Electronic device and method for positioning the electronic device

• US 8,154,441 B2
• Filed: 09/11/2009
• Issued: 04/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Chi Mei Communication Systems Incorporated (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Chi Mei Communication Systems Incorporated (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Cheng, Pin-Chien
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarcza, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): McGue, Frank J.
• Application Number:
  US12/558,216
• Publication Number:
  US 20100103037A1
• Time in Patent Office: 942 Days
• Field of Search: 342/357.4, 455/456.3
• US Class Current: 342/357.4
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/14 specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/35 Constructional details or hardware or software details of the signal processing chain

Abstract

A system and method for positioning an electronic device. The electronic device communicates with one or more monitoring electronic devices via a location server and a plurality of base stations. The system and method receives a standard command message, determines whether information in a received message is the same as information in the standard command message, and obtains position information of the electronic device if the information in the received message is the same as the information in the user-defined standard command message. The system and method further transmit a reply message, which comprises the position information and time for acquiring the position information of the electronic device, to a corresponding monitoring electronic device.

Claims

1. An electronic device, the electronic device in communication with one or more monitoring electronic devices via a location server and a plurality of base stations, the electronic device comprising:

a battery;

a memory system;

at least one processor; and

one or more programs stored in the memory system to be executed by the at least one processor, the one or more programs comprising;

a parameter setting module operable to receive a standard command message for acquiring position information of the electronic device, and to receive a user-defined alert power level;

a monitoring module operable to determine whether the electronic device has received a message, and whether information in the received message is the same as information defined in the standard command message;

an assisted global positioning system (A-GPS) module operable to obtain the position information of the electronic device by the location server and the plurality of base stations, in response that the information in the received message is the same as the information defined in the standard command message; and

a message transmission module operable to transmit a reply message which comprises the position information and time for acquiring the position information of the electronic device to a corresponding monitoring electronic device, and to automatically transmit a message which comprises current battery power level and the position information of the electronic device to the corresponding monitoring electronic device, in response that current battery power level of the electronic device reaches or falls below the alert power level.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the standard command message comprises information on the corresponding monitoring electronic device, information on the electronic device, and a character string representing a position command.

3. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the parameter setting module is further operable to receive a user-defined time interval, and the message transmission module is further operable to automatically transmit the reply message to the corresponding monitoring electronic device at each time interval.

4. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the A-GPS module obtaining position information of the electronic device by the location server and the plurality of base stations comprises:

transmitting location information of a base station with which the electronic device communicates to the location server;

acquiring A-GPS information by the location server, which includes orientation and angle information of a GPS satellite, according to the location information, and transmitting the acquired A-GPS information to the electronic device;

receiving original satellite signals according to the A-GPS information by the A-GPS module, determining a pseudo-distance between the electronic device and the GPS satellite according to the original satellite signals, and transmitting the pseudo-distance information to the location server; and

receiving the position information of the electronic device determined by the location server according to the pseudo-distance and the A-GPS information.

5. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the monitoring electronic device is a mobile phone, a computer, or a personal digital assistant.

6. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the memory system is a smart media card, a secure digital card, or a compact flash card.

7. A computer-implemented method for positioning an electronic device, the electronic device in communication with one or more monitoring electronic devices via a location server and a plurality of base stations, the method comprising:

receiving a standard command message set by a user for acquiring position information of the electronic device, and receiving an alert power level set by the user;

determining whether information in a received message is the same as information defined in the standard command message;

obtaining the position information of the electronic device by the location server and the plurality of base stations, in response that the information in the received message is the same as the information defined in the standard command message;

transmitting a reply message, which comprises the position information and time for acquiring the position information of the electronic device, to a corresponding monitoring electronic device; and

automatically transmitting a message, which comprises current battery power level and the position information of the electronic device, to the corresponding monitoring electronic device, in response that the current battery power level of the electronic device reaches or falls below the alert power level.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the standard command message comprises information on the corresponding monitoring electronic device, information on the electronic device, and a character string representing a position command.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

receiving a time interval set by the user; and

automatically transmitting the reply message to the corresponding monitoring electronic device at each time interval.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein obtaining position information of the electronic device by the location server and the plurality of base stations comprises:

transmitting location information of a base station with which the electronic device communicates to the location server;

acquiring A-GPS information, which includes orientation and angle information of a GPS satellite, according to the location information, and transmitting the acquired A-GPS information to the electronic device by the location server;

receiving original satellite signals according to the A-GPS information, determining a pseudo-distance between the electronic device and the GPS satellite according to the original satellite signals, and transmitting the pseudo-distance information to the location server; and

determining the position information of the electronic device according to the pseudo-distance and the A-GPS information, and transmitting the position information and time for acquiring the position information to the electronic device by the location server via the base station.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the monitoring electronic device is a mobile phone, a computer, or a personal digital assistant.

12. A non-transitory storage medium storing a set of instructions, the set of instructions capable of being executed by a processor to perform a method for positioning an electronic device, the electronic device in communication with one or more monitoring electronic devices via a location server and a plurality of base stations, the method comprising:

receiving a standard command message set by a user for acquiring position information of the electronic device, and receiving an alert power level set by the user;

determining whether the electronic device has received a message, and determining whether information in the received message is the same as information defined in the standard command message;

obtaining the position information of the electronic device by the location server and the plurality of base stations, in response that the information in the received message is the same as the information defined in the standard command message;

transmitting a reply message, which comprises the position information and time for acquiring the position information of the electronic device, to a corresponding monitoring electronic device; and

automatically transmitting a message, which comprises current battery power level and the position information of the electronic device, to the corresponding monitoring electronic device, in response that the current battery power level of the electronic device reaches or falls below the alert power level.

13. The storage medium of claim 12, wherein the standard command message comprises information on the corresponding monitoring electronic device, information on the electronic device, and a character string representing a position command.

14. The storage medium of claim 12, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving a time interval set by the user; and

automatically transmitting the reply message to the corresponding monitoring electronic device at each time interval.

15. The storage medium of claim 12, wherein obtaining position information of the electronic device by the location server and the plurality of base stations comprises:

transmitting location information of a base station with which the electronic device communicates to the location server;

acquiring A-GPS information, which includes orientation and angle information of a GPS satellite, according to the location information, and transmitting the acquired A-GPS information to the electronic device by the location server;

receiving original satellite signals according to the A-GPS information, determining a pseudo-distance between the electronic device and the GPS satellite according to the original satellite signals, and transmitting the pseudo-distance information to the location server; and

determining the position information of the electronic device according to the pseudo-distance and the A-GPS information, and transmitting the position information and time information for acquiring the position information to the electronic device by the location server via the base station.

16. The storage medium of claim 12, wherein the monitoring electronic device is a mobile phone, a computer, or a personal digital assistant.

17. The storage medium of claim 12, wherein the storage medium is a smart media card, a secure digital card, or a compact flash card.