METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ESTIMATING LOCATION OF USER EQUIPMENT IN WIRELESS NETWORK

• US 20130310075A1
• Filed: 05/17/2013
• Published: 11/21/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Lim, Dongguk, Kim, Dongcheol, Jang, Jiwoong, Cho, Hangyu, Kang, Jiwon, Park, Sungho
• Granted Patent: US 9,113,305 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/025 using location based information parameters

Abstract

A positioning method of estimating a location of a user equipment (UE) in a wireless network is disclosed. The positioning method includes performing positioning using a global positioning system (GPS)-based signal, checking whether the UE is located indoors based on received signal intensity of the GPS-based signal, and changing a positioning method using the GPS-based signal to a positioning method using a local area network (LAN)-based signal when it is determined that the UE is located indoors, and performing a positioning using the changed positioning method using the LAN-based signal.

Claims

1. A positioning method of estimating a location of a user equipment (UE) in a wireless network, the method comprising:

performing positioning using a global positioning system (GPS)-based signal;

checking whether the UE is located indoors based on received signal intensity of the GPS-based signal;

changing a positioning method using the GPS-based signal to a positioning method using a local area network (LAN)-based signal when it is determined that the UE is located indoors; and

,

performing a positioning using the changed positioning method using the LAN-based signal.

2. The positioning method according to claim 1, wherein the performing of the positioning using the LAN-based signal further comprises:

setting a reference point for the performing of the positioning method using the LAN-based signal;

storing the set reference point as an initial location and then measuring acceleration and angular velocity according to movement of the UE based on the reference point; and

calculating a current location of the UE based on the reference point and the measured acceleration and angular velocity.

3. The positioning method according to claim 2, wherein the calculating of the current location of the UE further comprises:

first filtering for determining whether the measured acceleration is valid data;

if it is determined that the measured acceleration is valid data, second filtering for identifying a movement type of the UE by filtering the valid data; and

calculating a length according to the movement type of the UE and calculating a movement distance of the UE in consideration of the calculated length and measurement time information,

wherein the current location of the UE is calculated in consideration of the calculated movement distance (a first distance) of the UE, a movement distance (a second distance) calculated by performing dual integration on the measured acceleration, and a movement direction calculated from the measured angular velocity.

4. The positioning method according to claim 3, wherein a weight factor obtained in consideration of the first and second distances is applied to calculate the current location of the UE.

5. The positioning method according to claim 1, wherein a value obtained by multiplying weight factors obtained in consideration of reliability to the first distance and the second distance and the current location of the UE is calculated by determining as a final movement distance of the UE from the reference point to calculate the current location of the UE.

6. The positioning method according to claim 2, wherein the reference point is determined based on the GPS-based signal or received by the UE from an access point (AP) of the LAN.

7. The positioning method according to claim 6, further comprising updating the reference point by changing the reference point to a point indicating the calculated current location of the UE.

8. The positioning method according to claim 6, further comprising:

receiving location information from the AP; and

calculating a current location of the UE to be updated by applying weight factors based on the reliability in consideration of reliability of the received location information.

9. A user equipment (UE) for estimating a location in a wireless network, the UE comprising;

a location information module; and

a processor configured to cause;

the location information module checks whether the UE is located indoors based on received signal intensity of a global positioning system (GPS)-based signal while performing positioning using the GPS-based signal, and changes a positioning method using the GPS-based signal to a positioning method using a local area network (LAN)-based signal when it is determined that the UE is located indoors, and performing a positioning using the changed positioning method using the LAN-based signal.

10. The UE according to claim 9, wherein the location information module is configured to set a reference point for the performing the positioning method using the LAN-based signal, stores the set reference point as an initial location and then measures acceleration and angular velocity according to movement of the UE based on the reference point, and calculates a current location of the UE based on the reference point and the measured acceleration and angular velocity.

11. The UE according to claim 10, wherein the location information module is configured to determine whether the measured acceleration is valid data, and if it is determined that the measured acceleration is valid data, identifying a movement type of the UE by filtering the valid data, and to calculate a length according to the movement type of the UE and to calculate a movement distance of the UE in consideration of the calculated length and measurement time information, and calculates a current location of the UE in consideration of the calculated movement distance (a first distance) of the UE, a movement distance (a second distance) calculated by performing dual integration on the measured acceleration, and a movement direction calculated from the measured angular velocity.

12. The UE according to claim 11, wherein the location information module applies a weight factor obtained in consideration of the first and second distances to calculate the current location of the UE.

13. The UE according to claim 9, wherein the location information module determines a value obtained by multiplying weight factors obtained in consideration of reliability to the first distance and the second distance and calculates a current location of the UE by determining as a final movement distance of the UE from the reference point.

14. The UE according to claim 10, wherein the reference point is determined based on the GPS-based signal or received by the UE from an access point (AP) of the LAN.

15. The UE according to claim 14, wherein the location information module updates the reference point by changing the reference point to a point indicating the calculated current location of the UE.

16. The UE according to claim 14, further comprising a receiver for receiving location information from the AP,

wherein the location information module calculates a current location of the UE to be updated by applying weight factors based on the reliability in consideration of reliability of the received location information.