Methods and systems for providing location based services in a venue using femtocells

• US 9,602,962 B2
• Filed: 01/14/2015
• Issued: 03/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/15/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Edge, Stephen William
• Primary Examiner(s): Singh, Hirdepal
• Application Number:
  US14/597,056
• Publication Number:
  US 20150201305A1
• Time in Patent Office: 797 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/33 for indoor environments, e.g. buildings
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/045 using private Base Stations, e.g. femto Base Stations, home Node B

Abstract

Disclosed are systems, methods and devices for application of location based services in a venue or other local area using mobile centric and network centric positioning techniques. In particular, a venue may deploy an architecture comprising a location server, a location based services application server and an access/location network comprising femtocell transceivers and optionally WiFi access points to provide location services and possibly communications services to local mobile devices. Mobile devices may be identified to femtocell transceivers using a global provider identifier and femtocell transceivers may communicate with the location server in support of positioning operations using a Positioning Calculation Application Part (PCAP) protocol or LTE Positioning Protocol A (LPPa).

Claims

1. A method, at a mobile device capable of accessing a network, comprising:

determining a global unique identifier for said mobile device, the global unique identifier being recognizable by femtocell transceivers in a venue, said global unique identifier being determined independently of a public operator-defined globally unique identifier associated with said network;

transmitting at least one message to a location server comprising said global unique identifier and a media access control (MAC) address; and

transmitting one or more wireless signals comprising said global unique identifier to at least one of said femtocell transceivers for supporting positioning operations by said at least one of said femtocell transceivers in communication with said location server.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more wireless signals are transmitted not in response to a request from said at least one of said femtocell transceivers.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said positioning operations comprise network centric positioning operations.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said global unique identifier comprises a concatenation of a unique ID assigned to a provider of the mobile device and a local identifier assigned by said provider of the mobile device.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the provider of the mobile device comprises a provider of at least one of a high level operating system, a positioning engine, a modem, an application, a subscriber identity module or a universal subscriber identity module for said mobile device.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said positioning engine comprises a hardcoded device configured to perform positioning operations.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein said positioning engine comprises machine-readable instructions which are executable by a processor to perform positioning operations.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said location server comprises at least one of a Secure User Plane Location (SUPL) Location Platform (SLP), an enhanced serving mobile location center (E-SMLC) or a standalone serving mobile location center (SAS) and wherein transmitting the at least one message to the location server comprises transmitting said at least one message through a femtocell transceiver and a local routing device connected to said femtocell transceiver.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the femtocell transceiver comprises a Home evolved eNodeB (HeNB) configured according to Long Term Evolution (LTE), and wherein communication with said location server comprises sending and receiving LTE Positioning Protocol A (LPPa) messages.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the femtocell transceiver comprises a Home Node B (HNB) configured according to UMTS, and wherein communication with said location server comprises sending and receiving Positioning Calculation Application Part (PCAP) messages.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising obtaining location services by an application on said mobile device from a Location Based Services Application Server (LBS AS), wherein said application provides said global unique identifier to said LBS AS to enable said LBS AS to identify said mobile device to said location server.

12. A mobile device capable of accessing a network comprising:

a transceiver to transmit messages to and receive messages from a wireless communication network; and

one or more processors to;

determine a global unique identifier for said mobile device, the global unique identifier being recognizable by femtocell transceivers in a venue, said global unique identifier being determined independently of a public operator-defined globally unique identifier associated with said network;

initiate transmission of at least one message through said transceiver to a location server, the at least one message comprising said global unique identifier and a media access control (MAC) address; and

initiate transmission of one or more wireless signals comprising said global unique identifier through said transceiver to at least one of said femtocell transceivers for supporting positioning operations by said at least one of said femtocell transceivers in communication with said location server.

13. The mobile device of claim 12, wherein the location server comprises a local SUPL Location Platform (SLP), and wherein the at least one message is transmitted to the location server through a femtocell transceiver and a local routing device connected to said location server.

14. The mobile device of claim 12, wherein the one or more wireless signals are transmitted not in response to a request from said at least one of said femtocell transceivers.

15. The mobile device of claim 12, wherein said global unique identifier comprises a concatenation of a unique ID assigned to a provider of the mobile device and a local identifier assigned by said provider of the mobile device.

16. The mobile device of claim 15, wherein the provider of the mobile device comprises a provider of at least one of a high level operating system, a positioning engine, a modem, an application, a subscriber identity module or a universal subscriber identity module for said mobile device.

17. The mobile device of claim 16, wherein said positioning engine comprises a hardcoded device configured to perform positioning operations.

18. The mobile device of claim 16, wherein said positioning engine comprises machine-readable instructions which are executable by a processor to perform positioning operations.

19. A non-transitory storage medium comprising machine-readable instructions stored thereon which are executable by a special purpose computing apparatus of a mobile device capable of accessing a network to:

determine a global unique identifier for said mobile device, the global unique identifier being recognizable by femtocell transceivers in a venue, said global unique identifier being determined independently of a public operator-defined globally unique identifier associated with said network;

initiate transmission of at least one message to a location server, the at least one message comprising said global unique identifier and a media access control (MAC) address; and

initiate transmission of one or more wireless signals comprising said global unique identifier to at least one of said femtocell transceivers for supporting positioning operations by said at least one of said femtocell transceivers in communication with said location server.

