Methods and Apparatuses For Requesting/Providing Sensitivity Assistance Information Associated with Various Satellite Positioning Systems in Wireless Communication Networks

• US 20100013702A1
• Filed: 07/10/2009
• Published: 01/21/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Rowich, Douglas Neal, Lin, Ie-Hong, Fischer, Sven
• Granted Patent: US 8,358,243 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 342/357.430
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/05 providing aiding data
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/09 providing processing capability normally carried out by the receiver
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/246 involving long acquisition integration times, extended snapshots of signals or methods specifically directed towards weak signal acquisition

Abstract

Methods and apparatuses are provided for use by devices within a wireless communication network to request and/or provide sensitivity assistance information signals associated with one or more Satellite Positioning Systems (SPSs).

Claims

1. A method for use in a wireless communication network, the method comprising:

sending one or more format modified Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) sensitivity assistance (SA) information signals over a communication link from a location server operatively enabled to provide position location assistance to a mobile station.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said one or more format modified GNSS SA information signals represent a portion of one or more corresponding native formatted GNSS SA information signals associated with a selected GNSS resource.

3. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein said one or more native formatted GNSS SA information signals comprise preamble information signals and said one or more format modified GNSS SA information signals do not comprise said preamble information signals.

4. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein said one or more native formatted GNSS SA information signals comprise at least one encoded information signal, and said one or more format modified GNSS SA information signals do not comprise said encoded information signal.

5. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein said one or more native formatted GNSS SA information signals comprise time mark information signals and said one or more format modified GNSS SA information signals do not comprise said time mark information signals.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

establishing said one or more format modified GNSS SA information signals.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said one or more format modified GNSS SA information signals is transmitted via at least one Position Determination Data Message (PDDM).

8. The method as recited in claim 7, further comprising:

sending said one or more format modified GNSS SA information signals in a provide element of said at least one PDDM.

9. The method as recited in claim 7, further comprising sending said at least one PDDM unsolicited.

10. The method as recited in claim 7, further comprising:

sending said one or more format modified GNSS SA information signals in response to said location server receiving at least one soliciting PDDM from said mobile station, said at least one soliciting PDDM comprising request element signals.

11. The method as recited in claim 10, wherein said request element signals comprise an indicator signal identifying said one or more format modified GNSS SA information signals.

12. The method as recited in claim 10, wherein said request element signals comprise an indicator signal identifying a selected GNSS resource.

13. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said one or more format modified GNSS SA information signals are associated with at least one GNSS resource comprising at least one of a GPS resource, an SBAS resource, a QZSS resource, a GLONASS resource, a Galileo resource, and/or a Compass/BeiDou resource.

14. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said one or more format modified GNSS SA information signals are associated with at least one of a GNSS signal, a GNSS signal band, a Satellite Positioning System (SPS) signal, and/or a satellite vehicle (SV).

15. A method for use in a wireless communication network, the method comprising:

with a mobile station;

receiving one or more format modified Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) sensitivity assistance (SA) information signals over a communication link from a location server operatively enabled to provide position location assistance to said mobile station; and

based, at least in part, on said one or more format modified GNSS SA information signals,

attempting to acquire at least one GNSS signal.

16. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein said one or more format modified GNSS SA information signals represent a portion of one or more corresponding native formatted GNSS SA information signals associated with a selected GNSS resource.

17. The method as recited in claim 16, wherein said one or more native formatted GNSS SA information signals comprise preamble information signals and said one or more format modified GNSS SA information signals do not comprise said preamble information signals.

18. The method as recited in claim 16, wherein said one or more native formatted GNSS SA information signals comprise at least one encoded information signal, and said one or more format modified GNSS SA information signals do not comprise said encoded information signal.

19. The method as recited in claim 16, wherein said one or more native formatted GNSS SA information signals comprise time mark information signals and said one or more format modified GNSS SA information signals do not comprise said time mark information signals.

20. The method as recited in claim 15, further comprising:

establishing one or more native formatted GNSS SA information signals corresponding to said received one or more format modified GNSS SA information signals, based at least in part, on at least a portion of said one or more native formatted GNSS SA information signals.

21. The method as recited in claim 20, further comprising:

establishing said one or more native formatted GNSS SA information signals corresponding to said received one or more format modified GNSS SA information signals, based at least in part, on at least one reference time signal.

22. The method as recited in claim 20, further comprising:

establishing at least one encoded information signal in said one or more native formatted GNSS SA information signals corresponding to said received one or more format modified GNSS SA information signals, based at least in part, on at least a portion of said one or more format modified GNSS SA information signals.

23. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein said one or more format modified GNSS SA information signals is received via at least one Position Determination Data Message (PDDM).

24. The method as recited in claim 23, further comprising:

receiving said one or more format modified GNSS SA information signals in a provide element of said at least one PDDM.

25. The method as recited in claim 23, further comprising:

sending at least one soliciting PDDM from said mobile station to said location server, said at least one soliciting PDDM comprising request element signals.

26. The method as recited in claim 25, wherein said request element signals comprise an indicator signal identifying said one or more format modified GNSS SA information signals.

27. The method as recited in claim 25, wherein said request element signals comprise an indicator signal identifying a selected GNSS resource.

28. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein said one or more format modified GNSS SA information signals are associated with at least one GNSS resource comprising at least one of a GPS resource, an SBAS resource, a QZSS resource, a GLONASS resource, a Galileo resource, and/or a Compass/BeiDou resource.

29. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein said one or more format modified GNSS SA information signals are associated with at least one of a GNSS signal, a GNSS signal band, a Satellite Positioning System (SPS) signal, and/or a satellite vehicle (SV).

30. A method for use in a wireless communication network, the method comprising:

with a mobile station, transmitting one or more signals representing at least one message over a communication link to a location server operatively enabled to provide position location assistance to said mobile station, said at least one message comprising at least one format indicator selectively requesting one or more Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) sensitivity assistance (SA) information signals in a modified format.

31. The method as recited in claim 30, wherein, when in said modified format, said one or more GNSS SA information signals represent a portion of said one or more GNSS SA information signals in a native format.

32. The method as recited in claim 30, wherein, when in said modified format, said one or more GNSS SA information signals do not comprise at least one of preamble information signals, encoded information signals, and/or time mark information signals.

33. The method as recited in claim 30, wherein said at least one message comprises an indicator identifying a selected GNSS resource.

34. The method as recited in claim 30, wherein said one or more GNSS SA information signals are associated with at least one GNSS resource comprising at least one of a GPS resource, an SBAS resource, a QZSS resource, a GLONASS resource, a Galileo resource, and/or a Compass/BeiDou resource.

35. The method as recited in claim 30, wherein said one or more format modified GNSS SA information signals are associated with at least one of a GNSS signal, a GNSS signal band, a Satellite Positioning System (SPS) signal, and/or a satellite vehicle (SV).

36. An apparatus for use in providing position location assistance to a mobile station within a wireless communication network, the apparatus comprising:

means for establishing one or more format modified Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) sensitivity assistance (SA) information signals; and

means for sending said one or more format modified GNSS SA information signals via at least one message to said mobile station.

37. The apparatus as recited in claim 36, wherein said one or more format modified GNSS SA information signals represent a portion of one or more corresponding native formatted GNSS SA information signals associated with a selected GNSS resource.

38. The apparatus as recited in claim 37, wherein said one or more native formatted GNSS SA information signals comprise preamble information signals and said one or more format modified GNSS SA information signals do not comprise said preamble information signals.

39. The apparatus as recited in claim 37, wherein said one or more native formatted GNSS SA information signals comprise at least one encoded information signal, and said one or more format modified GNSS SA information signals do not comprise said encoded information signal.

40. The apparatus as recited in claim 37, wherein said one or more native formatted GNSS SA information signals comprise time mark information signals and said one or more format modified GNSS SA information signals do not comprise said time mark information signals.

41. The apparatus as recited in claim 37, further comprising:

means for establishing said one or more format modified GNSS SA information signals based at least in part on said one or more native formatted GNSS SA information signals.

42. The apparatus as recited in claim 36, further comprising:

means for receiving at least one soliciting message from said mobile station, said at least one soliciting message comprising request element signals identifying at least one of said one or more format modified GNSS SA information signals, and/or a selected GNSS resource.

43. The apparatus as recited in claim 36, wherein said one or more format modified GNSS SA information signals are associated with at least one GNSS resource comprising at least one of a GPS resource, an SBAS resource, a QZSS resource, a GLONASS resource, a Galileo resource, and/or a Compass/BeiDou resource.

44. An apparatus for use in a mobile station operatively enabled to receive position location assistance within a wireless communication network, the apparatus comprising:

means for receiving at least one message, from a location server, said at least one message comprising one or more format modified Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) sensitivity assistance (SA) information signals; and

means for acquiring at least one GNSS signal based at least in part on at least a portion of said one or more received GNSS SA information signals.

