METHOD FOR THE LOCATION OF MOBILE TERMINALS
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Abstract
A location of a mobile terminal in a given area may be determined by including the mobile terminal in a satellite-based positioning system and in a cellular communications system. The approximate coordinates of the mobile terminal may be determined based on both satellite signals received from the satellite-based system and information related to the cellular communication system, where the coordinates include an altitude coordinate. An estimate of the altitude coordinate may be derived from the information related to the cellular communication system. The approximate coordinates may be determined using the estimate of the altitude coordinate and information provided by the satellite-based system by providing an approximate bi-dimensional positioning of the terminal and exploiting the bi-dimensional positioning and the estimate of the altitude coordinate.
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Citations
114 Claims
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1-80. -80. (canceled)
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81. A method of determining the location of a mobile terminal in a given area, comprising the steps of:
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including said mobile terminal both in a satellite-based positioning system and in a cellular communications system, whereby said mobile terminal is adapted to receive satellite signals from said satellite-based system and to be covered by at least one cell of said cellular communication system; and determining at least approximately the coordinates of said mobile terminal based on both satellite signals received from said satellite-based system and information related to said cellular communication system, wherein said coordinates include an altitude coordinate, and an estimate of said altitude coordinate is derived from said information related to said cellular communication system, wherein the step of determining at least approximately the coordinates of said mobile terminal further comprises; determining the coordinates of said mobile terminal using the estimate of said altitude coordinate and information provided by the satellite-based system, wherein the step of determining the coordinates further comprises; providing an approximate bi-dimensional positioning of said terminal on the basis of said information related to said cellular communication system; and determining said positioning coordinates of said mobile terminal on the basis of said satellite signals by exploiting said bi-dimensional positioning and said estimate of said altitude coordinate, wherein determining said positioning coordinates of said mobile terminal further comprises; initially determining a search area for positioning coordinates of said mobile terminal based on said satellite signals and said estimate of said altitude coordinate; and subsequently identifying said positioning coordinates within said search area based on information related to said cellular communication system. - View Dependent Claims (82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92)
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93. An apparatus comprising:
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a first receiver adapted to receive satellite signals transmitted in a satellite-based system; a second receiver adapted to receive signals transmitted in at least one cell of a cellular communications system; at least one processing module configured for determining at least approximately the coordinates of a mobile terminal based on both satellite signals received from said satellite-based system and information related to said cellular communication system, wherein said coordinates include an altitude coordinate and said at least one processing module being configured for; determining the coordinates of said mobile terminal using the estimate of said altitude coordinate and information provided by the satellite-based system, wherein the step of determining the coordinates further comprises; providing an approximate bi-dimensional positioning of said terminal on the basis of said information related to said cellular communication system; and determining said positioning coordinates of said mobile terminal on the basis of said satellite signals by exploiting said bi-dimensional positioning and said estimate of said altitude coordinate, wherein determining said positioning coordinates of said mobile terminal further comprises; initially determining a search area for positioning coordinates of said mobile terminal based on said satellite signals and said estimate of said altitude coordinate; and subsequently identifying said positioning coordinates within said search area based on information related to said cellular communication system. - View Dependent Claims (94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102)
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103. A computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions that when executed by a process perform steps comprising:
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including said mobile terminal both in a satellite-based positioning system and in a cellular communications system, whereby said mobile terminal is adapted to receive satellite signals from said satellite-based system and to be covered by at least one cell of said cellular communication system; and determining at least approximately the coordinates of said mobile terminal based on both satellite signals received from said satellite-based system and information related to said cellular communication system, wherein said coordinates include an altitude coordinate, and an estimate of said altitude coordinate is derived from said information related to said cellular communication system, wherein the step of determining at least approximately the coordinates of said mobile terminal further comprises; determining the coordinates of said mobile terminal using the estimate of said altitude coordinate and information provided by the satellite-based system, wherein the step of determining the coordinates further comprises; providing an approximate bi-dimensional positioning of said terminal on the basis of said information related to said cellular communication system; and determining said positioning coordinates of said mobile terminal on the basis of said satellite signals by exploiting said bi-dimensional positioning and said estimate of said altitude coordinate, wherein determining said positioning coordinates of said mobile terminal further comprises; initially determining a search area for positioning coordinates of said mobile terminal based on said satellite signals and said estimate of said altitude coordinate; and subsequently identifying said positioning coordinates within said search area based on information related to said cellular communication system. - View Dependent Claims (104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113, 114)
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Specification