Embedded wireless location validation benchmarking systems and methods

• US 7,529,236 B2
• Filed: 08/15/2006
• Issued: 05/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Workday Incorporated
• Original Assignee: TechnoCom Corporation
• Inventors: Dessouky, Khaled, Dunn, Michael, Proietti, Mario, Poulin, Ronald L., Kota, Sekhar, Lambert, Daniel A., Crick, Todd
• Primary Examiner(s): Chan; Wing F
• Assistant Examiner(s): Jones; Prenell P
• Application Number:
  US11/464,730
• Publication Number:
  US 20070049267A1
• Time in Patent Office: 994 Days
• Field of Search: 370/386, 370/352, 370/392, 370/401, 370/395, 455/423, 455/404, 455/456, 455/67.3, 705/14, 705/35, 340/10.2, 340/825, 340/572, 340/934, 717/130, 717/132, 717/159, 700/97, 700/117
• US Class Current: 370/386
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0036 of measured values, i.e. measurement on mobile and position calculation on base station
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0054 of actual mobile position, i.e. position calculation on base station
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/08 Testing, supervising or monitoring using real traffic

Abstract

Systems, methods, and software are described for benchmarking the location determination capabilities of a wireless communications network. A mobile communications device is configured to receive data identifying a reference location for the device. A communications network, communicatively coupled with the mobile communications device, calculates a computed location for the device using an alternative location determination technique. The reference location and computed location may be determined for any number of additional devices, as well. The accuracy and reliability of a system may then be assessed by comparing one or more computed locations with associated reference locations. The latency attributable to the calculation of one or more computed locations may also be determined.

Claims

1. A telecommunications system for benchmarking location determination capabilities for a mobile communications device in a communications network, the system comprising:

the mobile communications device configured to;

receive a first set of data identifying a location of the device, the location identified with a first technique;

generate a second set of data formatted to trigger the communications network to identify the location of the device using a second technique; and

transmit one or more communications signals comprising the first set of data and the second set of data;

the communications network communicatively coupled with the mobile communications device, and configured to;

receive the second set of data through at least a subset of the one or more communications signals;

calculate location of the device using the second technique; and

generate a third set of data representative of the location identified using the second technique; and

a location processing server communicatively coupled with the communications network, and configured to;

store at least a subset of the first set of data and at least a subset of the third set of data in a data store associated with the location processing server.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the mobile communications device is further configured to:

identify a variable interval to be used between a plurality of transmissions of the second set of data, each interval corresponding to the earlier of;

a time interval metric; and

a distance movement metric.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the mobile communications device is further configured to:

analyze the first set of data to determine whether the first set of data comprises location information above a threshold accuracy; and

transmit the second set of data based at least in part on the determination that the first set of data comprises location information above the threshold accuracy.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the second technique comprises a time difference of arrival technique.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein,

the second technique comprises an assisted global positioning system technique;

and

the communications system further comprises an assistance server configured to produce calculations on global positioning system satellite data and to transmit at least a subset of the calculations to the mobile communications device.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the first set of data and the third set of data represent a location of the device at a substantially same time.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the location processing server is configured to associate the first set of data and the third set of data to identify accuracy of the calculated location.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein,

the mobile communications device is configured to associate a first time with the transmission of the second set of data;

the communications network is configured to associate a second time with the generation of the third set of data; and

the location processing server is configured to associate the first time with the second time to identify a period of latency attributable to the calculated location.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein,

the mobile communications device is configured to transmit at least a subset of the one or more communications signals comprising the second set of data by making a test call;

and

the test call is made to a test telephone number configured to trigger the communications network to calculate location of the device using the second technique and generate a third set of data, without notifying a public safety answering point.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein,

the mobile communications device is configured to transmit at least a subset of the one or more communications signals comprising the second set of data by making a test call;

the test call is made to an emergency telephone number; and

the communications network is configured to identify the test call as a test, and fail to notify the public safety answering point about the test call based at least in part on the identification as a test.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein,

the mobile communications device is configured to transmit at least a subset of the one or more communications signals comprising the second set of data by generating a location trigger message

the location trigger message is configured to trigger the communications network to calculate location of the device using the second technique and generate a third set of data, without notifying a public safety answering point.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile communications device is configured to generate and transmit the data during regular and customary use of the device by a user who regularly and customarily uses the device primarily for purposes of voice or data communication.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the communications network comprises the location processing server.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the first set of data comprises global positioning system coordinates.

