Methods, systems and apparatus for integrated wireless device location determination

• US 7,595,754 B2
• Filed: 12/24/2007
• Issued: 09/29/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/24/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Mehta, Chand
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAN, DAO LINDA
• Application Number:
  US11/963,889
• Publication Number:
  US 20090160711A1
• Time in Patent Office: 645 Days
• Field of Search: 342/357.02, 342/357.06, 342/357.08, 342/357.13, 342/450, 342/451, 342/457, 455/456.2, 455/456.3, 455/457
• US Class Current: 342/450
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/48 by combining or switching between position solutions derived from the satellite radio beacon positioning system and position solutions derived from a further system
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0205 Details
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0263 by combining or switching between positions derived from two or more separate positioning systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

Methods, devices, and systems are presented for integrated wireless device location determination. A method for determining location on a wireless device includes receiving a request for wireless device location and receiving a plurality of wireless network messages. Each message is transmitted from a wireless network edge device associated with one of a plurality of wireless networks. Further included is obtaining location measurement information from the received wireless network messages and obtaining location determining assistance information for each of the wireless networks associated with the received wireless network messages. The method further includes determining more than one wireless device location based on the location measurement information and the location determining assistance information, determining an integrated wireless device location based on the more than one wireless device location, validating and storing the integrated wireless device location. A method for determining wireless device location at a network device is also provided.

Claims

1. A method for determining location on a wireless communication device, comprising:

receiving a request for wireless device location;

receiving a plurality of wireless network messages, each message transmitted from a network edge device that is associated with one of a plurality of wireless networks;

obtaining location measurement information from the received wireless network messages;

obtaining location determining assistance information for each of the wireless networks associated with the received wireless network messages;

determining more than one wireless device location based on the location measurement information and the location determining assistance information;

determining an integrated wireless device location based on the more than one wireless device location;

validating the integrated wireless device location; and

storing the integrated wireless device location.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving a plurality of wireless network messages further comprises passively listening to receive all messages transmitted from wireless network edge devices that are within a reception range of the wireless device and having a signal strength detectable by the wireless device.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein passively listening to receive all of the messages further comprises tuning a Software Defined Radio (SDR) to receive all wireless network messages transmitted from wireless network edge devices that are within a reception range of the wireless device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining more than one wireless device location further comprises determining one or more wireless device location for one or more of the wireless networks associated with the received wireless network messages.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining more than one wireless device location further comprises determining one or more device locations by combining the location measurement information and the location determining assistance information from more than one wireless network.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein obtaining location measurement information from the received one or more wireless network messages further comprises obtaining location measurement information chosen from the group of information consisting of an access point Media Access Control (MAC) address, a wireless network System Identification (SID), power measurement information, radio frequency (RF) characteristics, a Code Division Multiple Access System Identification (CDMA SID), a base station ID, and frequency band.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein obtaining location determining assistance information further comprises accessing a database stored in a memory of the wireless device to obtain location determining information for at least one of the wireless networks associated with the received plurality of wireless network messages.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein obtaining location determining assistance information further comprises requesting location determining assistance information from a database stored in a memory of a device located across a wireless network from the wireless device and receiving the location determination assistance information in response to the request.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein determining an integrated wireless device location further comprises determining an integrated wireless device location based on at least one determination method chosen from the group consisting of averaging the wireless device locations, weighted averaging the wireless device locations, and defining an overlapping area for the wireless device locations.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein validating the integrated wireless device location further comprises comparing the integrated wireless device location to at least one of a group of a natural structure topology topography database and a man-made structure topology database.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving satellite signals associated with a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS), obtaining GNSS location determining information for the GNSS and determining a GNSS wireless device location based on the received satellite signals and the GNSS location determining information.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein determining an integrated wireless device location further comprises determining an integrated wireless device location based on at least one of the wireless device locations and the GNSS wireless device location.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the plurality of wireless network messages further comprises each message being transmitted from the respective surrounding network edge device that is associated with a respective one of a plurality of surrounding wireless networks.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the plurality of wireless network messages further comprises receiving a plurality of wireless network messages each message transmitted from a serving network edge device that is associated with a serving network.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the plurality of wireless network messages, further comprises receiving a plurality of wireless network messages each transmitted from a surrounding network edge device associated with one of a plurality of surrounding wireless networks and receiving a plurality of wireless network messages each message transmitted from a serving network edge device that is associated with a serving network.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein determining the integrated wireless device location further comprises determining based on surrounding network-based wireless device locations and serving network-based wireless device locations.

