Method for determining positioning accuracy based on origination and receiving terminals and positioning device and program therefor

• US 8,265,635 B2
• Filed: 12/07/2006
• Issued: 09/11/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Morisaki, Mitsunori
• Primary Examiner(s): Pérez-Gutiérrez, Rafael
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kasraian, Allahyar
• Application Number:
  US12/096,731
• Publication Number:
  US 20090167598A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,105 Days
• Field of Search: 455/466, 455/456.1, 455/456.5, 455/456.6
• US Class Current: 455/446
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/14 Determining absolute distances from a plurality of spaced points of known location
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/16 using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

In a method of designing the positioning system for positioning a reference point from a required positioning accuracy and a required positioning area by using a radio appliance, a maximum value and a minimum value of a plurality of fluctuation factors, which cause the positioning system to fluctuate, are set, a communication characteristic of the fixed radio appliance is calculated from the minimum value of the fluctuation factor and the required positioning accuracy, and a characteristic of the fixed radio appliance and an installation position of the fixed radio appliance are calculated from the calculated characteristic of the installed appliance, the maximum value of the fluctuation factor, and the required positioning area.

Claims

1. A method of positioning originating terminals, in a positioning system in which a location of a receiving terminal is determined based on a position of an originating terminal that transmitted information that was received at the receiving terminal, the method comprising:

determining a value of an origination characteristic of one or more fixed originating terminals which enables a required positioning accuracy to be achieved, when a communication quality is estimated to be at a maximum, from a value of a reception characteristic of said receiving terminal, a fluctuation factor of the communication quality when said communication quality is estimated to be at the maximum, and a required communication quality;

measuring a positioning-possible region when the communication quality is estimated to be at a minimum from said determined value of the origination characteristic of the one or more fixed originating terminals, said value of the reception characteristic of the receiving terminal, and said fluctuation factor when said communication quality is estimated to be at a minimum, wherein the positioning-possible region is a total area within which the receiving terminal can communicate with the one or more fixed originating terminals; and

obtaining a necessary number of fixed originating terminals from the positioning-possible region and a required positioning area, and determining an installation position of at least one fixed originating terminal based on said positioning-possible region and said necessary number of the fixed originating terminals.

2. The positioning method according to claim 1, wherein the origination characteristic of the one or more fixed originating terminals is an origination intensity.

3. The positioning method according to claim 1, wherein the origination characteristic of the one or more originating terminals is an angle gain.

4. The positioning method according to claim 1, wherein a factor causing the communication quality to fluctuate is noise.

5. The positioning method according to claim 1, wherein a factor causing the communication quality to fluctuate is one of a receiver sensitivity of the receiving terminal and an angle gain of the receiving terminal.

6. The positioning method according to claim 1, wherein a factor causing the communication quality to fluctuate is an inclination of the receiving terminal.

7. The positioning method according to claim 1, wherein a factor causing the communication quality to fluctuate is a height of the receiving terminal.

8. The positioning method according to claim 1, wherein a factor causing the communication quality to fluctuate is a delay.

9. The positioning method according to claim 1, wherein the determining the installation position comprises determining the installation position of the at least one additional originating terminal so that the positioning-possible region covers a predetermined to-be-positioned region.

45. The method of positioning originating terminals according to claim 1, the method further comprising:

judging whether said determined installation location is an optimized location by comparing the positioning-possible area calculated based on said determined installation position and said total area with said required positioning area;

when it is judged that said determined installation location is not an optimized location by said judgment, newly determining a value of the origination characteristic of said fixed originating terminal based on said required positioning area and said determined installation position; and

determining said installation position of at least one fixed originating terminal again by employing this new value of the origination characteristic of the fixed originating terminal.

46. the method of positioning originating terminals according to claim 1, the method further comprising:

judging whether said determined installation location is an optimized location by comparing the positioning-possible area calculated based on said determined installation position and said total area with said required positioning area; and

when it is judged that said determined installation location is not an optimized location by said judgment, modifying said determined based on said required positioning area, said determined installation position, and said total area.

