Portable electronic device positioning based on multipath characterization information associated with wireless network transmitting devices

• US 8,781,404 B2
• Filed: 12/09/2010
• Issued: 07/15/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Sridhara, Vinay, Das, Saumitra Mohan, Naguib, Ayman Fawzy
• Primary Examiner(s): PATEL, MAHENDRA R
• Application Number:
  US12/964,622
• Publication Number:
  US 20110143683A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,314 Days
• Field of Search: 455/434, 455/296, 455/57.11, 455/67.16, 370/338, 370/334, 370/280, 370/347, 375/144, 343/795, 343/702, 343/846
• US Class Current: 455/67.16
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0218 Multipath in signal reception
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0273 using multipath or indirect path propagation signals in position determination
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/309 Measuring or estimating channel quality parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0026 Transmission of channel quality indication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements

Abstract

Techniques are provided which may be implemented in various methods and/or apparatuses to allow a portable electronic device to characterize and/or otherwise identify that certain wireless signals may be multipath signals and/or non-multipath signals. Given such signal/environment characterization information, a portable electronic device may select particular wireless signals for use in signal-based location estimation process and/or other communication processes.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determining an expected distance between a portable electronic device and a wireless transmitting device based, at least in part, on an initial position of said portable electronic device and a position of said wireless transmitting device;

determining an experienced distance between said portable electronic device and said wireless transmitting device based, at least in part, on at least one parameter associated with at least one wireless signal transmitted between said portable electronic device and said wireless transmitting device, wherein said at least one parameter associated with said at least one wireless signal comprises at least one of;

a propagation time, a code delay or shift, or a phase delay or shift;

characterizing said wireless transmitting device as being at least one of a multipath source or a non-multipath source with respect to a current position of said portable electronic device based, at least in part, on said expected distance and said experienced distance;

storing one or more electronic signals representing characterization information associated with at least said current position of said portable electronic device; and

determining a current estimated location of said portable electronic device based, at least in part, on wireless signals received from a plurality of wireless transmitting devices, wherein at least one of said plurality of wireless transmitting devices has been characterized through corresponding characterization information as being said multipath source with respect to said current position.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein at least two of said plurality of wireless transmitting devices have been characterized through corresponding characterization information as being said non-multipath sources with respect to said current position.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting at least a portion of characterization information associated with at least said current position of said portable electronic device to at least one external computing device.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

receiving at least a portion of characterization information associated with at least said current position of said portable electronic device from at least one external computing device.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

obtaining said initial position of said portable electronic device based on information associated with at least one of;

a Satellite Positioning System (SPS);

a location server, a machine readable mechanism;

or a user input.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

determining said initial position of said portable electronic device based, at least in part, on a strength of at least one wireless signal transmitted from at least one wireless transmitting device.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

determining said initial position of said portable electronic device based, at least in part, on information associated with at least one of;

a directional sensor or a motion sensor.

8. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

obtaining information identifying at least a position of at least said wireless transmitting device.

9. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said propagation time comprises a round trip time.

10. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein at least one of:

said expected distance or said experienced distance comprises an estimated line-of-sight distance between said portable electronic device and said wireless transmitting device.

11. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

characterizing said wireless transmitting device based further, at least in part, on a distance error threshold value.

12. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

characterizing said wireless transmitting device as being said multipath source associated with said current position of said portable electronic device based, at least in part, on a distance error threshold value.

13. An apparatus comprising:

means for determining an expected distance between a portable electronic device and a wireless transmitting device based, at least in part, on an initial position of said portable electronic device and a position of said wireless transmitting device;

means for determining an experienced distance between said portable electronic device and said wireless transmitting device based, at least in part, on at least one parameter associated with at least one wireless signal transmitted between said portable electronic device and said wireless transmitting device, wherein said at least one parameter associated with said at least one wireless signal comprises at least one of;

a propagation time, a code delay or shift, or a phase delay or shift;

means for characterizing said wireless transmitting device as being at least one of a multipath source or a non-multipath source with respect to a current position of said portable electronic device based, at least in part, on said expected distance and said experienced distance;

means for storing one or more electronic signals representing characterization information associated with at least said current position of said portable electronic device; and

means for determining a current estimated location of said portable electronic device based, at least in part, on wireless signals received from a plurality of wireless transmitting devices, wherein at least one of said plurality of wireless transmitting devices has been characterized through corresponding characterization information as being said multipath source with respect to said current position.