20. An apparatus at a mobile device capable of accessing a network, comprising:

means for determining a global unique identifier for said mobile device, the global unique identifier being recognizable by femtocell transceivers in a venue, said global unique identifier being determined independently of a public operator-defined globally unique identifier associated with said network;

means for transmitting at least one message to a location server comprising said global unique identifier and a media access control (MAC) address; and

means for transmitting one or more wireless signals comprising said global unique identifier to at least one of said femtocell transceivers for supporting positioning operations by said at least one of said femtocell transceivers in communication with said location server.

21. A method comprising, at a femtocell transceiver:

acquiring one or more wireless signals transmitted from a mobile device to obtain a global unique identifier determined at said mobile device independently of an operator-defined globally unique identifier associated with a network that said mobile device is capable of accessing, and to obtain one or more measurements of one or more characteristics of said one or more wireless signals, wherein said acquired global unique identifier is other than a media access control (MAC) address; and

transmitting one or more messages comprising said one or more measurements and said global unique identifier to a location server for use in positioning operations.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the one or more wireless signals are transmitted not in response to a request from said femtocell transceiver.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein said positioning operations comprise network centric positioning operations.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein said global unique identifier comprises a concatenation of a unique ID assigned to a provider of said mobile device and a local identifier assigned by said provider of said mobile device.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein said provider of said mobile device comprises a provider of at least one of a high level operating system, a positioning engine, a modem, an application, a subscriber identity module or a universal subscriber identity module for said mobile device.

26. The method of claim 21, wherein said location server comprises at least one of a Secure User Plane Location (SUPL) Location Platform (SLP), an enhanced serving mobile location center (E-SMLC) or a standalone serving mobile location center (SAS), and wherein transmitting the one or more messages to the location server comprises transmitting said one or more messages through a local routing device connected to said femtocell transceiver.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the femtocell transceiver comprises a Home evolved eNodeB (HeNB) configured according to Long Term Evolution (LTE), and wherein transmitting one or more messages to said location server comprises transmitting LTE Positioning Protocol A (LPPa) messages.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein the femtocell transceiver comprises a Home Node B (HNB) configured according to UMTS, and wherein transmitting one or more messages to said location server comprises transmitting Positioning Calculation Application Part (PCAP) messages.

29. The method of claim 26, wherein said one or more measurements comprises at least one Received Signal Strength Indication (RSSI) measurement.

30. The method of claim 26, wherein said one or more measurements comprises at least one round trip signal propagation time (RTT) measurement.

31. The method of claim 26, wherein said one or more measurements comprises at least one angle of arrival (AOA) measurement.

32. A femtocell transceiver comprising:

a wireless receiver;

a transmitter; and

one or more processors to;

obtain a global unique identifier from one or more wireless signals transmitted by a mobile device and acquired at said wireless receiver, the global unique identifier being determined at said mobile device independently of an operator-defined globally unique identifier associated with a network that said mobile device is capable of accessing, wherein said obtained global unique identifier is other than a media access control (MAC) address;

obtain one or more measurements of one or more characteristic of said acquired one or more wireless signals; and

initiate transmission of one or more messages through said transmitter comprising said one or more measurements and said global unique identifier to a location server for use in positioning operations.

33. The femtocell transceiver of claim 32, wherein the one or more wireless signals are transmitted not in response to a request from said femtocell transceiver.

34. The femtocell transceiver of claim 32, wherein said positioning operations comprise network centric positioning operations.

35. The femtocell transceiver of claim 32, wherein said global unique identifier comprises a concatenation of a unique ID assigned to a provider of a positioning engine of the mobile device and a local identifier assigned by said provider of the mobile device.

36. The femtocell transceiver of claim 32, wherein the location server comprises a local SUPL Location Platform (SLP), and wherein transmitting the one or more messages to the location server comprises transmitting said one or more messages through a local routing device connected to said location server.

37. The femtocell transceiver of claim 36, wherein the femtocell transceiver is configured according to LTE, and wherein one or more messages are transmitted to a local SLP as LPPa messages.

38. The femtocell transceiver of claim 37, wherein the femtocell transceiver is configured according to UMTS, and wherein one or more messages are transmitted to the local SLP as PCAP messages.

39. The femtocell transceiver of claim 32, wherein said one or more measurements comprises at least one RSSI measurement.