10. A method of positioning receiving terminals in a positioning system in which a location of an originating terminal is determined based on a position of a receiving terminal that received information from the originating terminal, the method comprising:

determining a value of a reception characteristic of the receiving terminal which enables a required positioning accuracy to be satisfied when a communication quality is estimated to be a maximum, from a value of an origination characteristic of said originating terminal, a fluctuation factor of the communication quality when said communication quality is estimated to be at the maximum, and a required communication quality;

measuring a positioning-possible region based on the value of the reception characteristic of the receiving terminal when the communication quality is estimated to be at a minimum from the determined value of the reception characteristic of the receiving terminal, said value of the origination characteristic of said originating terminal, and said fluctuation factor when said communication quality is estimated to be at a minimum, wherein the positioning-possible region is a region within which the receiving terminal can communicate with the originating terminal; and

obtaining a necessary number of fixed receiving terminals from the positioning-possible region and a required positioning area, and determining an installation position of at least one fixed receiving terminal based on the positioning-possible region and said necessary number of receiving terminals.

11. The positioning method according to claim 10, wherein the reception characteristic of the receiving terminal is receiver sensitivity.

12. The positioning method according to claim 10, wherein the reception characteristic of the receiving terminal is an angle gain.

13. The positioning method according to claim 10, wherein a factor causing the communication quality to fluctuate is noise.

14. The positioning method according to claim 10, wherein a factor causing the communication quality to fluctuate is one of an origination intensity of the originating terminal and an angle gain of the originating terminal.

15. The positioning method according to claim 10, wherein a factor causing the communication quality to fluctuate is an inclination of the originating terminal.

16. The positioning method according to claim 10, characterized in that a factor causing said communication quality to fluctuate is a height of the originating terminal.

17. The positioning method according to claim 10, wherein a factor causing the communication quality to fluctuate is a delay.

18. The positioning method according to claim 10, wherein the determining the installation position of the receiving terminal comprises determining the installation position so that the positioning-possible region covers a predetermined to-be-positioned region.

19. A device for positioning originating terminals, in a positioning system in which a location of a receiving terminal is determined based on a position of an originating terminal that transmitted information that was received at the receiving terminal, the device comprising:

an origination characteristic determining means for determining a value of an origination characteristic of one or more fixed originating terminals which enable a required positioning accuracy to be achieved, when a communication quality is estimated to be at a maximum, from a value of a reception characteristic of said receiving terminal, a fluctuation factor of the communication quality when said communication quality s estimated to be at the maximum, and a required communication quality;

a position-possible region measuring means for measuring a positioning-possible region when the communication quality is estimated to be at a minimum from said determined value of the origination characteristic of the one or more fixed originating terminals, said value of the reception characteristic of the receiving terminal, and said fluctuation factor when said communication quality is estimated to be at the minimum, wherein the positioning-possible region is a total area within which the receiving terminal can communicate with the one or more fixed originating terminals; and

a number of fixed originating terminals obtaining means for obtaining a necessary number of fixed originating terminals from the positioning-possible region and a required positioning area, and an installation position determining means for determining an installation position of at least one additional originating terminal based on said positioning-possible region and said necessary number of the fixed originating terminals.

20. The positioning device according to claim 19, wherein the origination characteristic is an origination intensity of the one or more fixed originating terminals which enable the required positioning accuracy to be achieved when the communication quality is estimated to be at the maximum.

21. The positioning device according to claim 19, wherein the origination characteristic is an angle gain of the one or more fixed originating terminals which enable the required positioning accuracy to be achieved when the communication quality is estimated to be at the maximum.

22. The positioning device according to claim 19, wherein a factor causing the communication quality to fluctuate is noise.

23. The positioning device according to claim 19, wherein a factor causing the communication quality to fluctuate is one of a receiver sensitivity of the receiving terminal and an angle gain of the receiving terminal.

