Method and apparatus for managing positioning assistance data

• US 9,100,780 B2
• Filed: 03/01/2013
• Issued: 08/04/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Emadzadeh, Amir A., Raman, Sundar
• Primary Examiner(s): Gelin, Jean
• Application Number:
  US13/783,015
• Publication Number:
  US 20140248899A1
• Time in Patent Office: 886 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456.1, 455/456.2, 455/456.3, 455/456.4, 455/456.5, 455/456.6
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0236 Assistance data, e.g. base station almanac
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/025 using location based information parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

Systems and methods for managing positioning assistance data for large regions are described herein. An example of a method for retrieving positioning assistance data at a mobile device as described herein includes identifying a master region in which the mobile device is located and sub-region definitions associated with the master region, where the sub-region definitions are indicative of area occupied by the sub-regions within the master region; obtaining a first estimated position of the mobile device within the master region; defining a projected area centered at the first estimated position; and obtaining first assistance data corresponding to at least one sub-region that overlaps the projected area.

Claims

1. A method for managing positioning assistance data, the method comprising:

obtaining assistance data relating to a master region, the assistance data comprising information relating to a set of nodes within the master region;

determining whether either a total size of the assistance data exceeds a mobile device operating capacity or a total count of nodes in the set of nodes exceeds an upper-bound number of nodes; and

in response to determining that either the total size of the assistance data exceeds the mobile device operating capacity or the total count of nodes in the set of nodes exceeds the upper-bound number of nodes, dividing the master region into a plurality of sub-regions according to one or more criteria, wherein the one or more criteria include an upper bound sub-region length, and upper bound number of access points per sub-region, or an upper bound number of anchor points per sub-region, or any combination thereof.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the dividing comprises:

identifying a number of sub-regions a mobile device is configured to assemble; and

configuring sizes of the sub-regions such that a combined size of assistance data associated with the number of sub-regions the associated mobile device is configured to assemble does not exceed the mobile device operating capacity.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the dividing comprises:

identifying a number of sub-regions a mobile device is configured to assemble; and

configuring sizes of the sub-regions such that a combined number of nodes in the assistance data associated with the number of sub-regions the mobile device is configured to assemble does not exceed the upper-bound number of nodes.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the dividing comprises adding at least one of the size of each of the sub-regions, length of each of the sub-regions or width of each of the sub-regions to the assistance data of each respective sub-region.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein obtaining the assistance data comprises obtaining first information comprising at least one of connectivity data for nodes in the master region, a utility map corresponding to the master region, or a heatmap relating to access points in the master region.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the dividing comprises dividing the first information into second information for respective ones of the sub-regions, the second information comprising at least one of connectivity data for nodes in the sub-region, a utility map corresponding to the sub-region, or a heatmap relating to access points in the sub-region.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising computing vertex coordinates for respective ones of the sub-regions and adding the vertex coordinates to the assistance data for the respective ones of the sub-regions.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising transmitting the assistance data relating to the master region and assistance data relating to the sub-regions to at least one mobile device.

9. A method for retrieving positioning assistance data at a mobile device, the method comprising:

identifying a master region in which the mobile device is located and sub-region definitions associated with the master region, wherein the sub-region definitions are indicative of area occupied by the sub-regions within the master region;

determining a first estimated position of the mobile device based on information obtained from at least one communication entity, wherein the first estimated position is within the master region;

defining a projected area centered at the first estimated position;

comparing the projected area to the master region and selecting at least one sub-region that overlaps the projected area; and

obtaining first assistance data corresponding to at least one sub-region that overlaps the projected area.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein defining the projected area comprises defining the projected area based at least in part on access point (AP) ranges within the master region.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein obtaining the first estimated position comprises:

measuring signal strengths corresponding to access points (APs) within communication range of the mobile device;

designating an AP having a highest signal strength as a selected AP; and

setting the first estimated position to a position of the selected AP.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising obtaining an AP heatmap corresponding to the master region, wherein obtaining the first estimated position further comprises identifying the position of the selected AP based on the AP heatmap.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein obtaining the first estimated position further comprises obtaining a media access control (MAC) address of the selected AP and locating the selected AP using the AP heatmap according to the MAC address of the selected AP.