45. The apparatus as recited in claim 44, further comprising:

means for establishing one or more native formatted GNSS SA information signals corresponding to said received one or more format modified GNSS SA information signals, based at least in part, on at least a portion of said one or more native formatted GNSS SA information signals; and

wherein said means for acquiring said at least one GNSS signal based at least in part on at least said portion of said one or more received GNSS SA information signals comprises means for acquiring said at least one GNSS signal based at least in part on at least a portion of said one or more established native formatted GNSS SA information signals.

46. The apparatus as recited in claim 44, wherein said one or more format modified GNSS SA information signals represent a portion of one or more corresponding native formatted GNSS SA information signals associated with a selected GNSS resource.

47. The apparatus as recited in claim 46, wherein said one or more native formatted GNSS SA information signals comprise preamble information signals and said one or more format modified GNSS SA information signals do not comprise said preamble information signals.

48. The apparatus as recited in claim 46, wherein said one or more native formatted GNSS SA information signals comprise at least one encoded information signal and said one or more format modified GNSS SA information signals do not comprise said encoded information signal.

49. The apparatus as recited in claim 46, wherein said one or more native formatted GNSS SA information signals comprise time mark information signals and said one or more format modified GNSS SA information signals do not comprise said time mark information signals.

50. The apparatus as recited in claim 45, further comprising:

means for establishing said one or more native formatted GNSS SA information signals corresponding to said received one or more format modified GNSS SA information signals, based at least in part, on at least one reference time signal.

51. The apparatus as recited in claim 45, further comprising:

means for establishing at least one encoded information signal in said one or more native formatted GNSS SA information signals corresponding to said received one or more format modified GNSS SA information signals, based at least in part, on at least a portion of said one or more format modified GNSS SA information signals.

52. The apparatus as recited in claim 44, further comprising:

means for sending at least one soliciting message to said location server, said at least one soliciting message comprising request element signals identifying at least one of said one or more format modified GNSS SA information signals, and/or a selected GNSS resource.

53. The apparatus as recited in claim 44, wherein said one or more format modified GNSS SA information signals are associated with at least one GNSS resource comprising at least one of a GPS resource, an SBAS resource, a QZSS resource, a GLONASS resource, a Galileo resource, and/or a Compass/BeiDou resource.

54. A location server apparatus for use in providing position location assistance to a mobile station within a wireless communication network, the location server apparatus comprising:

a signal processor operatively enabled to establish one or more format modified Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) sensitivity assistance (SA) information signals based at least in part on one or more received GNSS signals; and

a transmitter operatively coupled to at least said signal processor and operatively enabled to send at least a portion of said one or more format modified GNSS SA information signals via at least one message to said mobile station.

55. The location server apparatus as recited in claim 54, wherein said one or more format modified GNSS SA information signals represent a portion of one or more corresponding native formatted GNSS SA information signals associated with a selected GNSS resource.

56. The location server apparatus as recited in claim 55, wherein said one or more native formatted GNSS SA information signals comprise preamble information signals and said one or more format modified GNSS SA information signals do not comprise said preamble information signals.

57. The location server apparatus as recited in claim 55, wherein said one or more native formatted GNSS SA information signals comprise at least one encoded information signal, and said one or more format modified GNSS SA information signals do not comprise said encoded information signal.

58. The location server apparatus as recited in claim 55, wherein said one or more native formatted GNSS SA information signals comprise time mark information signals and said one or more format modified GNSS SA information signals do not comprise said time mark information signals.

59. The location server apparatus as recited in claim 54, further comprising:

a receiver for receiving at least one soliciting message sent by said mobile station, said at least one soliciting message comprising request element signals identifying at least one of said one or more format modified GNSS SA information signals, and/or a selected GNSS resource.

60. The location server apparatus as recited in claim 54, wherein said one or more format modified GNSS SA information signals are associated with at least one GNSS resource comprising at least one of a GPS resource, an SBAS resource, a QZSS resource, a GLONASS resource, a Galileo resource, and/or a Compass/BeiDou resource.

61. A specific apparatus for use in a mobile station operatively enabled to receive position location assistance within a wireless communication network, the specific apparatus comprising:

a wireless communication network interface operatively enabled to receive at least one message, from a location server, said at least one message comprising one or more format modified Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) sensitivity assistance (SA) information signals; and

a Satellite Positioning System (SPS) receiver operatively enabled to selectively acquire GNSS signals based at least in part on said one or more format modified GNSS SA information signals.