24. The positioning device according to claim 19, wherein a factor causing the communication quality to fluctuate is an inclination of the receiving terminal.

25. The positioning device according to claim 19, wherein a factor causing the communication quality to fluctuate is a height of the receiving terminal.

26. The positioning device according to claim 19, wherein a factor causing the communication quality to fluctuate is a delay.

27. The positioning device according to claim 19, wherein the installation position determining means determines the installation position of the at least one additional originating terminal so that the positioning-possible region covers a predetermined to-be-positioned region.

28. A device for positioning a receiving terminal in a positioning system in which a location of an originating terminal is determined based on a position of a receiving terminal that received information from the originating terminal, the device comprising:

a reception characteristic determining means for determining a value of a reception characteristic of the receiving terminal which enables a required positioning accuracy to be satisfied when a communication quality is estimated to be at a maximum, from a value of an origination characteristic of said originating terminal, a fluctuation factor of the communication quality when said communication quality is estimated to be at the maximum, and a required communication quality;

a position-possible region measuring means for measuring a positioning-possible region based on the value of the reception characteristic of the receiving terminal when the communication quality is estimated to be at a minimum from the determined value of the reception characteristic of the receiving terminal, said value of the origination characteristic of said originating terminal, and said fluctuation factor when said communication quality is estimated to be at the minimum, wherein the positioning-possible region is a region within which the receiving terminal can communicate with the originating terminal; and

an obtaining a necessary number of fixed receiving terminals means for obtaining a necessary number of fixed receiving terminals from the positioning-possible region and a required positioning area, and an installation position determining means for determining an installation position of at least one fixed receiving terminal based on the positioning-possible region and said necessary number of receiving terminals.

29. The positioning device according to claim 28, wherein the reception characteristic is a receiver sensitivity of the receiving terminal which enables the required positioning accuracy to be satisfied when the communication quality is estimated to be at the maximum.

30. The positioning device according to claim 28, wherein the reception characteristic is an angle gain of the receiving terminal which enables the required positioning accuracy to be satisfied when the communication quality is estimated to be at the minimum.

31. The positioning device according to claim 28, wherein a factor causing the communication quality to fluctuate is noise.

32. The positioning device according to claim 28, wherein a factor causing the communication quality to fluctuate is one of an origination intensity of said originating terminal and an angle gain of said originating terminal.

33. The positioning device according to claim 28, wherein a factor causing the communication quality to fluctuate is an inclination of the originating terminal.

34. The positioning device according to claim 28, wherein a factor causing the communication quality to fluctuate is a height of the originating terminal.

35. The positioning device according to claim 28, wherein a factor causing the communication quality to fluctuate is a delay.

36. The positioning device according to claim 28, wherein the installation position determining means determines the installation position of the receiving terminal so that the positioning-possible region covers a predetermined to-be-positioned region.

37. A program, stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium, the program for positioning originating terminals in a positioning system in which a location of a receiving terminal is determined based on a position of an originating terminal that transmitted information that was received at the receiving terminal, the program causing a computer to execute a method comprising:

determining a value of an origination characteristic of one or more originating terminals which enables a required positioning accuracy to be achieved, when a communication quality is estimated to be at a maximum, from a value of a reception characteristic of said receiving terminal, a fluctuation factor of the communication quality when said communication quality is estimated to be at the maximum, and the required communication quality;

measuring a positioning-possible region when the communication quality is estimated to be at a minimum from said determined value of the origination characteristic of the fixed originating terminal, said value of the reception characteristic of the receiving terminal, and said fluctuation factor when said communication quality is estimated to be at a minimum, wherein the positioning-possible region is a total area within which the receiving terminal can communicate with the one or more fixed originating terminals; and

obtaining a necessary number of the fixed originating terminals from the positioning-possible region and the required positioning area, and determining an installation position of at least one fixed originating terminal based on said positioning-possible region and said necessary number of the fixed originating terminals.

