LOCATION QUALITY OF SERVICE INDICATOR

• US 20090005061A1
• Filed: 09/21/2006
• Published: 01/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: TruePosition Incorporated
• Original Assignee: TruePosition Incorporated
• Inventors: Ward, Matthew L., Beckley, Frederic
• Application Number:
  US11/534,137
• Publication Number:
  US 20090005061A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.100
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/466 by Trilateration, i.e. two antennas or two sensors determine separately the distance to a target, whereby with the knowledge of the baseline length, i.e. the distance between the antennas or sensors, the position data of the target is determined
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/021 Calibration, monitoring or correction G01S5/0252 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0263 by combining or switching between positions derived from two or more separate positioning systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/08 Mobility data transfer

Abstract

A mobile wireless device is configured to provide a location quality of service indicator (QoSI) indicative of the quality of a calculated location estimation for use by a location-based service. The QoSI may be calculated by the device itself or by a server, such as a location enabling server (LES). The QoSI may be used to represent the predicted location accuracy, availability, latency, precision, and/or yield.

Claims

1. A mobile wireless device configured to provide a location quality of service indicator (QoSI).

2. A mobile wireless device as recited in claim 1, comprising:

a wireless communications subsystem;

a processor operatively coupled to said wireless communications subsystem;

a computer readable storage medium operatively coupled to said processor; and

a display operatively coupled to said processor.

3. A mobile wireless device as recited in claim 2, wherein said QoSI is indicative of the quality of a calculated location estimation for use by a location-based service.

4. A mobile wireless device as recited in claim 3, wherein said device is configured to display said QoSI before the location-based service is invoked.

5. A mobile wireless device as recited in claim 3, wherein said QoSI is indicative of the quality of a calculated location estimation for another device.

6. A mobile wireless device as recited in claim 3, wherein said QoSI is representative of predicted location accuracy.

7. A mobile wireless device as recited in claim 3, wherein said QoSI is representative of predicted location availability.

8. A mobile wireless device as recited in claim 3, wherein said QoSI is representative of predicted location latency.

9. A mobile wireless device as recited in claim 3, wherein said QoSI is representative of predicted location precision.

10. A mobile wireless device as recited in claim 3, wherein said QoSI is representative of predicted location yield.

11. A mobile wireless device as recited in claim 3, wherein said QoSI is visible.

12. A mobile wireless device as recited in claim 3, wherein said QoSI is audible.

13. A mobile wireless device as recited in claim 3, wherein said QoSI is tactile.

14. A mobile wireless device as recited in claim 3, wherein said QoSI is based, at least in part, upon a Cramer-Rao Lower Bound computation.

15. A mobile wireless device as recited in claim 3, wherein said QoSI is based, at least in part, upon a Geometric Dilution of Precision (GDOP) computation.

16. A mobile wireless device as recited in claim 3, wherein said QoSI is based, at least in part, upon a set of location technologies available for use in collecting data to be used in calculating said location estimation.

17. A mobile wireless device as recited in claim 3, wherein said device is configured to communicate said QoSI to a server.

18. A mobile wireless device as recited in claim 17, wherein said device is configured to communicate said QoSI to a location enabling server (LES).

19. A mobile wireless device as recited in claim 3, wherein said device is configured to communicate said QoSI to another mobile wireless device.

20. A mobile wireless device as recited in claim 3, wherein said device is configured to permit said QoSI to be used to select among location-based services (LBS) applications.

21. A mobile wireless device as recited in claim 3, wherein said device is configured to permit said QoSI to be used to select location applications available at the calculated QoSI.

22. A mobile wireless device as recited in claim 3, wherein said device is configured to deliver said QoSI to a location application with a service request, and to receive responses which are formatted for display based on the QoSI.

23. A mobile wireless device as recited in claim 3, wherein a series of multiple location estimates are employed to determine said QoSI.

24. A mobile wireless device as recited in claim 3, wherein proxy calculations are employed to determine said QoSI.

25. A mobile wireless device as recited in claim 24, wherein said proxy calculations are related to accuracy and precision.

26. A mobile wireless device as recited in claim 25, wherein said proxy calculations are based on at least one member of the following group:

radio signal bandwidth, radio signal strength, packet delay, packet losses, variability, throughput, jitter, selective availability, and perceived noise level.

27. A mobile wireless device as recited in claim 3, wherein a historical map of calculated QoSI'"'"'s and related location estimates are used in the determination of QoSI'"'"'s for a given area.

28. A mobile wireless device as recited in claim 3, wherein said QoSI is developed periodically.

29. A mobile wireless device as recited in claim 3, wherein said QoSI is developed continuously.

30. A mobile wireless device as recited in claim 3, wherein said QoSI is determined using received signal information and information about available network-based location technologies.

31. A mobile wireless device as recited in claim 3, wherein said QoSI has the form of a bar graph.

32. A mobile wireless device as recited in claim 3, wherein said QoSI has the form of a radial graph.

33. A mobile wireless device as recited in claim 3, wherein said QoSI has the form of a multi-colored display.

34. A mobile wireless device as recited in claim 3, wherein said QoSI has the form of a QoSI element overlaid on a map display.

