POST-DEPLOYMENT CALIBRATION FOR WIRELESS POSITION DETERMINATION

• US 20100159958A1
• Filed: 12/21/2009
• Published: 06/24/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Guo, Jin, Naguib, Ayman Fawzy, Aggarwal, Alok
• Granted Patent: US 8,768,344 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/457
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/021 Calibration, monitoring or correction G01S5/0252 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0242 Determining the position of transmitters to be subsequently used in positioning G01S5/0289 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/04 Arrangements for maintaining operational condition

Abstract

Methods and apparatuses are directed to calibrating a misconfigured wireless access point. One method may include receiving a position of mobile station(s) and wireless signal model measurements derived from packets exchanged between the mobile station(s) and a plurality of wireless access points, receiving positions and/or identities of the plurality of wireless access points used in determining the position of the mobile station(s), comparing a position of the mobile station(s) with wireless signal model measurements, and identifying a misconfigured wireless access point based upon the comparing. Another method may include receiving positions associated with a plurality of wireless access points, determining a position of a mobile station based upon a wireless signal model, comparing the position of the mobile station and the wireless signal model with the positions associated with the plurality of wireless access points, and determining whether at least one wireless access point is misconfigured.

Claims

1. A method for calibrating a misconfigured wireless access point used for determining a position of a mobile station, comprising:

receiving a position of at least one mobile station and wireless signal model measurements derived from packets exchanged between the at least one mobile station and a plurality of wireless access points;

receiving positions and/or identities of the plurality of wireless access points used in determining the position of the at least one mobile station;

comparing a position of the at least one mobile station with wireless signal model measurements; and

identifying a misconfigured wireless access point based upon the comparing.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

determining a wireless signal model parameter and/or a new position of the misconfigured wireless access point based upon the wireless signal model measurements and positions of a plurality of mobile stations.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the wireless signal model parameter includes time delays and/or signal strength adjustments associated with the misconfigured wireless access point.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein determining the wireless signal model parameter may further comprise determining angle of arrival measurements based upon signals received from the misconfigured wireless access point.

5. The method according to claim 2, further comprising:

determining whether the wireless access point was removed from a network.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising;

determining positions of the plurality of wireless access points from a database and/or an annotated map.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the comparing further comprises:

computing distances between the at least one mobile station and the plurality of wireless access points;

comparing the computed distances and distances based upon at least one wireless signal model; and

combining the comparisons to determine at least one misconfigured wireless access point from the plurality of wireless access points.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the wireless signal model measurements include round trip time (RTT) and/or received signal strength associated with the exchanged packets.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the wireless signal model measurements include angle of arrival information (AoA) associated with the exchanged packets.

10. A method for calibrating a misconfigured wireless access point, comprising:

receiving positions associated with a plurality of wireless access points at a mobile station;

determining a position of the mobile station based upon a wireless signal model;

comparing the position of the mobile station and the wireless signal model with the positions associated with the plurality of wireless access points; and

determining whether at least one wireless access point is misconfigured.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein if a number of wireless access points exceeds three, the method further comprises:

determining a plurality of test positions of the mobile station, wherein each test position is determined based upon removing a different wireless access point from the plurality of wireless access points; and

comparing the plurality of test positions to identify the misconfigured wireless access point.

12. The method according to claim 10, wherein if a number of wireless access points is less than or equal to three, the method further comprises:

providing the position of the mobile station and wireless signal model measurements to a back end network to identify the misconfigured wireless access point.

13. The method according to claim 10, wherein the positions associated with the wireless access points are received over beacon signals provided by the plurality of wireless access points and/or provided by the back end network.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the positions associated with the wireless access points are determined from an annotated map.

15. The method according to claim 10, wherein the wireless signal model measurements include round trip time (RTT), received signal strength and/or angle of arrival (AoA) information associated with exchanged packets.

16. The method according to claim 10, wherein the comparing comprises:

computing distances between the mobile station and the plurality of wireless access points;

comparing the computed distances and distances based upon at least one wireless signal model; and

combining the comparisons to determine at least one misconfigured wireless access point from the plurality of wireless access points.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the comparing further comprises:

determining angle of arrival information of the misconfigured wireless access point as a trigger to initially isolate the position of a misconfigured wireless access point.