40. The femtocell transceiver of claim 32, wherein said one or more measurements comprises at least one RTT measurement.

41. The femtocell transceiver of claim 32, wherein said one or more measurements comprises at least one AOA measurement.

42. A non-transitory storage medium comprising machine-readable instructions stored thereon which are executable by a special purpose computing apparatus of a femtocell transceiver to:

obtain a global unique identifier from one or more wireless signals transmitted by a mobile device and acquired at said femtocell transceiver, the global unique identifier being determined at said mobile device independently of an operator-defined globally unique identifier associated with a network that said mobile device is capable of accessing, wherein said obtained global unique identifier is other than a media access control (MAC) address;

obtain one or more measurements of one or more characteristic of said acquired one or more wireless signals; and

initiate transmission of one or more messages comprising said one or more measurements and said global unique identifier to a location server for use in positioning operations.

43. An apparatus at a femtocell transceiver comprising:

means for acquiring one or more wireless signals transmitted from a mobile device to obtain a global unique identifier determined at said mobile device independently of an operator-defined globally unique identifier associated with a network that said mobile device is capable of accessing, and to obtain measurements of one or more characteristics of said one or more wireless signals, wherein said obtained global unique identifier is other than a media access control (MAC) address; and

means for transmitting one or messages to comprising said one or more measurements and said global unique identifier to a location server for use in positioning operations.

44. A method, at a location server, comprising:

receiving a first message from a mobile device comprising a global unique identifier and a media access control (MAC) address for said mobile device, wherein said global unique identifier is recognizable by femtocell transceivers in a venue and is determined independently of a public operator-defined globally unique identifier associated with a network that said mobile device is capable of accessing;

receiving a second message from a femtocell transceiver comprising said global unique identifier and one or more measurements obtained by said femtocell transceiver, wherein said one or measurements are of one or more characteristics of one or more wireless signals transmitted by said mobile device and comprising or being associated with said global unique identifier; and

performing one or more positioning operations for said mobile device based, at least in part, on said one or more measurements.

45. The method of claim 44, wherein the one or more wireless signals are transmitted not in response to a request from said femtocell transceiver.

46. The method of claim 44, wherein said positioning operations comprise network centric positioning operations.

47. The method of claim 44, wherein said global unique identifier comprises a concatenation of a unique ID assigned to a provider of said mobile device and a local identifier assigned by said provider of said mobile device.

48. The method of claim 47, wherein said provider of said mobile device comprises a provider of at least one of a high level operating system, a positioning engine, a modem, an application, a subscriber identity module or a universal subscriber identity module for said mobile device.

49. The method of claim 44, wherein said location server comprises at least one of a Secure User Plane Location (SUPL) Location Platform (SLP), an enhanced serving mobile location center (E-SMLC) or a standalone serving mobile location center (SAS), and wherein receiving the second message comprises receiving said second message through a local routing device connected to said femtocell transceiver.

50. The method of claim 49, wherein the femtocell transceiver comprises a Home evolved eNodeB (HeNB) configured according to Long Term Evolution (LTE), and wherein transmitting one or more messages to said location server comprises transmitting LTE Positioning Protocol A (LPPa) messages.

51. The method of claim 44, and further comprising:

configuring the femtocell transceiver, to monitor signals transmitted by the mobile device and carrying or being associated with said global unique identifier.

52. A location server, comprising:

a communication interface; and

one or more processors to;

obtain a first message received at said communication interface from a mobile device comprising a global unique identifier and a media access control (MAC) address for said mobile device, wherein said global unique identifier is recognizable by femtocell transceivers in a venue and is determined independently of a public operator-defined globally unique identifier associated with a network that said mobile device is capable of accessing;

obtain a second message received at said communication interface from a femtocell transceiver comprising said global unique identifier and one or more measurements obtained by said femtocell transceiver, wherein said one or measurements are of one or more characteristics of one or more wireless signals transmitted by said mobile device and comprising or being associated with said global unique identifier; and

perform one or more positioning operations for said mobile device based, at least in part, on said one or more measurements.

53. An apparatus at a location server, comprising:

means for receiving a first message from a mobile device comprising a global unique identifier and a media access control (MAC) address for said mobile device, wherein said global unique identifier is recognizable by femtocell transceivers in a venue and is determined independently of a public operator-defined globally unique identifier associated with a network that said mobile device is capable of accessing;

means for receiving a second message from a femtocell transceiver comprising said global unique identifier and one or more measurements obtained by said femtocell transceiver, wherein said one or measurements are of one or more characteristics of one or more wireless signals transmitted by said mobile device and comprising or being associated with said global unique identifier; and

means for performing one or more positioning operations for said mobile device based, at least in part, on said one or more measurements.

54. A non-transitory storage medium comprising machine-readable instructions stored thereon which are executable by a special purpose computing apparatus of a location server to:

obtain a first message received from a mobile device comprising a global unique identifier and a media access control (MAC) address for said mobile device, wherein said global unique identifier is recognizable by femtocell transceivers in a venue and is determined independently of a public operator-defined globally unique identifier associated with a network that said mobile device is capable of accessing;

obtain a second message received from a femtocell transceiver comprising said global unique identifier and one or more measurements obtained by said femtocell transceiver, wherein said one or measurements are of one or more characteristics of one or more wireless signals transmitted by said mobile device and comprising or being associated with said global unique identifier; and

perform one or more positioning operations for said mobile device based, at least in part, on said one or more measurements.