38. A program, stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium, the program for positioning a receiving terminal in a positioning system in which a location of an originating terminal is determined based on a position of a receiving terminal that received information from the originating terminal, the program causing a computer to execute a method comprising:

determining a value of a reception characteristic of the receiving terminal which enables a required positioning accuracy to be satisfied when a communication quality is estimated to be at a maximum, from a value of an origination characteristic of said originating terminal, a fluctuation factor of the communication quality when said communication quality is estimated to be at the maximum, and a required communication quality;

measuring a positioning-possible region based the a value of the reception characteristic of the receiving terminal when the communication quality is estimated to be at a minimum from the determined value of the reception characteristic of the receiving terminal, said value of the origination characteristic of said originating terminal, and said fluctuation factor when said communication quality is estimated to be at the minimum, wherein the positioning-possible region is a region within which the receiving terminal can communicate with the originating terminal; and

obtaining a necessary number of fixed receiving terminals from the positioning-possible region and a required positioning area, and determining an installation position of at least one fixed receiving terminal based on the positioning-possible region and said necessary number of receiving terminals.

39. A method of positioning originating terminals, in a positioning system in which a location of a receiving terminal is determined based on a position of an originating terminal that transmitted information that was received at the receiving terminal, the method comprising:

determining a value of an origination characteristic of one or more fixed originating terminals which enables a required positioning accuracy to be achieved, when a communication quality is estimated to be at a first value, from a value of a reception characteristic of said receiving terminal, a fluctuation factor of the communication quality when said communication quality is estimated to be at the first value, and the required communication quality; and

measuring a positioning-possible region when the communication quality is estimated to be at a second value lower than the first value from said determined value of the origination characteristic of the fixed originating terminal, said value of the reception characteristic of the receiving terminal, and said fluctuation factor when said communication quality is estimated to be at the second value, wherein the positioning-possible region is a total area within which the receiving terminal can communicate with the one or more fixed originating terminals; and

obtaining a necessary number of the fixed originating terminals from the positioning-possible region and the required positioning area, and determining an installation position of at least one fixed originating terminal based on said positioning-possible region and said necessary number of the fixed originating terminals.

40. A method of positioning receiving terminals in a positioning system in which a location of an originating terminal is determined based on a position of a receiving terminal that received information from the originating terminal, the method comprising:

determining a value of a reception characteristic of the receiving terminal which enables a required positioning accuracy to be satisfied when a communication quality is estimated to be a first value, from a value of an origination characteristic of said originating terminal, a fluctuation factor of the communication quality when said communication quality is estimated to be at the first value, and a required communication quality; and

measuring a positioning-possible region based on the value of the reception characteristic of the receiving terminal when the communication quality is estimated to be a second value lower than the first value from the determined value of the reception characteristic of the receiving terminal, said value of the origination characteristic of said originating terminal, and said fluctuation factor when said communication quality is estimated to be at the second value, wherein the positioning-possible region is a region within which the receiving terminal can communicate with the originating terminal; and

obtaining a necessary number of fixed receiving terminals from the positioning-possible region and a required positioning area, and determining an installation position of at least one fixed receiving terminal based on the positioning-possible region and said necessary number of receiving terminals.

41. A device for positioning originating terminals, in a positioning system in which a location of a receiving terminal is determined based on a position of an originating terminal that transmitted information that was received at the receiving terminal, the device comprising:

an origination characteristic determining means for determining a value of an origination characteristic of one or more fixed originating terminals which enable a required positioning accuracy to be achieved, when a communication quality is estimated to be at a first value, from a value of a reception characteristic of said receiving terminal, a fluctuation factor of the communication quality when said communication quality is estimated to be at the first value, and a required communication quality;

a position-possible region measuring means for measuring a positioning-possible region when the communication quality is estimated to be at a second value lower than the first value from said determined value of the origination characteristic of the one or more fixed originating terminals, said value of the reception characteristic of the receiving terminal, and said fluctuation factor when said communication quality is estimated to be at the second value, wherein the positioning-possible region is a total area within which the receiving terminal can communicate with the one or more fixed originating terminals; and

a number of fixed originating terminals obtaining means for obtaining a necessary number of fixed originating terminals from the positioning-possible region and a required positioning area, and an installation position determining means for determining an installation position of at least one additional originating terminal based on said positioning-possible region and said necessary number of the fixed originating terminals.

