ASSISTED POSITIONING SYSTEMS

• US 20120116677A1
• Filed: 11/04/2009
• Published: 05/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: University of Edinburgh
• Inventors: Sevak, Zankar Upendrakumar, Higgison, Thomas Lennox, Chaudhary, Nitin, Arslan, Tughrul Sati
• Granted Patent: US 9,140,776 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/518
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/25 involving aiding data received from a cooperating element, e.g. assisted GPS
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0027 of actual mobile position, i.e. position determined on mobile
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0072 Transmission between mobile stations, e.g. anti-collision systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0236 Assistance data, e.g. base station almanac

Abstract

A position determining unit has an assistance data processing and relaying module (software client) (1318) that obtains localised assistance data, such as Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) assistance data and/or non-GNSS (such as Wireless Positioning System) assistance data, from an assisting peer position determining unit and relays the localised assistance data to an assisted peer position determining unit. The relaying may be done via an assistance server. In a relaying GNSS position determining unit, such as a GPS receiver, the chip (1310) architecture has multi-frequency GNSS baseband (1311), GSM or UMTS baseband (1312) for long range communication and short range baseband (1313) such as Bluetooth or Wi-Fi or UWB. The assistance data generating module (1316) generates localised assistance data at the relaying GNSS unit from the GNSS R.F. front end and/or GNSS baseband and/or microcontroller running the GNSS solutions software portion. The assistance data feed module (1317) supplies assistance data to any combination of the main modules of the GNSS position determining unit. The supplied assistance data may originate in the relaying GNSS unit itself or the assisting GNSS unit.

Claims

1. An assistance data processing and relaying module for a relaying position determining unit wherein the assistance data processing and relaying module is operable to obtain localised assistance data from an assisting peer position determining unit and is further operable to relay the localised assistance data to an assisted peer position determining unit.

2. The assistance data processing and relaying module of claim 1, wherein the localised assistance data comprises non-GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) assistance data.

3. The assistance data processing and relaying module of claim 2, wherein the non-GNSS assistance data comprises Wireless Positioning System (WPS) assistance data.

4. The assistance data processing and relaying module of claim 1, wherein the localised assistance data comprises GNSS assistance data.

5. The assistance data processing and relaying module of claim 1, wherein the localised assistance data comprises data derived from measurements by the assisting peer position determining unit in a locality of the assisted peer position determining unit.

6. The assistance data processing and relaying module of claim 1, wherein the assistance data processing and relaying module is operable to obtain the localised assistance data directly from the assisting peer position determining unit over a local wireless link.

7. The assistance data processing and relaying module of claim 1, wherein the assistance data processing and relaying module is operable to obtain the localised assistance data from the assisting peer position determining unit via an assistance server.

8. The assistance data processing and relaying module of claim 1, wherein the assistance data processing and relaying module is operable to relay the localised assistance data to the assisted peer position determining unit via an assistance server.

9. The assistance data processing and relaying module of claim 1, being operable to form a first peer to peer network with another peer position determining unit and to cause the other peer position determining unit to establish a second peer to peer network for the other peer position determining unit to obtain the localised assistance data.

10. The assistance data processing and relaying module of claim 1, further comprising an assistance data feed module operable to supply assistance data to a positioning, timing and navigation engine of the relaying position determining unit.

11. The assistance data processing and relaying module of claim 1, further comprising an assistance data generating module operable to generate additional localised assistance data at the relaying position determining unit.

12. The assistance data processing and relaying module of claim 11, being operable to transmit the generated additional localised assistance data to the assisted peer position determining unit.

13. The assistance data processing and relaying module of claim 11, wherein the generated additional localised assistance data comprises data derived from measurements performed by the relaying position determining unit.

14. The assistance data processing and relaying module of claim 11, being operable to transmit the generated additional localised assistance data to the assisted peer position determining unit over a local wireless link.

15. The assistance data processing and relaying module of claim 11, being operable to transmit the generated additional localised assistance data to the assisted peer position determining unit via an assistance server.

16. A position determining unit comprising the assistance data processing and relaying module of claim 1.

17. The position determining unit of claim 16, being operable to form a cluster with one or more peer position determining units in which the clustered position determining units exchange cluster assistance data with each other.

18. The position determining unit of claim 17, being operable to select preferred assistance data available within the cluster.