35. A mobile wireless device as recited in claim 3, wherein said QoSI comprises multiple QoSI elements corresponding to multiple location services.

36. A mobile wireless device as recited in claim 3, wherein the device further comprises a GPS receiver for self-locating, and wherein a periodic QoSI calculation is performed to update the QoSI while the device is idle.

37. A mobile wireless device as recited in claim 3, wherein a QoSI associated with a first location technique is employed to predict a QoSI for a second location technique.

38. A mobile wireless device as recited in claim 3, wherein the device is adapted to operate in a GSM wireless communications system.

39. A mobile wireless device as recited in claim 3, wherein the device is adapted to operate in a UMTS wireless communications system.

40. A mobile wireless device as recited in claim 3, wherein the GSM wireless communications system allows for multiple location techniques, including network-based and mobile-based techniques, and the QoSI displayed by the device is based upon the highest accuracy location technology available.

41. A mobile wireless device as recited in claim 3, wherein said QoSI further indicates the type of location technology used to provide said location estimation.

42. A mobile wireless device as recited in claim 3, wherein the device is further configured to generate an alarm when the QoSI indicates a quality of service below a pre-set threshold.

43. A mobile wireless device as recited in claim 42, wherein the device provides a mechanism for a user to set said threshold.

44. A method for use by a mobile wireless device, comprising providing a location quality of service indicator (QoSI), wherein said QoSI is indicative of the quality of a calculated location estimation for use by a location-based service.

45. A method as recited in claim 44, wherein said device is configured to display said QoSI before the location-based service is invoked.

46. A method as recited in claim 44, wherein said QoSI is indicative of the quality of a calculated location estimation for another device.

47. A method as recited in claim 44, wherein said QoSI is representative of predicted location accuracy.

48. A method as recited in claim 44, wherein said QoSI is representative of predicted location availability.

49. A method as recited in claim 44, wherein said QoSI is representative of predicted location latency.

50. A method as recited in claim 44, wherein said QoSI is representative of predicted location precision.

51. A method as recited in claim 44, wherein said QoSI is representative of predicted location yield.

52. A method as recited in claim 44, wherein said QoSI is visible.

53. A method as recited in claim 44, wherein said QoSI is audible.

54. A method as recited in claim 44, wherein said QoSI is tactile.

55. A method as recited in claim 44, wherein said QoSI is based, at least in part, upon a Cramer-Rao Lower Bound computation.

56. A method as recited in claim 44, wherein said QoSI is based, at least in part, upon a Geometric Dilution of Precision (GDOP) computation.

57. A method as recited in claim 44, wherein said QoSI is based, at least in part, upon a set of location technologies available for use in collecting data to be used in calculating said location estimation.

58. A method as recited in claim 44, wherein said device is configured to communicate said QoSI to a server.

59. A method as recited in claim 58, wherein said device is configured to communicate said QoSI to a location enabling server (LES).

60. A method as recited in claim 44, wherein said device is configured to communicate said QoSI to another mobile wireless device.

61. A method as recited in claim 44, wherein said device is configured to permit said QoSI to be used to select among location-based services (LBS) applications.

62. A method as recited in claim 44, wherein said device is configured to permit said QoSI to be used to select location applications available at the calculated QoSI.

63. A method as recited in claim 44, wherein said device is configured to deliver said QoSI to a location application with a service request, and to receive responses which are formatted for display based on the QoSI.

64. A method as recited in claim 44, wherein a series of multiple location estimates are employed to determine said QoSI.

65. A method as recited in claim 44, wherein proxy calculations are employed to determine said QoSI.

66. A method as recited in claim 65, wherein said proxy calculations are related to accuracy and precision.

67. A method as recited in claim 66, wherein said proxy calculations are based on at least one member of the following group:

radio signal bandwidth, radio signal strength, packet delay, packet losses, variability, throughput, jitter, selective availability, and perceived noise level.

68. A method as recited in claim 44, wherein a historical map of calculated QoSI'"'"'s and related location estimates are used in the determination of QoSI'"'"'s for a given area.

69. A method as recited in claim 44, wherein said QoSI is developed periodically.

70. A method as recited in claim 44, wherein said QoSI is developed continuously.

71. A method as recited in claim 44, wherein said QoSI is determined using received signal information and information about available network-based location technologies.

72. A method as recited in claim 44, wherein said QoSI has the form of a bar graph.

73. A method as recited in claim 44, wherein said QoSI has the form of a radial graph.

74. A method as recited in claim 44, wherein said QoSI has the form of a multi-colored display.

75. A method as recited in claim 44, wherein said QoSI has the form of a QoSI element overlaid on a map display.

76. A method as recited in claim 44, wherein said QoSI comprises multiple QoSI elements corresponding to multiple location services.

