Determining a propagation-time adjustment for a wireless coverage area, based on information provided by wireless terminals
First Claim
1. A method comprising:
- receiving, by a server computer;
i) a first propagation-time measurement of a first signal in a transmission between a first wireless terminal and a first base station,ii) a second propagation-time measurement of a second signal in a transmission that involves the first base station, andiii) evidence of a location of the first wireless terminal;
estimating, by the server computer, the location of the first wireless terminal based on the evidence of the location of the first wireless terminal;
estimating, by the server computer, a first spatial displacement between the first wireless terminal and the first base station, based on the estimated location of the first wireless terminal;
generating, by the server computer, a statistic by applying a corresponding, predetermined statistical algorithm to a data set, wherein a first value in the data set is based on i) the first spatial displacement and ii) a first calibrated value for the first propagation-time measurement, the first calibrated value resulting from removing, from the first propagation-time measurement, propagation delay that is attributed to equipment of the first base station, and wherein a second value in the data set is based on a second calibrated value for the second propagation-time measurement;
estimating, by the server computer and based on the statistic, a multipath characteristic of a wireless coverage area served by the first base station, resulting in a multipath characteristic estimate; and
transmitting, by the server computer, the multipath characteristic estimate to an application engine.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and system that account for one or more propagation-time components in a transmission path between a base station and a wireless terminal in a coverage area being served by the system. One such component is in the base station equipment between the radio that serves a wireless terminal and the antenna element that radiates and/or receives electromagnetic signals that involve the terminal. Another component of the transmission path is the one or more paths over which a radiated signal travels between the base station antenna element and the wireless terminal. By accounting for these propagation components through the use of measurement data provided by possibly a large number of wireless terminals, a disclosed location engine is able to derive adjusted measurements that are more representative of the propagation-time characteristic being measured by the individual terminals. These adjusted measurements can then be used to estimate the location of a wireless terminal more accurately.
12 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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receiving, by a server computer; i) a first propagation-time measurement of a first signal in a transmission between a first wireless terminal and a first base station, ii) a second propagation-time measurement of a second signal in a transmission that involves the first base station, and iii) evidence of a location of the first wireless terminal; estimating, by the server computer, the location of the first wireless terminal based on the evidence of the location of the first wireless terminal; estimating, by the server computer, a first spatial displacement between the first wireless terminal and the first base station, based on the estimated location of the first wireless terminal; generating, by the server computer, a statistic by applying a corresponding, predetermined statistical algorithm to a data set, wherein a first value in the data set is based on i) the first spatial displacement and ii) a first calibrated value for the first propagation-time measurement, the first calibrated value resulting from removing, from the first propagation-time measurement, propagation delay that is attributed to equipment of the first base station, and wherein a second value in the data set is based on a second calibrated value for the second propagation-time measurement; estimating, by the server computer and based on the statistic, a multipath characteristic of a wireless coverage area served by the first base station, resulting in a multipath characteristic estimate; and transmitting, by the server computer, the multipath characteristic estimate to an application engine. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method comprising:
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receiving, by a server computer; i) a first propagation-time measurement of a signal transmitted between a first wireless terminal and a first base station, and ii) a second propagation-time measurement of a signal transmitted between a second wireless terminal and the first base station; estimating, by the server computer; i) a first spatial displacement between the first wireless terminal and the first base station, based on an estimated location of the first wireless terminal, and ii) a second spatial displacement between the second wireless terminal and the first base station, based on an estimated location of the second wireless terminal; generating, by the server computer, a statistic by applying a corresponding, predetermined statistical algorithm to a data set, wherein a first value in the data set is based on i) the first spatial displacement and ii) a first calibrated value for the first propagation-time measurement, the first calibrated value resulting from removing, from the first propagation-time measurement, propagation delay that is attributed to equipment of the first base station, and wherein a second value in the data set is based on i) the second spatial displacement and ii) a second calibrated value for the second propagation-time measurement; estimating, by the server computer and based on the statistic, a multipath characteristic of a wireless coverage area served by the first base station, resulting in a multipath characteristic estimate; and transmitting, by the server computer, the multipath characteristic estimate to an application engine. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method comprising:
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receiving, by a server computer; i) a first propagation-time measurement of a signal transmitted between a first wireless terminal and a first base station, ii) a second propagation-time measurement of a signal transmitted between a second wireless terminal and the first base station, and iii) a third propagation-time measurement of a signal transmitted between the first wireless terminal and a second base station; estimating, by the server computer; i) a first spatial displacement between the first wireless terminal and the first base station, based on an estimated location of the first wireless terminal, and ii) a second spatial displacement between the second wireless terminal and the first base station, based on an estimated location of the second wireless terminal; generating, by the server computer, a statistic by applying a corresponding, predetermined statistical algorithm to a data set, wherein a first value in the data set is based on i) the first spatial displacement and ii) a first calibrated value for the first propagation-time measurement, the first calibrated value resulting from removing, from the first propagation-time measurement, propagation delay that is attributed to equipment of the first base station, wherein a second value in the data set is based on i) the second spatial displacement and ii) a second calibrated value for the second propagation-time measurement, and wherein a third value in the data set is based on a third calibrated value for the third propagation-time measurement; estimating, by the server computer and based on the statistic, a multipath characteristic of a wireless coverage area served by the first base station, resulting in a multipath characteristic estimate; and transmitting, by the server computer, the multipath characteristic estimate to an application engine. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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Specification