14. The apparatus as recited in claim 13,

wherein at least two of said plurality of wireless transmitting devices have been characterized through corresponding characterization information as being said non-multipath sources with respect to said current position.

15. The apparatus as recited in claim 13, further comprising:

means for transmitting at least a portion of characterization information associated with at least said current position of said portable electronic device to at least one external computing device.

16. The apparatus as recited in claim 13, further comprising:

means for receiving at least a portion of characterization information associated with at least said current position of said portable electronic device from at least one external computing device.

17. The apparatus as recited in claim 13, further comprising:

means for obtaining said initial position of said portable electronic device based on information associated with at least one of;

a Satellite Positioning System (SPS);

a location server, a machine readable mechanism;

or a user input.

18. The apparatus as recited in claim 13, further comprising:

means for determining said initial position of said portable electronic device based, at least in part, on a strength of at least one wireless signal transmitted from at least one wireless transmitting device.

19. The apparatus as recited in claim 13, further comprising:

means for determining said initial position of said portable electronic device based, at least in part, on information associated with at least one of;

a directional sensor, or a motion sensor.

20. The apparatus as recited in claim 13, further comprising:

means for obtaining information identifying at least a position of at least said wireless transmitting device.

21. The apparatus as recited in claim 13, wherein said propagation time comprises a round trip time.

22. The apparatus as recited in claim 13, wherein at least one of:

said expected distance, or said experienced distance comprises an estimated line-of-sight distance between said portable electronic device and said wireless transmitting device.

23. The apparatus as recited in claim 13, further comprising:

means for characterizing said wireless transmitting device based further, at least in part, on a distance error threshold value.

24. The apparatus as recited in claim 13, further comprising:

means for characterizing said wireless transmitting device as being said multipath source associated with said current position of said portable electronic device based, at least in part, on a distance error threshold value.

25. An apparatus for use in a portable electronic device, the apparatus comprising:

memory;

a wireless interface; and

at least one processing unit to;

determine an expected distance between said portable electronic device and a wireless transmitting device based, at least in part, on an initial position of said portable electronic device and a position of said wireless transmitting device, wherein said at least one parameter associated with said at least one wireless signal comprises at least one of;

a propagation time, a code delay or shift, or a phase delay or shift;

determine an experienced distance between said portable electronic device and said wireless transmitting device based, at least in part, on at least one parameter associated with at least one wireless signal transmitted between said portable electronic device and said wireless transmitting device via said wireless interface;

characterize said wireless transmitting device as being at least one of a multipath source or a non-multipath source with respect to a current position of said portable electronic device based, at least in part, on said expected distance and said experienced distance;

store one or more electronic signals representing characterization information associated with at least said current position of said portable electronic device to said memory; and

determine a current estimated location of said portable electronic device based, at least in part, on wireless signals received from a plurality of wireless transmitting devices, wherein at least one of said plurality of wireless transmitting devices has been characterized through corresponding characterization information as being said multipath source with respect to said current position.

26. The apparatus as recited in claim 25,

wherein at least one of said plurality of wireless transmitting devices has been characterized through corresponding characterization information as being said multipath source with respect to said current position.

27. The apparatus as recited in claim 25, said at least one processing unit to further:

obtain at least a portion of said characterization information from at least one external computing device via said wireless interface.

28. The apparatus as recited in claim 25, said at least one processing unit to further:

obtain said initial position of said portable electronic device based on information associated with at least one of;

a Satellite Positioning System (SPS);

a location server, a machine readable mechanism;

or a user input.

29. The apparatus as recited in claim 25, said at least one processing unit to further:

determine said initial position of said portable electronic device based, at least in part, on a strength of at least one wireless signal received via said wireless interface from at least one wireless transmitting device.

