Estimating the location of a wireless terminal in wireless telecommunications systems that comprise distributed and/or repeater antennas

• US 9,844,019 B1
• Filed: 08/12/2014
• Issued: 12/12/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Polaris Wireless Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Polaris Wireless Incorporated
• Inventors: Bhattacharya, Tarun Kumar, Spain, Jr., David Stevenson, El-Sallabi, Hassan Mohamed, Martin, Robert Lewis
• Primary Examiner(s): Banks Harold, Marsha D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cosme, Natasha W
• Application Number:
  US14/458,001
• Time in Patent Office: 1,218 Days
• Field of Search: 4554561-457
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0273 using multipath or indirect path propagation signals in position determination
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

A technique for estimating the location of a wireless terminal at an unknown location in a geographic region is disclosed. The technique is based on the recognition that there are location-dependent traits of electromagnetic signals. In environments where multiple antennas are radiating the same signal, as in the case of distributed antennas or host-repeater configurations, one or more possible locations of the wireless terminal can be designated as improbable based on i) a measure of the propagation delay of a signal traveling between a) a base station and b) the wireless terminal or an infrastructure antenna, or ii) the maximum distance at which a signal is detectable by the wireless terminal. Additionally, the applicable set of values for the location-dependent traits is selected based on similar criteria.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by a data processing system, a measure of a location-dependent trait of a first signal that is received by a wireless terminal;

designating, by the data processing system, at least one of a plurality of possible locations of the wireless terminal as improbable based on a measure of a propagation delay of a second signal traveling between a base station and an infrastructure antenna that is used to provide wireless telecommunications service; and

estimating, by the data processing system, the location of the wireless terminal based on;

(i) the measure of the location-dependent trait of the first signal, and

(ii) one or more possible locations of the wireless terminal not designated as improbable.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein estimating the location of the wireless terminal comprises comparing:

(i) the measure of the location-dependent-trait of the first signal to

(ii) a predicted value of the location-dependent trait associated with one or more possible locations of the wireless terminal not designated as improbable.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein designating at least one of a plurality of possible locations of the wireless terminal as improbable is also based on the maximum distance at which a third signal is detectable by the wireless terminal, wherein the third signal is radiated from the infrastructure antenna.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the infrastructure antenna is a distributed antenna.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the infrastructure antenna is a repeater antenna.

6. A method comprising:

receiving, by a data processing system, a measure of a location-dependent trait of a first signal that is received by a wireless terminal;

selecting, by the data processing system, based on a measure of a propagation delay of a second signal traveling between a base station and an infrastructure antenna that is used to provide wireless telecommunications service, one of a plurality of maps that associate;

(i) a plurality of possible locations of the wireless terminal with

(ii) a predicted value of the location-dependent trait associated with each of the plurality of possible locations of the wireless terminal; and

estimating, by the data processing system, the location of the wireless terminal based on a comparison of;

(i) the measure of the location-dependent-trait of the first signal to

(ii) the predicted value of the location-dependent trait associated with each of the plurality of possible locations of the wireless terminal.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein selecting a map is also based on the maximum distance at which a third signal is detectable by the wireless terminal, wherein the third signal is radiated from the infrastructure antenna.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein the infrastructure antenna is a distributed antenna.

9. The method of claim 6 wherein the infrastructure antenna is a repeater antenna.

10. A method comprising:

receiving, by a data processing system, a measure of a location-dependent trait of a first signal that is received by a wireless terminal;

designating, by the data processing system, at least one of a plurality of possible locations of the wireless terminal as improbable based on the maximum distance at which a second signal is detectable by the wireless terminal, wherein the second signal is radiated from an infrastructure antenna that is used to provide wireless telecommunications service; and

estimating, by the data processing system, the location of the wireless terminal based on;

(i) the measure of the location-dependent trait of the first signal, and

(ii) one or more possible locations of the wireless terminal not designated as improbable.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein estimating the location of the wireless terminal comprises comparing:

(i) the measure of the location-dependent-trait of the first signal to

(ii) a predicted value of the location-dependent trait associated with one or more possible locations of the wireless terminal not designated as improbable.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the infrastructure antenna is a distributed antenna.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein the infrastructure antenna is a repeater antenna.

