Procedure to increase position location availability

• US 9,599,696 B2
• Filed: 11/19/2013
• Issued: 03/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Khushu, Sanjeev
• Primary Examiner(s): McGue, Frank J
• Application Number:
  US14/084,246
• Publication Number:
  US 20140152495A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,218 Days
• Field of Search: 342/357.39
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/01 Satellite radio beacon positioning systems transmitting time-stamped messages, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System], GLONASS [Global Orbiting Navigation Satellite System] or GALILEO
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 3/14 Systems for determining direction or deviation from predetermined direction aerial arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern H01Q3/00; combinations of different interacting aerial units for giving a desired directional characteristic H01Q21/29; aerials or aerial systems providing at least two radiation patterns H01Q25/00
• 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 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

A device, method and system are provide which permits the methodology used to make the position determination to change dynamically in connection with achieving a position fix of a desired accuracy.

Claims

1. A method of obtaining a position of a mobile station comprising:

(a) determining the position of the mobile station using a first scheme of position determination, wherein the first scheme of position determination is based upon GPS, trilateration, server assisted GPS, cell identification, enhanced signal strength, angle of arrival, forward link trilateration, advanced forward link trilateration, fingerprinting or a combination thereof; and

(b) if the determining does not yield an acceptable position result, repeating said determining using at least one further scheme of position determination different from said first scheme in at least one repetition until (i) a repetition returns an acceptable position result or (ii) a threshold number of available position-determining schemes have been used.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one further scheme of position determination includes three or more schemes in addition to the first scheme of position determination.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one further scheme of position determination is based upon GPS, trilateration, server assisted GPS, cell identification, enhanced signal strength, angle of arrival, time difference of arrival, forward link trilateration, advanced forward link trilateration, fingerprinting or a combination thereof.

4. The method of claim 1,

wherein the first scheme of position determination or the at least one further scheme of position determination includes a cell identification scheme, and

wherein the cell identification scheme is based upon measurements of wireless communication signals by the mobile station, wherein the measured wireless communication signals identify cells from which the measured wireless communication signals are transmitted.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the wireless communication signals correspond to pilot signals.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the cell identification scheme corresponds to an advanced forward link trilateration scheme.

7. The method of claim 1,

wherein the first scheme of position determination or the at least one further scheme of position determination includes an enhanced signal strength scheme, and

wherein the enhanced signal strength scheme is based upon transmissions from a plurality of terrestrial wireless transmitters.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the plurality of terrestrial wireless transmitters correspond to base stations.

9. The method of claim 1,

wherein the first scheme of position determination or the at least one further scheme of position determination includes a fingerprinting scheme, and

wherein the fingerprinting scheme is based upon radio frequency (RF) data that is transmitted by a set of transmitters and measured at the mobile station.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the RF data includes multi-path signals that result from indirect paths between the mobile station and the set of transmitters.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the set of transmitters corresponds to a set of base stations.

12. An apparatus configured to obtain a position of a mobile station comprising:

means for determining the position of the mobile station using a first scheme of position determination, wherein the first scheme of position determination is based upon GPS, trilateration, server assisted GPS, cell identification, enhanced signal strength, angle of arrival, forward link trilateration, advanced forward link trilateration, fingerprinting or a combination thereof; and

means for repeating said determination if the determination does not yield an acceptable position result using at least one further scheme of position determination different from said first scheme in at least one repetition until (i) a repetition returns an acceptable position result or (ii) a threshold number of available position-determining schemes have been used.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the at least one further scheme of position determination includes three or more schemes in addition to the first scheme of position determination.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the at least one further scheme of position determination is based upon GPS, trilateration, server assisted GPS, cell identification, enhanced signal strength, angle of arrival, time difference of arrival, forward link trilateration, advanced forward link trilateration, fingerprinting or a combination thereof.

15. An apparatus configured to obtain a position of a mobile station comprising:

a processor configured to;

determine the position of the mobile station using a first scheme of position determination, wherein the first scheme of position determination is based upon GPS, trilateration, server assisted GPS, cell identification, enhanced signal strength, angle of arrival, forward link trilateration, advanced forward link trilateration, fingerprinting or a combination thereof; and

repeat said determination if the determination does not yield an acceptable position result using at least one further scheme of position determination different from said first scheme in at least one repetition until (i) a repetition returns an acceptable position result or (ii) a threshold number of available position-determining schemes have been used.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the at least one further scheme of position determination includes three or more schemes in addition to the first scheme of position determination.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the at least one further scheme of position determination is based upon GPS, trilateration, server assisted GPS, cell identification, enhanced signal strength, angle of arrival, time difference of arrival, forward link trilateration, advanced forward link trilateration, fingerprinting or a combination thereof.

18. A non-transitory computer-readable medium containing instructions stored thereon, which, when executed by an apparatus configured to obtain a position of a mobile station, cause the apparatus to perform operations, the instructions comprising:

at least one instruction to determine the position of the mobile station using a first scheme of position determination, wherein the first scheme of position determination is based upon GPS, trilateration, server assisted GPS, cell identification, enhanced signal strength, angle of arrival, forward link trilateration, advanced forward link trilateration, fingerprinting or a combination thereof; and

at least one instruction to repeat said determination if the determination does not yield an acceptable position result using at least one further scheme of position determination different from said first scheme in at least one repetition until (i) a repetition returns an acceptable position result or (ii) a threshold number of available position-determining schemes have been used.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the at least one further scheme of position determination includes three or more schemes in addition to the first scheme of position determination.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the at least one further scheme of position determination is based upon GPS, trilateration, server assisted GPS, cell identification, enhanced signal strength, angle of arrival, time difference of arrival, forward link trilateration, advanced forward link trilateration, fingerprinting or a combination thereof.