62. The specific apparatus as recited in claim 61, further comprising:

a signal processor operatively enabled to establish one or more native formatted GNSS SA information signals corresponding to said one or more format modified GNSS SA information signals; and

wherein said SPS receiver is operatively enabled to selectively acquire GNSS signals based at least in part on said one or more established native formatted GNSS SA information signals.

63. The specific apparatus as recited in claim 61, wherein said one or more format modified GNSS SA information signals represent a portion of one or more corresponding native formatted GNSS SA information signals associated with a selected GNSS resource.

64. The specific apparatus as recited in claim 63, wherein said one or more native formatted GNSS SA information signals comprise preamble information signals and said one or more format modified GNSS SA information signals do not comprise said preamble information signals.

65. The specific apparatus as recited in claim 63, wherein said one or more native formatted GNSS SA information signals comprise at least one encoded information signal, and said one or more format modified GNSS SA information signals do not comprise said encoded information signal.

66. The specific apparatus as recited in claim 63, wherein said one or more native formatted GNSS SA information signals comprise time mark information signals and said one or more format modified GNSS SA information signals do not comprise said time mark information signals.

67. The specific apparatus as recited in claim 62, wherein said signal processor is operatively enabled to establish said one or more native formatted GNSS SA information signals, based at least in part, on at least one reference time signal.

68. The specific apparatus as recited in claim 62, wherein said signal processor is operatively enabled to establish at least one encoded information signal in said one or more native formatted GNSS SA information signals corresponding to said received one or more format modified GNSS SA information signals, based at least in part, on at least a portion of said one or more format modified GNSS SA information signals.

69. The specific apparatus as recited in claim 61, wherein said wireless communication network interface is operatively enabled to send at least one soliciting message to said location server, said at least one soliciting message comprising request element signals identifying at least one of said one or more format modified GNSS SA information signals, and/or a selected GNSS resource.

70. The specific apparatus as recited in claim 61, wherein said one or more format modified GNSS SA information signals are associated with at least one GNSS resource comprising at least one of a GPS resource, an SBAS resource, a QZSS resource, a GLONASS resource, a Galileo resource, and/or a Compass/BeiDou resource.

71. A specific apparatus for use in a mobile station operatively enabled to receive position location assistance within a wireless communication network, the specific apparatus comprising:

a wireless communication network interface operatively enabled to transmit one or more signals representing at least one message over a communication link to a location server operatively enabled to provide position location assistance to said mobile station, said at least one message comprising at least one format indicator selectively requesting one or more Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) sensitivity assistance (SA) information signals in a native format or a modified format.

72. The specific apparatus as recited in claim 71, wherein, when in said modified format, said one or more GNSS SA information signals represent a portion of said one or more GNSS SA information signals in said native format.

73. The specific apparatus as recited in claim 71, wherein, when in said modified format, said one or more GNSS SA information signals do not comprise at least one of preamble information signals, encoded information signals, and/or time mark information signals.

74. The specific apparatus as recited in claim 71, wherein said at least one message comprises an indicator identifying a selected GNSS resource.

75. The specific apparatus as recited in claim 71, wherein said one or more GNSS SA information signals are associated with at least one GNSS resource comprising at least one of a GPS resource, an SBAS resource, a QZSS resource, a GLONASS resource, a Galileo resource, and/or a Compass/BeiDou resource.

76. The specific apparatus as recited in claim 71, wherein said one or more format modified GNSS SA information signals are associated with at least one of a GNSS signal, a GNSS signal band, a Satellite Positioning System (SPS) signal, and/or a satellite vehicle (SV).

77. An article comprising:

a computer readable medium having computer implementable instructions stored thereon which if implemented by one or more processing units in a specific apparatus operatively enable the specific apparatus to;

establish one or more format modified Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) sensitivity assistance (SA) information signals based, at least in part, on one or more received GNSS signals; and

initiate transmission of said one or more format modified GNSS SA information signals over a communication link to a mobile station, said one or more format modified GNSS SA information signals being transmitted via at least one message.

78. The article as recited in claim 77, wherein one or more native formatted GNSS SA information signals corresponding to said one or more format modified GNSS SA information signals comprise preamble information signals and said one or more format modified GNSS SA information signals do not comprise said preamble information signals.

79. The article as recited in claim 77, wherein one or more native formatted GNSS SA information signals corresponding to said one or more format modified GNSS SA information signals comprise at least one encoded information signal, and said one or more format modified GNSS SA information signals do not comprise said encoded information signal.

80. The article as recited in claim 77, wherein one or more native formatted GNSS SA information signals corresponding to said one or more format modified GNSS SA information signals comprise time mark information signals and said one or more format modified GNSS SA information signals do not comprise said time mark information signals.