77. A method as recited in claim 44, wherein the device further comprises a GPS receiver for self-locating, and wherein a periodic QoSI calculation is performed to update the QoSI while the device is idle.

78. A method as recited in claim 44, wherein a QoSI associated with a first location technique is employed to predict a QoSI for a second location technique.

79. A method as recited in claim 44, wherein the device is adapted to operate in a GSM wireless communications system.

80. A method as recited in claim 44, wherein the device is adapted to operate in a UMTS wireless communications system.

81. A method as recited in claim 44, wherein the GSM wireless communications system allows for multiple location techniques, including network-based and mobile-based techniques, and the QoSI displayed by the device is based upon the highest accuracy location technology available.

82. A method as recited in claim 44, wherein said QoSI further indicates the type of location technology used to provide said location estimation.

83. A method as recited in claim 44, wherein the device is further configured to generate an alarm when the QoSI indicates a quality of service below a pre-set threshold.

84. A method as recited in claim 83, wherein the device provides a mechanism for a user to set said threshold.

85. A computer readable medium (CRM) comprising executable instructions for causing a mobile wireless device to perform a method, said method comprising providing a location quality of service indicator (QoSI), wherein said QoSI is indicative of the quality of a calculated location estimation for use by a location-based service.

86. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 85, wherein said method includes configuring the device to display said QoSI before the location-based service is invoked.

87. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 85, wherein said QoSI is indicative of the quality of a calculated location estimation for another device.

88. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 85, wherein said QoSI is representative of predicted location accuracy.

89. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 85, wherein said QoSI is representative of predicted location availability.

90. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 85, wherein said QoSI is representative of predicted location latency.

91. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 85, wherein said QoSI is representative of predicted location precision.

92. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 85, wherein said QoSI is representative of predicted location yield.

93. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 85, wherein said QoSI is visible.

94. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 85, wherein said QoSI is audible.

95. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 85, wherein said QoSI is tactile.

96. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 85, wherein said QoSI is based, at least in part, upon a Cramer-Rao Lower Bound computation.

97. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 85, wherein said QoSI is based, at least in part, upon a Geometric Dilution of Precision (GDOP) computation.

98. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 85, wherein said QoSI is based, at least in part, upon a set of location technologies available for use in collecting data to be used in calculating said location estimation.

99. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 85, wherein said method includes configuring the device to communicate said QoSI to a server.

100. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 99, wherein said method includes configuring the device to communicate said QoSI to a location enabling server (LES).

101. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 85, wherein said method includes configuring the device to communicate said QoSI to another mobile wireless device.

102. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 85, wherein said method includes configuring the device to permit said QoSI to be used to select among location-based services (LBS) applications.

103. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 85, wherein said method includes configuring the device to permit said QoSI to be used to select location applications available at the calculated QoSI.

104. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 85, wherein said method includes configuring the device to deliver said QoSI to a location application with a service request, and to receive responses which are formatted for display based on the QoSI.

105. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 85, wherein a series of multiple location estimates are employed to determine said QoSI.

106. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 85, wherein proxy calculations are employed to determine said QoSI.

107. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 106, wherein said proxy calculations are related to accuracy and precision.

108. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 107, wherein said proxy calculations are based on at least one member of the following group:

radio signal bandwidth, radio signal strength, packet delay, packet losses, variability, throughput, jitter, selective availability, and perceived noise level.

109. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 85, wherein a historical map of calculated QoSI'"'"'s and related location estimates are used in the determination of QoSI'"'"'s for a given area.

110. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 85, wherein said QoSI is developed periodically.

111. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 85, wherein said QoSI is developed continuously.

112. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 85, wherein said QoSI is determined using received signal information and information about available network-based location technologies.

113. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 85, wherein said QoSI has the form of a bar graph.

114. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 85, wherein said QoSI has the form of a radial graph.

115. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 85, wherein said QoSI has the form of a multi-colored display.

116. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 85, wherein said QoSI has the form of a QoSI element overlaid on a map display.

117. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 85, wherein said QoSI comprises multiple QoSI elements corresponding to multiple location services.

118. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 85, wherein the device further comprises a GPS receiver for self-locating, and wherein the method includes making a periodic QoSI calculation to update the QoSI while the device is idle.

119. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 85, wherein a QoSI associated with a first location technique is employed to predict a QoSI for a second location technique.

120. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 85, wherein the device is adapted to operate in a GSM wireless communications system.

121. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 85, wherein the device is adapted to operate in a UMTS wireless communications system.

122. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 85, wherein the GSM wireless communications system allows for multiple location techniques, including network-based and mobile-based techniques, and the method includes displaying said QoSI based upon the highest accuracy location technology available.

123. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 85, wherein said QoSI further indicates the type of location technology used to provide said location estimation.

124. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 85, wherein said method includes configuring the device to generate an alarm when the QoSI indicates a quality of service below a pre-set threshold.

125. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 124, wherein said method includes configuring the device to provide a mechanism for a user to set said threshold.