15. The method of benchmarking location determination capabilities with a mobile communications device, the method comprising:

receiving a first set of data identifying a location of the device, the location identified with a first technique;

generating a second set of data associated with the first set, the second set formatted to trigger a communications network to calculate location of the device using a second technique;

transmitting one or more communications signals comprising the first set of data and the second set of data; and

identifying a variable interval between a plurality of transmissions of at least a subset of the second set of data, the interval corresponding to a time interval.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

analyzing the first set of data to determine whether the first set of data comprises location information above a threshold accuracy,

wherein the transmitting the second set of data is in response to the determination that the first set of data comprises location information above the threshold accuracy.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

associating an identifier with the first set of data and the second set of data, wherein the identifier comprises a selection from the group consisting of a telephone number, a timestamp, a dialed telephone number, a cell identification number, and any combination thereof.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the transmitting the second set of data comprises:

initiating a test call to a test telephone number configured to trigger the communications network to calculate location of the device using the second technique and generate a third set of data without notifying the public safety answering point.

16. The method of benchmarking location determination capabilities with a mobile communications device, the method comprising:

receiving a first set of data identifying a location of the device, the location identified with a first technique;

generating a second set of data associated with the first set, the second set formatted to trigger a communications network to calculate location of the device using a second technique;

transmitting one or more communications signals comprising the first set of data and the second set of data; and

identifying a variable interval between a plurality of transmissions of at least a subset of the second set of data, the interval corresponding to a distance movement metric identified using the first set of data.

17. The method of benchmarking location determination capabilities with a mobile communications device, the method comprising:

receiving a first set of data identifying a location of the device, the location identified with a first technique;

generating a second set of data associated with the first set, the second set formatted to trigger a communications network to calculate location of the device using a second technique;

transmitting one or more communications signals comprising the first set of data and the second set of data; and

identifying a variable interval between a plurality of transmissions of at least a subset of the second set of data, the interval corresponding to a location metric identified by referencing a location identified using the first set of data.

21. A method of benchmarking location determination capabilities in a communications network, the method comprising:

receiving, from a device, a first set of data identifying a reference location of the device, the reference location identified with a first technique;

receiving, from the communications network, a second set of data identifying a computed location of the device, the computed location calculated by the communications network using a second technique;

associating the first set of data with the second set of data

receiving a test call from the mobile communications device;

triggering, based at least in part on the received test call, the communications network to generate the second set of data;

identifying the received test call as a test; and

failing to notify the public safety answering point about the test call based at least in part on the identifying step.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the first set of data and the second set of data represent a location of the device at a substantially same time.

23. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

determining an accuracy of the computed location in relation to the reference location by comparing the first set of data and the second set of data.

24. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

determining a latency for the computed location calculation by comparing a timestamp of the first set of data and a timestamp of the second set of data.

25. A method for benchmarking location determination capabilities in a communications network utilizing a data store, the method comprising:

receiving, from each device of a plurality of mobile devices, a first set of data identifying a reference location of the each device, the reference location identified with a first technique;

receiving, from a communications network, a second set of data for at least a subset of the plurality of mobile devices,identifying a computed location, the computed location calculated by the communications network using a second technique;

associating each received second set of data with a selected first set of data, wherein each associated sets of data identifies location of a same device at a substantially same time;

storing the associated sets of data; and

determining a yield of the second technique by identifying unselected first sets of data.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

determining an accuracy of the second technique by comparing the locations identified by the associated sets of data.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising:

providing a summarized report of the determined accuracy of the second technique for a subset of the associated sets of data.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein providing the summarized report comprises:

providing a summarized report on an interface that is accessed from and distributed to a remote location.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein providing the summarized report comprises:

transmitting image data comprising a map illustrating an accuracy metric associated with at least a subset of the computed locations.

30. The method of claim 26, further comprising:

weighting a first location differently than a second location in determining the accuracy of the second technique.

31. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

determining a latency of the second technique by comparing one or more timestamps for the associated sets of data.