Method and apparatus for positioning mobile terminal's location

• US 8,682,354 B2
• Filed: 11/25/2009
• Issued: 03/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Zhong, Chuan, Zhou, Lei
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, KHAI MINH
• Application Number:
  US13/131,095
• Publication Number:
  US 20110223940A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,581 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456.5, 455/456.6, 455/456.1, 455/456.2, 455/422.1, 455/441, 455/450, 455/503, 370/252, 370/350
• US Class Current: 455/456.5
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0036 of measured values, i.e. measurement on mobile and position calculation on base station
• 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

Abstract

A method by a Mobile Terminal (MT) for positioning the MT is provided. The method includes requesting a Base Station (BS) to allocate a first transmission time for transmitting a first sounding signal for the MT, receiving the first transmission time from the BS, transmitting the first sounding signal to the BS at the first transmission time, requesting the BS to allocate a second transmission time of a second sounding signal for the MT after the MT moves, receiving the second transmission time from the BS, transmitting the second sounding signal to the BS at the second transmission time, reporting a moving distance moved during the period between the first transmission time and the second transmission time, and receiving a position of the MT determined based on the first sounding signal, the second sounding signal, and the moving distance.

Claims

1. A method by a Mobile Terminal (MT) for positioning the MT, the method comprising:

requesting a Base Station (BS) to allocate a first transmission time for transmitting a first sounding signal for the MT;

receiving the first transmission time from the BS;

transmitting the first sounding signal to the BS at the first transmission time;

requesting to allocate a second transmission time of a second sounding signal for the MT to the BS again after the MT moves;

receiving the second transmission time from the BS;

transmitting the second sounding signal to the BS at the second transmission time;

reporting a moving distance moved during the period between the first transmission time and the second transmission time; and

receiving a position of the MT determined by using the first sounding signal, the second sounding signal, and the moving distance.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the positioning result of the MT is represented by a first difference value, a second difference value, and a third difference value,

wherein the first difference value is a difference between a second distance and a first distance, the first distance is a distance between the MT and the BS when the first sounding signal is transmitted, and the second distance is a distance between the MT and the BS when the second sounding signal is transmitted,

wherein the second difference value is a difference between a second phase and a first phase, the first phase is a phase from a predetermined reference to the MT when the first sounding signal is transmitted, and the second phase is a phase from the predetermined reference to the MT when the second sounding signal is transmitted, and

wherein the third difference value is a distance between a position of the MT when the first sounding signal is transmitted and a position of the MT when the second sounding signal is transmitted.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the first difference value is calculated based on the first transmission time, a first arrival time, the second transmission time, a second arrival time and a velocity of both the first sounding signal and the second sounding signal,

wherein the velocity for each of the first sounding signal and the second sounding signal is the same, and

wherein the first arrival time is a time when the first sounding signal is received by the BS, and the second arrival time is a time when the second sounding signal is received by the BS.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the third difference value is calculated based on the first distance, the second distance, and the second difference value.

5. A method by a Base Station (BS) for positioning a Mobile Terminal (MT), the method comprising:

transmitting a first transmission time of a first sounding signal for the MT to the MT;

receiving the first sounding signal transmitted from the MT at the first transmission time;

recording a first arrival time of the first sounding signal and an Angle Of Arrival (AOA) of the first sounding signal;

transmitting a second transmission time of a second sounding signal for the MT to the MT;

receiving the second sounding signal transmitted from the MT at the second transmission time;

recording a second arrival time of the second sounding signal and an AOA of the second sounding signal;

receiving from the MT a moving distance moved by the MT during the period between the first transmission time and the second transmission time; and

positioning the MT based on the first arrival time, the AOA of the first sounding signal, the second arrival time, the AOA of the second sounding signal, and the moving distance.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising transmitting, to the MT, a position of the MT.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the position is represented by a first difference value, a second difference value, and a third difference value,

wherein the first difference value is a difference between a second distance and a first distance, the first distance is a distance between the MT and the BS when the first sounding signal is transmitted, and a second distance is a distance between the MT and the BS when the second sounding signal is transmitted,

wherein the second difference value is a difference between a second phase and a first phase, the first phase is a phase from a predetermined reference to the MT when the first sounding signal is transmitted, and the second phase is a phase from a predetermined reference to the MT when the second sounding signal is transmitted, and

wherein the third difference value is a distance between a position of the MT when the first sounding signal is transmitted and a position of the MT when the second sounding signal is transmitted.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the first difference value is calculated based on the first transmission time, the first arrival time, the second transmission time, the second arrival time, and a velocity of both the first sounding signal and the second sounding signal, and

wherein the velocity for each of the first sounding signal and the second sounding signal is the same.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the third difference value is calculated based on the first distance, the second distance, and the second difference value.

