METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR POSITIONING MOBILE UNITS BASED ON ANGLE MEASUREMENTS

• US 20110227792A1
• Filed: 05/27/2011
• Published: 09/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Interdigital Technology Corporation (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Interdigital Technology Corporation (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Inventors: Marinier, Paul
• Granted Patent: US 8,508,411 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 342/423
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0036 of measured values, i.e. measurement on mobile and position calculation on base station
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0289 of multiple transceivers, e.g. in ad hoc networks
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/04 Position of source determined by a plurality of spaced direction-finders
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

A method and system for positioning mobile units using angle measurements taken by neighboring mobile units is disclosed. A selected mobile unit and mobile units in the vicinity of the selected mobile unit are selectively instructed to measure and report information related to the position of the selected mobile unit. The reported information is used to compute a position of the selected mobile unit.

Claims

1. A method implemented in a mobile unit for providing positioning information related to a target, the method comprising:

computing a direction of arrival of incoming signals by an adaptive antenna array; and

measuring and reporting an angle between two incoming signals for which the mobile unit has measured directions of arrival.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein one of the incoming signals is from the mobile unit and one of the incoming signals is from a base station.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the measuring and reporting includes measuring and reporting amplitudes of incoming signals.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the measuring and reporting includes measuring and reporting a degree of confidence for the angle.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving signal characteristics of incoming signals.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the receiving signal characteristics include one or more of a code, a time period, and a frequency.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein the incoming signals comprise a message.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the message comprises a first message and a second message.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the first message orders the mobile unit to compute the direction of arrival angle of the incoming signal from the mobile unit.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the second message orders the mobile unit to compute the direction of arrival angle of the incoming signal from the base station.