17. The method of claim 9, wherein receiving the plurality of wireless network messages further comprises receiving a plurality of wireless network messages transmitted from a surrounding network edge device each associated with one of a plurality of surrounding wireless networks and receiving a plurality of wireless network messages each message transmitted from a serving network edge device that is associated with a serving network.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein determining the integrated wireless device location further comprises determining based on at least two of the group of surrounding network-based wireless device locations, serving network-based wireless device locations and the GNSS wireless device location.

19. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing the integrated wireless device location as a tagged wireless device location.

20. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing an estimated location of at least one wireless network edge device based on the integrated wireless device location and the location measurement information associated with the at least one wireless network edge device.

21. The method of claim 1, further comprising communicating the integrated wireless device location to a network database.

22. At least one processor configured to determine location on a wireless communication device, comprising:

a first module for receiving a request for wireless device location;

a second module for receiving a plurality of wireless network messages, each message transmitted from a network edge device that is associated with one of a plurality of wireless networks;

a third module for obtaining location measurement information from the received wireless network messages;

a fourth module for obtaining location determining assistance information for each of the wireless networks associated with the received wireless network messages;

a fifth module for determining more than one wireless device location based on the location measurement information and the location determining assistance information;

a sixth module for determining an integrated wireless device location based on the more than one wireless device location;

a seventh module for validating the integrated wireless device location; and

an eighth module for storing the integrated wireless device location.

23. A computer program product, comprising:

a computer-readable medium comprising;

at least one instruction for causing a computer to receive a request for wireless device location;

at least one instruction for causing a computer to receive a plurality of wireless network messages, each message transmitted from a network edge device that is associated with one of a plurality of wireless networks;

at least one instruction for causing a computer to obtain location measurement information from the received wireless network messages;

at least one instruction for causing a computer to obtain location determining assistance information for each of the wireless networks associated with the received wireless network messages;

at least one instruction for causing a computer to determine more than one wireless device location based on the location measurement information and the location determining assistance information;

at least one instruction for causing a computer to determine an integrated wireless device location based on the more than one wireless device location;

at least one instruction for causing a computer to validate the integrated wireless device location; and

at least one instruction for storing the integrated wireless device location.

24. An apparatus, comprising:

means for receiving a request for wireless device location;

means for receiving a plurality of wireless network messages, each message transmitted from a network edge device that is associated with one of a plurality of wireless networks;

means for obtaining location measurement information from the received wireless network messages;

means for obtaining location determining assistance information for each of the wireless networks associated with the received wireless network messages;

means for determining more than one wireless device location based on the location measurement information and the location determining assistance information;

means for determining an integrated wireless device location based on the more than one wireless device location;

means for validating the integrated wireless device location; and

means for storing the integrated wireless device location.

25. A wireless device, comprising:

a computer platform including a processor and a memory;

a location integrating device executable by the processor and comprising;

a wireless network location determiner operable to receive wireless network messages from a plurality of wireless network edge devices, obtain wireless network edge device location measurement information from the wireless network messages, obtain wireless network location determining assistance information for each of the wireless networks associated with the received wireless network messages and determine one or more wireless device locations based on the wireless network location measurement information and the wireless network location determining assistance information;

a GNSS location determiner operable to receive satellite signals, obtain GNSS location measurement information from the satellite signals, obtain GNSS location determining assistance information and determine a GNSS-based wireless device location based on the GNSS location measurement information and the GNSS location determining assistance information; and

a location integrator operable to determine an integrated wireless device location based one or more wireless device locations and the GNSS-based wireless device location.

