Wireless Device Locations Services

• US 20110260863A1
• Filed: 11/06/2009
• Published: 10/27/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wireless Future Technologies, Inc. (Quarterhill Inc. (f/k/a Wi-LAN Inc.))
• Original Assignee: Wireless Future Technologies, Inc. (Quarterhill Inc. (f/k/a Wi-LAN Inc.))
• Inventors: Ranta-Aho, Karri Markus, Kahaduwe, Ajit, Hooli, Kari Juhani, Toskala, Antti Anton, Lunttila, Timo Erkki
• Granted Patent: US 8,810,393 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/539.32
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0009 Transmission of position information to remote stations involving assistance data G01S5/0236
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/06 Position of source determined by co-ordinating a plurality of position lines defined by path-difference measurements G01S5/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/12 by co-ordinating position lines of different shape, e.g. hyperbolic, circular, elliptical or radial
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• 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 72/20 Control channels or signalling for resource management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/21 in the uplink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards the network

Abstract

A system for determining location information for a wireless device is described. The system includes a UE, a LE and multiple LMUs. The LE sends, to the LMUs, reception instructions with characteristics of the signal transmission from the UE and each LMU receives, from the LE, the reception instructions. The UE sends a signal transmission. Each LMU receives the transmitted signal from the UE, determines locating information based at least in part on the received signal and sends the locating information to the LE. The LE receives the locating information regarding the transmitted signal and determines a location of the UE based at least in part on the received locating information. Methods, apparatus and computer readable media are also described.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

sending, to a plurality of signal receiving devices, reception instructions comprising characteristics of a signal transmission from a first device;

receiving, from at least three of the plurality of signal receiving devices, locating information regarding the signal transmission; and

determining a location of the first device based at least in part on the received locating information.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending transmission instructions comprising the characteristics of the signal transmission to the first device.

3. The method of claim 2, where sending the transmission instructions is performed via a node serving the first device.

4. The method of claim 2, where the transmission instructions further comprise instructions to boost transmission power when transmitting the signal.

5. The method of claim 2, where the transmission instructions further comprise instructions to periodically retransmit the signal.

6. The method of claim 1, where the characteristics of the signal transmission comprise at least one of:

time domain characteristics and frequency domain characteristics.

7. The method of claim 1, where the locating information comprises at least one of:

a time difference representing a difference in a transmission time for the transmitted signal and a reception time for the transmitted signal at a signal receiving device; and

a location of the signal receiving device.

8. The method of claim 1, where determining the location of the first device comprises performing trilateration of the first device based at least in part on the locating information.

9. A method comprising:

receiving, from a first device, reception instructions comprising characteristics of a signal transmission;

receiving, from a second device, the signal transmission;

determining locating information based at least in part on the received transmitted signal; and

sending the locating information to the first device.

10. The method of claim 9, where the characteristics of the signal transmission comprise at least one of:

time domain characteristics and frequency domain characteristics.

11. The method of claim 9, where determining the locating information comprises determining a difference in a transmission time for the transmitted signal and a reception time for the transmitted signal.

12. The method of claim 9, where the locating information comprises at least one of:

a location of the signal receiving device; and

identifier of the signal receiving device.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

receiving, from the first device, a message comprising transmission instructions comprising the characteristics of the signal transmission; and

sending the transmission instructions to the first device.

14. An apparatus, comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory comprising computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform at least the following;

send, to a plurality of signal receiving devices, reception instructions comprising characteristics of a signal transmission from a first device;

receive, from at least three of the plurality of signal receiving devices, locating information regarding the signal transmission; and

determine a location of the first device based at least in part on the received locating information.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, where the at least one memory and the computer program code are further configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to send transmission instructions comprising the characteristics of the signal transmission to the first device.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, where sending the transmission instructions is performed via a node serving the first device.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, where the transmission instructions further comprise instructions to boost transmission power when transmitting the signal.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, where the transmission instructions further comprise instructions to periodically retransmit the signal.

19. The apparatus of claim 14, where the characteristics of the signal transmission comprise at least one of:

time domain characteristics and frequency domain characteristics.

20. The apparatus of claim 14, where the locating information comprises at least one of:

a time difference representing a difference in a transmission time for the transmitted signal and a reception time for the transmitted signal at a signal receiving device; and

a location of the signal receiving device.

21. The apparatus of claim 14, where determining the location of the first device comprises performing trilateration of the first device based at least in part on the locating information.

22. An apparatus, comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform at least the following;

receive, from a first device, reception instructions comprising characteristics of a signal transmission;

receive, from a second device, the signal transmission;

determine locating information based at least in part on the received signal transmission; and

send the locating information to the first device.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, where the characteristics of the signal transmission comprise at least one of:

time domain characteristics and frequency domain characteristics.

24. The apparatus of claim 22, where the at least one memory and the computer program code are further configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to, when determining the locating information, determine a difference in a transmission time for the transmitted signal and a reception time for the transmitted signal.

25. The apparatus of claim 22, where the locating information comprises at least one of:

a location of the signal receiving device; and

identifier of the signal receiving device.

26. The apparatus of claim 22, where the at least one memory and the computer program code are further configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to:

receive, from the first device, a message comprising transmission instructions comprising the characteristics of the signal transmission; and

send the transmission instructions to the first device.

27. A computer readable medium tangibly encoded with a computer program executable by a processor to perform actions comprising:

sending, to a plurality of signal receiving devices, reception instructions comprising characteristics of a signal transmission from a first device;

receiving, from at least three of the plurality of signal receiving devices, locating information regarding the signal transmission; and

determining a location of the first device based at least in part on the received locating information.

28. The computer readable medium of claim 27, where the actions further comprise sending transmission instructions comprising the characteristics of the signal transmission to the first device.