14. A method comprising:

receiving, by a data processing system, a measure of a location-dependent trait of a first signal that is received by a wireless terminal;

selecting, by the data processing system, one of a plurality of maps that associate;

(i) a plurality of possible locations of the wireless terminal with

(ii) a predicted value of the location-dependent trait associated with each of the plurality of possible locations of the wireless terminal,

based on the maximum distance at which a second signal is detectable by the wireless terminal, wherein the second signal is radiated from an infrastructure antenna that is used to provide wireless telecommunications service; and

estimating, by the data processing system, the location of the wireless terminal based on a comparison of;

(i) the measure of the location-dependent-trait of the first signal to

(ii) the predicted value of the location-dependent trait associated with each of the plurality of possible locations of the wireless terminal.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the infrastructure antenna is a distributed antenna.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein the infrastructure antenna is a repeater antenna.

17. An apparatus comprising:

a receiver for receiving;

a measure of a location-dependent trait of a first signal that is received by a wireless terminal; and

a processor for;

(i) designating at least one of a plurality of possible locations of the wireless terminal as improbable based on a measure of a propagation delay of a second signal traveling between a base station and an infrastructure antenna that is used to provide wireless telecommunications service, and for

(ii) estimating the location of the wireless terminal based on;

(a) the measure of the location-dependent trait of the first signal, and

(b) one or more possible locations of the wireless terminal not designated as improbable.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein estimating the location of the wireless terminal comprises comparing:

(i) the measure of the location-dependent-trait of the first signal to

(ii) a predicted value of the location-dependent trait associated with one or more possible locations of the wireless terminal not designated as improbable.

19. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein designating at least one of a plurality of possible locations of the wireless terminal as improbable is also based on the maximum distance at which a third signal is detectable by the wireless terminal, wherein the third signal is radiated from the infrastructure antenna.

20. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the infrastructure antenna is a distributed antenna.

21. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the infrastructure antenna is a repeater antenna.

22. An apparatus comprising:

a receiver for receiving;

a measure of a location-dependent trait of a first signal that is received by a wireless terminal; and

a processor for;

(i) selecting, based on a measure of a propagation delay of a second signal traveling between a base station and an infrastructure antenna that is used to provide wireless telecommunications service, one of a plurality of maps that associate;

(a) a plurality of possible locations of the wireless terminal with

(b) a predicted value of the location-dependent trait associated with each of the plurality of possible locations of the wireless terminal, and for

(ii) estimating the location of the wireless terminal based on a comparison of;

(a) the measure of the location-dependent-trait of the first signal to

(b) the predicted value of the location-dependent trait associated with each of the plurality of possible locations of the wireless terminal.

23. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein selecting a map is also based on the maximum distance at which a third signal is detectable by the wireless terminal, wherein the third signal is radiated from the infrastructure antenna.

24. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the infrastructure antenna is a distributed antenna.

25. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the infrastructure antenna is a repeater antenna.

26. An apparatus comprising:

a receiver for receiving;

a measure of a location-dependent trait of a first signal that is received by a wireless terminal; and

a processor for;

(i) designating at least one of a plurality of possible locations of the wireless terminal as improbable based on the maximum distance at which a second signal is detectable by the wireless terminal, wherein the second signal is radiated from an infrastructure antenna that is used to provide wireless telecommunications service, and for

(ii) estimating the location of the wireless terminal based on;

(a) the measure of the location-dependent trait of the first signal, and

(b) one or more possible locations of the wireless terminal not designated as improbable.

27. The apparatus of claim 26 wherein estimating the location of the wireless terminal comprises comparing:

(i) the measure of the location-dependent-trait of the first signal to

(ii) a predicted value of the location-dependent trait associated with one or more possible locations of the wireless terminal not designated as improbable.

28. The apparatus of claim 26 wherein the infrastructure antenna is a distributed antenna.

29. The apparatus of claim 26 wherein the infrastructure antenna is a repeater antenna.

30. An apparatus comprising:

a receiver for receiving;

a measure of a location-dependent trait of a first signal that is received by a wireless terminal; and

a processor for;

(i) selecting one of a plurality of maps that associate;

(a) a plurality of possible locations of the wireless terminal with

(b) a predicted value of the location-dependent trait associated with each of the plurality of possible locations of the wireless terminal,

based on the maximum distance at which a second signal is detectable by the wireless terminal, wherein the second signal is radiated from an infrastructure antenna that is used to provide wireless telecommunications service, and for

(ii) estimating the location of the wireless terminal based on a comparison of;

(a) the measure of the location-dependent-trait of the first signal to

(b) the predicted value of the location-dependent trait associated with each of the plurality of possible locations of the wireless terminal.

31. The apparatus of claim 30 wherein the infrastructure antenna is a distributed antenna.

32. The apparatus of claim 30 wherein the infrastructure antenna is a repeater antenna.