26. The wireless device of claim 25, wherein the wireless network location determiner is further operable to passively listen to receive all messages transmitted from the plurality of wireless network edge devices that are within a reception range of the wireless device and having a signal strength detectable by the wireless device.

27. The wireless device of claim 25, wherein the location determining device further comprises an SDR operable to be tuned to receive all wireless network messages transmitted from the plurality of wireless network edge devices that are within a reception range of the wireless device.

28. The wireless device of claim 25, wherein the wireless network location determiner is further operable to determine the more than one wireless device location such that each wireless device location corresponds to one of the wireless networks associated with the received wireless network messages.

29. The wireless device of claim 25, wherein the wireless network location determiner is further operable to determine one or more of the wireless device locations by combining the location measurement information and the location determining assistance information from more than one wireless network.

30. The wireless device of claim 25, wherein the wireless network location determiner is further operable to obtain location measurement information from the received wireless network messages, wherein the location measurement information includes information chosen from the group consisting of a MAC address, an SID, power measurement information, RF characteristics, a CDMA SID, a base station ID, and frequency band.

31. The wireless device of claim 25, wherein the wireless network location determiner is further operable to access a database stored in a memory of the wireless device to obtain the wireless network location determining information.

32. The wireless device of claim 25, wherein the wireless network location determiner is further operable to request the location determining assistance information from a database stored in a memory of a device located across a wireless network from the wireless device and receive the location determination assistance information in response to the request.

33. The wireless device of claim 25, wherein the location integrator is further operable to determine an integrated wireless device location based on at least one determination method chosen from the group consisting of averaging the wireless device location, weighted averaging the wireless device location and defining an overlapping area for the wireless device locations.

34. The wireless device of claim 25, further comprising a location validator operable to validate the integrated wireless device location.

35. The wireless device of claim 34, wherein the location validator is further operable to compare the integrated wireless device location to at least one of a group of a natural structure topology database and a man-made structure topology database.

36. The wireless device of claim 25, wherein the a wireless network location determiner is further operable to receive wireless network messages from a plurality of surrounding network edge devices, obtain surrounding network edge device location measurement information from the wireless network messages, obtain surrounding network location determining assistance information for each surrounding network associated with the received wireless network messages and determine one or more wireless device locations based on the surrounding network location measurement information and the surrounding network location determining assistance information.

37. The wireless device of claim 35, wherein the location integrator is further operable to determine an integrated wireless device location based the wireless device locations and the GNSS-based wireless device location.

38. The wireless device of claim 25, wherein the wireless network location determiner is further operable to receive wireless network messages from a plurality of serving network edge devices, obtain serving network edge device location measurement information from the wireless network messages, obtain serving network location determining assistance information and determine one or more wireless device locations based on the serving network location measurement information and the serving network location determining assistance information.

39. The wireless device of claim 38, wherein the location integrator is further operable to determine an integrated wireless device location based the wireless device locations and the GNSS-based wireless device location.

40. The wireless device of claim 25, wherein the a wireless network location determiner is further operable to receive wireless network messages from a plurality of surrounding network edge devices and serving network edge devices, obtain surrounding network and serving network edge device location measurement information and from the wireless network messages, obtain serving network location determining assistance information and obtain surrounding network location determining assistance information for each surrounding network associated with the received wireless network messages and determine one or more wireless device locations based on the surrounding and serving network location measurement information and the surrounding and serving network location determining assistance information.

41. The wireless device of claim 40, wherein the location integrator is further operable to determine an integrated wireless device location based on the one or more wireless device locations and the GNSS-based wireless device location.

42. The wireless device of claim 25, wherein the memory further comprises a wireless device tagging database operable to receive and store the integrated wireless device location.