42. A device for positioning a receiving terminal in a positioning system in which a location of an originating terminal is determined based on a position of a receiving terminal that received information from the originating terminal, the device comprising:

a reception characteristic determining means for determining a value of a reception characteristic of the receiving terminal which enables a required positioning accuracy to be satisfied when a communication quality is estimated to be at a first value from a value of an origination characteristic of said originating terminal, a fluctuation factor of the communication quality when said communication quality is estimated to be at the first value, and a required communication quality;

a position-possible region measuring means for measuring a positioning-possible region based the a value of the reception characteristic of the receiving terminal when the communication quality is estimated to be a second value lower than the first value from the determined value of the reception characteristic of the receiving terminal, said value of the origination characteristic of said originating terminal, and said fluctuation factor when said communication quality is estimated to be at the second value, wherein the positioning-possible region is a region within which the receiving terminal can communicate with the originating terminal; and

an obtaining a necessary number of fixed receiving terminals means for obtaining a necessary number of fixed receiving terminals from the positioning-possible region and a required positioning area, and an installation position determining means for determining an installation position of at least one fixed receiving terminal based on the positioning-possible region and said necessary number of receiving terminals.

43. A program, stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium, the program for positioning originating terminals in a positioning system in which a location of a receiving terminal is determined based on a position of an originating terminal that transmitted information that was received at the receiving terminal, the program causing a computer to execute a method comprising:

determining a value of an origination characteristic of one or more originating terminals which enables a required positioning accuracy to be achieved, when a communication quality is estimated to be a first value from a value of a reception characteristic of said receiving terminal, a fluctuation factor of the communication quality when said communication quality is estimated to be at the first value, and the required communication quality; and

measuring a positioning-possible region when the communication quality is estimated to be at a second value lower than the first value from said determined value of the origination characteristic of the fixed originating terminal, said value of the reception characteristic of the receiving terminal, and said fluctuation factor when said communication quality is estimated to be at the second value, wherein the positioning-possible region is a total area within which the receiving terminal can communicate with the one or more fixed originating terminals; and

obtaining a necessary number of the fixed originating terminals from the positioning-possible region and the required positioning area, and determining an installation position of at least one fixed originating terminal based on said positioning-possible region and said necessary number of the fixed originating terminals.

44. A program, stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium, the program for positioning a receiving terminal in a positioning system in which a location of an originating terminal is determined based on a position of a receiving terminal that received information from the originating terminal, the program causing a computer to execute a method comprising:

determining a value of a reception characteristic of the receiving terminal which enables a required positioning accuracy to be satisfied when a communication quality is estimated to be a first value, from a value of an origination characteristic of said originating terminal, a fluctuation factor of the communication quality when said communication quality is estimated to be at the first value, and a required communication quality; and

measuring a positioning-possible region based on the value of the reception characteristic of the receiving terminal when the communication quality is estimated to be a second value lower than the first value from the determined value of the reception characteristic of the receiving terminal, said value of the origination characteristic of said originating terminal, and said fluctuation factor when said communication quality is estimated to be at the second value, wherein the positioning-possible region is a region within which the receiving terminal can communicate with the originating terminal; and

obtaining a necessary number of fixed receiving terminals from the positioning-possible region and a required positioning area, and determining an installation position of at least one fixed receiving terminal based on the positioning-possible region and said necessary number of receiving terminals.