Method and apparatus for locating position of a mobile device in an assisted satellite positioning system

• US 8,543,133 B2
• Filed: 10/18/2011
• Issued: 09/24/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Global Locate Incorporated (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Pomerantz, Scott, Abraham, Charles
• Primary Examiner(s): Kincaid, Lester
• Assistant Examiner(s): LAM, DUNG LE
• Application Number:
  US13/275,632
• Publication Number:
  US 20120077520A1
• Time in Patent Office: 707 Days
• Field of Search: 4554561-4566, 455/457, 455/41.2, 342/357.21, 342/357.22, 342/357.23
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

Method and apparatus for locating position of a mobile device in an assisted satellite positioning system is described. In one example, satellite measurement data is obtained from a plurality of satellites at a mobile device. Position of the mobile device is computed using the satellite measurement data. The position is sent to a cellular device via a wireless ad hoc network. In one example, the wireless ad hoc network comprises a BLUETOOTH communication link. In one example, the mobile device is configured to receive assistance data from a position server through the wireless ad hoc network. For example, the mobile device may comprise a housing configured to plug into a cigarette lighter connector of an automobile and the cellular device may comprise a cellular telephone without location-determination capabilities (i.e., the cellular telephone does not include an integrated GPS receiver).

Claims

1. A method for locating position, comprising:

receiving a request for position information at a cellular device having wireless communication capability but no integrated Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver from a position server via a cellular network;

transmitting a request for position information from a cellular device to a mobile GPS device having wireless communication capability via an ad hoc network;

receiving satellite signals at the mobile GPS device;

computing the position information at the mobile GPS device;

sending the position information to the cellular device from the mobile GPS device;

sending a request for assistance data from the mobile GPS device to the cellular device via the ad hoc network; and

transmitting assistance data from the cellular device to the mobile GPS device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying the position information on the cellular device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the ad hoc network comprises a BLUETOOTH™

communication link.

4. A mobile Global Positioning System (GPS) device having wireless communication capability for locating position, comprising:

a local signal receiver configured to receive a request for position information from a position server via an ad hoc cellular network through a cellular device having wireless communication capability but no integrated GPS receiver via an ad hoc network;

a satellite receiver configured to receive satellite signals;

a processor configure to compute the position information from the satellite signals; and

a local signal transmitter configured to wirelessly send the position information to the cellular device via an ad hoc network;

wherein the local signal transmitter is configured to transmit a request for assistance data from the mobile GPS device to the cellular device via the ad hoc network.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the ad hoc network comprises a BLUETOOTH™

communication link.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the local signal receiver is configured to receive assistance data from the cellular device via the ad hoc network.

7. A cellular device having wireless communication capability but no integrated Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver for determining a position, comprising:

a local signal wireless transceiver configured to exchange messages with a mobile GPS device having wireless communication capability via an ad hoc network; and

a cellular transceiver configured to communicate with a cellular network;

wherein the local signal wireless transceiver is configured to receive requests for assistance data from the mobile GPS device and provides assistance data to the mobile GPS device via the ad hoc network and the cellular transceiver from a position server wirelessly coupled to the cellular transceiver over the cellular network; and

wherein the cellular transceiver is configured to transmit assistance data from the position server to the mobile GPS device and to receive requests for assistance data from the mobile GPS device via the ad hoc network.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the ad hoc network further comprises a BLUETOOTH™

communication link.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the local signal wireless transceiver is configured to receive satellite measurements from the mobile GPS device via the ad hoc network.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the cellular transceiver is configured to transmit the satellite measurements over the cellular network.

11. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the local signal wireless transceiver is configured to receive position information via the ad hoc network.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the cellular device further comprises:

a display configured to display the position information.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the cellular transceiver is configured to transmit the position information over the cellular network.

14. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the cellular device further comprises:

a memory configured to store the position information.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the memory is configured to store previous position information.