METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR TRIGGERING COOPERATIVE POSITIONING OR LEARNING IN A WIRELESS NETWORK

• US 20120249372A1
• Filed: 03/28/2011
• Published: 10/04/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Jovicic, Aleksandar, Li, Junyi, Measson, Cyril, Richardson, Thomas
• Granted Patent: US 9,482,734 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 342/451
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 1/042 Transmitters
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0072 Transmission between mobile stations, e.g. anti-collision systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/02213 Receivers arranged in a network for determining the position of a transmitter
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0226 Transmitters
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0249 Determining position using measurements made by a non-stationary device other than the device whose position is being determined
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0289 of multiple transceivers, e.g. in ad hoc networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• 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 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals

Abstract

One or more bits are used in peer discovery signals to signal a device'"'"'s ability and/or willingness to participate in a cooperative manner with regard to one or more mobile device location determination related operations. In some embodiments, the one or more bits are located at predetermined locations within a header portion of a peer discovery signal. Different bits, in some embodiments, are associated with different specific cooperative location determination related operations. The peer discovery signal is transmitted, e.g., broadcast, periodically or on some predetermined basis by a mobile wireless communications device. In this manner, a device listening to the peer discovery signals can determine other devices'"'"' willingness to perform particular location discovery related operations with very little signaling overhead.

Claims

1. A method of operating a first mobile communications device to communicate device information, the method comprising:

transmitting a peer discovery signal including a predetermined bit designated for use in signaling a willingness to perform a first device location determination related operation, said predetermined bit being set to a first value when said first mobile communications device is willing to perform said first device location determination related operation and being set to a second value when said first mobile communications device is not willing to perform said first device location determination related operation; and

monitoring for a signal from a second mobile communications device corresponding to said first device location determination related operation.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said first device location determination related operation is a map parameter determination operation.

3. The method of claim 2, when said monitoring for a signal from a second mobile communications device detects receipt of a signal from the second mobile communications device corresponding to said first device location determination related operation, performing the step of:

performing a signal measurement on the received signal; and

using said signal measurement in determining said map parameter.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said signal from the second mobile communications device is a signal transmitted by said second mobile communications device in response to receipt of said transmitted peer discovery signal.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said parameter indicates the presence or absence of a physical obstruction at a location on said map.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said first device location determination related operation is a position ambiguity resolution operation.

7. A first mobile communications device to communicate device comprising:

means for transmitting a peer discovery signal including a predetermined bit designated for use in signaling a willingness to perform a first device location determination related operation, said predetermined bit being set to a first value when said first mobile communications device is willing to perform said first device location determination related operation and being set to a second value when said first mobile communications device is not willing to perform said first device location determination related operation; and

means for monitoring for a signal from a second mobile communications device corresponding to said first device location determination related operation.

8. The first mobile communications device of claim 7, wherein said first device location determination related operation is a map parameter determination operation.

9. The first mobile communications device of claim 8, further comprising:

means for performing a signal measurement on the received signal; and

means for using said signal measurement in determining said map parameter;

when said means for monitoring for a signal from a second mobile communications device detects receipt of a signal from the second mobile communications device corresponding to said first device location determination related operation.

10. The first mobile communications device of claim 9, wherein said signal from the second mobile communications device is a signal transmitted by said second mobile communications device in response to receipt of said transmitted peer discovery signal.

11. A computer program product for use in a first mobile communications device, the computer program product comprising:

a non-transitory computer readable medium comprising;

code for causing at least one computer to transmit a peer discovery signal including a predetermined bit designated for use in signaling a willingness to perform a first device location determination related operation, said predetermined bit being set to a first value when said first mobile communications device is willing to perform said first device location determination related operation and being set to a second value when said first mobile communications device is not willing to perform said first device location determination related operation; and

code for causing said at least one computer to monitor for a signal from a second mobile communications device corresponding to said first device location determination related operation.

