Method and apparatus for transmitting position data using control channels in wireless networks

• US 7,076,256 B1
• Filed: 04/15/2002
• Issued: 07/11/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: CSR Technology Incorporated (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: SIRF Technology Incorporated (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Inventors: Pande, Ashutosh, Orler, Anthony J.
• Primary Examiner(s): GELIN, JEAN ALLAND
• Application Number:
  US10/123,835
• Time in Patent Office: 1,548 Days
• Field of Search: 4554561-4566, 455/404.2, 455/414.2, 455/436, 455/450, 455/521, 342/357.06, 342/357.07, 342/357.11, 342/357.12, 701/207, 701/213
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

A cellular telephone for use with a cellular telephone network includes a GPS receiver section. Position determination related information is transmitted to and from the cellular telephone using a control channel.

Claims

1. A cellular telephone for use with a cellular telephone network, comprising:

a GPS receiver section, wherein position determination related information is transmitted to and from the cellular telephone using a control channel, the cellular telephone transmits a message on the control channel requesting registration of the cellular telephone by the cellular telephone network, the cellular telephone transmits information on the control channel regarding whether the cellular telephone is GPS enabled to the cellular telephone network, the cellular telephone transmits a message on the control channel requesting whether the cellular telephone network is GPS enabled, the cellular telephone transits position determination related information already stored in the memory of the cellular telephone to the cellular telephone network on the control channel, and wherein the cellular telephone network verifies that the cellular telephone is a valid subscriber and verifies the position determination related information stored in the memory of the cellular telephone.

2. The cellular telephone according to claim 1, wherein the cellular telephone network transmits a message to the cellular telephone on the control channel, the message comprising information regarding whether the cellular telephone network is GPS enabled, the validity of the subscription, the validity of the position determination related information, or that the position determination related information needs to be updated.

3. The cellular telephone according to claim 1, wherein if the cellular telephone does not receive a message from the cellular telephone network, then the cellular telephone calculates position determination related information autonomously.

4. The cellular telephone according to claim 1, wherein if the cellular telephone receives a message from the cellular telephone network that the cellular telephone network is not GPS enabled, then the cellular telephone calculates position determination related information autonomously.

5. The cellular telephone according to claim 1, wherein the position determination related information is selected from the group consisting of GPS information, position information, ephemeris information, pseudorange information, almanac information, coarse position information, Doppler information, in-view satellite position information, time and frequency aid information, received wireless signal strength information, network information, transmit time information, local landmark information, a combination thereof, and the equivalents thereof.

6. A positioning system comprising:

a cellular telephone network; and

a plurality of cellular telephones, at least one of the cellular telephones having a GPS receiver section, wherein position determination related information is transmitted between the cellular telephone network and the cellular telephone using a control channel, wherein the cellular telephone transmits a message to the cellular telephone network on the control channel requesting registration of the cellular telephone, the cellular telephone transmits information to the cellular telephone network on the control channel regarding whether the cellular telephone is GPS enabled, the cellular telephone transmits a message to the cellular telephone network on the control channel requesting whether the cellular telephone network is GPS enabled, the cellular telephone transmits position determination related information already stored in the memory of the cellular telephone to the cellular telephone network on the control channel, and wherein the cellular telephone network verifies that the cellular telephone is a valid subscriber and verifies the position determination related information stored in the memory of the cellular telephone.

7. The positioning system according to claim 6, wherein the cellular telephone network transmits a message to the cellular telephone on the control channel, the message comprising information regarding whether the cellular telephone network is GPS enabled, the validity of the subscription, the validity of the position determination related information, or that the position determination related information needs to be updated.

8. The positioning system according to claim 6, wherein if the cellular telephone does not receive a message from the cellular telephone network, then the cellular telephone calculates position determination related information autonomously.

9. The positioning system according to claim 6, wherein if the cellular telephone receives a message from the cellular telephone network that the cellular telephone network is not GPS enabled, then the cellular telephone calculates position determination related information autonomously.

10. The positioning system according to claim 6, wherein the position determination related information is selected from the group consisting of GPS information, position information, ephemeris information, pseudorange information, almanac information, coarse position information, Doppler information, in-view satellite position information, time and frequency aid information, received wireless signal strength information, network information, transmit time information, local landmark information, a combination thereof, and the equivalents thereof.

11. A method for transferring information, comprising:

searching for an available control channel in a cellular telephone network using a cellular telephone; and

transmitting position determination related information between the cellular telephone network and the cellular telephone using the control channel, wherein transmitting position determination related information between the cellular telephone network and the cellular telephone does not require the use of a voice channel;

transmitting a message from the cellular telephone to the cellular telephone network on the control channel requesting registration of the cellular telephone before transmitting the position determination related information;

transmitting information from the cellular telephone to the cellular telephone network on the control channel regarding whether the cellular telephone is GPS enabled, further comprising transmitting a message from the cellular telephone to the cellular telephone network on the control channel requesting whether the cellular telephone network is GPS enabled;

transmitting position determination related information already stored in the memory of the cellular telephone from the cellular telephone to the cellular telephone network on the control channel;

verifying that the cellular telephone is a valid subscriber by the cellular telephone network; and

verifying the position determination related information already stored in the memory of the cellular telephone by the cellular telephone network.

12. The method according to claim 11, further comprising transmitting a message from the cellular telephone network to the cellular telephone on the control channel, the message comprising information regarding whether the cellular telephone network is GPS enabled, the validity of the subscription, the validity of the position determination related information, or that the position determination related information needs to be updated.

13. The method according to claim 11, further comprising calculating position determination related information autonomously by the cellular telephone if the cellular telephone does not receive a message from the cellular telephone network.

14. The method according to claim 11, further comprising calculating position determination related information autonomously by the cellular telephone if the cellular telephone receives a message from the cellular telephone network that the cellular telephone network is not GPS enabled.

15. The method according to claim 11, further comprising monitoring the control channel by the cellular telephone for incoming calls or information.

16. The method according to claim 15 further comprising transmitting a call request from the cellular telephone to the cellular telephone network on a control channel.

17. The method according to claim 16, further comprising assigning a voice channel to the call request by the cellular telephone network.

18. The method according to claim 17, further comprising transferring the call to a voice channel for use by the cellular telephone.

19. The method according to claim 18, further comprising toggling the busy/idle bit for the control channel to idle allowing other cellular telephones access to the control channel.

20. The method according to claim 19, further comprising transmitting updated position determination related information to the cellular telephone from the cellular telephone network on a control channel.

21. The method according to claim 11, wherein the position determination related information is selected from the group consisting of GPS information, position information, ephemeris information, pseudorange information, almanac information, coarse position information, Doppler information, in-view satellite position information, time and frequency aid information, received wireless signal strength information, network information, transmit time information, local landmark information, a combination thereof, and the equivalents thereof.