Method and system for positioning mobile units based on angle measurements

• US 7,952,524 B2
• Filed: 10/06/2009
• Issued: 05/31/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Interdigital Technology Corporation (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Interdigital Technology Corporation (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Inventors: Marinier, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAN, DAO LINDA
• Application Number:
  US12/574,145
• Publication Number:
  US 20100019971A1
• Time in Patent Office: 602 Days
• Field of Search: 342/442, 342/450, 342/457, 342/463, 342/465
• US Class Current: 342/465
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0036 of measured values, i.e. measurement on mobile and position calculation on base station
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0289 of multiple transceivers, e.g. in ad hoc networks
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/04 Position of source determined by a plurality of spaced direction-finders
• 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 system for positioning mobile units using angle measurements taken by neighboring mobile units is disclosed. A selected mobile unit and mobile units in the vicinity of the selected mobile unit are selectively instructed to measure and report information related to the position of the selected mobile unit. The reported information is used to compute a position of the selected mobile unit.

Claims

1. A base station for positioning a mobile unit comprising:

a receiver configured to receive an identity of a target mobile unit;

a processor configured to identify one or more mobile units for reporting information related to the position of the target mobile unit, and to compute an estimate of the position of the target mobile unit using the information reported by the one or more mobile units; and

a transmitter configured to transmit instructions to the identified one or more mobile units to measure and report information related to the position of the target mobile unit.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the reported information includes a direction of arrival of a signal received from the target mobile unit and a direction of arrival of a signal received from the base station.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the reported information includes an angle between the signal received from the target mobile unit and the signal received from the base station.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the reported information includes an angle between a signal received from the target mobile unit and a signal received from the base station.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the reported information includes an amplitude for a signal received from the target mobile unit and a signal received from the base station.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the reported information includes a degree of confidence for the measured and reported information related to the position of the target mobile unit.