Systems and methods for locating device activity in a wireless network

• US 7,783,303 B1
• Filed: 07/13/2007
• Issued: 08/24/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Mobility IP LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Carrier Iq
• Inventors: Lerner, Yishai, Roskowski, Steve
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel; Ajit
• Application Number:
  US11/777,942
• Time in Patent Office: 1,138 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/021 Calibration, monitoring or correction G01S5/0252 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

Systems and methods for locating wireless devices in a wireless network. A diagnostic client on a wireless device generates timing data based on clock data received from sectors of towers communicating with the device. The timing data can be used to generate probability bands that approximate the location of the device in the wireless network. The broadcast regions of the sectors and/or the probability bands can also be used to generate the probable location of a wireless device in a wireless network. The diagnostic data can then be binned in a grid based on the approximate location of the wireless device. The statistical contributions of multiple devices to the grid can be used to characterize the performance of the wireless network.

Claims

1. A method for locating a wireless device in a wireless network, the method comprising:

receiving diagnostic data from a wireless device, the diagnostic data including timing data from one or more sectors;

generating a first probability band and a second probability band using the timing data; and

identifying an area where the first probability band overlaps with the second probability band, wherein the area corresponds to an approximate location of the wireless device in the wireless network, wherein a second area where the first probability band overlaps with the second probability band is discarded when identifying the area.

2. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein receiving diagnostic data from a wireless device further comprises identifying towers associated with the one or more sectors in communication with the wireless device.

3. The method as defined in claim 2, wherein identifying towers associated with the one or more sectors in communication with the wireless device further comprises accessing a database to obtain information describing the one or more sectors.

4. The method as defined in claim 3, wherein accessing a database to obtain information describing the one or more sectors further comprises accessing, from the database, one or more of:

latitudes of the one or more sectors;

longitudes of the one or more sectors;

antenna types of the one or more sectors;

orientation of the antennas of the one or more sectors;

broadcast powers of the one or more sectors;

azimuths of the one or more sectors;

or

a density of the one or more sectors.

5. The method as defined in claim 3, wherein accessing the database includes associating first information included in the diagnostic data with second information stored in the database, wherein the first information identifies one or more sectors the wireless device is using and wherein the second information provides data describing the one or more sectors.

6. The method as defined in claim 5, wherein the first information includes data from multiple sectors and wherein accessing the database further comprises using the first information to uniquely associate the first information with the second information such that the second information is proper.

7. The method as defined in claim 6, wherein the unique association is accomplished by comparing the first information in the diagnostic data received from the device with information determined to be geographically close to a sector in consideration.

8. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein generating a first probability band and a second probability band further comprises generating a plurality of probability bands for the one or more sectors.

9. A method as defined in claim 8, wherein identifying an area where the first probability band overlaps with the second probability band further comprises identifying an area where a largest number of the plurality of probability bands overlap.

10. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein generating a first probability band and a second probability band further comprises establishing a width for each of the plurality of probability bands to account for at least one of multi-path reflections, inaccuracies in locations of the one or more sectors, or inaccuracies in clocks of the one or more sectors.

11. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the wireless network is represented by a grid having bins, further comprising binning the diagnostic data in specific bins of the grid that correspond to the area identified by where the first probability band overlaps with the second probability band.

12. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising refining the area based on broadcast regions of the one or more sectors.

13. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein generating a first probability band and a second probability band further comprises generating a first path and a second path based on the timing data, wherein the first probability band is generated around the first path and the second probability band is generated around the second path.

14. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein receiving diagnostic data from a wireless device comprises receiving diagnostic data periodically from the wireless device, wherein the wireless device stores the diagnostic data and then forwards the diagnostic data on a periodic basis, in response to an action or status change on the device, or in response to a request from a server.

15. A method for locating a wireless device in a wireless network, the method comprising:

receiving diagnostic data from a wireless device, the diagnostic data including timing data from a first sector and a second sector;

determining a first broadcast region for the first sector;

determining a second broadcast region for a second sector;

identifying an area where the first broadcast region overlaps with the second broadcast region, wherein the area corresponds to an approximate location of the device in the wireless network and wherein the wireless network is represented by bins and each bin is associated with a particular location in the wireless network;

accounting for a received strength indicator from the first sector and from the second sector;

accounting for a signal to noise ratio with respect to the first sector and to the second sector;

accounting for the timing data included in the diagnostic data; and

binning the diagnostic data in particular bins associated with a location of the area where the first broadcast region overlaps with the second broadcast region.