19. The position determining unit of claim 17, being operable to compare the generated additional localised assistance data with the cluster assistance data, to determine if the cluster assistance data may be enhanced and to cause the modification of the cluster assistance data responsive to the generated additional localised assistance data.

20. The position determining unit of claim 17, further operable to assume a special role in the cluster to arbitrate changes to the cluster assistance data.

21. The position determining unit of claim 20, wherein, in the special role, the position determining unit communicates assistance data with an assistance server.

22. The position determining unit of claim 20, being further operable to act as a repository for local geospatially relevant data.

23. A method of processing assistance data at a relaying position determining unit, the method comprising the steps of obtaining localised assistance data from an assisting peer position determining unit and relaying the localised assistance data to an assisted peer position determining unit.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the localised assistance data comprises non-GNSS assistance data.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the non-GNSS assistance data comprises WPS assistance data.

26. The method of claim 23, wherein the localised assistance data comprises GNSS assistance data.

27. The method of claim 23, wherein the localised assistance data comprises data derived from measurements by the assisting peer position determining unit in a locality of the assisted peer position determining unit.

28. The method of claim 23, wherein the localised assistance data is obtained directly from the assisting peer position determining unit over a local wireless link.

29. The method of claim 23, wherein the localised assistance data is obtained from the assisting peer position determining unit via an assistance server.

30. The method of claim 23, wherein the localised assistance data is relayed to the assisted peer position determining unit via an assistance server.

31. The method of claim 23, further comprising the step of generating additional localised assistance data at the relaying position determining unit.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the generated additional localised assistance data comprises data derived from measurements performed by the relaying position determining unit.

33. The method of claim 31, further comprising the step of transmitting the generated additional localised assistance data from the relaying position determining unit to the assisted peer position determining unit.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the step of transmitting the generated additional localised assistance data comprises transmitting from the relaying position determining unit to the assisted peer position determining unit over a local wireless network link.

35. The method of claim 33, wherein the step of transmitting the generated additional localised assistance data comprises transmitting from the relaying position determining unit to the assisted peer position determining unit via an assistance server.

36. A method of exchanging assistance data comprising the steps of forming a cluster of a plurality of peer position determining units and exchanging cluster assistance data between the clustered position determining units in accordance with the method of claim 23.

37. The method of claim 36, further comprising the step of selecting preferred assistance data available within the cluster for a clustered position determining unit.

38. The method of claim 36, further comprising the step of comparing localised assistance data generated by a clustered position determining unit with the cluster assistance data, to determine if the cluster assistance data may be enhanced and to cause the modification of the cluster assistance data responsive to the generated localised assistance data.

39. The method of claim 36, further comprising the step of operating a position determining unit to assume a special role in the cluster to arbitrate changes to the cluster assistance data.

40. The method of claim 39, further comprising the step of the position determining unit operated in the special role communicating assistance data with an assistance server.

41. The method of claim 39, further comprising the step of operating the position determining unit as a repository for local geospatially relevant data.

80. A computer program product containing one or more sequences of machine-readable instructions for processing assistance data at a relaying position determining unit, the instructions being adapted to cause one or more processors to perform the method according to claim 23.

81. A computer program product containing one or more sequences of machine-readable instructions for exchanging assistance data, the instructions being adapted to cause one or more processors to perform the method according to claim 36.

42. An assistance data receiving module for an assisted position determining unit wherein the assistance data receiving module is operable to obtain localised assistance data from an assisting peer position determining unit via an assistance server.

43. The assistance data receiving module of claim 42, wherein the localised assistance data comprises non-GNSS assistance data.

44. The assistance data receiving module of claim 43, wherein the non-GNSS assistance data comprises WPS assistance data.

45. The assistance data receiving module of claim 42, wherein the localised assistance data comprises GNSS assistance data.

46. The assistance data receiving module of claim 42, wherein the localised assistance data comprises data derived from measurements by the assisting peer position determining unit in a locality of the assisted position determining unit.

55. A position determining unit comprising the assistance data receiving module of claim 42.

56. The position determining unit of claim 55, wherein the position determining unit is a GNSS roving receiver.

57. The position determining unit of claim 55, wherein the position determining unit is a personal mobile device.

58. The position determining unit of claim 55, being operable to form a cluster with one or more peer position determining units in which the clustered position determining units exchange cluster assistance data with each other.

