Method and apparatus for location determination in a wireless assisted hybrid positioning system

• US 8,688,138 B2
• Filed: 11/13/2008
• Issued: 04/01/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Moeglein, Mark Leo, Riley, Wyatt Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAM, TIMOTHY X
• Application Number:
  US12/270,570
• Publication Number:
  US 20090131076A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,965 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456.1
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0257 Hybrid positioning by coordinating position lines of different shape G01S5/12
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/10 Position of receiver fixed by co-ordinating a plurality of position lines defined by path-difference measurements , e.g. omega or decca systemsG01S5/12 takes precedence ; beacons and receivers cooperating therewith G01S1/306, G01S1/308
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/12 by co-ordinating position lines of different shape, e.g. hyperbolic, circular, elliptical or radial

Abstract

Methods and apparatuses for location determination in wireless assisted positioning systems. In one aspect of the disclosed method and apparatus, a method to determine a position of a mobile device in a positioning system includes: computing a second estimated position of a mobile device using a first assumed geometric relationship for a location of the mobile device in relation to a navigational transmitter (e.g., a basestation, a pseudolite, or a Satellite Positioning System (SPS) satellite). The first geometric relationship is linearly independent from the altitude of the mobile device (e.g., obtained from an altitude aiding) and a second geometric relationship based on range information (e.g., a range from the mobile device to the navigational transmitter, a pseudorange, an arrival time, or a round trip time) measured with respect to the navigational transmitter. In another embodiment of the disclosed method and apparatus, the method to determine a position of a mobile device in a positioning system includes: determining an estimated clock bias from a strength indicator of a signal transmitted from a navigational transmitter to the mobile device.

Claims

1. A method to determine a position of a mobile device in a positioning system, the method comprising:

obtaining a first estimated position of the mobile device;

determining an estimated clock bias from a strength indicator of a signal transmitted from a navigational transmitter to the mobile device;

computing a correction vector for the first estimated position of the mobile device based on a linearized range constraint, an orthogonal range constraint, and the estimated clock bias; and

determining a second estimated position of the mobile device using the correction vector;

wherein the linearized range constraint comprises a first linear equation specifying a condition along a first direction from the first estimated position of the mobile device toward the navigational transmitter;

wherein the orthogonal range constraint comprises a second linear equation with a zero component of the correction vector along a second direction orthogonal to the first direction.

2. The method as in claim 1 wherein the navigational transmitter comprises one of:

a) a basestation;

or

b) a pseudolite.

3. The method as in claim 1 wherein the estimated clock bias is weighted against other constraints in determining the estimated position of the mobile device.

4. The method as in claim 1 wherein the strength indicator comprises an Estimated Input Power (EIP).

5. The method as in claim 4 wherein said determining the estimated clock bias comprises:

receiving parameters from the navigational transmitter; and

computing the Estimated Input Power (EIP) from the parameters.

6. The method as in claim 5 wherein the parameters comprise at least one of:

a) Ec/I0;

or

b) total pilot power.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising computing first coefficients for the linear equation specifying the condition along the first direction.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising computing second coefficients for the linear equation along the second direction orthogonal to the first direction.

9. A non-transitory machine readable media containing executable computer program instructions which when executed by a digital processing system cause said system to perform a method to determine a position of a mobile device in a positioning system, the method comprising:

obtaining a first estimated position of the mobile device;

determining an estimated clock bias from a strength indicator of a signal transmitted from a navigational transmitter to the mobile device;

computing a correction vector for the first estimated position of the mobile device based on a linearized range constraint, an orthogonal range constraint, and the estimated clock bias; and

determining a second estimated position of the mobile device using the correction vector;

wherein the linearized range constraint comprises a first linear equation specifying a condition along a first direction from the first estimated position of the mobile device toward the navigational transmitter;

wherein the orthogonal range constraint comprises a second linear equation with a zero component of the correction vector along a second direction orthogonal to the first direction.

10. The media as in claim 9 wherein the navigational transmitter comprises one of:

a) a basestation;

or

b) a pseudolite.

11. The media as in claim 9 wherein the estimated clock bias is weighted against other constraints in determining the estimated position of the mobile device.

12. The media as in claim 9 wherein the strength indicator comprises an Estimated Input Power (EIP).

13. The media as in claim 12 wherein said determining the estimated clock bias comprises:

receiving parameters from the navigational transmitter; and

computing the Estimated Input Power (EIP) from the parameters.

14. The media as in claim 13 wherein the parameters comprise at least one of:

a) Ec/I0;

or

b) total pilot power.

15. A digital processing system to determine the position of a mobile device in a positioning system, the processing system comprising:

means for obtaining a first estimated position of the mobile device;

means for determining an estimated clock bias from a strength indicator of a signal transmitted from a navigational transmitter to the mobile device;

means for computing a correction vector for the first estimated position of the mobile device based on a linearized range constraint, an orthogonal range constraint, and the estimated clock bias; and

means for determining a second estimated position of the mobile device using the correction vector;

wherein the linearized range constraint comprises a first linear equation specifying a condition along a first direction from the first estimated position of the mobile device toward the navigational transmitter;

wherein the orthogonal range constraint comprises a second linear equation with a zero component of the correction vector along a second direction orthogonal to the first direction.

16. The digital processing system as in claim 15 wherein the navigational transmitter comprises one of:

a) a basestation;

or

b) a pseudolite.

17. The digital processing system as in claim 15 wherein the estimated clock bias is weighted against other constraints in determining the estimated position of the mobile device.

18. The digital processing system as in claim 15 wherein the strength indicator comprises an Estimated Input Power (EIP).

19. The digital processing system as in claim 18 wherein said means for determining the estimated clock bias comprises:

means for receiving parameters from the navigational transmitter; and

means for computing the Estimated Input Power (EIP) from the parameters.

20. The digital processing system as in claim 19 wherein the parameters comprise at least one of:

a) Ec/I0;

or

b) total pilot power.

21. A digital processing system to determine the position of a mobile device in a positioning system, the processing system comprising:

a processor configured to;

obtain a first estimated position of the mobile device;

determine an estimated clock bias from a strength indicator of a signal transmitted from a navigational transmitter to the mobile device;

compute a correction vector for the first estimated position of the mobile device based on a linearized range constraint, an orthogonal range constraint, and the estimated clock bias; and

determine a second estimated position of the mobile device using the correction vector;

wherein the linearized range constraint comprises a first linear equation specifying a condition along a first direction from the first estimated position of the mobile device toward the navigational transmitter;

wherein the orthogonal range constraint comprises a second linear equation with a zero component of the correction vector along a second direction orthogonal to the first direction.

22. The system as in claim 21 wherein the navigational transmitter comprises one of:

a) a basestation;

or

b) a pseudolite.

23. The system as in claim 21 wherein the processor is configured to weight the estimated clock bias against other constraints in determining the estimated position of the mobile device.

24. The system as in claim 21 wherein the strength indicator comprises an Estimated Input Power (EIP).

25. The system as in claim 24 wherein when determining the estimated clock bias the processor is further configured to:

receive parameters from the navigational transmitter; and

compute the Estimated Input Power (EIP) from the parameters.

26. The system as in claim 25 wherein the parameters comprise at least one of:

a) Ec/I0;

or

b) total pilot power.