18. An apparatus for calibrating a misconfigured wireless access point used for determining a position of a mobile station, comprising:

a wireless transceiver;

a processing unit coupled to the wireless transceiver; and

a memory coupled to the processing unit, wherein the memory stores executable instructions and data for causing the processing unit to;

receive a position of at least one mobile station and wireless signal model measurements derived from packets exchanged between the at least one mobile station and a plurality of wireless access points,

receive positions and/or identities of the plurality of wireless access points used in determining the position of the at least one mobile station,

compare a position of the at least one mobile station with wireless signal model measurements, and

identify a misconfigured wireless access point based upon the comparing.

19. The apparatus according to claim 18, further comprising instructions for causing the processing unit to:

determine a wireless signal model parameter and/or a new position of the misconfigured wireless access point based upon the wireless signal model measurements and positions of a plurality of mobile stations.

20. The apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the wireless signal model parameter includes time delays and/or signal strength adjustments associated with the misconfigured wireless access point.

21. The apparatus according to claim 19, wherein determining the wireless signal model parameter may further comprise instructions for causing the processing unit to determine angle of arrival measurements based upon signals received from the misconfigured wireless access point.

22. The apparatus according to claim 19, further comprising instructions for causing the processing unit to:

determine whether the wireless access point was removed from a network.

23. The apparatus according to claim 18, further comprising instructions for causing the processing unit to:

determine positions of the plurality of wireless access points from a database and/or an annotated map.

24. The apparatus according to claim 18, further comprising instructions for causing the processing unit to:

compute distances between the at least one mobile station and the plurality of wireless access points,

compare the computed distances and distances based upon at least one wireless signal model, and

combine the comparisons to determine at least one misconfigured wireless access point from the plurality of wireless access points.

25. The apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the wireless signal model measurements include round trip time (RTT) and/or received signal strength associated with the exchanged packets.

26. The apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the wireless signal model measurements include angle of arrival information (AoA) associated with the exchanged packets.

27. A mobile station having functionality for calibrating a misconfigured wireless access point, comprising:

a wireless transceiver;

a processing unit coupled to the wireless transceiver; and

a memory coupled to the processing unit, wherein the memory stores executable instructions and data for causing the processing unit to;

receive positions associated with a plurality of wireless access points,

determine a position of the mobile station based upon a wireless signal model,

compare the position of the mobile station and the wireless signal model with the positions associated with the plurality of wireless access points, and

determine whether at least one wireless access point is misconfigured.

28. The mobile station according to claim 27, further comprising instructions for causing the processing unit to:

determine if a number of wireless access points exceeds three,

determine a plurality of test positions of the mobile station, wherein each test position is determined based upon removing a different wireless access point from the plurality of wireless access points, and

compare the plurality of test positions to identify the misconfigured wireless access point.

29. The mobile station according to claim 27, further comprising instructions for causing the processing unit to:

determine if a number of wireless access points is less than or equal to three, and

provide the position of the mobile station and wireless signal model measurements to a back end network to identify the misconfigured wireless access point.

30. The mobile station according to claim 27, wherein the positions associated with the wireless access points are received over beacon signals provided by the plurality of wireless access points and/or provided by the back end network.

31. The mobile station according to 30, wherein the positions associated with the wireless access points are determined from an annotated map.

32. The mobile station according to claim 27, wherein the wireless signal model measurements include round trip time (RTT), received signal strength and/or angle of arrival (AoA) information associated with exchanged packets.

33. The mobile station according to claim 27, wherein the instructions for comparing further comprises instructions for causing the processing unit to:

compute distances between the mobile station and the plurality of wireless access points,

compare the computed distances and distances based upon at least one wireless signal model, and

combine the comparisons to determine at least one misconfigured wireless access point from the plurality of wireless access points.

34. The mobile station according to claim 33, further comprising instructions for causing the processing unit to:

determine an angle of arrival information of the misconfigured wireless access point as a trigger to initially isolate the position of a misconfigured wireless access point.

