Wireless network assisted GPS system

• US 7,215,281 B2
• Filed: 04/20/2004
• Issued: 05/08/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: New Jersey Institute of Technology
• Original Assignee: New Jersey Institute of Technology
• Inventors: Choi, Woo-Jin, Tekinay, Sirin
• Primary Examiner(s): Phan; Dao
• Application Number:
  US10/827,911
• Publication Number:
  US 20050052320A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,113 Days
• Field of Search: 342/357.01, 342/357.06, 342/357.09, 342/357.1, 342/457, 342/357.11, 701/207, 701/213, 701/215
• US Class Current: 342/357.42
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

A method and apparatus for locating a mobile communications device such as a cell phone includes apparatus for communicating with base stations and apparatus for communicating with satellites. Signals received from satellites and the base stations are combined to provide the necessary information to calculate the location of the mobile communications device.

Claims

1. A method of locating a mobile communications device, the method comprising:

receiving GPS data from a base station at said mobile communications device, and

sending the data from said mobile communications device to an applications processor,

wherein the applications processor is adapted to calculate the location of the mobile communications device based upon said data sent from said base station in combination with GPS data not sent from said base station, and

wherein said mobile communications device receives from said base station information identifying specific satellites to be used for location of said mobile communications device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said base station is part of a wireless network, and wherein the method further comprises:

receiving from said base station information that is used by the mobile communications device to either determine how to encode information to be sent to at least one satellite or to determine how to decode information received from at least one satellite.

3. A method of locating a mobile communications device, the method comprising:

receiving by the mobile communications device first information from base stations and second information from one or more satellites, and

combining such information in a manner to locate said device,

wherein the mobile device first transmits to at least one base station a request that the base station provide the mobile device with third information needed to obtain the second information from the satellites, and wherein the mobile communications device uses said first and second information to ascertain its location.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein plural satellites and a single base station are utilized.

5. A method of locating a mobile device comprising:

transmitting an instruction to a mobile device to instruct the mobile device to receive signals from one or more particular satellites, wherein said signals received from said satellites are to be used to locate said device.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said transmitting is from a land-based wireless network.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said transmitting further includes:

transmitting information to be combined with said signals received from one or more satellites to assist in locating said device, whereby said device is located based upon distances to satellites and distances to base stations.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said transmitting also includes:

transmitting one or more codes to be used to de-spread information from one or more of said particular satellites.

9. Apparatus for use with a mobile communications device, said apparatus for locating said mobile communications device, said apparatus comprising:

a transmitter to transmit a request to a base station,

a receiver to receive information from said base station in response to said request, said information being of assistance in locating said mobile communications device, and

a second receiver to receive information from satellites to assist in locating said mobile communications device,

wherein said mobile communications device is to receive, in response to a request from said mobile communications device, a numerical sequence or identification of said numerical sequence to be used by said mobile communications device in de-spreading or decoding information to be received from at least one satellite.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said received information is to be sent to an applications processor for calculation of said location.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein said received information is to be sent to said applications processor in combination with other received information from base stations, and wherein said location of said mobile communications device is to be determined based upon said received information and said other received information.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein said transmitter is to transmit the request to plural base stations.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein said information is to be received by said mobile communication device from said plural base stations, and wherein a difference in arrival time of said information from said plural base stations is to be used in part to locate said mobile communications device.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein said difference in arrival time is to be combined with information received from satellites to locate said mobile communications device.

15. A method of locating a mobile device, said method comprising:

receiving, from one or more base stations, first information to said mobile device, and

utilizing at said mobile device said first information to assist said mobile device in acquiring second information from at least one satellite to facilitate locating said mobile device, wherein additional information from at least one base station is to be used in combination with said second information to locate said device.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

transmitting said second information acquired from said at least one satellite to a base station, to be used by said base station in combination with either said first information or other information derived from communications between said mobile device and said base station, to locate said mobile device.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein said first information includes at least one item of information selected from the group consisting of identification of at least one satellite with which said mobile device should communicate, a de-spreading sequence or de-spreading sequence identification, or a decoding sequence or decoding sequence identification.

18. A method of locating a mobile communications device, the method comprising:

sending GPS data from a base station to said mobile communications device,

receiving the GPS data from said mobile communications device at an applications processor, and

calculating, at the applications processor, a location of the mobile communications device based upon said GPS data sent from said base station in combination with GPS data not sent from said base station, and

wherein said base station sends to said mobile communications device information identifying specific satellites to be used for location of said mobile communications device.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein said base station is part of a wireless network, and wherein the method further comprises:

transmitting from said base station to said mobile communications device information that is to be used by the mobile communications device to either determine how to encode information to be sent to at least one satellite or to determine how to decode information received from at least one satellite.

20. A method of locating a mobile device, said method comprising:

transmitting, from one or more base stations, first information to said mobile device, said first information to be utilized at said mobile device to assist said mobile device in acquiring second information from at least one satellite to facilitate locating said mobile device,

wherein additional information from at least one base station is to be used in combination with said second information to locate said device.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

receiving at a base station said second information acquired from said at least one satellite, and

using said second information acquired from said at least one satellite in combination with either said first information or other information derived from communications between said mobile device and said base station to locate said mobile device.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein said first information includes at least one item of information selected from the group consisting of identification of at least one satellite with which said mobile device should communicate, a de-spreading sequence or de-spreading sequence identification, or a decoding sequence or decoding sequence identification.

23. A wireless communication system to locate a mobile communication device, the system comprising:

one or more base stations, at least one base station to transmit first information to said mobile communication device, said first information including timing information from at least one base station; and

an applications processor to receive second information from said mobile communication device and to use at least said second information to locate said mobile communication device, wherein said second information includes at least one item of information selected from the group consisting of;

said first information; and

information obtained using at Least one satellite; and

wherein, if said information includes said first information, the applications processor uses at least one item of further information in combination with said first information to locate said mobile communication device.

24. The system according to claim 23, wherein said first information includes at least one item of information selected from the group consisting of:

distance information between at least one base station and said mobile communication device;

timing information; and

information obtained by at least one base station using at least one satellite.

25. The system according to claim 23, wherein said information obtained using at least one satellite comprises information obtained by said mobile communication device using at least one satellite.

26. The system according to claim 23, wherein said first information includes at least one item of information selected from the group consisting of:

information to instruct said mobile communication device to utilize at least one particular satellite;

a de-spreading sequence;

a de-spreading sequence identifier;

a decoding sequence; and

a decoding sequence identifier.

27. The system according to claim 23, wherein said applications processor is further to receive additional information from at least one base station to be used to locate said mobile communication device.