14. The method of claim 9 further comprising obtaining a second estimated position of the mobile device based on the first estimated position of the mobile device and the first assistance data.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

repositioning the projected area such that the projected area is centered at the second estimated position; and

obtaining second assistance data corresponding to at least one sub-region that overlaps the projected area subsequent to the repositioning.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein obtaining the first assistance data comprises loading the first assistance data into a process memory at the mobile device.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising discarding respective portions of the first assistance data from the process memory that correspond to sub-regions that do not overlap the projected area and loading the second assistance data into the process memory subsequent to the repositioning.

18. The method of claim 9 wherein defining the projected area comprises altering a shape of the projected area such that instead of extending beyond the master region the projected area is entirely within the master region.

19. An apparatus for managing positioning assistance data, the apparatus comprising:

an assistance data management module configured to obtain assistance data relating to a master region, the assistance data comprising information relating to a set of nodes within the master region;

a system analysis module communicatively coupled to the assistance data management module and configured to determine whether either a total size of the assistance data exceeds a mobile device operating capacity or a total count of nodes in the set of nodes exceeds an upper-bound number of nodes; and

an assistance data division module communicatively coupled to the assistance data management module and the system analysis module and configured to divide the master region into a plurality of sub-regions according to one or more criteria in response to determining that either the total size of the assistance data exceeds the mobile device operating capacity or the total count of nodes in the set of nodes exceeds the upper-bound number of nodes, wherein the one or more criteria include an upper bound sub-region length, and upper bound number of access points per sub-region, or an upper bound number of anchor points per sub-region, or any combination thereof.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein:

the assistance data management module is configured to obtain first assistance data comprising at least one of connectivity data for nodes in the master region, a utility map corresponding to the master region, or a heatmap relating to access points in the master region; and

the assistance data division module is further configured to divide the first assistance data into second assistance data for respective ones of the sub-regions, the second assistance comprising at least one of connectivity data for nodes in the sub-region, a utility map corresponding to the sub-region, or a heatmap relating to access points in the sub-region.

21. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein the assistance data division module is further configured to generate sub-region information comprising at least one of vertex coordinates for respective ones of the sub-regions, size of the sub-regions, length of the sub-regions or width of the sub-regions and to associate the sub-region information with the plurality of sub-regions.

22. A mobile device configured to retrieve positioning assistance data, the mobile device comprising:

a region manager configured to identify a master region in which the mobile device is located and sub-region definitions associated with the master region, wherein the sub-region definitions are indicative of area occupied by the sub-regions within the master region;

an initial location estimate module configured to obtain information from at least one communication entity to determine a first estimated position of the mobile device, wherein the first estimated position of the mobile device is within the master region;

a horizon tile positioning module communicatively coupled to the initial location estimate module and configured to define a horizon tile comprising a first projected area centered at the first estimated position; and

an assistance data retrieval module communicatively coupled to the horizon tile positioning module and the region manager and configured to obtain first assistance data corresponding to at least one sub-region that overlaps the horizon tile.

23. The mobile device of claim 22 wherein the initial location estimate module is configured to measure signal strengths corresponding to access points (APs) within communication range of the mobile device, to designate an AP having a highest signal strength as a selected AP, and to set the first estimated position to a position of the selected AP.

24. The mobile device of claim 23 wherein the initial location estimate module is further configured to obtain an AP heatmap corresponding to the master region, to obtain a media access control (MAC) address of the selected AP, and to locate the position of the selected AP using the AP heatmap and the MAC address of the selected AP.

25. The mobile device of claim 22 further comprising a position tracking module communicatively coupled to the horizon tile positioning module and the assistance data retrieval module and configured to obtain a second estimated position of the mobile device based on the first estimated position of the mobile device and the first assistance data.

