Apparatus, system and method for determining a geographical location of a portable communication device

• US 8,103,285 B2
• Filed: 04/19/2007
• Issued: 01/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
• Original Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
• Inventors: Kalhan, Amit
• Primary Examiner(s): LY, NGHI H
• Application Number:
  US11/737,661
• Publication Number:
  US 20080261615A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,741 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456.1, 455/404.2, 370/328, 370/338
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 11/06 using intensity measurements
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0009 Transmission of position information to remote stations involving assistance data G01S5/0236
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/02 using radio waves using satellite radio beacon systems for determining position G01S19/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

A wireless access point receives a reverse link (RL) wireless wide area network (WWAN) signals from a wireless communication device and forwards wireless local area network (WLAN) location information related to the received RL WWAN signal to a position determining entity (PDE). The PDE uses the WLAN location information and, in some cases, other location information to determine the geographical location of the wireless communication device. The WLAN location information is any information that at least assists the PDE in determining the geographical location of the wireless communication device and may include any combination of data related to signal strength of the WWAN RL signal, a propagation time of WWAN RL signal, a distance between the access point and the wireless access point, a geographical location of the access point, and/or a geographical location of the wireless communication device.

Claims

1. A position determining entity (PDE) for determining a geographical position of a wireless communication device capable of communicating within at least a wireless wide area network (WWAN), the PDE comprising:

a processor configured to determine the geographical position based on wireless local area network (WLAN) location information related to a WWAN reverse link (RL) signal received from the wireless communication device at an access point of a wireless local area network (WLAN).

2. The PDE of claim 1, further comprising an interface configured to receive the WLAN location information from the WLAN.

3. The PDE of claim 2, wherein the WLAN location information is selected from the group comprising a signal strength of the WWAN RL signal, a propagation time of WWAN RL signal, a distance between the access point and the wireless access point, a geographical location of the access point, a geographical location of the wireless communication device, and any suitable combination of the foregoing.

4. The PDE of claim 2, wherein the WLAN location information is associated with a plurality of WWAN RL signals received from the wireless communication device at a plurality of access points of the WLAN.

5. The PDE of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to determine the geographical position based on WWAN location information received from the WWAN.

6. The PDE of claim 5, wherein the location information comprises Advanced Forward Link Trilateration (AFLT) data acquired by the WWAN.

7. The PDE of claim 5, wherein the WWAN position information comprises global positioning satellite (GPS) data.

8. The PDE of claim 7, wherein GPS data is based on device GPS data received at the WWAN from the wireless communication device.

9. The PDE of claim 8, wherein the processor is further configured to determine the geographical position based on GPS location information received from a GPS system.

10. An access point comprising:

a wireless wide area network (WWAN) receiver configured to receive a reverse link (RL) WWAN signal from a wireless communication device; and

a position determining entity (PDE) interface configured to send wireless local area network (WLAN) location information corresponding to the RL WWAN signal to a PDE, the WLAN location information related to the RL WWAN signal and to a geographical location of the wireless communication device.

11. The access point of claim 10, wherein the WLAN location information is selected from the group comprising a signal strength of the WWAN RL signal, a propagation time of WWAN RL signal, a distance between the access point and the wireless access point, a geographical location of the access point, a geographical location of the wireless communication device, and any suitable combination of the foregoing.

12. The access point of claim 10, wherein the PDE interface comprises an Internet interface configured to send packet data in accordance with Internet Protocol (IP) to the PDE.

13. A method of determining a geographical location of a wireless communication device, the method comprising:

receiving, at a wireless local area network (WLAN) access point, a reverse link (RL) wireless wide area network (WWAN) signal from a wireless communication device;

generating, based on the RL WWAN signal, WLAN location information at least partially indicative of a geographical location of the wireless communication device; and

sending the WLAN location information to a position determining entity (PDE).

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the WLAN location information is selected from the group comprising a signal strength of the WWAN RL signal, a propagation time of WWAN RL signal, a distance between the access point and the wireless access point, a geographical location of the access point, a geographical location of the wireless communication device, and any suitable combination of the foregoing.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising determining the geographical location based on the WLAN location information and other location information.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the other location information comprises WWAN location information received from a WWAN.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the WWAN location information comprises Advanced Forward Link Trilateration (AFLT) data acquired by the WWAN.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the WWAN location information comprises assisted global position satellite (aGPS) data received from the wireless communication device.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the other location information comprises GPS system data received from a GPS system.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the other location information comprises GPS system data received from a GPS system.

21. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

receiving a request for WLAN location information identifying the wireless communication device.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

receiving a forward link (FL) wireless wide area network (WWAN) signal to detect messages transmitted to the identified wireless communication device.