Timed fingerprint locating for idle-state user equipment in wireless networks

• US 8,620,350 B2
• Filed: 07/20/2012
• Issued: 12/31/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Fix, Jeremy, Austin, Mark, Meredith, Sheldon
• Primary Examiner(s): Chang, Joseph
• Application Number:
  US13/554,285
• Publication Number:
  US 20120289250A1
• Time in Patent Office: 529 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456.1, 370/328
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0252 Radio frequency fingerprinting
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/12 by co-ordinating position lines of different shape, e.g. hyperbolic, circular, elliptical or radial
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices

Abstract

A user equipment (UE) location in a wireless network can be determined by leveraging geometric calculations for an overlaid bin grid framework mapping the wireless network area to store differential values for each frame of the bin grid framework for each pair of relevant NodeBs. A timing offset can be determined, such that when a time value from a target UE is accessed, the location can be quickly determined with minimal real time computation. In an aspect, the time value from an idle-state target UE can be accessed. The target UE time value can be searched among pre-computed differential value data sets indexed by relevant NodeB site pairs to return sets of frames that can facilitate converging on a location for the target UE. Intersecting frames can represent the geographic location of the UE in the wireless network. Further, the data can be leveraged to correct timing in the network.

Claims

1. A computer-readable storage device storing instructions that, in response to execution, cause a system comprising a processor to perform operations, comprising:

receiving a first observed time value associated with wireless cellular radio links between a first pair of radios of a wireless network and a user equipment of the wireless network, wherein the user equipment is powered on and not in an active call session;

determining a first differential time value based on the first observed time value, a first reference observed time value, and a first reference differential time value; and

determining a location for the user equipment based on the first differential time value.

2. The computer-readable storage device of claim 1, wherein the receiving the first observed time value comprises:

receiving a first observed propagation time associated with a wireless cellular radio link between a first radio of the first pair of radios and the user equipment;

receiving a second observed propagation time associated with another wireless cellular radio link between a second radio of the first pair of radios and the user equipment; and

determining the first observed time value based on the first observed propagation time and the second observed propagation time.

3. The computer-readable storage device of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a set of potential locations for the user equipment relative to the first pair of radios based, the locations being associated with the first differential time value.

4. The computer-readable storage device of claim 3, wherein the set of potential locations for the user equipment form a toroidal region around the first pair of radios.

5. A method, comprising:

receiving, by a system comprising a processor, a first observed time value associated with first radio links between a first pair of radios of a wireless network and a user equipment in the wireless network, wherein the user equipment is in an idle-state;

determining, by the system, a first differential time value based on the first observed time value, a first reference observed time value, and a first reference differential time value; and

determining, by the system, a location for the user equipment based on the first differential time value.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the determining the first differential time value comprises subtracting the first reference observed time value from the first observed time value and adding the first reference differential time value.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the receiving the first observed time value comprises receiving the first observed time value based on a first propagation time for a first radio signal between a first radio of the first pair of radios and the user equipment, a second propagation time for a second radio signal between a second radio of the first pair of radios and the user equipment, a first delay time associated with the first radio, and a second delay time associated with the second radio.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the first reference observed time value and the first reference differential time value are predetermined, and a first radio of the first pair of radios is part of a base station of the wireless network.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein the determining the location comprises comparing the first differential time value to a set of predetermined differential values associated with the first pair of radios.

10. The method of claim 5, wherein the determining the location comprises receiving a set of potential locations and comparing the first differential time value to a set of predetermined differential values associated with the first pair of radios.

11. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

receiving, by the system, a second observed time value associated with second radio links between a second pair of radios of the wireless network and the user equipment, wherein the second pair of radios is different from the first pair of radios; and

determining, by the system, a second differential time value based on the second observed time value, a second reference observed time value, and a second reference differential time value.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the receiving the first observed time value comprises receiving the first observed time value associated with the first radio links between the first pair of radios and the user equipment, wherein the first pair of radios comprises a first radio and a second radio, wherein the receiving the second observed time value comprises receiving the second observed time value associated with the second radio links between the second pair of radios and the user equipment, and wherein the second pair of radios comprises the second radio and a third radio.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the receiving the first observed time value comprises receiving the first observed time value associated with the first radio links between the first pair of radios and the user equipment, wherein the first pair of radios comprises a first radio and a second radio, wherein the receiving the second observed time value comprises receiving the second observed time value associated with the second radio links between the second pair of radios and the user equipment, and wherein the second pair of radios comprises a third radio and a fourth radio.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

determining, by the system, a location for the user equipment based on the first differential time value and the second differential time value.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the determining the location comprises comparing the first differential time value to a first set of predetermined differential values associated with the first pair of radios and comparing the second differential time value to a second set of predetermined differential values associated with the second pair of radios.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the determining the location comprises receiving a subset of potential locations determined by analyzing a first set of locations determined by comparing the first differential time value to a first set of predetermined differential values associated with the first pair of radios and a second set of locations determined by comparing the second differential time value to a second set of predetermined differential values associated with the second pair of radios.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the receiving the subset of potential locations comprises receiving a union of the first set of locations and the second set of locations.

18. A system, comprising:

a memory to store instructions; and

a processor, coupled to the memory, that facilitates execution of the instructions to perform operations, comprising;

receiving a first observed time value associated with synchronization of radio links between a first pair of radios of a wireless network and a user equipment of the wireless network, wherein the user equipment is in an idle-mode;

determining a first differential time value based on the first observed time value, a first reference observed time value, and a first reference differential time value, wherein the first reference observed time value and first reference differential time value are predetermined; and

determining a location for the user equipment based on the first differential time value.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the determining the first differential time value comprises subtracting the first reference observed time value from the first observed time value and adding the first reference differential time value.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the first observed time value is based on a first propagation time for a first radio signal between a first radio of the first pair of radios and the user equipment, a second propagation time for a second radio signal between a second radio of the first pair of radios and the user equipment, a first delay time associated with the first radio, and a second delay time associated with the second radio.