30. The apparatus as recited in claim 25, said at least one processing unit to further:

determine said initial position of said portable electronic device based, at least in part, on information associated with at least one of;

a directional sensor, or a motion sensor.

31. The apparatus as recited in claim 25, said at least one processing unit to further:

obtain information identifying at least a position of at least said wireless transmitting device from at least one of;

said memory, or said wireless interface.

32. The apparatus as recited in claim 25, wherein said propagation time comprises a round trip time.

33. The apparatus as recited in claim 25, wherein at least one of:

said expected distance, or said experienced distance comprises an estimated line-of-sight distance between said portable electronic device and said wireless transmitting device.

34. The apparatus as recited in claim 25, said at least one processing unit to further:

characterize said wireless transmitting device based further, at least in part, on a distance error threshold value.

35. The apparatus as recited in claim 25, said at least one processing unit to further:

characterize said wireless transmitting device as being said multipath source associated with said current position of said portable electronic device based, at least in part, on a distance error threshold value.

36. An article comprising:

a non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon computer-executable instructions being executable by one or more processing units of a portable electronic device to;

determine an expected distance between said portable electronic device and a wireless transmitting device based, at least in part, on an initial position of said portable electronic device and a position of said wireless transmitting device, wherein said at least one parameter associated with said at least one wireless signal comprises at least one of;

a propagation time, a code delay or shift, or a phase delay or shift;

determine an experienced distance between said portable electronic device and said wireless transmitting device based, at least in part, on at least one parameter associated with at least one wireless signal transmitted between said portable electronic device and said wireless transmitting device;

characterize said wireless transmitting device as being at least one of a multipath source or a non-multipath source with respect to a current position of said portable electronic device based, at least in part, on said expected distance and said experienced distance;

store characterization information associated with at least said current position of said portable electronic device; and

determine a current estimated location of said portable electronic device based, at least in part. on wireless signals received from a plurality of wireless transmitting devices, wherein at least one of said plurality of wireless transmitting devices has been characterized through corresponding characterization information as being said multipath source with respect to said current position.

37. The article as recited in claim 36,

wherein at least two of said plurality of wireless transmitting devices have been characterized through corresponding characterization information as being said non-multipath sources with respect to said current position.

38. The article as recited in claim 36, said computer-executable instructions being executable by one or more processing units to further:

initiate transmission of at least a portion of characterization information associated with at least said current position of said portable electronic device to at least one external computing device.

39. The article as recited in claim 36, said computer-executable instructions being executable by one or more processing units to further:

obtain at least a portion of characterization information associated with at least said current position of said portable electronic device from at least one external computing device.

40. The article as recited in claim 36, said computer-executable instructions being executable by one or more processing units to further:

obtain said initial position of said portable electronic device based on information associated with at least one of;

a Satellite Positioning System (SPS);

a location server, a machine readable mechanism;

or a user input.

41. The article as recited in claim 36, said computer-executable instructions being executable by one or more processing units to further:

determine said initial position of said portable electronic device based, at least in part, on a strength of at least one wireless signal transmitted by at least one nearby wireless transmitting device.

42. The article as recited in claim 36, said computer-executable instructions being executable by one or more processing units to further:

determine said initial position of said portable electronic device based, at least in part, on information associated with at least one of;

a directional sensor or a motion sensor.

43. The article as recited in claim 36, said computer-executable instructions being executable by one or more processing units to further:

obtain information identifying at least a position of at least said wireless transmitting device.

44. The article as recited in claim 36, wherein said propagation time comprises a round trip time.

45. The article as recited in claim 36, wherein at least one of:

said expected distance or said experienced distance comprises an estimated line-of-sight distance between said portable electronic device and said wireless transmitting device.

46. The article as recited in claim 36, said computer-executable instructions being executable by one or more processing units to further:

characterize said wireless transmitting device based further, at least in part, on a distance error threshold value.

47. The article as recited in claim 36, said computer-executable instructions being executable by one or more processing units to further:

characterize said wireless transmitting device as being said multipath source associated with said current position of said portable electronic device based, at least in part, on a distance error threshold value.