SELECTION OF A RELATIVE POSITIONING METHOD

• US 20130030684A1
• Filed: 04/12/2010
• Published: 01/31/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Wirola, Lauri
• Granted Patent: US 9,696,431 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/300
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/258 relating to the satellite constellation, e.g. almanac, ephemeris data, lists of satellites in view
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/43 using carrier phase measurements, e.g. kinematic positioning; using long or short baseline interferometry
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/48 by combining or switching between position solutions derived from the satellite radio beacon positioning system and position solutions derived from a further system
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/51 Relative positioning
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/011 Identifying the radio environment
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0289 of multiple transceivers, e.g. in ad hoc networks

Abstract

It is inter alia disclosed to select a relative positioning method from a set of at least two different relative positioning methods that are for determining an estimate of a relative position between a first entity and a second entity. The relative positioning method is selected in dependence on at least one of the following criteria: an estimated/measured distance between the first entity and the second entity; a relative positioning capability, of at least one of the first entity, the second entity and at least one server entity associated with at least one of the first entity and the second entity, to determine an estimate of a relative position between two entities; and an availability, at at least one of the at least one server entity, of a service providing data of at least one reference entity useable for determining an estimate of a relative position between the reference entity and one of the first entity and the second entity.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

selecting a relative positioning method from a set of at least two different relative positioning methods that are for determining an estimate of a relative position between a first entity and a second entity, said relative positioning method selected in dependence on at least one of the following criteria;

a relative positioning capability, of at least one of said first entity, said second entity and at least one server entity associated with at least one of said first entity and said second entity, to determine an estimate of a relative position between two entities and

an availability, at at least one of said at least one server entity, of a service providing data of at least one reference entity useable for determining an estimate of a relative position between said reference entity and one of said first entity and said second entity.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising at least one of:

obtaining information on at least those criteria in dependence on which said relative positioning method is selected, and

initiating said selected relative positioning method.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein in case that said an estimated/determined distance between said first entity and said second entity is one of below and below-or-equal-to a threshold, in said selecting of said relative positioning method, said availability of said service for providing data of at least one reference entity is not considered.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein in case that said an estimated/determined distance between said first entity and said second entity is one of below and below-or-equal-to a threshold and that at least one of said first entity, said second entity and said at least one server entity has said relative positioning capability, a relative positioning method is selected in which said estimate of said relative position between said first entity and said second entity is determined based on data measured at said first entity and on data measured at said second entity without requiring any data of a reference entity.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein in case that said an estimated/determined distance between said first entity and said second entity is above a threshold, a relative positioning method is selected that is based on measurements performed by said first entity and said second entity and also on data of at least two reference entities.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein in case that said service providing said data of said at least one reference entity is available at a common server entity associated with said first entity and said second entity or at both a first server entity associated with said first entity and a second server entity associated with said second entity and that at least one of said first entity, said second entity, said common server entity, said first server entity and said second server entity has said relative positioning capability, a positioning method is selected in which said estimate of said relative position between said first entity and said second entity is determined based on data measured at said first entity, said second entity and at at least two reference entities.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein in case that said an estimated/determined distance between said first entity and said second entity is one of above and above-or-equal-to a threshold, that said service providing said data of said at least one reference entity is available at a common server entity associated with said first entity and said second entity or at both a first server entity associated with said first entity and a second server entity associated with said second entity and that at least one of said first entity, said second entity, said common server entity, said first server entity and said second server entity has said relative positioning capability, a relative positioning method is selected in which said estimate of said relative position between said first entity and said second entity is determined based on data measured at said first entity, said second entity and at at least two reference entities.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein said estimate of said relative position between said first entity and said second entity is determined based on an estimate of an absolute position of said first entity and an estimate of an absolute position of said second entity.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein said estimate of said absolute position of said first entity is determined based on respective information on a respective absolute position of at least one of said at least two reference entities that is associated with said first entity and on a respective estimate of a respective relative position between said at least one reference entity associated with said first entity and said first entity, and wherein said estimate of said absolute position of said second entity is determined based on respective information on a respective absolute position of at least one of said at least two reference entities that is associated with said second entity and on a respective estimate of a respective relative position between said at least one reference entity associated with said second entity and said second entity.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein in said selected relative positioning method, one of the following holds:

said respective estimate of said respective relative position between said at least one reference entity associated with said first entity and said first entity is determined by said first entity, and wherein said respective estimate of said respective relative position between said at least one reference entity associated with said second entity and said second entity is determined by said second entity,

said respective estimate of said respective relative position between said at least one reference entity associated with said first entity and said first entity is determined by a server entity associated with said first entity, and said respective estimate of said respective relative position between said at least one reference entity associated with said second entity and said second entity is determined by a server entity associated with said second entity, said respective estimate of said respective relative position between said at least one reference entity associated with said first entity and said first entity is determined by

said first entity, and said respective estimate of said respective relative position between said at least one reference entity associated with said second entity and said second entity is determined by said server entity associated with said second entity.

14. The method according to claim 1, wherein communication between said first entity and its associated server entity and between said second entity and its associated server entity is at least partially based on at least one of the Secure User Plane Protocol and the Long Term Evolution Positioning Protocol.

16. The method according to claim1, wherein said service providing data of at least one reference entity is a virtual reference receiver service providing data of at least one virtual reference receiver.

17. The method according to claim 1, wherein said first entity and said second entity are mobile terminals of a mobile radio communications system.

18. A computer-readable medium having a computer program stored thereon, the computer program comprising:

program code for performing the method according to any of the claims claim 1 when said computer program is executed on a processor.