29. The computer readable medium of claim 28, where sending the transmission instructions is performed via a node serving the first device.

30. The computer readable medium of claim 28, where the transmission instructions further comprise instructions to boost transmission power when transmitting the signal.

31. The computer readable medium of claim 28, where the transmission instructions further comprise instructions to periodically retransmit the signal.

32. The computer readable medium of claim 27, where the characteristics of the signal transmission comprise at least one of:

time domain characteristics and frequency domain characteristics.

33. The computer readable medium of claim 27, where the locating information comprises at least one of:

a time difference representing a difference in a transmission time for the transmitted signal and a reception time for the transmitted signal at a signal receiving device; and

a location of the signal receiving device.

34. The computer readable medium of claim 27, where determining the location of the first device comprises performing trilateration of the first device based at least in part on the locating information.

35. A computer readable medium tangibly encoded with a computer program executable by a processor to perform actions comprising:

receiving, from a first device, reception instructions comprising characteristics of a signal transmission;

receiving, from a second device, the signal transmission;

determining locating information based at least in part on the received transmitted signal; and

sending the locating information to the first device.

36. The computer readable medium of claim 35, where the characteristics of the signal transmission comprise at least one of:

time domain characteristics and frequency domain characteristics.

37. The computer readable medium of claim 35, where determining the locating information comprises determining a difference in a transmission time for the transmitted signal and a reception time for the transmitted signal.

38. The computer readable medium of claim 35, where the locating information comprises at least one of:

a location of the signal receiving device; and

identifier of the signal receiving device.

39. The computer readable medium of claim 35, where the actions further comprise:

receiving, from the first device, a message comprising transmission instructions comprising the characteristics of the signal transmission; and

sending the transmission instructions to the first device.

40. An apparatus comprising:

means for sending, to a plurality of signal receiving devices, reception instructions comprising characteristics of a signal transmission from a first device;

means for receiving, from at least three of the plurality of signal receiving devices, locating information regarding the signal transmission; and

means for determining a location of the first device based at least in part on the received locating information.

41. The apparatus of claim 40, further comprising means for sending transmission instructions comprising the characteristics of the signal transmission to the first device.

42. The apparatus of claim 41, where sending the transmission instructions is performed via a node serving the first device.

43. The apparatus of claim 41, where the transmission instructions further comprise instructions to boost transmission power when transmitting the signal.

44. The apparatus of claim 41, where the transmission instructions further comprise instructions to periodically retransmit the signal.

45. The apparatus of claim 40, where the characteristics of the signal transmission comprise at least one of:

time domain characteristics and frequency domain characteristics.

46. The apparatus of claim 40, where the locating information comprises at least one of:

a time difference representing a difference in a transmission time for the transmitted signal and a reception time for the transmitted signal at a signal receiving device; and

a location of the signal receiving device.

47. The apparatus of claim 40, where the determining means comprises means for performing trilateration of the first device based at least in part on the locating information.

48. An apparatus comprising:

means for receiving, from a first device, reception instructions comprising characteristics of a signal transmission;

means for receiving, from a second device, the signal transmission;

means for determining locating information based at least in part on the received transmitted signal; and

means for sending the locating information to the first device.

49. The apparatus of claim 48, where the characteristics of the signal transmission comprise at least one of:

time domain characteristics and frequency domain characteristics.

50. The apparatus of claim 48, where the determining means comprises means for determining a difference in a transmission time for the transmitted signal and a reception time for the transmitted signal.

51. The apparatus of claim 48, where the locating information comprises at least one of:

a location of the signal receiving device; and

identifier of the signal receiving device.

52. The apparatus of claim 48, further comprising:

means for receiving, from the first device, a message comprising transmission instructions comprising the characteristics of the signal transmission; and

means for sending the transmission instructions to the first device.

53. A system comprising:

a first device, a second device and a plurality of signal receiving devices,

where the second device is configured to send, to the plurality of signal receiving devices, reception instructions comprising characteristics of the signal transmission from the first device;

each signal receiving device of the plurality of signal receiving devices is configured to receive, from the second device, reception instructions comprising characteristics of a signal transmission;

the first device is configured to transmit a signal;

each signal receiving device of the plurality of signal receiving devices is configured to receive, from the first device, the signal transmission, to determine locating information based at least in part on the received transmitted signal; and

to send the locating information to the second device; and

the second device is configured to receive, from at least three of the plurality of signal receiving devices, locating information regarding the signal transmission and to determine a location of the first device based at least in part on the received locating information.

54. The system of claim 53, where the second device is configured to send transmission instructions comprising the characteristics of the signal transmission to the first device.

55. The system of claim 54, where sending the transmission instructions is performed via a node serving the first device.

56. The system of claim 54, where the transmission instructions further comprise instructions to boost transmission power when transmitting the signal.

57. The system of claim 54, where the transmission instructions further comprise instructions to periodically retransmit the signal.

58. The system of claim 53, where the characteristics of the signal transmission comprise at least one of:

time domain characteristics and frequency domain characteristics.

59. The system of claim 53, where the locating information comprises at least one of:

a time difference representing a difference in a transmission time for the transmitted signal and a reception time for the transmitted signal at a signal receiving device; and

a location of the signal receiving device.

60. The system of claim 53, where the second device is configured to determine the location of the first device by performing trilateration of the first device based at least in part on the locating information.

61. The system of claim 53, where each signal receiving device of the plurality of signal receiving devices is configured to, when determining the locating information, determine a difference in a transmission time for the transmitted signal and a reception time for the transmitted signal.

62. The system of claim 53, where a signal receiving device of the plurality of signal receiving devices is a serving node and the serving node is configured to:

receive, from the second device, a message comprising transmission instructions comprising the characteristics of the signal transmission; and

to send the transmission instructions to the first device.