12. A first mobile communications device comprising:

at least one processor configured to;

transmit a peer discovery signal including a predetermined bit designated for use in signaling a willingness to perform a first device location determination related operation, said predetermined bit being set to a first value when said first mobile communications device is willing to perform said first device location determination related operation and being set to a second value when said first mobile communications device is not willing to perform said first device location determination related operation; and

monitor for a signal from a second mobile communications device corresponding to said first device location determination related operation; and

memory coupled to said at least one processor.

13. The first mobile communications device of claim 12, wherein said first device location determination related operation is a map parameter determination operation.

14. The first mobile communications device of claim 13, wherein said at least one processor is further configured to:

perform a signal measurement on the received signal; and

use said signal measurement in determining said map parameter;

when said monitoring for a signal from a second mobile communications device detects receipt of a signal from the second mobile communications device corresponding to said first device location determination related operation.

15. The first mobile communications device of claim 14, wherein said signal from the second mobile communications device is a signal transmitted by said second mobile communications device in response to receipt of said transmitted peer discovery signal.

16. A method of operating a communications device, the method comprising:

transmitting a signal including a first value at a predetermined location in said signal, said first value indicating that the communications device is operating as a location anchor point; and

performing at least one of;

i) transmitting information indicating the known location of the communications device;

or

ii) measuring signals received from other devices and reporting the signal measurement information and information indicating the devices from which the measured signals were received to a location determination server.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said method includes said step of transmitting information indicating the known location of the communications device;

and

wherein said information includes a second value identifying one of a plurality of predetermined locations, said one of the plurality of predetermined locations being the location of said communications device.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the known location is a predetermined anchor point location from a set of possible anchor point locations.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein said communications device is a mobile communications device.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein said method includes measuring signals received from other devices and reporting the signal measurement information and information indicating the devices from which the measured signals were received,

said step of measuring signals including:

measuring the received power of a first peer discovery signal communicating a first device identifier.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

determining from the first peer discovery signal the first communicated device identifier.

22. A communications device comprising:

means for transmitting a signal including a first value at a predetermined location in said signal, said first value indicating that the communications device is operating as a location anchor point; and

means for performing at least one of;

i) transmitting information indicating the known location of the communications device;

or

ii) measuring signals received from other devices and reporting the signal measurement information and information indicating the devices from which the measured signals were received to a location determination server.

23. The communications device of claim 22, wherein said means for performing at least one of:

i) transmitting information indicating the known location of the communications device;

or

ii) measuring signals received from other devices and reporting the signal measurement information and information indicating the devices from which the measured signals were received to a location determination server,

includes means for transmitting information indicating the known location of the communications device; and

wherein said information includes a second value identifying one of a plurality of predetermined locations, said one of the plurality of predetermined locations being the location of said communications device.

24. The communications device of claim 22, wherein the known location is a predetermined anchor point location from a set of possible anchor point locations.

25. The communications device of claim 23, wherein said communications device is a mobile communications device.

26. A computer program product for use in a communications device, the computer program product comprising:

a non-transitory computer readable medium comprising;

code for causing at least one computer to transmit a signal including a first value at a predetermined location in said signal, said first value indicating that the communications device is operating as a location anchor point; and

code for causing said at least one computer to perform at least one of;

i) transmitting information indicating the known location of the communications device;

or

ii) measuring signals received from other devices and reporting the signal measurement information and information indicating the devices from which the measured signals were received to a location determination server.

27. A communications device comprising:

at least one processor configured to;

transmit a signal including a first value at a predetermined location in said signal, said first value indicating that the communications device is operating as a location anchor point; and

perform at least one of;

i) transmitting information indicating the known location of the communications device;

or

ii) measuring signals received from other devices and reporting the signal measurement information and information indicating the devices from which the measured signals were received to a location determination server; and

memory coupled to said at least one processor.

28. The communications device of claim 27, wherein said at least one processor is configured to transmit information indicating the known location of the communications device;

and

wherein said information includes a second value identifying one of a plurality of predetermined locations, said one of the plurality of predetermined locations being the location of said communications device.

29. The communications device of claim 27, wherein the known location is a predetermined anchor point location from a set of possible anchor point locations.

30. The communications device of claim 28, wherein said communications device is a mobile communications device.