Mobile device positioning responsive to externally generated regional candidate position fix mode selection

• US 20140274108A1
• Filed: 03/12/2013
• Published: 09/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: VENKATRAMAN, Sai Pradeep, GAO, Weihua, WERNER, Benjamin A., ZHANG, Gengsheng
• Granted Patent: US 9,247,518 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/46 the supplementary measurement being of a radio-wave signal type
• 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: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

Various methods, apparatuses and/or articles of manufacture are provided which may be implemented for use by a mobile device to affect at least one positioning function based, at least in part, on a recommended candidate position fix mode received from another electronic device for use in a particular region of an environment. For example, a mobile device may obtain assistance data indicative of a candidate position fix mode for a partial region of an environment navigable by the mobile device, and in response to a determination that the mobile device is estimated to be located within a threshold proximity of the partial region, affect a wireless signal-based positioning function based, at least in part, on the candidate position fix mode.

Claims

1. A method comprising, with a mobile device:

obtaining assistance data from at least one other electronic device, said assistance data being indicative of a candidate position fix mode for a partial region of an environment navigable by said mobile device, said candidate position fix mode being selected from a plurality of wireless signal-based positioning modes comprising at least;

a first wireless signal-based positioning mode based on first wireless signals transmitted by a terrestrial-based transmitting device,

a second wireless signal-based positioning mode based on a second wireless signals transmitted a satellite-based transmitting device, and

a third wireless signal-based positioning mode based on a combination of said first wireless signals and said second wireless signals; and

affecting a wireless signal-based positioning function based, at least in part, on said candidate position fix mode, in response to a determination that said mobile device is estimated to be located within a threshold proximity of said partial region.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said assistance data is further indicative of at least one other candidate position fix mode for at least one other partial region of said environment navigable by said mobile device.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said assistance data comprises at least one of:

an electronic map corresponding to at least a portion of said environment; and

/or

an annotation file corresponding to at least a portion of said electronic map.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said candidate position fix mode corresponds to one or more positioning nodes identifiable within an electronic map corresponding to said environment.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said assistance data indicates said candidate position fix mode via an identifier assigned to one of said plurality of wireless signal-based positioning modes.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, and further comprising with said mobile device:

transmitting a request for said assistance data comprising said candidate position fix mode.

7. The method as recited in claim 6, wherein said request is indicative of at least one of:

an initial estimated position fix of said mobile device, and/or an initial estimated course of said mobile device.

8. The method as recited in claim 6, wherein said request is indicative of at least one wireless signal observation gathered by said mobile device.

9. The method as recited in claim 6, wherein said request is indicative of a mobile device capability related identifier corresponding to said mobile device.

10. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said candidate position fix mode is indicative of said partial region.

11. The method as recited in claim 10, wherein said candidate position fix mode is indicative of a geo-fence boundary corresponding to at least a portion of said partial region.

12. The method as recited in claim 10, wherein said candidate position fix mode is indicative of said partial region with regard to an electronic map corresponding to at least a portion of said environment.

13. The method as recited in claim 10, wherein said candidate position fix mode is indicative of said partial region with regard to at least one of:

a structure feature related identifier, a node related identifier, an environment related identifier, and/or a location context identifier (LCI).

14. The method as recited in claim 10, wherein said candidate position fix mode is indicative of said partial region with regard to at least one of:

a first service related identifier corresponding to said terrestrial-based transmitting device, a second service related identifier corresponding to said satellite-based transmitting device, and/or a mobile device capability related identifier corresponding to said mobile device.

15. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said candidate position fix mode is indicative of a conditional attribute corresponding to at least one of:

said candidate position fix mode, said partial region, said terrestrial-based transmitting device, said satellite-based transmitting device, and/or said mobile device.

16. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said partial region has been identified based, at least in part, on at least one of historical navigation observations, and/or wireless signal observations corresponding to a plurality of mobile devices with regard to said environment.

17. The method as recited in claim 1, and further comprising, with said mobile device:

gathering at least one of;

historical navigation observations, and/or wireless signal observations; and

,

transmitting at least one of;

said historical navigation observations, and/or said wireless signal observations to said at least one other electronic device.

18. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said assistance data is indicative of at least one of:

an initial estimated position fix of said mobile device, and/or an initial estimated course of said mobile device.

19. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said assistance data is indicative of said determination that said mobile device is estimated to be located within said threshold proximity of said partial region.

20. The method as recited in claim 1, and further comprising, with said mobile device:

subsequent to affecting said wireless signal-based positioning function based, at least in part, on said candidate position fix mode, transmitting a report to said at least one other electronic device, said report being indicative as to whether, as affected, said wireless signal-based positioning function successfully determines at least one of;

a current estimated position fix of said mobile device, and/or a current estimated course of said mobile device.

21. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein at least a portion of said environment comprises a blended environment, and said blended environment comprises said partial region.

22. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said terrestrial-based transmitting device comprises an access point device of a wireless communication network;

and/or said satellite-based transmitting device is part of a space positioning system (SPS).

23. A mobile device comprising:

a communications transceiver; and

a processing unit to;

obtain, via said communications transceiver, assistance data indicative of a candidate position fix mode for a partial region of an environment navigable by said mobile device, said candidate position fix mode being selected from a plurality of wireless signal-based positioning modes comprising at least;

a first wireless signal-based positioning mode based on first wireless signals transmitted by a terrestrial-based transmitting device, a second wireless signal-based positioning mode based on a second wireless signals transmitted a satellite-based transmitting device, and a third wireless signal-based positioning mode based on a combination of said first wireless signals and said second wireless signals; and

in response to a determination that said mobile device is estimated to be located within a threshold proximity of said partial region, affect a positioning function based, at least in part, on said candidate position fix mode.

24. The mobile device as recited in claim 23, wherein said assistance data is further indicative of at least one other candidate position fix mode for at least one other partial region of said environment navigable by said mobile device.

25. The mobile device as recited in claim 23, wherein said assistance data comprises at least one of:

an electronic map corresponding to at least a portion of said environment; and

/or

an annotation file corresponding to at least a portion of said electronic map.

26. The mobile device as recited in claim 23, wherein said candidate position fix mode corresponds to one or more positioning nodes identifiable within an electronic map corresponding to said environment.

27. The mobile device as recited in claim 23, wherein said assistance data indicates said candidate position fix mode via an identifier assigned to one of said plurality of wireless signal-based positioning modes.

28. The mobile device as recited in claim 23, said processing unit to further:

initiate transmission of a request for said assistance data comprising said candidate position fix mode to at least one other electronic device via said communications transceiver.

29. The mobile device as recited in claim 28, wherein said request is indicative of at least one of:

an initial estimated position fix of said mobile device, and/or an initial estimated course of said mobile device.

30. The mobile device as recited in claim 28, wherein said request is indicative of at least one wireless signal observation gathered by said mobile device.

31. The mobile device as recited in claim 28, wherein said request is indicative of a mobile device capability related identifier corresponding to said mobile device.

32. The mobile device as recited in claim 23, wherein said candidate position fix mode is indicative of said partial region.

33. The mobile device as recited in claim 32, wherein said candidate position fix mode is indicative of a geo-fence boundary corresponding to at least a portion of said partial region.

34. The mobile device as recited in claim 32, wherein said candidate position fix mode is indicative of said partial region with regard to an electronic map corresponding to at least a portion of said environment.

35. The mobile device as recited in claim 32, wherein said candidate position fix mode is indicative of said partial region with regard to at least one of:

a structure feature related identifier, a node related identifier, an environment related identifier, and/or a location context identifier (LCI).

36. The mobile device as recited in claim 32, wherein said candidate position fix mode is indicative of said partial region with regard to at least one of:

a first service related identifier corresponding to said terrestrial-based transmitting device, a second service related identifier corresponding to said satellite-based transmitting device, and/or a mobile device capability related identifier corresponding to said mobile device.

37. The mobile device as recited in claim 23, wherein said candidate position fix mode is indicative of a conditional attribute corresponding to at least one of:

said candidate position fix mode, said partial region, said terrestrial-based transmitting device, said satellite-based transmitting device, and/or said mobile device.

38. The mobile device as recited in claim 23, wherein said partial region has been identified based, at least in part, on at least one of historical navigation observations, and/or wireless signal observations corresponding to a plurality of mobile devices with regard to said environment.

39. The mobile device as recited in claim 23, said processing unit to further:

gather at least one of;

historical navigation observations, and/or wireless signal observations; and

,

initiate transmission of at least one of;

said historical navigation observations, and/or said wireless signal observations to at least one other electronic device via said communications transceiver.

40. The mobile device as recited in claim 23, wherein said assistance data is indicative of at least one of:

an initial estimated position fix of said mobile device, and/or an initial estimated course of said mobile device.

41. The mobile device as recited in claim 23, wherein said assistance data is indicative of said determination that said mobile device is estimated to be located within said threshold proximity of said partial region.

42. The mobile device as recited in claim 23, said processing unit to further:

subsequent to said wireless signal-based positioning function being affected based, at least in part, on said candidate position fix mode, initiate transmission of a report to at least one other electronic device via said communications transceiver, said report being indicative as to whether, as affected, said wireless signal-based positioning function successfully determines at least one of;

a current estimated position fix of said mobile device, and/or a current estimated course of said mobile device.

