Method for the location of mobile terminals
First Claim
1. A method of determining the location of a mobile terminal in a given area, comprising the steps of:
- including said mobile terminal both in a satellite-based positioning system and in a cellular communication system, whereby said mobile terminal is adapted to receive satellite signals from said satellite-based system and to be covered by at least one cell of said cellular communication system;
determining a first set of values for positioning coordinates of said mobile terminal on the basis of information related to said cellular communication system, said first set of values comprising;
approximate bi-dimensional positioning coordinates of said mobile terminal; and
an estimate of an altitude coordinate of said mobile terminal;
determining a search area for positioning coordinates of said mobile terminal based on said satellite signals and said estimate of said altitude coordinate;
providing a geographical data base comprising data base items associated with a given set of bi-dimensional positioning coordinates of said mobile terminal in said search area corresponding to values for said altitude coordinate;
identifying a new set of values for said positioning coordinates, wherein identifying the new set of values comprises;
effecting, based on said information related to said cellular communication system, bi-dimensional positioning coordinates of said mobile terminal within said search area;
accessing said geographical data base; and
associating to the bi-dimensional positioning coordinates of said mobile terminal a corresponding value for said altitude coordinate;
determining the distance between the first set of values and the new set of values as available before and after the current iteration step;
comparing said distance with a threshold indicative of the degree of accuracy pursued in the location action; and
if said distance is higher than said threshold, running a further iteration step wherein said search area is further re-defined on the basis of said satellite signals from said satellite-based system and the latest value available for said altitude coordinate and said steps of effecting bi-dimensional positioning coordinates, accessing said geographical data base, and associating to the bi-dimensional positioning coordinates of said mobile terminal a corresponding value for said altitude coordinate are further repeated, wherein said step of effecting bi-dimensional positioning coordinates is effected over said further re-defined area.
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Abstract
A location of a mobile terminal in a given area may be determined by including the mobile terminal in a satellite-based positioning system and in a cellular communications system. The approximate coordinates of the mobile terminal may be determined based on both satellite signals received from the satellite-based system and information related to the cellular communication system, where the coordinates include an altitude coordinate. An estimate of the altitude coordinate may be derived from the information related to the cellular communication system. The approximate coordinates may be determined using the estimate of the altitude coordinate and information provided by the satellite-based system by providing an approximate bi-dimensional positioning of the terminal and exploiting the bi-dimensional positioning and the estimate of the altitude coordinate.
11 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A method of determining the location of a mobile terminal in a given area, comprising the steps of:
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including said mobile terminal both in a satellite-based positioning system and in a cellular communication system, whereby said mobile terminal is adapted to receive satellite signals from said satellite-based system and to be covered by at least one cell of said cellular communication system; determining a first set of values for positioning coordinates of said mobile terminal on the basis of information related to said cellular communication system, said first set of values comprising; approximate bi-dimensional positioning coordinates of said mobile terminal; and an estimate of an altitude coordinate of said mobile terminal; determining a search area for positioning coordinates of said mobile terminal based on said satellite signals and said estimate of said altitude coordinate; providing a geographical data base comprising data base items associated with a given set of bi-dimensional positioning coordinates of said mobile terminal in said search area corresponding to values for said altitude coordinate; identifying a new set of values for said positioning coordinates, wherein identifying the new set of values comprises; effecting, based on said information related to said cellular communication system, bi-dimensional positioning coordinates of said mobile terminal within said search area; accessing said geographical data base; and associating to the bi-dimensional positioning coordinates of said mobile terminal a corresponding value for said altitude coordinate; determining the distance between the first set of values and the new set of values as available before and after the current iteration step; comparing said distance with a threshold indicative of the degree of accuracy pursued in the location action; and if said distance is higher than said threshold, running a further iteration step wherein said search area is further re-defined on the basis of said satellite signals from said satellite-based system and the latest value available for said altitude coordinate and said steps of effecting bi-dimensional positioning coordinates, accessing said geographical data base, and associating to the bi-dimensional positioning coordinates of said mobile terminal a corresponding value for said altitude coordinate are further repeated, wherein said step of effecting bi-dimensional positioning coordinates is effected over said further re-defined area. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. An apparatus comprising:
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a first receiver adapted to receive satellite signals transmitted in a satellite-based system; a second receiver adapted to receive signals transmitted in at least one cell of a cellular communication system; a geographical data base comprising data base items associated with bi-dimensional positioning coordinates and altitude coordinates of mobile terminals; at least one processing module configured for determining at least approximately the coordinates of a mobile terminal based on both satellite signals received from said satellite-based system and information related to said cellular communication system, wherein said coordinates include an altitude coordinate and said at least one processing module being configured for; determining a first set of values for positioning coordinates of said mobile terminal on the basis of information related to said cellular communication system, said first set of values comprising; approximate bi-dimensional positioning coordinates of said mobile terminal; and an estimate of an altitude coordinate of said mobile terminal; determining a search area for positioning coordinates of said mobile terminal based on said satellite signals and said estimate of said altitude coordinate; identifying a new set of values for said positioning coordinates, wherein identifying the new set of values comprises; effecting, based on said information related to said cellular communication system, bi-dimensional positioning coordinates of said mobile terminal within said search area; accessing said geographical data base; and associating to the bi-dimensional positioning coordinates of said mobile terminal a corresponding value for said altitude coordinate; determining the distance between the first set of values and the new set of values as available before and after the current iteration step; comparing said distance with a threshold indicative of the degree of accuracy pursued in the location action; and if said distance is higher than said threshold, running a further iteration step wherein said search area is further re-defined on the basis of said satellite signals from said satellite-based system and the latest value available for said altitude coordinate and said steps of effecting bi-dimensional positioning coordinates, accessing said geographical data base, and associating to the bi-dimensional positioning coordinates of said mobile terminal a corresponding value for said altitude coordinate are further repeated, wherein said step of effecting bi-dimensional positioning coordinates is effected over said further re-defined area. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A computer-readable computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions that when executed by a process perform steps comprising:
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including said mobile terminal both in a satellite-based positioning system and in a cellular communication system, whereby said mobile terminal is adapted to receive satellite signals from said satellite-based system and to be covered by at least one cell of said cellular communication system; determining a first set of values for positioning coordinates of said mobile terminal on the basis of information related to said cellular communication system, said first set of values comprising; approximate bi-dimensional positioning coordinates of said mobile terminal; and an estimate of an altitude coordinate of said mobile terminal; determining a search area for positioning coordinates of said mobile terminal based on said satellite signals and said estimate of said altitude coordinate; providing a geographical data base comprising data base items associated with a given set of bi-dimensional positioning coordinates of said mobile terminal in said search area corresponding to values for said altitude coordinate; identifying a new set of values for said positioning coordinates, wherein identifying the new set of values comprises; effecting, based on said information related to said cellular communication system, bi-dimensional positioning coordinates of said mobile terminal within said search area; accessing said geographical data base; and associating to the bi-dimensional positioning coordinates of said mobile terminal a corresponding value for said altitude coordinate; determining the distance between the first set of values and the new set of values as available before and after the current iteration step; comparing said distance with a threshold indicative of the degree of accuracy pursued in the location action; and if said distance is higher than said threshold, running a further iteration step wherein said search area is further re-defined on the basis of said satellite signals from said satellite-based system and the latest value available for said altitude coordinate and said steps of effecting bi-dimensional positioning coordinates, accessing said geographical data base, and associating to the bi-dimensional positioning coordinates of said mobile terminal a corresponding value for said altitude coordinate are further repeated, wherein said step of effecting bi-dimensional positioning coordinates is effected over said further re-defined area. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification