Apparatus and method of position determination using shared information

• US 7,084,809 B2
• Filed: 01/02/2003
• Issued: 08/01/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Hockley, George O. Jr., Sheynblat, Leonid
• Primary Examiner(s): Issing, Gregory C.
• Application Number:
  US10/335,753
• Publication Number:
  US 20040008138A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,307 Days
• Field of Search: 342/357.08, 342/357.06, 342/357.09, 342/357.07, 701/213
• US Class Current: 342/357.48
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/05 providing aiding data
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/46 the supplementary measurement being of a radio-wave signal type
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/51 Relative positioning
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0072 Transmission between mobile stations, e.g. anti-collision systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0289 of multiple transceivers, e.g. in ad hoc networks

Abstract

A hybrid position determination system is disclosed. A mobile device may determine a number of pseudo ranges based on a first position determination system, such as a Global Positioning System. In instances where the position of the mobile device is underdetermined because of an insufficient number of satellite pseudo ranges, the mobile device shares position information with other devices. The other devices may include other mobile devices. A first mobile device may determine its position based on an underdetermined number of satellite pseudo ranges by determining pseudo ranges to other mobile devices. In other embodiments, the number of satellite pseudo ranges may be insufficient to generate an absolute position determination of a single mobile device. In this underdetermined condition, mobile devices may determine a common location of the group or may determine a relative positioning of members of the group.

Claims

1. A method for determining a position of a first mobile station, comprising:

receiving from a second mobile station having an underdetermined position determination, shared information from which range information related to a range between the first mobile station and a second mobile station can be determined;

determining the range information from said shared information;

receiving at said first mobile station first position location signals;

receiving from said second mobile station at said first mobile station shared second position location signals;

and determining the position of said first mobile station using said first and second position location signals and said range information.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said receiving shared information comprises receiving at said first mobile station a PRN code sequence sent by said second mobile station.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving at said first mobile station shared timing information sent from said second mobile station.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving a time reference signal at said first mobile device from said second mobile device, and synchronizing a time base between said first and second mobile devices from said received time reference signal.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said determining the range information comprises synchronizing a time base of said first mobile station to a time base of said second mobile station, and receiving at said first mobile station a PRN code sequence transmitted by said second mobile station.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said receiving at said first mobile station first position location signals comprises receiving at least some GPS location information transmitted by respective GPS satellites.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein said receiving at said first mobile station first position location signals comprises receiving at least some location information from a base station in a wireless network in which at least said first mobile station is operating.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein said receiving at said first mobile station second position location signals comprises receiving at lean some GPS location information transmitted by respective GPS satellites received by said second mobile station and transmitted to said first mobile station.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein said receiving at said first mobile station second position location signals comprises receiving at least some location information from a base station in a wireless network in which at least said second mobile station is operating.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein at least three position location signals are used to determine the position of said first mobile station.

11. A method for determining a position of a first mobile station, comprising:

synchronizing a time base of said first mobile station to a time base of a second mobile station, the second mobile station having an underdetermined position determination;

receiving at said first mobile station a PRN code sequence transmitted by said second mobile station;

determining range information related to a range between said first and second mobile stations using said time base and said received PRN code sequence;

receiving at said first mobile station first position location signals;

receiving from said second mobile station at said first mobile station shared second position location signals;

and determining the position of said first mobile station using said first and second position location signals and said range information.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein said receiving at said first mobile station first position location signals comprises receiving at least some GPS location information transmitted by respective GPS satellites.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein said receiving at said first mobile station first position location signals comprises receiving at least some location information from a base station in a wireless network in which at least said first mobile station is operating.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein said receiving at said first mobile station second position location signals comprises receiving at least some GPS location information transmitted by respective GPS satellites received by said second mobile station and transmitted to said first mobile station.

15. The method of claim 11 wherein said receiving ax said first mobile station second position location signals comprises receiving at least some location information from a base station in a wireless network in which at least said second mobile station is operating.

16. The method of claim 11 wherein at least four position location signals me used to determine the position of said first mobile station.

17. A method for determining a position of a first mobile station, comprising:

sharing a time base between said first mobile station and a second mobile station, the second mobile station having an underdetermined position determination;

receiving at said first mobile station first position location signals;

receiving from said second mobile station at said first mobile station shared second position location signals;

and determining the position of said first mobile station using said first and second position location signals and said shared time base.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein said receiving at said first mobile station first position location signals comprises receiving at least some GPS location information transmitted by respective GPS satellites.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein said receiving at said first mobile station first position location signals comprises receiving at least some location information from a base station in a wireless network in which at least said first mobile station is operating.

20. The method of claim 17 wherein said receiving at said first mobile station second position location signals comprises receiving at least some GPS location information transmitted by respective GPS satellites received by said second mobile station and transmitted to said first mobile station.

21. The method of claim 17 wherein said receiving at said first mobile station second position location signals comprises receiving at least some location information from a base station in a wireless network in which at least said second mobile station is operating.

22. The method of claim 17 wherein at least three position location signals are used to determine the position of said first mobile station.

23. A system for detennining a position of a first mobile station, comprising:

a receiver for receiving shared information from which range information related to a range between the first mobile station and a second mobile station having an underdetermined position determination can be determined;

a first system for determining the range information;

a receiver at said first mobile station for receiving first position location signals;

a receiver for receiving from said second mobile station shared second position location signals;

and a second system for detennining the position of said first mobile station using said first and second position location signals and said range information.

24. The system of claim 23 wherein said shared information comprises a PRN code sequence transmitted by said second mobile station.

25. The system of claim 23 further comprising a receiver for receiving shared timing information sent from said second mobile station.

26. The system of claim 23 further comprising a receiver for receiving a time reference signal at said first mobile device from said second mobile device, and means for synchronizing a time base between said first and second mobile devices from said received time reference signal.

27. The system of claim 23 wherein said first system comprises means for synchronizing a time base of said first mobile station to a time base of said second mobile station, and a receiver for receiving at said first mobile station a PRN code sequence transmitted by said second mobile station.

28. The system of claim 23 wherein said receiver for receiving at said first mobile station first position location signals comprises a receiver for receiving at least some GPS location information transmitted by respective GPS satellites.

29. The system of claim 23 wherein said receiver for receiving at said first mobile station first position location signals comprises a receiver for receiving at least some location information from a base station in a wireless network in which at least said first mobile station is operating.

30. The system of claim 23 wherein said receiver for receiving at said first mobile station second position location signals comprises a receiver for receiving at least some GPS location information transmitted by respective GPS satellites received by said second mobile station and transmitted to said first mobile station.

31. The method of claim 23 wherein said receiving at said first mobile station second position location signals comprises receiving at least some location information from a base station in a wireless network in which at least said second mobile station is operating.

32. The system of claim 23 wherein said second system determines the position of said first mobile station using at least three position location signals.