26. The mobile device of claim 25 wherein the horizon tile positioning module is further configured to reposition the horizon tile such that the horizon tile comprises a second projected area centered at the second estimated position, and wherein the assistance data retrieval module is further configured to obtain second assistance data corresponding to at least one sub-region that overlaps the horizon tile subsequent to the repositioning.

27. The mobile device of claim 22 wherein the assistance data retrieval module is configured to obtain the first assistance data from at least one of a storage medium of the mobile device or a positioning server.

28. An apparatus for managing positioning assistance data, the apparatus comprising:

means for obtaining assistance data relating to a master region, the assistance data comprising information relating to a set of nodes within the master region;

means for determining whether either a total size of the assistance data exceeds a mobile device operating capacity or a total count of nodes in the set of nodes exceeds an upper-bound number of nodes; and

means for dividing the master region into a plurality of sub-regions according to one or more criteria in response to determining that either the total size of the assistance data exceeds the mobile device operating capacity or the total count of nodes in the set of nodes exceeds the upper-bound number of nodes, wherein the means for dividing comprises means for dividing the master region into sub-region according to at least the one of an upper bound sub-region length, and upper bound number of access points per sub-region, or an upper bound number of anchor points per sub-region, or any combination thereof.

29. The apparatus of claim 28 wherein:

the means for obtaining assistance data comprises means for obtaining first assistance data comprising at least one of connectivity data for nodes in the master region, a utility map corresponding to the master region, or a heatmap relating to access points in the master region; and

the means for dividing comprises means for dividing the first assistance data into second assistance data for respective ones of the sub-regions, the second assistance comprising at least one of connectivity data for nodes in the sub-region, a utility map corresponding to the sub-region, or a heatmap relating to access points in the sub-region.

30. The apparatus of claim 28 further comprising:

means for generating sub-region information comprising at least one of vertex coordinates for respective ones of the sub-regions, size of the sub-regions, length of the sub-regions or width of the sub-regions; and

means for associating the sub-region information with the plurality of sub-regions.

31. A mobile device configured to retrieve positioning assistance data, the mobile device comprising:

means for identifying a master region in which the mobile device is located and sub-region definitions associated with the master region, wherein the sub-region definitions are indicative of area occupied by the sub-regions within the master region;

means for obtaining information from the at least one communication entity;

means for obtaining a first estimated position of the mobile device based on the information, wherein the first estimated position of the mobile device is within the master region;

means for defining a horizon tile comprising a first projected area centered at the first estimated position; and

means for obtaining first assistance data corresponding to at least one sub-region that overlaps the horizon tile.

32. The mobile device of claim 31 wherein the means for obtaining the first estimated position comprises:

means for measuring signal strengths corresponding to access points (APs) within communication range of the mobile device;

means for designating an AP having a highest signal strength as a selected AP; and

means for setting the first estimated position to a position of the selected AP.

33. The mobile device of claim 32 wherein the means for obtaining the first estimated position further comprises:

means for obtaining an AP heatmap corresponding to the master region; and

means for locating the selected AP using the AP heatmap.

34. The mobile device of claim 31 further comprising means for obtaining a second estimated position of the mobile device based on the first estimated position of the mobile device and the first assistance data.

35. The mobile device of claim 34 further comprising:

means for repositioning the horizon tile such that the horizon tile comprises a second projected area centered at the second estimated position; and

means for obtaining second assistance data corresponding to at least one sub-region that overlaps the horizon tile subsequent to the repositioning.

36. A computer program product residing on a processor-executable computer storage medium, the computer program product comprising processor-executable instructions configured to cause a processor to:

obtain assistance data relating to a master region, the assistance data comprising information relating to a set of nodes within the master region;

determine whether either a total size of the assistance data exceeds a mobile device operating capacity or a total count of nodes in the set of nodes exceeds an upper-bound number of nodes; and

in response to determining that either the total size of the assistance data exceeds the mobile device operating capacity or the total count of nodes in the set of nodes exceeds the upper-bound number of nodes, divide the master region into a plurality of sub-regions according to one or more criteria, by identifying a number of sub-regions that the mobile device is configured to assemble, and configuring the sizes of the sub-regions such that a combined size of assistance data associated within the number of sub-regions the associated mobile device is configured to assemble does not exceed either the mobile device operating capacity or the upper-bound number of nodes.