10. The method of claim 5, wherein the transmitting of the first transmission time of the first sounding signal for the MT to the MT comprises receiving a request to allocate the first transmission time from the MT.

11. A Mobile Terminal (MT) for positioning in a communication system, the MT comprising:

a transmitter for transmitting a request to a Base Station (BS) to allocate a first transmission time, for transmitting a first sounding signal for the MT, for transmitting the first sounding signal at the first transmission time to the BS, for transmitting a request to the BS to allocate a second transmission time of a second sounding signal for the MT after the MT moves, for transmitting the second sounding signal at the second transmission time to the BS, and for reporting a moving distance moved during the period between the first transmission time and the second transmission time; and

a receiver for receiving the first transmission time and the second transmission time from the BS, and for receiving a positioning result of the MT determined based on the first sounding signal, the second sounding signal, and the moving distance.

12. The MT of claim 11, wherein the positioning result of the MT is represented by a first difference value, a second difference value, and a third difference value,

wherein the first difference value is a difference between a second distance and a first distance, the first distance is a distance between the MT and the BS when the first sounding signal is transmitted, and the second distance is a distance between the MT and the BS when the second sounding signal is transmitted,

wherein the second difference value is a difference between a second phase and a first phase, the first phase is a phase from a predetermined reference to the MT when the first sounding signal is transmitted, and the second phase is a phase from the predetermined reference to the MT when the second sounding signal is transmitted, and

wherein the third difference value is a distance between a position of the MT when the first sounding signal is transmitted and a position of the MT when the second sounding signal is transmitted.

13. The MT of claim 11, wherein the first difference value is calculated based on the first transmission time, a first arrival time, the second transmission time, a second arrival time, and a velocity of both the first sounding signal and the second sounding signal,

wherein the velocity for each of the first sounding signal and the second sounding signal is the same, and

wherein the first arrival time is a time when the first sounding signal is received by the BS, and the second arrival time is a time when the second sounding signal is received by the BS.

14. The MT of claim 13, wherein the third difference value is calculated based on the first distance, the second distance, and the second difference value.

15. A Base Station (BS) for positioning a Mobile Terminal (MT) in a communication system, the BS comprising:

an allocator for allocating a first transmission time of a first sounding signal for the MT and a second transmission time of a second sounding signal for the MT;

a transmitter for transmitting the first transmission time and the second transmission time to the MT;

a receiver for receiving the first sounding signal transmitted from the MT at the first transmission time and the second sounding signal transmitted from the MT at the second transmission time, and for receiving from the MT a moving distance moved by the MT during the period between the first transmission time and the second transmission time;

a recorder for recording a first arrival time of the first sounding signal, an Angle Of Arrival (AOA) of the first sounding signal, a second arrival time of the second sounding signal, and an AOA of the second sounding signal; and

a controller for positioning the MT based on the first arrival time, the AOA of the first sounding signal, the second arrival time, the AOA of the second sounding signal, and the moving distance.

16. The BS of claim 15, wherein the transmitter transmits, to the MT, a position of the MT.

17. The BS of claim 16, wherein the position is represented by a first difference value, a second difference value, and a third difference value,

wherein the first difference value is a difference between a second distance and a first distance, the first distance is a distance between the MT and the BS when the first sounding signal is transmitted, and a second distance is a distance between the MT and the BS when the second sounding signal is transmitted,

wherein the second difference value is a difference between a second phase and a first phase, the first phase is a phase from a predetermined reference to the MT when the first sounding signal is transmitted, the second phase is a phase from the predetermined reference to the MT when the second sounding signal is transmitted, and

wherein the third difference value is a distance between a position of the MT when the first sounding signal is transmitted and a position of the MT when the second sounding signal is transmitted.

18. The BS of claim 17, wherein the first difference value is calculated based on the first transmission time, the first arrival time, the second transmission time, the second arrival time, and a velocity for both the first sounding signal and the second sounding signal, and

wherein the velocity for each of the first sounding signal and the second sounding signal is the same.

19. The BS of claim 17, wherein the third difference value is calculated based on the first distance, the second distance, and the second difference value.

20. The BS of claim 15, wherein when the receiver receives a request to allocate the first transmission time from the MT, the allocator allocates the first transmission time and the second transmission time.