43. The wireless device of claim 25, wherein the location determining device further comprises a self-learning location estimator operable to estimate the location of one or more wireless network edge devices based on the integrated wireless device location and the location measurement information associated with the wireless network edge devices.

44. The wireless device of claim 25, wherein the memory further comprises a self-learning database operable to receive and store the estimated location of one or more wireless network edge devices.

45. The wireless device of claim 25, wherein the location determining device is operable to communicate the integrated wireless device location to a network database.

46. A method for determining wireless device location at a network device, comprising:

receiving a request for wireless device location including location measurement information associated with a plurality of wireless network edge devices;

obtaining location determining assistance information for each of the wireless networks associated with the wireless network edge devices;

determining more than one wireless device location based on the location measurement information and the location determining assistance information;

determining an integrated wireless device location based on the more than one wireless device location;

validating the integrated wireless device location; and

storing the integrated wireless device location.

47. The method of claim 46, wherein determining more than one wireless device location further comprises determining one or more wireless device location for one or more of the wireless networks.

48. The method of claim 46, wherein determining more than one wireless device location further comprises determining one or more device locations by combining the location measurement information and the location determining assistance information from more than one wireless network.

49. The method of claim 46, wherein receiving a request for wireless device location including location measurement information further comprises receiving a request for wireless device location including location measurement information that includes information chosen from the group of information consisting of a MAC address, an SID, power measurement information, RF characteristics, a CDMA SID, a base station ID, and frequency band.

50. The method of claim 46, wherein determining the integrated wireless device location further comprises determining based on at least one determination method chosen from the group consisting of averaging the wireless device locations, weighted averaging the wireless device locations and defining an overlapping area for the wireless device locations.

51. The method of claim 46, wherein validating the integrated wireless device location further comprises comparing the integrated wireless device location to at least one of a group of a natural structure topology database and a man-made structure topology database.

52. The method of claim 46, wherein receiving the request for wireless device location further comprises receiving a request for wireless device location including location measurement information associated with GNSS signals.

53. The method of claim 52, further comprising obtaining location determining assistance information for the GNSS and determining a GNSS wireless device location based on the GNSS satellite signals and the GNSS location determining information.

54. The method of claim 53, wherein determining the integrated wireless device location further comprises determining an integrated wireless device location based on the one or more wireless device locations and the GNSS wireless device location.

55. The method of claim 46, wherein receiving the request for wireless device location further comprises receiving a request for wireless device location including location measurement information associated with one or more surrounding network edge devices.

56. The method of claim 46, wherein receiving the request for wireless device location further comprises receiving a request for wireless device location including location measurement information associated with at least one of one or more serving network edge devices, one or more surrounding network edge devices, and one or more serving network edge devices and one or more surrounding network edge devices.

57. The method of claim 46, wherein storing the integrated wireless device location further comprises storing the integrated wireless device location as a tagged wireless device location.

58. The method of claim 46, further comprising determining an estimated location of one or more network edge devices based on the integrated wireless device location and the location measurement information associated with the wireless network edge devices.

59. The method of claim 58, wherein determining an estimated location of one or more network edge devices further combining location data from more than one wireless device.

60. At least one processor configured to determine wireless device location at a network device, comprising:

a first module for receiving a request for wireless device location including location measurement information associated with a plurality of wireless network edge devices;

a second module for obtaining location determining assistance information for each of the wireless networks associated with the wireless network edge devices;

a third module for determining more than one wireless device location based on the location measurement information and the location determining assistance information;

a fourth module for determining an integrated wireless device location based on the more than one wireless device location;

a fifth module for validating the integrated wireless device location; and

a sixth module for storing the integrated wireless device location.

