HARVESTING COMMUNICATION PARAMETER OBSERVATIONS IN GNSS-DENIED ENVIRONMENTS

• US 20140171128A1
• Filed: 08/09/2011
• Published: 06/19/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Bernhardt, Bruce Allen, Mubarek, Ali Omer, Sheynman, Arnold, Shenfield, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 9,942,698 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.6
• 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 5/0027 of actual mobile position, i.e. position determined on mobile
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0036 of measured values, i.e. measurement on mobile and position calculation on base station
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/02521 using a radio-map
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/02526 using non-dedicated equipment, e.g. user equipment or crowd-sourcing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

A method includes receiving location information from a mobile device, the location information indicating a location of a mobile device operating the mobile device in a global positioning navigation satellite system (GNSS)-location-denied environment. One or more communication parameters associated with communications between the mobile device and a network can be identified. The communication parameters can be associated with the location of the mobile device. The mobile device can provide the location information using a social networking site, for example, using a check-in feature or drop-down location menu.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving location information from a mobile device, the location information indicating a location of a mobile device operated by a user in a global navigation satellite system (GNSS)-location-denied environment;

identifying one or more communication parameters associated with communications between the mobile device and a network; and

associating the communication parameters with the location of the mobile device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication parameters include cellular radio parameters.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication parameters include Wi-Fi information.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication parameters include information from any radio technology within the device that may be used to estimate a position.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication parameters include information identifying whether the mobile device is in motion.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the location information indicating the location of the mobile device includes information provided through a check-in feature of a social networking application.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the location information indicating the location of the user is based on information provided through a user interface feature allowing specifying location related information.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the user interface feature is a drop-down menu.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the user interface feature is a combo-box control.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the user interface features is a list-box control.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the location information indicating the location of the mobile device includes information provided through a location-enabled social application.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the user self identifies their physical location as part of a location-enabled application.

13. The method of claim 1 the method further comprising:

storing location information about the mobile device over a period of time;

storing communication parameters associated with the location information over the period of time;

aggregating the location information and the communication parameters for the mobile device; and

identifying a location of a different mobile device based on at least one of the aggregated location information and the communication parameters.

14. A user equipment comprising:

one or more hardware processors operable to;

transmit location information to a network, the location information indicating a location of a device operating the user equipment in a global navigation satellite system (GNSS)-location-denied environment; and

transmit one or more communication parameters associated with communications between the user equipment and the network.

15. The user equipment of claim 14, wherein the one or more hardware processors are operable to provide one or more applications, the one or more applications configured to receive location information as input and associate the location information with the user operating the user equipment.

16. The user equipment of claim 15, wherein the one or more applications is further operable to communicate the location information associated with the mobile device to the network.

17. The user equipment of claim 15, wherein the location information indicating the location of the user is based on information provided through a user interface feature allowing the user to specify location related information.

18. A system comprising:

one or more hardware processors operable to;

receiving location information from a mobile device, the location information indicating a location of the mobile device in a global navigation satellite system (GNSS)-location-denied environment;

identifying one or more communication parameters associated with communications between the mobile device and a network; and

associating the communication parameters with the location of the mobile device.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the communication parameters include cellular radio parameters.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the communication parameters include Wi-Fi information.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein the communication parameters include information from any radio technology within the mobile device that may be used to estimate a position.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein the communication parameters include information identifying whether the mobile device is in motion.

23. The method of claim 18, wherein the location information indicating the location of the mobile device includes information provided through a check-in feature of a social networking application.

24. The method of claim 18, wherein the location information indicating the location of the mobile device includes information provided through a location drop-down menu.

25. The method of claim 18, wherein the location information indicating the location of the mobile device includes information provided through a location-enabled social application.

26. The method of claim 18, wherein the user self-identifies their physical location as part of a GNSS-location-enabled application.

27. The method of claim 18 further comprising:

storing location information about the mobile device over a period of time;

storing communication parameters associated with the location information over the period of time;

aggregating the location information and the communication parameters for the mobile device; and

estimating a location of a different mobile device based on at least one of the aggregated location information and the communication parameters.