81. The article as recited in claim 77, further comprising computer implementable instructions which if implemented by the one or more processing units operatively enable the specific apparatus to:

access at least one soliciting message from said mobile station, said at least one soliciting message comprising request element signals having at least one indicator signal identifying at least one of said one or more format modified GNSS SA information signals and/or a selected GNSS resource.

82. The article as recited in claim 77, wherein said one or more format modified GNSS SA information signals are associated with at least one GNSS resource comprising at least one of a GPS resource, an SBAS resource, a QZSS resource, a GLONASS resource, a Galileo resource, and/or a Compass/BeiDou resource.

83. The article as recited in claim 77, wherein said one or more format modified GNSS SA information signals are associated with at least one of a GNSS signal, a GNSS signal band, a Satellite Positioning System (SPS) signal, and/or a satellite vehicle (SV).

84. An article comprising:

a computer readable medium having computer implementable instructions stored thereon which if implemented by one or more processing units in a specific apparatus operatively enable the specific apparatus to;

access at least one message from a location server, said at least one message comprising one or more format modified Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) sensitivity assistance (SA) information signals; and

provide at least a portion of said one or more GNSS SA information signals to a receiver operatively enabled to acquire at least one GNSS signal based at least in part on at least said portion of said one or more received GNSS SA information signals.

85. The article as recited in claim 84, wherein one or more native formatted GNSS SA information signals corresponding to said one or more format modified GNSS SA information signals comprise preamble information signals and said one or more format modified GNSS SA information signals do not comprise said preamble information signals.

86. The article as recited in claim 84, wherein one or more native formatted GNSS SA information signals corresponding to said one or more format modified GNSS SA information signals comprise at least one encoded information signal, and said one or more format modified GNSS SA information signals do not comprise said encoded information signal.

87. The article as recited in claim 84, wherein one or more native formatted GNSS SA information signals corresponding to said one or more format modified GNSS SA information signals comprise time mark information signals and said one or more format modified GNSS SA information signals do not comprise said time mark information signals.

88. The article as recited in claim 84, further comprising computer implementable instructions which if implemented by the one or more processing units operatively enable the specific apparatus to:

establish one or more native formatted GNSS SA information signals based, at least in part, on at least portion of said one or more format modified GNSS SA information signals and at least one reference time signal.

89. The article as recited in claim 84, further comprising computer implementable instructions which if implemented by the one or more processing units operatively enable the specific apparatus to:

establish at least one encoded information signal within one or more native formatted GNSS SA information signals based, at least in part, on at least a portion of said one or more format modified GNSS SA information signals.

90. The article as recited in claim 84, further comprising computer implementable instructions which if implemented by the one or more processing units operatively enable the specific apparatus to:

initiate transmission of at least one soliciting message to said location server, said at least one soliciting message comprising request element signals identifying at least one of said one or more format modified GNSS SA information signals, and/or a selected GNSS resource.

91. The article as recited in claim 84, wherein said one or more format modified GNSS SA information signals are associated with at least one GNSS resource comprising at least one of a GPS resource, an SBAS resource, a QZSS resource, a GLONASS resource, a Galileo resource, and/or a Compass/BeiDou resource.

92. An article comprising:

a computer readable medium having computer implementable instructions stored thereon which if implemented by one or more processing units in a specific apparatus operatively enable the specific apparatus to;

initiate transmission of one or more signals representing at least one message over a communication link to a location server, said at least one message comprising at least one format indicator selectively requesting one or more Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) sensitivity assistance (SA) information signals in a native format or a modified format.

93. The article as recited in claim 92, wherein, when in said modified format, said one or more GNSS SA information signals represent a portion of said one or more GNSS SA information signals in said native format.

94. The article as recited in claim 92, wherein, when in said modified format, said one or more GNSS SA information signals do not comprise at least one of preamble information signals, encoded information signals, and/or time mark information signals.

95. The article as recited in claim 92, wherein said at least one message comprises an indicator identifying a selected GNSS resource.

96. The article as recited in claim 92, wherein said one or more GNSS SA information signals are associated with at least one GNSS resource comprising at least one of a GPS resource, an SBAS resource, a QZSS resource, a GLONASS resource, a Galileo resource, and/or a Compass/BeiDou resource.

97. The article as recited in claim 92, wherein said one or more format modified GNSS SA information signals are associated with at least one of a GNSS signal, a GNSS signal band, a Satellite Positioning System (SPS) signal, and/or a satellite vehicle (SV).