Method and Apparatus for Locating Position of a Mobile Device in an Assisted Satellite Positioning System

• US 20120077520A1
• Filed: 10/18/2011
• Published: 03/29/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Global Locate Incorporated (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Pomerantz, Scott, Abraham, Charles
• Granted Patent: US 8,543,133 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

Method and apparatus for locating position of a mobile device in an assisted satellite positioning system is described. In one example, satellite measurement data is obtained from a plurality of satellites at a mobile device. Position of the mobile device is computed using the satellite measurement data. The position is sent to a cellular device via a wireless ad hoc network. In one example, the wireless ad hoc network comprises a BLUETOOTH communication link. In one example, the mobile device is configured to receive assistance data from a position server through the wireless ad hoc network. For example, the mobile device may comprise a housing configured to plug into a cigarette lighter connector of an automobile and the cellular device may comprise a cellular telephone without location-determination capabilities (i.e., the cellular telephone does not include an integrated GPS receiver).

Claims

1-20. -20. (canceled)

21. A method for locating position, comprising:

transmitting a request for position information from a cellular device to a mobile GPS device via an ad hoc network;

receiving satellite signals at said mobile GPS device;

computing the position information at said mobile GPS device; and

sending the position information to the cellular device from the mobile GPS device.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

displaying the position information on the cellular device.

23. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

receiving a request for the position information at the cellular device from a cellular network.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the receiving the request for the position information at the cellular device from the cellular network further comprises receiving the request for the position information by a position server.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

transmitting the position information from the cellular device to the position server.

26. The method of claim 21, wherein the ad hoc network comprises a BLUETOOTH™

communication link.

27. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

sending a request for assistance data from the mobile GPS device to the cellular device via the ad hoc network; and

transmitting assistance data from the cellular device to the mobile GPS device.

28. An apparatus for locating position, said apparatus comprising:

a mobile GPS device, said mobile GPS device comprising;

a local signal receiver for receiving a request for position information from a cellular device via an ad hoc network;

a satellite receiver for receiving satellite signals;

a processor for computing the position information from said satellite signals; and

a local signal transmitter for sending the position information to the cellular device via an ad hoc network.

29. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the ad hoc network comprises a BLUETOOTH™

communication link.

30. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the local signal transmitter transmits a request for assistance data from the mobile GPS device to the cellular device via the ad hoc network.

31. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the local signal receiver receives assistance data from the cellular device via the ad hoc network.

32. An apparatus for determining a position, said apparatus comprising:

a cellular device, said cellular device comprising;

a local signal wireless transceiver for exchanging messages with a mobile GPS device via an ad hoc network;

a cellular transceiver for communication with a cellular network; and

wherein the local signal wireless transceiver receives requests for assistance data from the mobile GPS device and provides assistance data to the mobile GPS device via the ad hoc network; and

wherein the cellular transceiver transmits requests for assistance data and receives requests for assistance data via the cellular network.

33. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein the ad hoc network further comprises a BLUETOOTH™

communication link.

34. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein the local signal wireless transceiver receives satellite measurements from the mobile GPS device via the ad hoc network.

35. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein the cellular transceiver transmits the satellite measurements over the cellular network.

36. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein the local signal wireless transceiver receives position information via the ad hoc network.

37. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein the cellular device further comprises:

a display for displaying the position information.

38. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein the cellular transceiver transmits the position information over the cellular network.

39. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein the cellular device further comprises:

a memory for storing the position information.

40. The apparatus of claim 39, wherein the memory stores previous position information.