Positioning LTE wireless base stations using aggregated OTDOA assistance data

• US 8,954,089 B2
• Filed: 06/01/2012
• Issued: 02/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Werner, Benjamin A., Gao, Weihua
• Primary Examiner(s): Ly, Nghi H
• Application Number:
  US13/487,029
• Publication Number:
  US 20130321210A1
• Time in Patent Office: 984 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456.1, 455/404.2, 455/422.1, 455/456.3, 455/414.1
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0236 Assistance data, e.g. base station almanac
• 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: H04W 64/003 locating network equipment

Abstract

An apparatus and method for building a base station almanac at a non-carrier location server is shown. A mobile device cooperates by informing the non-carrier location server of observed time difference of arrival (OTDOA) assistance data it receives. The non-carrier location server collects enough OTDOA assistance data through crowd souring or spoofing to generate an OTDOA library. The non-carrier location server using the OTDOA library to generate a base station almanac. Once created, non-carrier location server uses the base station almanac to provide assistance data to mobile devices without assistance from the carrier. Also, a mobile device may use the base station almanac to determine transmission timing between itself and neighboring and distant base stations.

Claims

1. A method in a mobile device to facilitate the building of a base station almanac, the method comprising:

sending a seed location from the mobile device to a first location server requesting observed time difference of arrival (OTDOA) assistance data;

receiving, at the mobile device, the OTDOA assistance data from the first location server; and

sending, from the mobile device, the OTDOA assistance data and the seed location to a second location server for building the base station almanac.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first location server comprises a location server operated by a network operator of the mobile device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the second location server comprises a location server disassociated from a network operator of the mobile device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the seed location comprises a coarse location.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the seed location comprises a GPS location.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the seed location comprises a externally generated location.

7. A mobile device for facilitating building of a base station almanac, the mobile device comprising:

a receiver; and

a processor comprising a memory and coupled to the receiver;

wherein the memory comprises code to be executed by the processor for;

sending a seed location from the mobile device to a first location server requesting observed time difference of arrival (OTDOA) assistance data;

receiving, at the mobile device, the OTDOA assistance data from the first location server; and

sending, from the mobile device, the OTDOA assistance data and the seed location to a second location server for building the base station almanac.

8. The mobile device of claim 7, wherein the second location server comprises a location server disassociated from a network operator of the mobile device.

9. The mobile device of claim 7, wherein the seed location comprises a coarse location.

10. The mobile device of claim 7, wherein the seed location comprises a GPS location.

11. The mobile device of claim 7, wherein the seed location comprises a externally generated location.

12. A mobile device for facilitating building of a base station almanac, the mobile device comprising:

means for sending a seed location from the mobile device to a first location server requesting observed time difference of arrival (OTDOA) assistance data;

means for receiving, at the mobile device, the OTDOA assistance data from the first location server; and

means for sending, from the mobile device, the OTDOA assistance data and the seed location to a second location server for building the base station almanac.

13. The mobile device of claim 12, wherein the seed location comprises a coarse location.

14. The mobile device of claim 12, wherein the seed location comprises a externally generated location.

15. A computer-readable storage medium including non-transient program code stored thereon for:

sending a seed location from the mobile device to a first location server requesting observed time difference of arrival (OTDOA) assistance data;

receiving, at a mobile device, the OTDOA assistance data from the first location server; and

sending, from the mobile device, the OTDOA assistance data and the seed location to a second location server for building a base station almanac.

16. A method in a non-carrier location server for building a base station almanac, the method comprising:

receiving, at the non-carrier location server, observed time difference of arrival (OTDOA) assistance data and a seed location from a mobile device, wherein the OTDOA assistance data was received by the mobile device from a first location server distinct from the non-carrier location server; and

saving, at the non-carrier location server, the OTDOA assistance data and the seed location to a non-carrier OTDOA library for building the base station almanac;

wherein the OTDOA assistance data comprises an expected time difference of arrival of signals at a seed location from a pair of base stations.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the first location server comprises a location server provided by a network operator of the mobile device.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the non-carrier location server comprises a location server disassociated from a network operator of the mobile device.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

extracting the OTDOA assistance data and seed locations from the non-carrier OTDOA library;

computing locations based in part on the OTDOA assistance data, wherein the locations comprise a location for each base station of the pair of base stations; and

saving the locations to the base station almanac.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein computing the locations comprises computing a location for each base station of a plurality of pairs of base stations.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein computing the locations comprises solving a system of equations wherein:

known variables comprise at least five different seed locations and the expected time difference of arrival of signals for each of the at least five different seed locations; and

unknown variables comprise the locations of the pair of base stations and a time difference between the pair of base stations.

