Method And System For Femtocell Positioning Using Low Earth Orbit Satellite Signals

• US 20130150027A1
• Filed: 08/16/2012
• Published: 06/13/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Radioxio, LLC
• Original Assignee: Maxlinear Incorporated
• Inventors: Leclercq, Maxime, Spyropoulos, Ioannis, Kumar, Nishant
• Granted Patent: US 8,938,231 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/427
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/13 Receivers
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/425 by combining or switching between signals derived from different satellite radio beacon positioning systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18554 using the position provided by an existing geolocalisation system
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/003 locating network equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/045 using private Base Stations, e.g. femto Base Stations, home Node B

Abstract

Methods and systems for femtocell positioning using low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite signals may comprise receiving an initial position of a wireless communication device (WCD) as entered by as user, service provider, or manufacturer, wherein the WCD comprises a LEO satellite signal receiver path (Rx). The WCD may be operable to provide wireless communication services to other WCDs. LEO signals may be received for determining a position of the WCD, which may be compared to a threshold radius defined by the initial position. The communication services may be enabled when the measured position is within the threshold radius. The WCD may comprise a femtocell device, a WiFi access point, or may provide cellular telephone service to the other WCDs. The position of the WCD may be measured upon powering up of the WCD, on a periodic basis, and/or when one or more motion sensors in the WCD detect motion.

Claims

1. A method for wireless communication, the method comprising:

in a wireless communication device comprising a low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite signal receiver path, said wireless communication device being operable to provide wireless communication services to other wireless communication devices;

receiving an entered initial position of said wireless communication;

receiving LEO RF satellite signals utilizing said LEO satellite signal receiver path;

measuring a position of said wireless communication device based on said received LEO RF satellite signals;

comparing said measured position of said wireless communication device to a threshold radius defined by said initial position;

enabling said wireless communication services to said other wireless communication devices when said measured position is within said threshold radius.

2. The method according to claim 1, comprising requesting reentry of said initial position when said measured position is outside of said threshold radius.

3. The method according to claim 1, comprising disabling said wireless communication device when said measured position of said wireless communication device falls outside of said threshold radius more than a predetermined number of times.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein said wireless communication device comprises one or more of:

a femtocell device or a WiFi access point.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein said initial position is entered by one of:

a user, a service provider, or a manufacturer of said wireless communication device.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein said initial position is entered by one or more of:

manually entering coordinates, clicking on a map, and entering an address.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein said wireless communication device provides cellular telephone service to said other wireless communication devices.

8. The method according to claim 1, comprising measuring said position of said wireless communication device upon powering up of said wireless communication device.

9. The method according to claim 1, comprising measuring said position of said wireless device on a periodic basis.

10. The method according to claim 1, comprising measuring said position of said wireless communication device when one or more motion sensors in said wireless communication device detect motion.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein said wireless communication device is controlled by a reduced instruction set computing (RISC) central processing unit (CPU).

12. A system for wireless communication, the system comprising:

one or more circuits for use in a wireless communication device comprising a low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite signal receiver path, said one or more circuits being operable to provide wireless communication services to other wireless communication devices, and said one or more circuits being operable to;

receive an entered initial position of said wireless communication device;

receive LEO RF satellite signals utilizing said LEO satellite signal receiver path;

measure a position of said wireless communication device based on said received LEO RF satellite signals;

compare said measured position of said wireless communication device to a threshold radius defined by said initial position;

enable said wireless communication services to said other wireless communication devices when said measured position is within said threshold radius.

13. The system according to claim 12, wherein said one or more circuits are operable to request reentry of said initial position when said measured position is outside of said threshold radius.

14. The system according to claim 12, wherein said one or more circuits are operable to disable said wireless communication device when said measured position of said wireless communication

15. The system according to claim 12, wherein said wireless communication device comprises one or more of:

a femtocell device or a WiFi access point.

16. The system according to claim 12, wherein said initial position is entered by one of:

a user, a service provider, or a manufacturer of said wireless communication device.

17. The system according to claim 12, wherein said initial position is entered by one or more of:

manually entering coordinates, clicking on a map, and entering an address

18. The system according to claim 12, wherein said wireless communication device provides cellular telephone service to said other wireless communication devices.

19. The system according to claim 12, wherein said one or more circuits are operable to measure said position of said wireless communication device upon powering up of said wireless communication device and/or on a periodic basis.

20. The system according to claim 12, wherein said one or more circuits are operable to measure said position of said wireless communication device when one or more motion sensors in said wireless communication device detect motion.

21. The system according to claim 12, wherein said wireless communication device is controlled by a reduced instruction set computing (RISC) central processing unit (CPU).

22. A system for wireless communication, the system comprising:

one or more circuits for use in a femtocell device comprising a low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite signal receiver path, said one or more circuits being operable to provide wireless communication services to other wireless communication devices, and said one or more circuits being operable to;

receive an entered initial position of said femtocell device;

receive LEO RF satellite signals utilizing said LEO satellite signal receiver path;

measure a position of said femtocell device based on said received LEO RF satellite signals;

compare said measured position of said femtocell device to a threshold radius defined by said initial position;

enable said wireless communication services to said other wireless communication devices when said measured position is within said threshold radius.