61. A computer program product, comprising:

a computer-readable medium comprising;

at least one instruction for causing a computer to receive a request for wireless device location including location measurement information associated with a plurality of wireless network edge devices;

at least one instruction for causing the computer to obtain location determining assistance information for each of the wireless networks associated with the wireless network edge devices;

at least one instruction for causing the computer to determine more than one wireless device location based on the location measurement information and the location determining assistance information;

at least one instruction for causing the computer to determine an integrated wireless device location based on the more than one wireless device location for each of the wireless networks;

at least one instruction for causing the computer to validate the integrated wireless device location; and

at least one instruction for causing the computer to store the integrated wireless device location.

62. An apparatus, comprising:

means for receiving a request for wireless device location including location measurement information associated with a plurality of wireless network edge devices;

means for obtaining location determining assistance information for each of the wireless networks associated with the wireless network edge devices;

means for determining more than one wireless device location based on the location measurement information and the location determining assistance information;

means for determining an integrated wireless device location based on the more than one wireless device location;

means for validating the integrated wireless device location; and

means for storing the integrated wireless device location.

63. A network location integration system, comprising:

a location determining assistance information database operable to store location determining assistance information associated with wireless networks and GNSSs; and

a network device including a computer platform having a processor and a memory, the device including;

a location integration module stored in the memory and executable by the processor, wherein the module includes;

a protocol handler operable to receive a request for wireless device location and obtain, from the request, location measurement information associated with one or more wireless network edge devices and GNSS satellite signals,

a location determiner operable to determine one or more wireless device location and a GNSS-based wireless device location based on the location measurement information and the location determining assistance information, and

a location integrator operable to determine an integrated wireless device location based on at least two of the one or more wireless device locations and the GNSS-based wireless device location.

64. The network device of claim 63, wherein the location determiner is further operable to determine a wireless device location for each of the wireless networks.

65. The network device of claim 63, wherein the location determiner is further operable to determine one or more device locations by combining the location measurement information and the location determining assistance information from more than one wireless network.

66. The network device of claim 63, wherein the protocol handler is further operable to obtain, from the request, location measurement information associated with a plurality of wireless network edge devices, wherein the information chosen from the group of information consisting of a MAC address, an SID, power measurement information, RF characteristics, a CDMA SID, a base station ID, and frequency band.

67. The network device of claim 63, wherein the location integrator is further operable to determine an integrated wireless device location based on at least one determination method chosen from the group consisting of averaging the wireless device location and the GNSS-based wireless device location, weighted averaging the wireless device location and the GNSS-based wireless device location and defining an overlapping area for the wireless device locations and the GNSS-based wireless device location.

68. The network device of claim 63, wherein the location integration module further comprises a location validator stored in the memory and executable by the processor wherein the location validation module is operable to validate the integrated wireless device location.

69. The network device of claim 68, wherein the location validator is further operable to compare the integrated wireless device location to at least one of a group of a natural structure topology database and a man-made structure topology database.

70. The network device of claim 63, wherein the protocol handler is further operable to receive a request for wireless device location and obtain, from the request, location measurement information associated with at least of one or more surrounding network edge devices and one or more serving network edge devices.

71. The network device of claim 70, wherein the location determining assistance information database is further operable to store location determining assistance information for one or more surrounding networks and one or more serving networks and the location determining module is further operable to determine a wireless device location based on the serving network edge device location measurement information and the location determining assistance information for the serving networks and one or more wireless device locations based on the surrounding network edge device location measurement information.

72. The network device of claim 70, wherein the location integrator is further operable to determine an integrated wireless device location based on at least two of the wireless device locations and the GNSS-based wireless device location.

73. The network device of claim 63, wherein the location integration module further comprises a self-learning location estimator stored in the memory and executable by the processor, wherein the self-learning location estimator is operable to estimate the location of one or more wireless network edge devices based on the integrated wireless device location and the location measurements associated with the wireless network edge devices and store the estimated location of the surrounding network edge devices in memory.

74. The network device of claim 63, further comprising a location database operable to store the integrated wireless device location as a tagged wireless device location.

75. The network device of claim 63, further comprising a communications module operable to communicate the integrated wireless device location to the requesting wireless device.