SYSTEM AND METHOD OF LOCATION DETERMINATION OF A MOBILE DEVICE

• US 20120164969A1
• Filed: 09/24/2011
• Published: 06/28/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Bhatia, Ashok, Burroughs, Kirk Allan
• Application Number:
  US13/244,473
• Publication Number:
  US 20120164969A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/404.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]
• 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 76/50 for emergency connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

A method includes receiving a command corresponding to a user input at a user interface of a mobile device. The method includes comparing the received command to a predetermined set of commands associated with determining a location of the mobile device. The method further includes initiating a wireless data signal scan (e.g., prior to receiving an explicit request from Base Station or PDE) to generate a list that identifies wireless data (e.g., non-global positioning system (non-GPS)) signals that are detectable by the mobile device in response to determining that the received command corresponds to at least one command of the predetermined set of commands.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a command corresponding to user input at a user interface of a mobile device;

comparing, at the mobile device, the received command to a predetermined set of commands associated with determining a location of the mobile device; and

in response to determining that the received command corresponds to at least one command of the predetermined set of commands, initiating a wireless data signal scan at the mobile device to generate a list that identifies non-global positioning system (non-GPS) signals that are detectable by the mobile device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless data signal scan is initiated before receiving a location request from a base station of a wireless network or from a position determining entity (PDE).

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless data signal scan is initiated before initiating a global positioning system (GPS) session at the mobile device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined set of commands includes a command to initiate a call to an emergency phone number.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

initiating the call to the emergency phone number; and

transmitting the list to enable position determination by a network position determining entity (PDE) after initiating the call,

wherein the wireless data signal scan is initiated prior to receiving a request for wireless network measurements during the call.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the wireless data signal scan includes a scan of frequencies allocated to a wireless local area network (WLAN) that comply with an Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 protocol, and wherein the list includes media access control (MAC) information of detected WLAN access points.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting the list to a base station of a wireless network to enable position determination by a position determining entity (PDE) having access to a database of locations of wireless network access points;

receiving location information from the base station based on the position determination; and

providing the location information to a global positioning system (GPS) module of the mobile device,

wherein the location information is utilized at the GPS module to obtain GPS position information corresponding to the mobile device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined set of commands includes a command to launch an application at the mobile device, wherein the application is configured to request global positioning system (GPS) position information from a GPS module of the mobile device.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless data signals include at least one of wireless local area network (WLAN) signals, wireless wide area network (WWAN) signals, wireless personal area network (WPAN) signals, third generation partnership project (3GPP) signals, third generation partnership project 2 (3GPP2) signals, global system for mobile communications (GSM) signals, code division multiple access (CDMA) signals, time division multiple access (TDMA) signals, frequency division multiple access (FDMA) signals, orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) signals, single-carrier frequency division multiple access (SC-FDMA) signals, long term evolution (LTE) signals, worldwide interoperability for microwave access (WiMAX) signals, television (TV) signals, quick response (QR) codes, near field communications (NFC) signals, or digital advanced mobile phone system (D-AMPS) signals.

10. An apparatus comprising:

a processor configured to;

receive a command corresponding to a user input at a user interface of a mobile device;

compare the received command to a predetermined command associated with determining a location of the mobile device; and

in response to determining that the received command corresponds to the predetermined command, initiate a wireless data signal scan to generate a list that identifies non-global positioning system (non-GPS) signals that are detectable by the mobile device.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the processor is further configured to initiate the wireless data signal scan before receiving a location request from a base station of a wireless network or from a position determining entity (PDE).

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the processor is further configured to initiate the wireless data signal scan before initiating a global positioning system (GPS) session at the mobile device.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the predetermined command is related to initiating a call to an emergency phone number.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the processor is further configured to initiate the call to the emergency phone number.