43. The mobile device as recited in claim 23, wherein at least a portion of said environment comprises a blended environment, and said blended environment comprises said partial region.

44. The mobile device as recited in claim 23, wherein said terrestrial-based transmitting device comprises an access point device of a wireless communication network;

and/or said satellite-based transmitting device is part of a space positioning system (SPS).

45. An apparatus for use in a mobile device, the apparatus comprising:

means for accessing assistance data indicative of a candidate position fix mode for a partial region of an environment navigable by said mobile device, said candidate position fix mode being selected from a plurality of wireless signal-based positioning modes comprising at least;

a first wireless signal-based positioning mode based on first wireless signals transmitted by a terrestrial-based transmitting device, a second wireless signal-based positioning mode based on a second wireless signals transmitted a satellite-based transmitting device, and a third wireless signal-based positioning mode based on a combination of said first wireless signals and said second wireless signals; and

means for affecting a wireless signal-based positioning function, based, at least in part, on said candidate position fix mode, in response to a determination that said mobile device is estimated to be located within a threshold proximity of said partial region.

46. The apparatus as recited in claim 45, wherein said assistance data is further indicative of at least one other candidate position fix mode for at least one other partial region of said environment navigable by said mobile device.

47. The apparatus as recited in claim 45, wherein said assistance data comprises at least one of:

an electronic map corresponding to at least a portion of said environment; and

/or

an annotation file corresponding to at least a portion of said electronic map.

48. The apparatus as recited in claim 45, wherein said candidate position fix mode corresponds to one or more positioning nodes identifiable within an electronic map corresponding to said environment.

49. The apparatus as recited in claim 45, wherein said assistance data indicates said candidate position fix mode via an identifier assigned to one of said plurality of wireless signal-based positioning modes.

50. The apparatus as recited in claim 45, and further comprising with said mobile device:

means for transmitting a request for said assistance data comprising said candidate position fix mode.

51. The apparatus as recited in claim 50, wherein said request is indicative of at least one of:

an initial estimated position fix of said mobile device, and/or an initial estimated course of said mobile device.

52. The apparatus as recited in claim 50, wherein said request is indicative of at least one wireless signal observation gathered by said mobile device.

53. The apparatus as recited in claim 50, wherein said request is indicative of a mobile device capability related identifier corresponding to said mobile device.

54. The apparatus as recited in claim 45, wherein said candidate position fix mode is indicative of said partial region.

55. The apparatus as recited in claim 54, wherein said candidate position fix mode is indicative of a geo-fence boundary corresponding to at least a portion of said partial region.

56. The apparatus as recited in claim 54, wherein said candidate position fix mode is indicative of said partial region with regard to an electronic map corresponding to at least a portion of said environment.

57. The apparatus as recited in claim 54, wherein said candidate position fix mode is indicative of said partial region with regard to at least one of:

a structure feature related identifier, a node related identifier, an environment related identifier, and/or a location context identifier (LCI).

58. The apparatus as recited in claim 54, wherein said candidate position fix mode is indicative of said partial region with regard to at least one of:

a first service related identifier corresponding to said terrestrial-based transmitting device, a second service related identifier corresponding to said satellite-based transmitting device, and/or

a mobile device capability related identifier corresponding to said mobile device.

59. The apparatus as recited in claim 45, wherein said candidate position fix mode is indicative of a conditional attribute corresponding to at least one of:

said candidate position fix mode, said partial region, said terrestrial-based transmitting device, said satellite-based transmitting device, and/or said mobile device.

60. The apparatus as recited in claim 45, wherein said partial region has been identified based, at least in part, on at least one of historical navigation observations, and/or wireless signal observations corresponding to a plurality of mobile devices with regard to said environment.

61. The apparatus as recited in claim 45, and further comprising:

means for gathering at least one of;

historical navigation observations, and/or wireless signal observations; and

,

means for transmitting at least one of;

said historical navigation observations, and/or said wireless signal observations to at least one other electronic device.

62. The apparatus as recited in claim 45, wherein said assistance data is indicative of at least one of:

an initial estimated position fix of said mobile device, and/or an initial estimated course of said mobile device.

63. The apparatus as recited in claim 45, wherein said assistance data is indicative of said determination that said mobile device is estimated to be located within said threshold proximity of said partial region.

64. The apparatus as recited in claim 45, and further comprising:

means for transmitting a report to at least one other electronic device subsequent to said wireless signal-based positioning function being affected based, at least in part, on said candidate position fix mode, wherein said report is indicative as to whether, as affected, said wireless signal-based positioning function successfully determines at least one of;

a current estimated position fix of said mobile device, and/or a current estimated course of said mobile device.

65. The apparatus as recited in claim 45, wherein at least a portion of said environment comprises a blended environment, and said blended environment comprises said partial region.

