Methods and apparatus for cell tower location estimation using multiple types of data sources

• US 9,967,712 B2
• Filed: 01/05/2017
• Issued: 05/08/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Nielsen Company LLC (MOOD Media Corporation)
• Original Assignee: The Nielsen Company LLC (MOOD Media Corporation)
• Inventors: Ngai, Dominic, Sonnaila, Sreenivas
• Primary Examiner(s): SIVJI, NIZAR N
• Application Number:
  US15/399,685
• Publication Number:
  US 20170118596A1
• Time in Patent Office: 488 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/025 using location based information parameters

Abstract

Methods and apparatus are disclosed for estimating, based on data collected from multiple types of data sources, the locations of cell towers. An example computer implemented method for estimating locations of cell towers includes identifying, with the processor, estimated locations for respective ones of the cell towers based on data collected from a higher-ranking data source; when estimated locations for respective ones of the cell towers have not already been identified based on data collected from the higher-ranking data source, identifying, with the processor, estimated locations for respective ones of the cell towers based on data collected from a lower-ranking data source; and communicating the identified locations for the respective ones of the cell towers.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for estimating locations of cell towers, the method comprising:

identifying, with a processor, estimated locations for respective ones of the cell towers based on data collected from a higher-ranking data source;

when estimated locations for respective ones of the cell towers have not been identified based on data collected from the higher-ranking data source, identifying, with the processor, estimated locations for respective ones of the cell towers based on data collected from a lower-ranking data source; and

communicating the identified locations for the respective ones of the cell towers.

2. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the data collected from the lower-ranking data source includes RF Layer 1 data.

3. A method as defined in claim 2, wherein identifying the estimated locations for respective ones of the cell towers based on data collected from the lower-ranking data source includes applying a triangulation technique to signal information contained in the RF Layer 1 data.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the communicating of the identified locations for the respective ones of the cell towers includes generating a report, the report including the identified estimated locations for the respective ones of the cell towers based on data collected from the higher-ranking data source, the report further including the identified estimated locations for respective ones of the cell towers based on data collected from the lower-ranking data source.

5. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the data from the higher-ranking data source includes first time stamps and associated first locations and the data from the lower-ranking data source includes second time stamps and associated second locations.

6. A computer implemented method for estimating locations of cell towers, the method comprising:

identifying, with a processor, estimated locations for respective ones of the cell towers based on data collected from a higher-ranking data source including RF Layer 3 data;

when estimated locations for respective ones of the cell towers have not already been identified based on data collected from the higher-ranking data source, identifying, with the processor, estimated locations for respective ones of the cell towers based on data collected from a lower-ranking data source; and

communicating the identified locations for the respective ones of the cell towers.

7. A method as defined in claim 6, wherein the RF Layer 3 data includes a latitude and a longitude, the latitude and the longitude both being associated with a transmitter of a cell tower.

8. A computer implemented method for estimating locations of cell towers, the method comprising:

identifying, with a processor, estimated locations for respective ones of the cell towers based on data collected from a higher-ranking data source including RF Layer 3 data, the RF Layer 3 data includes a latitude and a longitude associated with a transmitter of a cell tower;

when estimated locations for respective ones of the cell towers have not already been identified based on data collected from the higher-ranking data source, identifying, with the processor, estimated locations for respective ones of the cell towers based on data collected from a lower-ranking data source including RF Layer 1 data by applying a triangulation technique to signal information contained in the RF Layer 1 data; and

filtering out data collected from the lower-ranking data source that is associated with respective ones of the cell towers for which the estimated locations have already been identified based on data collected from the higher-ranking data source; and

communicating the identified locations for the respective ones of the cell towers.

9. A system for estimating locations of cell towers, the system comprising:

a location estimator to;

identify estimated locations for respective ones of the cell towers based on data collected from a higher-ranking data source;

when estimated locations for respective ones of the cell towers have not been identified based on data collected from the higher-ranking data source, identify estimated locations for respective ones of the cell towers based on data collected from a lower-ranking data source; and

a communicator to communicate the identified locations for the respective ones of the cell towers.

10. A system as defined in claim 9, wherein the data collected from the higher-ranking data source includes RF Layer 3 data.

11. A system as defined in claim 10, wherein the RF Layer 3 data includes a latitude and a longitude, the latitude and the longitude both being associated with a transmitter of a cell tower.