22. A non-carrier location server for building a base station almanac, the non-carrier location server comprising:

means for receiving, at the non-carrier location server, observed time difference of arrival (OTDOA) assistance data and a seed location from a mobile device, wherein the OTDOA assistance data was received by the mobile device from a first location server distinct from the non-carrier location server; and

means for saving, at the non-carrier location server, the OTDOA assistance data and the seed location to a non-carrier OTDOA library for building the base station almanac;

wherein the OTDOA assistance data comprises an expected time difference of arrival of signals at a seed location from a pair of base stations.

23. The non-carrier location server of claim 22, wherein the first location server comprises a location server provided by a network operator of the mobile device.

24. The non-carrier location server of claim 22, wherein the non-carrier location server comprises a location server disassociated from a network operator of the mobile device.

25. The non-carrier location server of claim 22, further comprising:

means for extracting the OTDOA assistance data and seed locations from the non-carrier OTDOA library;

means for computing locations based in part on the OTDOA assistance data, wherein the locations comprise a location for each base station of the pair of base stations; and

means for saving the locations to the base station almanac.

26. A non-carrier location server comprising a processor and a memory wherein the memory includes code to be executed by the processor for:

receiving, at the non-carrier location server, observed time difference of arrival (OTDOA) assistance data and a seed location from a mobile device, wherein the OTDOA assistance data was received by the mobile device from a first location server distinct from the non-carrier location server; and

saving, at the non-carrier location server, the OTDOA assistance data and the seed location to a non-carrier OTDOA library for building a base station almanac;

wherein the OTDOA assistance data comprises an expected time difference of arrival of signals at a seed location from a pair of base stations.

27. A computer-readable storage medium including non-transient program code stored thereon for:

receiving, at a non-carrier location server, observed time difference of arrival (OTDOA) assistance data and a seed location from a mobile device, wherein the OTDOA assistance data was received by the mobile device from a first location server distinct from the non-carrier location server; and

saving, at the non-carrier location server, the OTDOA assistance data and the seed location to a non-carrier OTDOA library for building a base station almanac;

wherein the OTDOA assistance data comprises an expected time difference of arrival of signals at a seed location from a pair of base stations.

28. A method in a non-carrier location server comprising a non-carrier observed time difference of arrival (OTDOA) library and for building a base station almanac, the method comprising:

extracting OTDOA assistance data and seed locations from the non-carrier OTDOA library, wherein the OTDOA assistance data comprises an expected time difference of arrival of signals at a seed location from a pair of base stations;

computing locations from the OTDOA assistance data, wherein the locations comprise a location for each base station of the pair of base stations; and

saving the locations to the base station almanac.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein computing the locations comprises computing a location for each base station of a plurality of pairs of base stations.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein computing the locations comprises solving a system of equations wherein:

known variables comprise at least five different seed locations and the expected time difference of arrival of signals for each of the at least five different seed locations; and

unknown variables comprise the locations of the pair of base stations and a time difference between the pair of base stations.

31. A non-carrier location server for building a base station almanac, the non-carrier location server comprising:

a non-carrier observed time difference of arrival (OTDOA) library; and

processor and a memory comprising code in the memory to be executed by the processor for;

extracting OTDOA assistance data and seed locations from the non-carrier OTDOA library, wherein the OTDOA assistance data comprises an expected time difference of arrival of signals at a seed location from a pair of base stations;

computing locations from the OTDOA assistance data, wherein the locations comprise a location for each base station of the pair of base stations; and

saving the locations to the base station almanac.

32. A non-carrier location server for building a base station almanac, the non-carrier location server comprising:

means for extracting observed time difference of arrival (OTDOA) assistance data and seed locations from a non-carrier OTDOA library, wherein the OTDOA assistance data comprises an expected time difference of arrival of signals at a seed location from a pair of base stations;

means for computing locations from the OTDOA assistance data, wherein the locations comprise a location for each base station of the pair of base stations; and

means for saving the locations to the base station almanac.