66. The apparatus as recited in claim 45, wherein said terrestrial-based transmitting device comprises an access point device of a wireless communication network;

and/or said satellite-based transmitting device is part of a space positioning system (SPS).

67. An article comprising:

a non-transitory computer readable medium having computer implementable instructions executable by a processing unit of a mobile device to;

obtain assistance data indicative of a candidate position fix mode for a partial region of an environment navigable by said mobile device, said candidate position fix mode being selected from a plurality of wireless signal-based positioning modes comprising at least;

a first wireless signal-based positioning mode based on first wireless signals transmitted by a terrestrial-based transmitting device, a second wireless signal-based positioning mode based on a second wireless signals transmitted a satellite-based transmitting device, and a third wireless signal-based positioning mode based on a combination of said first wireless signals and said second wireless signals; and

in response to a determination that said mobile device is estimated to be located within a threshold proximity of said partial region, affect a wireless signal-based positioning function based, at least in part, on said candidate position fix mode.

68. The article as recited in claim 67, wherein said assistance data is further indicative of at least one other candidate position fix mode for at least one other partial region of said environment navigable by said mobile device.

69. The article as recited in claim 67, wherein said assistance data comprises at least one of:

an electronic map corresponding to at least a portion of said environment; and

/or

an annotation file corresponding to at least a portion of said electronic map.

70. The article as recited in claim 67, wherein said candidate position fix mode corresponds to one or more positioning nodes identifiable within an electronic map corresponding to said environment.

71. The article as recited in claim 67, wherein said assistance data indicates said candidate position fix mode via an identifier assigned to one of said plurality of wireless signal-based positioning modes.

72. The article as recited in claim 67, further comprising computer implementable instructions to:

initiate transmission of a request for said assistance data comprising said candidate position fix mode.

73. The article as recited in claim 72, wherein said request is indicative of at least one of:

an initial estimated position fix of said mobile device, and/or an initial estimated course of said mobile device.

74. The article as recited in claim 72, wherein said request is indicative of at least one wireless signal observation gathered by said mobile device.

75. The article as recited in claim 72, wherein said request is indicative of a mobile device capability related identifier corresponding to said mobile device.

76. The article as recited in claim 67, wherein said candidate position fix mode is indicative of said partial region.

77. The article as recited in claim 76, wherein said candidate position fix mode is indicative of a geo-fence boundary corresponding to at least a portion of said partial region.

78. The article as recited in claim 76, wherein said candidate position fix mode is indicative of said partial region with regard to an electronic map corresponding to at least a portion of said environment.

79. The article as recited in claim 76, wherein said candidate position fix mode is indicative of said partial region with regard to at least one of:

a structure feature related identifier, a node related identifier, an environment related identifier, and/or a location context identifier (LCI).

80. The article as recited in claim 76, wherein said candidate position fix mode is indicative of said partial region with regard to at least one of:

a first service related identifier corresponding to said terrestrial-based transmitting device, a second service related identifier corresponding to said satellite-based transmitting device, and/or a mobile device capability related identifier corresponding to said mobile device.

81. The article as recited in claim 67, wherein said candidate position fix mode is indicative of a conditional attribute corresponding to at least one of:

said candidate position fix mode, said partial region, said terrestrial-based transmitting device, said satellite-based transmitting device, and/or said mobile device.

82. The article as recited in claim 67, wherein said partial region has been identified based, at least in part, on at least one of historical navigation observations, and/or wireless signal observations corresponding to a plurality of mobile devices with regard to said environment.

83. The article as recited in claim 67, further comprising computer implementable instructions to:

gather at least one of;

historical navigation observations, and/or wireless signal observations; and

,

initiate transmission of at least one of;

said historical navigation observations, and/or said wireless signal observations to at least one other electronic device.

84. The article as recited in claim 67, wherein said assistance data is indicative of at least one of:

an initial estimated position fix of said mobile device, and/or an initial estimated course of said mobile device.

85. The article as recited in claim 67, wherein said assistance data is indicative of said determination that said mobile device is estimated to be located within said threshold proximity of said partial region.

86. The article as recited in claim 67, further comprising computer implementable instructions to:

subsequent to said wireless signal-based positioning function being affected based, at least in part, on said candidate position fix mode, initiate transmission of a report to at least one other electronic device, said report being indicative as to whether, as affected, said wireless signal-based positioning function successfully determines at least one of;

a current estimated position fix of said mobile device, and/or a current estimated course of said mobile device.

87. The article as recited in claim 67, wherein at least a portion of said environment comprises a blended environment, and said blended environment comprises said partial region.

88. The article as recited in claim 67, wherein said terrestrial-based transmitting device comprises an access point device of a wireless communication network;

and/or said satellite-based transmitting device is part of a space positioning system (SPS).