12. A system as defined in claim 9, wherein the communicator includes a report generator to generate a report, the report including the identified estimated locations for respective ones of the cell towers based on data collected from the higher-ranking data source, the report further including the identified estimated locations for respective ones of the cell towers based on data collected from the lower-ranking data source.

13. A system for estimating locations of cell towers, the system comprising:

a location estimator to;

identify estimated locations for respective ones of the cell towers based on data collected from a higher-ranking data source;

when estimated locations for respective ones of the cell towers have not already been identified based on data collected from the higher-ranking data source, identify estimated locations for respective ones of the cell towers based on data collected from a lower-ranking data source including RF Layer 1 data; and

a communicator to communicate the identified locations for the respective ones of the cell towers.

14. A system as defined in claim 13, wherein the location estimator, when identifying the estimated locations for respective ones of the cell towers based on data collected from the lower-ranking data source, is to apply a triangulation technique to signal information contained in the RF Layer 1 data.

15. A system for estimating location of cell towers, the system comprising:

a location estimator to;

identify estimated locations for respective ones of the cell towers based on data collected from a higher-ranking data source including RF Layer 3 data, the RF Layer 3 data includes a latitude and a longitude being associated with a transmitter of a cell tower;

when estimated locations for respective ones of the cell towers have not already been identified based on data collected from the higher-ranking data source, identify estimated locations for respective ones of the cell towers based on data collected from a lower-ranking data source including RF Layer 1 data by applying a triangulation technique to signal information contained in the RF Layer 1 data;

a data filter to filter out data collected from the lower-ranking data source that is associated with respective ones of the cell towers for which estimated locations have already been identified based on data collected from the higher-ranking data source; and

a communicator to communicate the identified locations for the respective ones of the cell towers.

16. A tangible computer readable storage medium comprising computer readable instructions for estimating locations of cell towers, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause a processor to at least:

identify estimated locations for respective ones of the cell towers based on data collected from a higher-ranking data source;

when an estimated location for respective ones of the cell towers has not been identified based on data collected from the higher-ranking data source, identify an estimated location for respective ones of the cell towers based on data collected from a lower-ranking data source; and

communicate the identified locations for the respective ones of the cell towers.

17. A storage medium as defined in claim 16 wherein the data collected from the lower-ranking data source includes RF Layer 1 data.

18. A storage medium as defined in claim 17, wherein the instructions are further to cause the processor to at least, when identifying the estimated location for respective ones of the cell towers based on data collected from the lower-ranking data source, apply a triangulation technique to signal information contained in the RF Layer 1 data.

19. A storage medium as defined in claim 16, wherein the instructions are further to cause the processor to at least filter out data collected from the lower-ranking data source that is associated with respective ones of the cell towers for which an estimated location has already been identified based on data collected from the higher-ranking data source.

20. A tangible computer readable storage medium comprising computer readable instructions for estimating locations of cell towers, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause a processor to at least:

identify estimated locations for respective ones of the cell towers based on data collected from a higher-ranking data source including RF Layer 3 data;

when an estimated location for respective ones of the cell towers has not already been identified based on data collected from the higher-ranking data source, identify an estimated location for respective ones of the cell towers based on data collected from a lower-ranking data source; and

communicate the identified locations for the respective ones of the cell towers.

21. A storage medium as defined in claim 20, wherein the RF Layer 3 data includes a latitude and a longitude, the latitude and the longitude both being associated with a transmitter of a cell tower.

22. A tangible computer readable storage medium comprising computer readable instructions for estimating locations of cell towers, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause a processor to at least:

identify estimated locations for respective ones of the cell towers based on data collected from a higher-ranking data source including RF Layer 3 data, the RF Layer 3 data includes a latitude and a longitude being associated with a transmitter of a cell tower;

when an estimated location for respective ones of the cell towers has not already been identified based on data collected from the higher-ranking data source, identify an estimated location for respective ones of the cell towers based on data collected from a lower-ranking data source including RF Layer 1 data by applying a triangulation technique to signal information contained in the RF Layer 1 data;

communicate the identified locations for the respective ones of the cell towers; and

generate a report, the report including the identified estimated location for respective ones of the cell towers based on data collected from the higher-ranking data source, the report further including the identified estimated location for respective ones of the cell towers based on data collected from the lower-ranking data source.