33. A non-carrier location server for building a base station almanac, comprising a processor and a memory coupled to a non-carrier observed time difference of arrival (OTDOA) library, wherein the memory includes code to be executed by the processor for:

extracting OTDOA assistance data and seed locations from the non-carrier OTDOA library, wherein the OTDOA assistance data comprises an expected time difference of arrival of signals at a seed location from a pair of base stations;

computing locations from the OTDOA assistance data, wherein the locations comprise a location for each base station of the pair of base stations; and

saving the locations to the base station almanac.

34. A computer-readable storage medium including non-transient program code stored thereon to be executed by a processor for:

extracting observed time difference of arrival (OTDOA) assistance data and seed locations from a non-carrier OTDOA library, wherein the OTDOA assistance data comprises an expected time difference of arrival of signals at a seed location from a pair of base stations;

computing locations from the OTDOA assistance data, wherein the locations comprise a location for each base station of the pair of base stations; and

saving the locations to a base station almanac.

35. A position determination method in a mobile device, the position determination method comprising:

sending a seed location from the mobile device to a non-carrier location server, wherein;

the non-carrier location server is distinct from a network providing service to the mobile device and distinct from a carrier'"'"'s location server that offers service to the mobile device, and

the non-carrier location server comprises a non-carrier observed time difference of arrival (OTDOA) library and a base station almanac;

receiving, at the mobile device, at least part of the base station almanac from the non-carrier location server, wherein the base station almanac was derived at least in part from observed time difference of arrival (OTDOA) assistance data from the carrier'"'"'s location server; and

computing a position estimate of the mobile device based on the at least part of the base station almanac.

36. The position determination method of claim 35, wherein the part of the base station almanac received by the mobile device comprises a location of neighboring base stations.

37. The position determination method of claim 36, wherein the location of neighboring base stations comprises the location of neighboring base stations for a combination of networks, including the network providing service to the mobile device.

38. The position determination method of claim 35, wherein computing the position estimate of the mobile device based on the at least part of the base station almanac further comprises measuring a time of arrival, at the mobile device, of a reference signal from one or more of neighboring base stations.

39. A mobile device comprising

a transmitter and receiver;

a processor comprising a memory and coupled to the transmitter and to the receiver;

wherein the memory comprises code to be executed by the processor for;

sending a seed location from the mobile device to a non-carrier location server, wherein;

the non-carrier location server is distinct from a network providing service to the mobile device and distinct from a carrier'"'"'s location server that offers service to the mobile device, and

the non-carrier location server comprises a non-carrier observed time difference of arrival (OTDOA) library and a base station almanac;

receiving, at the mobile device, at least part of the base station almanac from the non-carrier location server, wherein the base station almanac was derived at least in part from observed time difference of arrival (OTDOA) assistance data from the carrier'"'"'s location server; and

computing a position estimate of the mobile device based on the at least part of the base station almanac.

40. The mobile device of claim 39, wherein the part of the base station almanac received by the mobile device comprises location of neighboring base stations.

41. The mobile device of claim 40, wherein the location of neighboring base stations comprises the location of neighboring base stations for a combination of networks, including the network providing service to the mobile device.

42. The mobile device of claim 39, wherein the code for computing the position estimate of the mobile device based on the at least part of the base station almanac further comprises measuring a time of arrival, at the mobile device, of a reference signal from one or more of neighboring base stations.

43. A mobile device configured for position determination operations, the mobile device comprising:

means for sending a seed location from the mobile device to a non-carrier location server, wherein;

the non-carrier location server is distinct from a network providing service to the mobile device and distinct from a carrier'"'"'s location server that offers service to the mobile device, and

the non-carrier location server comprises a non-carrier observed time difference of arrival (OTDOA) library and a base station almanac;

means for receiving, at the mobile device, at least part of the base station almanac from the non-carrier location server, wherein the base station almanac was derived at least in part from observed time difference of arrival (OTDOA) assistance data from the carrier'"'"'s location server; and

means for computing a position estimate of the mobile device based on the at least part of the base station almanac.

44. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising program code stored thereon to be executed by a processor for:

sending a seed location from a mobile device to a non-carrier location server, wherein;

the non-carrier location server is distinct from a network providing service to the mobile device and distinct from a carrier'"'"'s location server that offers service to the mobile device, and

the non-carrier location server comprises a non-carrier observed time difference of arrival (OTDOA) library and a base station almanac;

receiving, at the mobile device, at least part of the base station almanac from the non-carrier location server, wherein the base station almanac was derived at least in part from observed time difference of arrival (OTDOA) assistance data from the carrier'"'"'s location server; and

computing a position estimate of the mobile device based on the at least part of the base station almanac.