37. The computer program product of claim 36 wherein the instructions configured to cause the computer to divide the master region are further configured to cause the processor to:

identify a number of sub-regions a mobile device is configured to assemble; and

configure a size of the sub-regions such that a combined size of assistance data associated with the number of sub-regions the mobile device is configured to assemble does not exceed the mobile device operating capacity.

38. The computer program product of claim 36 wherein the instructions configured to cause the computer to divide the master region are further configured to cause the processor to:

identify a number of sub-regions a mobile device is configured to assemble; and

configure a size of the sub-regions such that a combined number of nodes in the assistance data associated with the number of sub-regions the mobile device is configured to assemble does not exceed the upper-bound number of nodes.

39. The computer program product of claim 36 wherein the instructions configured to cause the computer to divide the master region are further configured to cause the processor to divide the master region according to at least one of an upper bound sub-region length, an upper bound number of access points per sub-region, or an upper bound number of anchor points per sub-region.

40. A computer program product residing on a processor-executable computer storage medium, the computer program product comprising processor-executable instructions configured to cause a processor to:

identify a master region in which a mobile device is located and sub-region definitions associated with the master region, wherein the sub-region definitions are indicative of area occupied by the sub-regions within the master region;

determine a first estimated position of the mobile device based on information obtained from at least one communication entity, wherein the first estimated position is within the master region;

define a projected area centered at the first estimated position;

compare the projected area to the master region and selecting at least one sub-region that overlaps the projected area; and

obtain first assistance data corresponding to at least one sub-region that overlaps the projected area.

41. The computer program product of claim 40 wherein the instructions configured to cause the processor to obtain the first estimated position are further configured to cause the processor to:

measure signal strengths corresponding to access points (APs) within communication range of the mobile device;

designate an AP having a highest signal strength as a selected AP; and

set the first estimated position to a position of the selected AP.

42. The computer program product of claim 40 further comprising instructions configured to cause the processor to obtain a second estimated position of the mobile device based on the first estimated position of the mobile device and the first assistance data.

43. The computer program product of claim 42 further comprising instructions configured to cause the processor to:

reposition the projected area such that the projected area is centered at the second estimated position; and

obtain second assistance data corresponding to at least one sub-region that overlaps the projected area subsequent to the repositioning.

44. An apparatus for managing positioning assistance data, the apparatus comprising:

a processor configured to obtain assistance data relating to a master region, the assistance data comprising information relating to a set of nodes within the master region, to determine whether either a total size of the assistance data exceeds a mobile device operating capacity or a total count of nodes in the set of nodes exceeds an upper-bound number of nodes, and to divide the master region into a plurality of sub-regions according to one or more criteria in response to determining that either the total size of the assistance data exceeds the mobile device operating capacity or the total count of nodes in the set of nodes exceeds the upper-bound number of nodes, wherein the one or more criteria include an upper bound sub-region length, and upper bound number of access points per sub-region, or an upper bound number of anchor points per sub-region, or any combination thereof; and

a memory coupled to the processor and configured for storing data.

45. An apparatus for retrieving positioning assistance data, the apparatus comprising:

a processor configured to identify a master region in which the apparatus is located and sub-region definitions associated with the master region, wherein the sub-region definitions are indicative of area occupied by the sub-regions within the master region, to obtain a first estimated position of the apparatus within the master region based on a received signal strength indication (RSSI) of an access point (AP) within communication range of the apparatus, to define a projected area centered at the first estimated position, and to obtain first assistance data corresponding to at least one sub-region that overlaps the projected area; and

a memory coupled to the processor and configured for storing data.