3. (canceled)

12. (canceled)

13. (canceled)

15. (canceled)

19. (canceled)

20. (cancelled)

30. The apparatus according to 20, wherein in case that said service providing said data of said at least one reference entity is available at a common server entity associated with said first entity and said second entity or at both a first server entity associated with said first entity and a second server entity associated with said second entity and that at least one of said first entity, said second entity, said common server entity, said first server entity and said second server entity has said relative positioning capability, a positioning method is selected in which said estimate of said relative position between said first entity and said second entity is determined based on data measured at said first entity, said second entity and at at least two reference entities.

32. The apparatus according to claim 30, wherein said estimate of said relative position between said first entity and said second entity is determined based on an estimate of an absolute position of said first entity and an estimate of an absolute position of said second entity.

33. The apparatus according to claim 32, wherein said estimate of said absolute position of said first entity is determined based on respective information on a respective absolute position of at least one of said at least two reference entities that is associated with said first entity and on a respective estimate of a respective relative position between said at least one reference entity associated with said first entity and said first entity, and wherein said estimate of said absolute position of said second entity is determined based on respective information on a respective absolute position of at least one of said at least two reference entities that is associated with said second entity and on a respective estimate of a respective relative position between said at least one reference entity associated with said second entity and said second entity.

34. The apparatus according to claim 33, wherein in said selected relative positioning method, one of the following holds:

said respective estimate of said respective relative position between said at least one reference entity associated with said first entity and said first entity is determined by said first entity, and said respective estimate of said respective relative position between said at least one reference entity associated with said second entity and said second entity is determined by said second entity,

said respective estimate of said respective relative position between said at least one reference entity associated with said first entity and said first entity is determined by a server entity associated with said first entity, and said respective estimate of said respective relative position between said at least one reference entity associated with said second entity and said second entity is determined by a server entity associated with said second entity, said respective estimate of said respective relative position between said at least one reference entity associated with said first entity and said first entity is determined by

said first entity, and said respective estimate of said respective relative position between said at least one reference entity associated with said second entity and said second entity is determined by said server entity associated with second entity.

21. An apparatus, comprising at least one processor;

and at least one memory including computer program code, said at least one memory and said computer program code configured to, with said at least one processor, cause said apparatus at least to select a relative positioning method from a set of at least two different relative positioning methods that are for determining an estimate of a relative position between a first entity and a second entity, said relative positioning method selected in dependence on at least one of the following criteria;

a relative positioning capability, of at least one of said first entity, said second entity and at least one server entity associated with at least one of said first entity and said second entity, to determine an estimate of a relative position between two entities and

an availability, at at least one of said at least one server entity, of a service providing data of at least one reference entity useable for determining an estimate of a relative position between said reference entity and one of said first entity and said second entity.

22. The apparatus according to claim 21, wherein said at least one memory and said computer program code are configured to, with said at least one processor, cause said apparatus further to at least one of

obtain information on at least those criteria in dependence on which said relative positioning method is selected, and

initiate said selected relative positioning method.

27. The apparatus according to claim 21, wherein in case that said an estimated/determined distance between said first entity and said second entity is one of below and below-or-equal-to a threshold, in said selecting of said relative positioning method, said availability of said service for providing data of at least one reference entity is not considered.

28. The apparatus according to claim 21, wherein in case that said an estimated/determined distance between said first entity and said second entity is one of below and below-or-equal-to a threshold and that at least one of said first entity, said second entity and said at least one server entity has said relative positioning capability, a relative positioning method is selected in which said estimate of said relative position between said first entity and said second entity is determined based on data measured at said first entity and on data measured at said second entity without requiring any data of a reference entity.

29. The apparatus according to claim 21, wherein in case that said an estimated/determined distance between said first entity and said second entity is above a threshold, a relative positioning method is selected that is based on measurements performed by said first entity and said second entity and also on data of at least two reference entities.

31. The apparatus according to claim 21, wherein in case that said an estimated/determined distance between said first entity and said second entity is one of above and above-or-equal-to a threshold, that said service providing said data of said at least one reference entity is available at a common server entity associated with said first entity and said second entity or at both a first server entity associated with said first entity and a second server entity associated with said second entity and that at least one of said first entity, said second entity, said common server entity, said first server entity and said second server entity has said relative positioning capability, a relative positioning method is selected in which said estimate of said relative position between said first entity and said second entity is determined based on data measured at said first entity, said second entity and at at least two reference entities.

37. The apparatus according to claim 21, wherein communication between said first entity and its associated server entity and between said second entity and its associated server entity is at least partially based on at least one of the Secure User Plane Protocol and the Long Term Evolution Positioning Protocol.

39. The apparatus according to claim 21, wherein said service providing data of at least one reference entity is a virtual reference receiver service providing data of at least one virtual reference receiver.

40. The apparatus according claim 21, wherein said first entity and said second entity are mobile terminals of a mobile radio communications system.

41. The apparatus according to claim 21, wherein said apparatus is one of said first entity, said second entity and said at least one server entity, or a part thereof, and/or comprises a user interface.

23. (canceled)

24. (cancelled)

25. (canceled)

26. (cancelled)

35. (canceled)

36. (cancelled)

38. (canceled)

42. (canceled)

43. A system, comprising a first entity, a second entity and at least one server entity associated with at least one of said first entity and said second entity, wherein at least one of said first entity, said second entity and said at least one server entity is configured to select a relative positioning method from a set of at least two different relative positioning methods that are for determining an estimate of a relative position between said first entity and said second entity, said relative positioning method selected in dependence on at least one of the following criteria:

a relative positioning capability, of at least one of said first entity, said second entity and said at least one server entity, to determine an estimate of a relative position between two entities and

an availability, at at least one of said at least one server entity, of a service providing data of at least one reference entity useable for determining an estimate of a relative position between said reference entity and one of said first entity and said second entity.