35. An apparatus for calibrating a misconfigured wireless access point used for determining a position of a mobile station, comprising:

means for receiving a position of at least one mobile station and wireless signal model measurements derived from packets exchanged between the at least one mobile station and a plurality of wireless access points;

means for receiving positions and/or identities of the plurality of wireless access points used in determining the position of the at least one mobile station;

means for comparing a position of the at least one mobile station with wireless signal model measurements; and

means for identifying a misconfigured wireless access point based upon the comparing.

36. The apparatus according to claim 35, further comprising:

means for determining a wireless signal model parameter and/or a new position of the misconfigured wireless access point based upon the wireless signal model measurements and positions of a plurality of mobile stations.

37. The apparatus according to claim 36, wherein the wireless signal model parameter includes time delays and/or signal strength adjustments associated with the misconfigured wireless access point.

38. The apparatus according to claim 36, further comprising means for determining angle of arrival measurements based upon signals received from the misconfigured wireless access point.

39. The apparatus according to claim 35, further comprising:

means for computing distances between the at least one mobile station and the plurality of wireless access points;

means for comparing the computed distances and distances based upon at least one wireless signal model; and

means for combining the comparisons to determine at least one misconfigured wireless access point from the plurality of wireless access points.

40. The apparatus according to claim 35, wherein the wireless signal model measurements include round trip time (RTT) and/or received signal strength associated with the exchanged packets.

41. The apparatus according to claim 35, wherein the wireless signal model measurements include angle of arrival information (AoA) associated with the exchanged packets.

42. A mobile station for calibrating a misconfigured wireless access point, comprising:

means for receiving positions associated with a plurality of wireless access points;

means for determining a position of the mobile station based upon a wireless signal model;

means for comparing the position of the mobile station and the wireless signal model with the positions associated with the plurality of wireless access points; and

means for determining whether at least one wireless access point is misconfigured.

43. The mobile station according to claim 42, further comprising:

means for determining whether a number of wireless access points exceeds three;

means for determining a plurality of test positions of the mobile station, wherein each test position is determined based upon removing a different wireless access point from the plurality of wireless access points; and

means for comparing the plurality of test positions to identify the misconfigured wireless access point.

44. The mobile station according to claim 42, wherein the positions associated with the wireless access points are received over beacon signals provided by the plurality of wireless access points and/or provided by the back end network.

45. The mobile station according to claim 44, wherein the positions associated with the wireless access points are determined from an annotated map.

46. The mobile station according to claim 42, wherein the wireless signal model measurements include round trip time (RTT), received signal strength and/or angle of arrival (AoA) information associated with exchanged packets.

47. The mobile station according to claim 42, further comprising:

means for computing distances between the mobile station and the plurality of wireless access points;

means for comparing the computed distances and distances based upon at least one wireless signal model; and

means for combining the comparisons to determine at least one misconfigured wireless access point from the plurality of wireless access points.

48. The mobile station according to claim 47, further comprising:

means for determining angle of arrival information of the misconfigured wireless access point as a trigger to initially isolate the position of a misconfigured wireless access point.

49. A machine-readable medium comprising instructions, which, when executed by a machine, cause the machine to perform operations, the instructions comprising:

instructions to receive a position of at least one mobile station and wireless signal model measurements derived from packets exchanged between the at least one mobile station and a plurality of wireless access points;

instructions to receive positions and/or identities of the plurality of wireless access points used in determining the position of the at least one mobile station;

instructions to compare a position of the at least one mobile station with wireless signal model measurements; and

instructions to identify a misconfigured wireless access point based upon the comparing.

50. A machine-readable medium comprising instructions, which, when executed by a machine, cause the machine to perform operations, the instructions comprising:

instructions to receive positions associated with a plurality of wireless access points;

instructions to determine a position of a mobile station based upon a wireless signal model;

instructions to compare the position of the mobile station and the wireless signal model with the positions associated with the plurality of wireless access points; and

instructions to determine whether at least one wireless access point is misconfigured.