wherein the computer executable components are configured to implement the method further comprising a step of transmitting information about the estimated delay from the station to the mobile user equipment.

21. A computer readable medium according to claim 19, wherein the computer executable components are configured to implement the method determining the estimate of the delay at the mobile user equipment.

22. A computer readable medium according to claim 19, wherein the entities of the positioning system comprise at least one satellite.

23. The computer readable medium recited in claim 22, wherein the positioning equipment comprises a global positioning system.

24. The computer readable medium according to claim 19, wherein the delay estimate is used to relate the timing of the positioning system with the time at which the mobile user equipment is likely to receive a certain signal from the communication system.

25. The computer readable medium according to claim 19, wherein the delay estimate is used to relate the timing of the positioning system with the time at which the mobile user equipment is likely to receive the assistance data signal.

26. The computer readable medium according to claim 19, wherein the delay estimate is included in the assistance data.

27. The computer readable medium according to claim 19, wherein the likely location of the user equipment is estimated based on information about the mass center of the coverage area of the station.

28. The computer readable medium according to claim 27, comprising use of information about a weighted mass center.

29. The computer readable medium according to claim 19, wherein average timing advance or round trip time is used in estimation of said delay in transmission of signals from the station to the mobile user equipment.

30. The computer readable medium according to claim 19, wherein the likely location is determined based on information of the average location of the mobile user equipment.

31. A computer readable medium according to claim 19, wherein the likely location is determined based on at least one signal strength measurement.

32. The computer readable medium according to claim 19, comprising broadcasting in a cell information regarding estimated delay in transmission of signals from the base station of the cell to a mobile user equipment in a location within said cell.

33. The computer readable medium according to claim 19, wherein the estimated delay in transmission of the signal from the station to the mobile user equipment is determined based on information of at least one further condition regarding the radio propagation conditions of signals transmitted from the station to the mobile user equipment.