16. A method as defined in claim 15, further comprising accessing a database to obtain information about the first sector and the second sector, the information including at least a location of the first sector and a location of the second sector.

17. A method as defined in claim 16, further wherein the first broadcast region and the second broadcast region are generated using the information describing the location of the first sector and the location of the second sector.

18. A method as defined in claim 15, wherein the timing data includes first timing data from the first sector and an offset from the second sector.

19. A method as defined in claim 15, wherein identifying an area where the first broadcast region overlaps with the second broadcast region further comprises:

determining a received signal strength for the first sector and for the second sector; and

determining a signal to noise ratio for the first sector and for the second sector.

20. A method as defined in claim 15, wherein the first sector and the second sector are located at a first tower.

21. A method as defined in claim 15, further comprising:

determining a plurality of broadcast regions; and

identifying a location of the area with where a largest number of the plurality of broadcast regions overlap.

22. A method as defined in claim 21, further comprising refining the area based on an overlap of a probability band determined using the timing data with the overlap determined by the first broadcast area and the second broadcast area.

23. A method as defined in claim 15, wherein determining a first broadcast region further comprises:

accounting for a latitude and longitude of the first sector;

accounting for an azimuth of the first sector;

accounting for a downtilt of at least one antenna in the first sector; and

accounting for an antenna type.

24. A method as defined in claim 15, wherein determining a second broadcast region further comprises:

accounting for a latitude and longitude of the second sector;

accounting for an azimuth of the second sector;

accounting for a downtilt of at least one antenna in the second sector; and

accounting for an antenna type.

25. A method as defined in claim 15, wherein receiving diagnostic data from a wireless device further comprises one or more of:

receiving the diagnostic data periodically from the wireless device, wherein the diagnostic data represents more than one use of the wireless device, each use corresponding to a different location in the wireless network;

requesting the diagnostic data from the wireless device.

26. A method as defined in claim 15, wherein the wireless network is represented by a grid having bins, further comprising binning the diagnostic data in specific bins of the grid that correspond to the area.

27. A method as defined in claim 15, wherein determining a first broadcast region further comprises factoring for different tower density.

28. A method for determining an approximate location of a device operating in a wireless network, the method comprising:

establishing a grid that represents a wireless network, the grid having bins that are associated with locations in the wireless network;

pre-computing location data for the bins in the grid, the location data including parameters that are expected from a wireless device, wherein pre-computing location data includes;

accessing a database to obtain information describing at least locations of one or more sectors operating in the wireless network including;

pre-computing one or more probability bands for the bins in the grid based in part on the locations of the one or more sectors;

pre-computing timing data for the bins, wherein the timing data represents timing data that the wireless device is expected to receive for the locations associated with the bins, the timing data based in part on the locations of the one or more sectors; and

identifying one or more sectors that are expected to contribute timing data for the bins;

receiving diagnostic data from a wireless device; and

comparing the diagnostic data with the pre-determined location data to determine at least one best bin, wherein a location of the device corresponds to one or more bins whose associated location data is the best fit for the diagnostic data received from the wireless device.

29. A method as defined in claim 28, further comprising associating one or more broadcast regions of one or more sectors with the bins in the grid.

30. A method as defined in claim 28, further comprising binning the diagnostic data in one or more of the bins that have the best fit with the pre-computed location data.

31. A method as defined in claim 30, wherein the one or more of the bins whose associated location data is the best fit for the diagnostic data are contiguous.

32. A method as defined in claim 28, wherein pre-computing location data for the bins in the grid further comprises one or more of:

accounting for a latitude and longitude of one or more sectors in the wireless network that impacts one or more of the bins;

accounting for an azimuth of at least one sector of one or more towers;

accounting for a down tilt of one or more antennas; and

accounting for an antenna type in one or more sectors of one or more towers.

33. A method as defined in claim 28, wherein pre-computing location data for the bins in the grid further comprises one or more of:

accounting for a received strength indicator expected from one or more towers associated with one or more bins;

accounting for a signal to noise ratio with respect to one or more towers associated with one or more bins; and

accounting for the timing data expected for one or more bins.