ASSISTANCE DATA FOR POSITIONING IN MULTIPLE RADIO ACCESS TECHNOLOGIES

• US 20110039578A1
• Filed: 08/13/2010
• Published: 02/17/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/14/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Rowitch, Douglas Neal, Tenny, Nathan E., Edge, Stephen W.
• Application Number:
  US12/856,454
• Publication Number:
  US 20110039578A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/765 with exchange of information between interrogator and responder
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/767 Responders; Transponders teaching or practice apparatus for gun-aiming or gun-laying using reflecting targets or active targets F41G3/26
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/86 Combinations of radar systems with non-radar systems, e.g. sonar, direction finder
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/878 Combination of several spaced transmitters or receivers of known location for determining the position of a transponder or a reflector G01S13/874 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/03 Cooperating elements; Interaction or communication between different cooperating elements or between cooperating elements and receivers
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0036 of measured values, i.e. measurement on mobile and position calculation on base station
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0236 Assistance data, e.g. base station almanac
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/10 Position of receiver fixed by co-ordinating a plurality of position lines defined by path-difference measurements , e.g. omega or decca systemsG01S5/12 takes precedence ; beacons and receivers cooperating therewith G01S1/306, G01S1/308
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/006 using shared front-end circuitry, e.g. antennas G01S13/765, G01S13/825 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0053 Allocation of signaling, i.e. of overhead other than pilot signals

Abstract

An apparatus and method for determining a position of a mobile station based on terrestrial assistance data from a first wireless network to which the mobile station is not attached. That is, the mobile station is able to receive terrestrial assistance from a first wireless network and use the terrestrial assistance data to obtain location information, such as timing measurements, from the first wireless network and determine its position while not attached to the first wireless network. The first wireless network may be a network to which the mobile station is subscribed and can attach.

Claims

1. A method of determining an estimated position of a mobile station, the method comprising:

receiving assistance data from a first wireless network, wherein the assistance data comprises terrestrial assistance data for the first wireless network, and wherein the terrestrial assistance data comprises assistance data for a plurality of base stations in the first wireless network;

obtaining, while unattached to the first wireless network, location information from the first wireless network based on the terrestrial assistance data for the first wireless network; and

determining the estimated position of the mobile station based on the location information.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the act of obtaining the location information comprises determining timing measurements based on the terrestrial assistance data from the first wireless network;

and wherein determining the estimated position of the mobile station based on the location information comprises determining the estimated position of the mobile station based on the timing measurements.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising attaching to a second wireless network before receiving the assistance data from the first wireless network.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising attaching to a second wireless network after receiving the assistance data from the first wireless network.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the act of receiving assistance data from the first wireless network comprises:

attaching to the first wireless network;

receiving the assistance data from the first wireless network; and

detaching from the first wireless network.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first wireless network comprises a Long Term Evolution (LTE) network and the terrestrial assistance data comprises assistance data for Observed Time Difference of Arrival (OTDOA) positioning method.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the terrestrial assistance data comprises a timing relationship between at least on base station in the first wireless network and an absolute time.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the terrestrial assistance data comprises a period of validity of the assistance data.

9. A mobile station for determining an estimated position of the mobile station, the mobile station comprising:

a receiver, wherein the receiver receives assistance data from a first wireless network, wherein the assistance data comprises terrestrial assistance data for the first wireless network, and wherein the terrestrial assistance data comprises assistance data for a plurality of base stations in the first wireless network; and

a processor and memory comprising

instructions to obtain, while unattached to the first wireless network, location information from the first wireless network based on the terrestrial assistance data for the first wireless network; and

instructions to determine the estimated position of the mobile station based on the location information.

10. The mobile station of claim 9, wherein the location information comprises timing measurements based on the terrestrial assistance data from the first wireless network;

and the instructions to determine the estimated position of the mobile station based on the location information comprises instructions to determine the estimated position of the mobile station based on the timing measurements.

11. A mobile station for determining an estimated position of the mobile station, the mobile station comprising:

means for receiving assistance data from a first wireless network, wherein the assistance data comprises terrestrial assistance data for the first wireless network, and wherein the terrestrial assistance data comprises assistance data for a plurality of base stations in the first wireless network;

means for obtaining, while unattached to the first wireless network, location information from the first wireless network based on the terrestrial assistance data for the first wireless network; and

means for determining the estimated position of the mobile station based on the location information.

12. The mobile station of claim 11, wherein the means for obtaining the location information comprises means for determining timing measurements based on the terrestrial assistance data from the first wireless network;

and wherein the means for determining the estimated position of the mobile station based on the location information comprises means for determining the estimated position of the mobile station based on the timing measurements.

13. The mobile station of claim 11, wherein the means for receiving assistance data from the first wireless network comprises:

means for attaching to the first wireless network;

means for receiving the assistance data from the first wireless network; and

means for detaching from the first wireless network.

14. A mobile station comprising a processor and memory, wherein the memory includes instructions to:

receive assistance data from a first wireless network, wherein the assistance data comprises terrestrial assistance data for the first wireless network, and wherein the terrestrial assistance data comprises assistance data for a plurality of base stations in the first wireless network;

obtain, while unattached to the first wireless network, location information from the first wireless network based on the terrestrial assistance data for the first wireless network; and

determine an estimated position of the mobile station based on the location information.

15. The mobile station of claim 14, wherein the instructions to obtain the location information comprises instructions to determine timing measurements based on the terrestrial assistance data from the first wireless network;

and wherein instructions to determine the estimated position of the mobile station based on the location information comprises instructions to determine the estimated position of the mobile station based on the timing measurements.

16. The mobile station of claim 14, wherein the instructions further comprise instructions to attach to a second wireless network before receiving the assistance data from the first wireless network.

17. The mobile station of claim 14, wherein the instructions further comprise instructions to attach to a second wireless network after receiving the assistance data from the first wireless network.

18. The mobile station of claim 14, wherein the instructions to receive assistance data from the first wireless network comprise instructions to:

attach to the first wireless network;

receive the assistance data from the first wireless network; and

detach from the first wireless network.

19. A computer-readable storage medium including program code stored thereon for use by a mobile station, comprising:

program code to receive assistance data from a first wireless network, wherein the assistance data comprises terrestrial assistance data for the first wireless network, and wherein the terrestrial assistance data comprises assistance data for a plurality of base stations in the first wireless network;

program code to obtain, while unattached to the first wireless network, location information from the first wireless network based on the terrestrial assistance data for the first wireless network; and

program code to determine an estimated position of the mobile station based on the location information.

20. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 19, wherein the program code to obtain the location information comprises program code to determine timing measurements based on the terrestrial assistance data from the first wireless network;

and wherein program code to determine the estimated position of the mobile station based on the location information comprises program code to determine the estimated position of the mobile station based on the timing measurements.

21. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 19, wherein the program code further comprises program code to attach to a second wireless network before receiving the assistance data from the first wireless network.

22. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 19, wherein the program code further comprises program code to attach to a second wireless network after receiving the assistance data from the first wireless network.

23. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 19, wherein the program code to receive assistance data from the first wireless network comprises program code to:

attach to the first wireless network;

receive the assistance data from the first wireless network; and

detach from the first wireless network.