15. A mobile device comprising:

a user interface configured to receive a user command;

a first receiver configured to receive global positioning system (GPS) signals;

a second receiver configured to receive non-GPS signals;

a memory storing a predetermined commands associated with determining a location of the mobile device; and

a processor coupled to the memory, wherein the processor is configured to;

compare the user command received via the user interface to the predetermined command; and

in response to the user command corresponding to at least part of the predetermined command, initiate a wireless data scan at the second receiver to generate a list of wireless data signals that are detectable by the second receiver.

16. The mobile device of claim 15, wherein the processor is further configured to initiate the wireless data signal scan before receiving a location request from a base station of a wireless network or from a position determining entity (PDE).

17. The mobile device of claim 16, further comprising a transmitter configured to transmit the list to the base station or to the PDE.

18. The mobile device of claim 15, wherein the processor is further configured to initiate the wireless data signal scan before initiating a GPS session at the first receiver, and wherein the wireless data signals do not include GPS signals.

19. The mobile device of claim 15, wherein the predetermined command comprises a plurality of predetermined commands including at least one command related to initiating a call to an emergency phone number.

20. The mobile device of claim 19, wherein the processor is further configured to initiate the call to the emergency phone number.

21. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:

receive a command corresponding to a user input at a user interface of a mobile device;

compare the received command to a predetermined command associated with determining a location of the mobile device; and

initiate a wireless data signal scan to generate a list of non-global positioning system (non-GPS) signals that are detectable by the mobile device in response to determining that the received command corresponds to the predetermined command.

22. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 21, further comprising instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to initiate the wireless data signal scan before receiving a location request from a base station of a wireless network or from a position determining entity (PDE).

23. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 21, further comprising instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to initiate the wireless data signal scan before initiating a global positioning system (GPS) session at the mobile device.

24. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 21, wherein the predetermined command is a command to initiate a call to an emergency phone number.

25. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 24, further comprising instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:

initiate the call to the emergency phone number; and

transmit the list to enable position determination by a position determining entity (PDE) after initiating the call, wherein the wireless data signal scan is initiated prior to receiving a request for wireless data network measurements, and wherein the request for wireless data network measurements is received during the call.

26. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 21, further comprising instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:

transmit the list to a base station of a wireless network to enable position determination by a position determining entity (PDE) having access to a database of locations of wireless network access points;

receive location information from the base station based on the position determination by the PDE; and

provide the location information to a global positioning system (GPS) module of the mobile device,

wherein the location information is used by the GPS module to obtain GPS position information corresponding to the mobile device.

27. An apparatus comprising:

means for receiving a command corresponding to a user input at a mobile device;

means for comparing the received command to a predetermined command associated with determining a location of the mobile device; and

means for initiating a wireless data signal scan to generate a list of non-global positioning system (non-GPS) signals that are detectable by the mobile device in response to determining that the received command corresponds to the predetermined command.

28. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the means for initiating further includes means for initiating the wireless data scan before receiving a location request from a base station of a wireless network or from a position determining entity (PDE).

29. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the means for initiating further includes means for initiating the wireless data scan before initiating a global positioning system (GPS) session at the mobile device.

30. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the predetermined command is a command to initiate a call to an emergency phone number.

31. A method comprising:

receiving, at a position determining entity (PDE), a list from a mobile device, wherein the list identifies non-global positioning system (non-GPS) signals that are detectable by the mobile device, and wherein the list is received by the PDE independent of transmitting a request for location information from the PDE to the mobile device;

determining location information associated with the mobile device based on the list;

transmitting the location information to the mobile device; and

receiving global positioning system (GPS) position information from the mobile device, where the GPS position information is based at least in part on the location information transmitted from the PDE to the mobile device.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the list is received from the mobile device in response to entry of a command at the mobile device, the command associated with determining a location of the mobile device.

33. The method of claim 31, wherein the list of wireless data signals is associated with one or more wireless access points, and wherein determining the location information comprises accessing a database to identify the location information based on the one or more wireless access points.

34. The method of claim 31, wherein the PDE is included in a base station.