System and method of determining a mobile station's position using directable beams

• US 6,195,556 B1
• Filed: 07/15/1997
• Issued: 02/27/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hanger Solutions, LLC (IP Investments Group LLC)
• Original Assignee: Metawave Communications Corp.
• Inventors: Reudink, Douglas O., Peterson, Curt, Reudink, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Voeltz, Emanuel Todd
• Assistant Examiner(s): SOFOCLEOUS, MICHAEL D
• Application Number:
  US08/892,946
• Time in Patent Office: 1,323 Days
• Field of Search: 455/404, 455/456, 455/457, 455/562, 455/25, 455/76-88, 343/700, 343/703, 343/757, 342/359-360, 342/450, 342/452, 342/457, 342/463
• US Class Current: 455/456.2
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/12 by co-ordinating position lines of different shape, e.g. hyperbolic, circular, elliptical or radial
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/14 Determining absolute distances from a plurality of spaced points of known location
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/24 Cell structures
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

A system and method for accurately determining the position of a mobile unit operating within a predefined service area is disclosed. Three embodiments of the present invention are disclosed which teach the use of one, two and three narrow beam base transceiver stations in the determination of a mobile unit'"'"'s position. Where one base station is utilized, an information map of signal attributes is used in the position determination. Where two and three base stations are used, signal strength measurements in combination with the time difference of arrival of a signal at the various base stations are used in the position determination.

Claims

1. In a wireless communication system having at least one base station providing communication to a predefined area, said wireless communication system also having multiple communication beams associated therewith, a system comprising:

means for recording a plurality of exemplary information data sets including at least one communication attribute as detectable on ones of said multiple communication beams;

means for associating ones of said plurality of exemplary information data sets with a particular location within said predefined area; and

means for comparing a current information data set including at least a same communication attribute as said exemplary information data sets to said recorded ones of said exemplary information data sets, wherein said comparing means is operable to determine a position of a mobile communication unit operating within said predetermined area and wherein said position determination is made through reference to information of a single base station of said wireless communication system.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said wireless communication system comprises cellular telephone communication.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said wireless communication system comprises personal communication services.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said at least one communication attribute comprises a receive signal strength.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said at least one communication attribute comprises a time differential of a signal as detectable on at least two beams of said plurality of communication beams.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein ones of said multiple communication beams are narrow beams having a beam width of less than 120°

.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said position determination is made at least twice.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein a subsequent position determination of said at least two position determinations is made to confirm a previous position determination of said at least two position determinations.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein a subsequent position determination of said at least two position determinations is made to update a previous position determination of said at least two position determinations.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein a subsequent position determination of said least two position determinations is made to refine a previous position determination of said at least two position determinations.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein said determination of a position is made at least in part through extrapolation based on at least one of said recorded information data sets.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein said determination of a position is suitable for use by an E-9-1-1 system.

13. The system of claim 12, further comprising:

means for communicating said position determination to said E-9-1-1 system.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein said communication means includes utilization of a communication link from the group consisting of a public switched network, a private communication line, and a private wireless link.

15. The system of claim 6, wherein said determination of a position is made at least in part through interpolation based on ones of said recorded information data sets.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein said determination of a position is suitable for use by a controller operating in said wireless communication system.

17. A method for determining the position of a mobile communication device operating within a wireless communication system having multiple narrow beams associated therewith, said method comprising:

recording a plurality of exemplary communication information data sets including at least one communication attribute as detectable on a plurality of said multiple narrow beams;

associating at least one data set of said plurality of exemplary communication information data sets with a particular geographic location;

compiling a current communication information data set as a function of signals associated with said mobile communication device detectable on a plurality of said multiple narrow beams of a first base station of said wireless communication system, said current communication information data set including at least a same communication attribute as said exemplary information data sets;

comparing said current information data set to said recorded ones of said exemplary information data sets; and

determining a geographic position of said mobile communication device based at least in part on said comparing step, wherein said position determination is made based on current information from said first base station without reliance on current information from another base station.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein said at least one communication attribute comprises a receive signal strength.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein said at least one communication attribute comprises a time differential of a signal as detectable on two beams of said plurality of narrow beams.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein said exemplary communication information data sets include a receive signal strength and a time differential of a signal detectable as detectable on two beams of said plurality of narrow beams.

21. The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of:

utilizing said determination made in said determining step to provide location information for an E-9-1-1 system.

22. The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of:

controlling at least a portion of said wireless communication system based in part by reference to said determination made in said determining step.

23. The method of claim 17, further comprising the steps of:

identifying at said first base station a first beam of said plurality of beams having a first desired signal attribute associated with said mobile communication device;

identifying at said first base station a second beam of said plurality of beams having a second desired signal attribute associated with said mobile communication device;

ascertaining a first time differential of arrival between a signal detectable at said first beam at said first base station and said signal as detectable at a beam at a second base station;

ascertaining a second time differential of arrival between a signal detectable at said second beam at said first base station and said signal as detectable as beam at said second base station; and

determining a geographic position of said mobile communication device based at least in part on information from said identifying and said ascertaining steps and independent from said first mentioned determining step.

24. The method of claim 17, wherein said geographic position determination is utilized to provide specialized service options based on geographic position.