Method of determining a location of a mobile device and method of managing a list for use in such a method

• US 8,818,362 B2
• Filed: 12/17/2009
• Issued: 08/26/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke KPN NV, Nederlandse Organisatie Voor Toegepast-Natuurwetenschappelijk Onderzoek Tno
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke KPN NV, Nederlandse Organisatie Voor Toegepast-Natuurwetenschappelijk Onderzoek Tno
• Inventors: Selgert, Franklin, Norp, Antonius Hendrikus Johannes
• Primary Examiner(s): RAMPURIA, SHARAD K
• Application Number:
  US12/640,261
• Publication Number:
  US 20100159885A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,713 Days
• Field of Search: 455/414.1, 4554561-457, 455/434, 455 6711- 6716, 455423-425, 455/561, 455/552.1, 4554041-4042, 370331-338
• US Class Current: 455/434
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0072 Transmission between mobile stations, e.g. anti-collision systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0226 Transmitters
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/02527 Detecting or resolving anomalies in the radio frequency fingerprints of the radio-map
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0263 by combining or switching between positions derived from two or more separate positioning systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0284 Relative positioning
• 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 64/003 locating network equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/10 adapted for operation in multiple networks, e.g. multi-mode access points

Abstract

The invention relates to a method of determining a location of a mobile device for use in a first communication network and a second communication network. The mobile device is camped on a cellular base station in the second communication network. According to the method, a list of records of communication units within the first and/or second communication network that are located within a predetermined geographical area is obtained. A communication unit record contains information representative of the identity of the respective communication unit, information representative of a position of the respective communication unit, and a reliability indication of the respective communication unit. Additionally, with the mobile device, communication units within the first and second communication network are detected. Finally, the location of the mobile device is detected based on the information representative of the position, the reliability indication, and an accuracy indication of the detected communication units.

Claims

1. A method of determining a location of a mobile device for use in a first communication network and a second communication network, and in communication with a cellular base station in the second communication network, the method comprising:

the mobile device obtaining a list of records of communication units within the first or second communication network that are located within a predetermined geographical area, the communication unit records comprising information representative of the identity of each respective communication units, information representative of a position of each respective communication units, and a reliability indication of each respective communication unit;

the mobile device detecting communication units within the first or second communication network; and

the mobile device determining the location of the mobile device based on the information representative of the position of selected detected communication units, wherein such selection is based on the information representative of the position, the reliability indication, and an accuracy indication of the detected communication units, wherein the selection is further based on a distance between positions of the detected communication units indicated by the information representative of the position of respective communication units.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication unit record provides the mobile device with said accuracy indication.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile device obtains said accuracy indication directly from information provided by each respective communication unit.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein a nominal coverage area of a communication unit within the second communication network is larger than a nominal coverage area of a communication unit within the first communication network.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said obtaining comprises:

the mobile device sending a request for reception of said list to a cellular base station; and

the mobile device receiving said list in response.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said obtaining comprises receiving said list via a broadcast transmission.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said determining comprises:

the mobile device determining a reliability order of the detected communication units based on their reliability indication;

the mobile device determining an accuracy order of the detected communication units based on their accuracy indication;

the mobile device selecting a subset of communication units based on the reliability order and the accuracy order in accordance with a selection scheme, and

the mobile device determining the location of the mobile device based on positions of the selected subset of communication units.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said selection scheme comprises:

the mobile device determining, among the detected communication units, whether a position of a detected communication unit with a highest accuracy fulfills a predefined condition with respect to a detected communication unit with a highest reliability;

the mobile device discarding the detected communication unit with highest accuracy if its position does not fulfill the condition;

the mobile device repeating said determining and discarding for respective detected communication units with a next highest accuracy until a pre-determined number of detected communication units has been processed; and

the mobile device determining a geographical location of the mobile device based on positions of detected and processed communication units that have not been discarded.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the pre-determined number equals all detected communication units.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the predefined condition is that the distance between the position indicated by the position information of the selected communication unit with highest accuracy and the position indicated by the position information of the selected communication unit with highest reliability is less than a sum of the radius of the coverage area of the two selected communication units.

11. A mobile device arranged to be part of a first communication network and a second communication network, the mobile device comprising:

a receiver for receiving data from one or more communication units in the first communication network or the second communication network;

a memory for storing a list of records of communication units located within a predetermined geographical area; and

a processor for processing data received via said receiver and processing the list stored in said memory and further configured to;

obtain the list of records of communication units within the first or second communication network that are located within a predetermined geographical area, the communication unit records comprising information representative of the identity of each respective communication units, information representative of a position of each respective communication units, and a reliability indication of each respective communication unit;

detect communication units within the first and second communication network; and

determine the location of the mobile device based on the information representative of the position of selected detected communication units, wherein such selection is based on the information representative of the position, the reliability indication, and an accuracy indication of the detected communication units, wherein the selection is further based on a distance between positions of the detected communication units indicated by the information representative of the position of respective communication units.

12. The mobile device of claim 11, wherein the communication unit record provides the mobile device with said accuracy indication.

13. The mobile device of claim 11, wherein the mobile device obtains said accuracy indication directly from information provided by each respective communication unit.

14. The mobile device of claim 11, wherein a nominal coverage area of a communication unit within the second communication network is larger than a nominal coverage area of a communication unit within the first communication network.

15. The mobile device of claim 11, wherein the processor is further configured to:

send a request for reception of said list to a cellular base station; and

receive said list in response.

16. The mobile device of claim 11, wherein the processor is further configured to receive said list via a broadcast transmission.

17. The mobile device of claim 11, wherein the processor is further configured to:

determine a reliability order of the detected communication units based on their reliability indication;

determine an accuracy order of the detected communication units based on their accuracy indication;

select a subset of communication units based on the reliability order and the accuracy order in accordance with a selection scheme, and

determine the location of the mobile device based on positions of the selected subset of communication units.

18. The mobile device of claim 17, wherein the processor is further configured to:

determine, among the detected communication units, whether a position of a detected communication unit with a highest accuracy fulfills a predefined condition with respect to a detected communication unit with a highest reliability;

discard the detected communication unit with highest accuracy if its position does not fulfill the condition;

repeat the determining and discarding for respective detected communication units with a next highest accuracy until a pre-determined number of detected communication units has been processed; and

determine a geographical location of the mobile device based on positions of detected and processed communication units that have not been discarded.

19. The mobile device of claim 18, wherein the pre-determined number equals all detected communication units.

20. The mobile device of claim 18, wherein the predefined condition is that the distance between the position indicated by the position information of the selected communication unit with highest accuracy and the position indicated by the position information of the selected communication unit with highest reliability is less than a sum of the radius of the coverage area of the two selected communication units.