59. The position determining unit of claim 58, being operable to select preferred assistance data available within the cluster.

60. The position determining unit of claim 58, being operable to compare the localised assistance data it has developed with the cluster assistance data, to determine if the cluster assistance data may be enhanced and to cause the modification of the cluster assistance data responsive the localised assistance data it has developed.

61. The position determining unit of claim 58, being further operable to assume a special role in the cluster to arbitrate changes to the cluster assistance data.

62. The position determining unit of claim 61, wherein, in the special role, the position determining unit communicates assistance data with an assistance server.

63. The position determining unit of claim 61, being further operable to act as a repository for local geospatially relevant data.

47. An assistance data transmitting module for an assisting position determining unit wherein the assistance data transmitting module is operable to develop localised assistance data and to transmit the localised assistance data to an assisted peer position determining unit via an assistance server.

48. The assistance data transmitting module of claim 47, wherein the localised assistance data comprises non-GNSS assistance data.

49. The assistance data transmitting module of claim 48, wherein the non-GNSS assistance data comprises WPS assistance data.

50. The assistance data transmitting module of claim 47, wherein the localised assistance data comprises GNSS assistance data.

51. The assistance data transmitting module of claim 47, wherein the localised assistance data comprises data derived from measurements performed by the assisting position determining unit.

52. A server module for a server, wherein the server module is operable to receive localised assistance data from a plurality of mobile assisting position determining units each having the assistance data transmitting module according to claim 47.

53. The server module of claim 52, being operable to select suitable localised assistance data for transmission to the assisted position determining unit in case of similar localised assistance data reception from a multiplicity of the assisting position determining units.

54. The server module of claim 52, being operable to provide and/or enable location based services responsive to the received localised assistance data.

64. A method of receiving assistance data at an assisted position determining unit comprising the step of obtaining localised assistance data from an assisting peer position determining unit via an assistance server.

65. The method of claim 64, wherein the localised assistance data comprises non-GNSS assistance data.

66. The method of claim 65, wherein the non-GNSS assistance data comprises WPS assistance data.

67. The method of claim 64, wherein the localised assistance data comprises GNSS assistance data.

68. The method of claim 64, wherein the localised assistance data comprises data derived from measurements by the assisting peer position determining unit in a locality of the assisted peer position determining unit.

74. A method of exchanging assistance data comprising the steps of forming a cluster of a plurality of peer position determining units and exchanging cluster assistance data between the clustered position determining units in accordance with the method of claim 64.

75. The method of claim 74 further comprising the step of selecting preferred assistance data available within the cluster for a clustered position determining unit.

76. The method of claim 74, further comprising the step of comparing the localised assistance data developed by a clustered position determining unit with the cluster assistance data, to determine if the cluster assistance data may be enhanced and to cause the modification of the cluster assistance data responsive the developed localised assistance data.

77. The method of claim 74, further comprising the step of operating a position determining unit to assume a special role in the cluster to arbitrate changes to the cluster assistance data.

78. The method of claim 77, further comprising the step of the position determining unit operated in the special role communicating assistance data with an assistance server.

79. The method of claim 77 further comprising the step of operating the position determining unit as a repository for local geospatially relevant data.

82. A computer program product containing one or more sequences of machine-readable instructions for receiving assistance data at an assisted position determining unit, the instructions being adapted to cause one or more processors to perform the method according to claim 64.

84. A computer program product containing one or more sequences of machine-readable instructions for exchanging assistance data, the instructions being adapted to cause one or more processors to perform the method according to claim 74.

69. A method of providing assistance data from a transmitting position determining unit, the method comprising the steps of developing localised assistance data and transmitting the localised assistance data from the transmitting position determining unit to an assisted peer position determining unit via an assistance server.

70. The method of claim 69, wherein the localised assistance data comprises non-GNSS assistance data.

71. The method of claim 70, wherein the non-GNSS assistance data comprises WPS assistance data.

72. The method of claim 69, wherein the localised assistance data comprises GNSS assistance data.

73. The method of claim 69, wherein the localised assistance data comprises data derived from measurements performed by the transmitting position determining unit.

83. A computer program product containing one or more sequences of machine-readable instructions for providing assistance data from a transmitting position determining unit, the instructions being adapted to cause one or more processors to perform the method according to claim 69.