Trajectory-Based Location Determination

• US 20100331010A1
• Filed: 01/18/2010
• Published: 12/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Rowitch, Douglas Neal, Sheynblat, Leonid, Ische, Marc A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,792,903 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/005 with correlation of navigation data from several sources, e.g. map or contour matching G01C21/30 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/49 whereby the further system is an inertial position system, e.g. loosely-coupled
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/50 whereby the position solution is constrained to lie upon a particular curve or surface, e.g. for locomotives on railway tracks
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/02 using radio waves using satellite radio beacon systems for determining position G01S19/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/02585 at least one of the measurements being a non-radio measurement
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0264 at least one of the systems being a non-radio wave positioning system
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/02695 Constraining the position to lie on a curve or surface
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0294 Trajectory determination or predictive filtering, e.g. target tracking or Kalman filtering

Abstract

The subject matter disclosed herein relates to determining a location of a mobile device using an estimated trajectory of motion of the mobile device, and in particular, using a comparison of the estimated trajectory with one or more predetermined candidate trajectories.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

estimating a three dimensional trajectory of motion of a mobile device based at least in part on three dimensional sensor measurements performed by at least one sensor at said mobile device; and

estimating a location of said mobile device based at least in part on a comparison of said estimated three dimensional trajectory with one or more predetermined candidate three dimensional trajectories.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

obtaining externally-sourced (ES) position information for said mobile device; and

using said ES position information to reduce a number of said one or more predetermined candidate three dimensional trajectories.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said ES position information is based, at least in part, on Near-Field Communication (NFC) signals, WiFi signals, Bluetooth signals, Ultra-Wideband (UWB) signals, Wide Area Network (WAN) signals, digital TV signals, and/or cell tower ID.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

storing said obtained ES position information during at least a portion of time when said mobile device is located where said ES position information is not available.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein said ES position information is based at least in part on acquisition of one or more satellite positioning system signals at the mobile device.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein said ES position information is based at least in part on user input.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said three dimensional trajectory of motion of said mobile device is in an RF environment that does not enable acquisition of satellite position system signals.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said three dimensional trajectory of motion of said mobile device is in an RF environment that does not enable receipt of location information via wireless communications from outside said RF environment.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising measuring said three dimensional trajectory of motion of said mobile device using an accelerometer, compass, pressure sensor, and/or a gyro.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said comparison of said estimated three dimensional trajectory with said one or more predetermined candidate three dimensional trajectories includes a least square fit analysis.

11. A mobile device comprising:

a sensor to measure motion of said mobile device;

a processor to estimate a three dimensional trajectory of said mobile device based at least in part on said measured motion; and

a memory to store one or more predetermined candidate trajectories, wherein said processor is adapted to estimate a location of said mobile device based, at least in part on a comparison of said estimated three dimensional trajectory with said one or more predetermined candidate three dimensional trajectories.

12. The mobile device of claim 11, further comprising a receiver adapted to operate in an RF environment to:

acquire one or more satellite positioning system (SPS) signals; and

obtain externally-sourced (ES) position information based, at least in part, on Near-Field Communication (NFC) signals, WiFi signals, Bluetooth signals, Ultra-Wideband (UWB) signals, Wide Area Network (WAN) signals, digital TV signals, and/or cell tower ID.

13. The mobile device of claim 12, wherein said processor is adapted to reduce a number of said one or more predetermined candidate three dimensional trajectories based at least in part on said ES position information.

14. The mobile device of claim 11, wherein said mobile device is adapted to

receive ES position information for said mobile device from user input, and

reduce a number of said one or more predetermined candidate three dimensional trajectories based at least in part on said ES position information.

15. The mobile device of claim 11, wherein said motion of said mobile device is in an RF environment that does not support satellite position system signals and wireless communications to said mobile device.

16. The mobile device of claim 11, further comprising measuring said three dimensional trajectory of motion of said mobile device using an accelerometer, compass, pressure sensor, and/or a gyro.

17. An article comprising:

a storage medium comprising machine-readable instructions stored thereon which, if executed by a computing platform, are adapted to enable said computing platform to;

estimate a three dimensional trajectory of motion of a mobile device based at least in part on sensor measurements taken at said mobile device; and

estimate a location of said mobile device based at least in part on a comparison of said estimated three dimensional trajectory with one or more predetermined candidate three dimensional trajectories.

18. The article of claim 17, wherein said instructions, if executed by said computing platform, are further adapted to enable said computing platform to:

obtain externally-sourced (ES) position information for said mobile device; and

use said ES position information to reduce a number of said one or more predetermined candidate three dimensional trajectories.

19. The article of claim 18, wherein said ES position information is based, at least in part, on Near-Field Communication (NFC) signals, WiFi signals, Bluetooth signals, Ultra-Wideband (UWB) signals, Wide Area Network (WAN) signals, digital TV signals, and/or cell tower ID.

20. The article of claim 18, further comprising:

storing said obtained ES position information during at least a portion of time when said mobile device is located where said ES position information is not available.

21. The article of claim 18, wherein said ES position information is based at least in part on acquisition of one or more satellite positioning system signals at the mobile device.

22. The article of claim 17, wherein said three dimensional trajectory of motion of said mobile device occurs in an RF environment that does not enable acquisition of satellite position system signals.

23. The article of claim 17, wherein said three dimensional trajectory of motion of said mobile device occurs in an RF environment that does not enable receipt of location information via wireless communications from outside said RF environment.

24. The article of claim 17, wherein said instructions, if executed by said computing platform, are further adapted to enable said computing platform to measure said three dimensional trajectory of motion of said mobile device using an accelerometer, compass, pressure sensor, and/or a gyro.

25. An apparatus comprising:

means for estimating a three dimensional trajectory of motion of a mobile device based at least in part on sensor measurements taken at said mobile device; and

means for estimating a location of said mobile device based at least in part on a comparison of said estimated three dimensional trajectory with one or more predetermined candidate three dimensional trajectories.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, further comprising:

means for obtaining ES position information for said mobile device; and

means for using said ES position information to reduce a number of said one or more predetermined candidate three dimensional trajectories.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein said ES position information is based, at least in part, on Near-Field Communication (NFC) signals, WiFi signals, Bluetooth signals, Ultra-Wideband (UWB) signals, Wide Area Network (WAN) signals, digital TV signals, and/or cell tower ID.

28. The apparatus of claim 26, further comprising:

means for storing said obtained ES position information during at least a portion of time when said mobile device is located where said ES position information is not available.

29. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein said ES position information is based at least in part on acquisition of one or more satellite positioning system signals at the mobile device.

30. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein said three dimensional trajectory of motion of said mobile device is in an RF environment that does not enable acquisition of satellite position system signals.

31. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein said three dimensional trajectory of motion of said mobile device is in an RF environment that does not enable receipt of location information via wireless communications from outside said RF environment.

32. The apparatus of claim 25, further comprising measuring said three dimensional trajectory of motion of said mobile device using an accelerometer and/or a gyro.

33. The apparatus of claim 25, further comprising measuring said three dimensional trajectory of motion of said mobile device using a compass and/or a pressure sensor.