CONTROLLING GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION INFORMATION OF DEVICES OPERATING IN WIRELESS COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS

• US 20100304760A1
• Filed: 07/02/2010
• Published: 12/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Gogic, Aleksandar M.
• Granted Patent: US 8,364,118 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.2
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0009 Transmission of position information to remote stations involving assistance data G01S5/0236
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/021 Calibration, monitoring or correction G01S5/0252 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/006 with additional information processing, e.g. for direction or speed determination

Abstract

Methods and apparatus are presented herein for controlling the degree of precision with which geographic information is reported to a requesting entity. A precise geographic location is used to determine an adjusted geographic location, which is then transmitted to the requesting entity rather than the precise geographic location.

Claims

1. A method of providing location information to a requesting entity comprising:

accessing precision information associated with the requesting entity;

receiving location information from a mobile station, the location information indicating a position of the mobile station with a first precision;

determining a first parameter indicative of a first location characteristic of the mobile station using the received location information;

determining a second parameter indicative of a second location characteristic of the mobile station using the received location information;

rounding the first parameter based on the precision information associated with the requesting entity to generate a rounded first parameter;

rounding the second parameter based on the precision information associated with the requesting entity to generate a rounded second parameter; and

transmitting a diluted position of the mobile station determined using the rounded first parameter and the rounded second parameter, wherein the diluted position of the mobile station is an accurate position with a second precision less than the first position.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving the precision information from the mobile station.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first location characteristic comprises a longitude of the mobile station.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the second location characteristic comprises a latitude of the mobile station.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining an area of overlap as a region with a detectable difference in the diluted position of the mobile station for the precision information associated with the requesting entity; and

wherein the transmitting the diluted position of the mobile station comprises, if the mobile station is in the area of overlap, suspending transmission of the diluted position of the mobile station until the mobile station is no longer in the area of overlap.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the precision information associated with the requesting entity is indicative of a precision insufficient for the requesting entity to send unwanted transmissions.

7. An apparatus comprising:

memory; and

a processor, wherein the processor is configured to;

access precision information associated with a requesting entity;

access received location information from a mobile station, the location information indicating a position of the mobile station with a first precision;

determine a first parameter indicative of a first location characteristic of the mobile station using the received location information;

determine a second parameter indicative of a second location characteristic of the mobile station using the received location information;

round the first parameter based on the precision information associated with the requesting entity to generate a rounded first parameter;

round the second parameter based on the precision information associated with the requesting entity to generate a rounded second parameter;

determine a diluted position of the mobile station using the rounded first parameter and the rounded second parameter, wherein the diluted position of the mobile station is an accurate position with a second precision less than the first position; and

initiate transmission of a diluted position of the mobile station determined.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the apparatus further comprises a communication antenna to receive information from the mobile station, and wherein the apparatus is configured to receive the precision information from the mobile station and to store the precision information in the memory.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the first location characteristic comprises a longitude of the mobile station.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the second location characteristic comprises a latitude of the mobile station.

11. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the processor is further configured to:

determine an area of overlap as a region with a detectable difference in the diluted position of the mobile station for the precision information associated with the requesting entity; and

if the mobile station is in the area of overlap, suspend transmission of the diluted position of the mobile station until the mobile station is no longer in the area of overlap.

12. An apparatus comprising:

means for accessing precision information associated with the requesting entity;

means for receiving location information from a mobile station, the location information indicating a position of the mobile station with a first precision;

means for determining a first parameter indicative of a first location characteristic of the mobile station using the received location information;

means for determining a second parameter indicative of a second location characteristic of the mobile station using the received location information;

means for rounding the first parameter based on the precision information associated with the requesting entity to generate a rounded first parameter;

means for rounding the second parameter based on the precision information associated with the requesting entity to generate a rounded second parameter; and

means for transmitting a diluted position of the mobile station determined using the rounded first parameter and the rounded second parameter, wherein the diluted position of the mobile station is an accurate position with a second precision less than the first position.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising means for receiving the precision information from the mobile station.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the first location characteristic comprises a longitude of the mobile station.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the second location characteristic comprises a latitude of the mobile station.

16. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising:

means for determining an area of overlap as a region with a detectable difference in the diluted position of the mobile station for the precision information associated with the requesting entity; and

wherein the means for transmitting the diluted position of the mobile station comprises means for suspending transmission of the diluted position of the mobile station until the mobile station is no longer in the area of overlap if the mobile station is in the area of overlap.

17. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the precision information associated with the requesting entity is indicative of a precision insufficient for the requesting entity to send unwanted transmissions.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the unwanted transmissions comprise advertisements.

19. A computer readable medium comprising instructions stored in memory, the instructions to cause one or more machines to perform operations comprising:

accessing precision information associated with a requesting entity;

accessing received location information from a mobile station, the location information indicating a position of the mobile station with a first precision;

determining a first parameter indicative of a first location characteristic of the mobile station using the received location information;

determining a second parameter indicative of a second location characteristic of the mobile station using the received location information;

rounding the first parameter based on the precision information associated with the requesting entity to generate a rounded first parameter;

rounding the second parameter based on the precision information associated with the requesting entity to generate a rounded second parameter;

determining a diluted position of the mobile station using the rounded first parameter and the rounded second parameter, wherein the diluted position of the mobile station is an accurate position with a second precision less than the first position; and

initiating transmission of a diluted position of the mobile station determined.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 19, wherein the operations further comprise receiving the precision information from the mobile station and to store the precision information in the memory.

21. The computer readable medium of claim 19, wherein the first location characteristic comprises a longitude of the mobile station.

22. The computer readable medium of claim 21, wherein the second location characteristic comprises a latitude of the mobile station.

23. A method for selectively transmitting a target location to a requesting entity, comprising:

determining the target location;

determining a distance value associated with the target location; and

if the target location is a location that is greater than or equal to the distance value away from a previous location, then transmitting the target location to the requesting entity.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

if the target location is a location that is less than the distance value away from a previous location, then determining a second distance value associated with the target location; and

if the target location is a location that is greater than or equal to the second distance value away from a waypoint, then transmitting the target location to the requesting entity.

25. A method for selectively transmitting a target location to a requesting entity, comprising:

determining the target location;

determining a distance value associated with the target location; and

if the target location is a location that is greater than or equal to the distance value away from a waypoint, then transmitting the target location to the requesting entity.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

if the target location is a location that is less than the distance value away from a waypoint, then determining a second distance value associated with the target location; and

if the target location is a location that is greater than or equal to the second distance value away from a previous location, then transmitting the target location to the requesting entity

27. A method for selectively transmitting a target location to a requesting entity, comprising:

determining the target location;

determining a speed of the target;

determining a predetermined speed limit of the target in accordance with the target location; and

if the speed of the target exceeds the predetermined speed limit of the target, then transmitting the target location to the requesting entity.

28. A method for selectively transmitting a target location to a requesting entity, comprising:

determining the target location;

determining whether the target location is located in an area with peak capacity loads or in an area with off-peak capacity loads;

if the target location is located in an area with peak capacity loads, then transmitting the target location at a reduced rate; and

if the target location is located in an area with off-peak capacity loads, then transmitting the target location at a normal or an increased rate.

29. A method for determining when to transmit a target location to a requesting entity, comprising:

determining whether a first threshold value associated with a distance-based reporting scheme has been crossed;

determining whether a second threshold value associated with a waypoint-based reporting scheme has been crossed; and

if the first threshold value or the second threshold value has been crossed, then transmitting the target location to the requesting entity.

30. The method of claim 29, further comprising:

determining whether a third threshold value associated with a proximity-based reporting scheme has been crossed; and

if the third threshold value is crossed, then transmitting the target location to the requesting entity.

31. The method of claim 30, further comprising:

determining whether a fourth threshold value associated with a speed-based reporting scheme has been crossed; and

if the fourth threshold value is crossed, then transmitting the target location to the requesting entity.

32. An apparatus for determining when to transmit a target location to a requesting entity, comprising:

means for determining whether a first threshold value associated with a distance-based reporting scheme has been crossed;

means for determining whether a second threshold value associated with a waypoint-based reporting scheme has been crossed;

means for determining whether a third threshold value associated with a proximity-based reporting scheme has been crossed;

means for determining whether a fourth threshold value associated with a speed-based reporting scheme has been crossed; and

means for transmitting the target location to the requesting entity if the first threshold value, the second threshold value, the third threshold value, or the fourth threshold value has been crossed.