METHODS AND APPARATUSES FOR USE IN DETERMINING THAT A MOBILE STATION IS AT ONE OR MORE PARTICULAR INDOOR REGIONS

• US 20120028649A1
• Filed: 07/26/2011
• Published: 02/02/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Gupta, Rajarshi, Holm, Eric K.
• Granted Patent: US 8,818,401 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0236 Assistance data, e.g. base station almanac
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/024 Guidance services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/33 for indoor environments, e.g. buildings
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

Methods and apparatuses are provided which may be implemented in various devices for to determine or assist in determining that a mobile station is at one or more particular indoor regions and to provide positioning assistance data and/or the like to the mobile station with regard to at least the one or more particular indoor regions.

Claims

1. A method comprising, at a mobile station:

transmitting a request for a repository device identifier to a directory device, said request for said repository device identifier being indicative of at least a first estimated location of said mobile station;

receiving a response from said directory device, said response identifying one or more identifiers for preliminary positioning assistance data for one or more indoor regions determined to be at or nearby to said first estimated location;

obtaining at least a portion of said preliminary positioning assistance data based, at least in part, on at least one of said identifiers; and

determining that said mobile station is at a first one of said one or more indoor regions based, at least in part, on a signal characteristic measurement for a signal received from a transmitter identified in said at least said portion of said preliminary positioning assistance data.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said preliminary positioning assistance data comprises at least a portion of an access point locator for said first one of said one or more indoor regions.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein obtaining said at least said portion of said preliminary positioning assistance data further comprises:

transmitting a request for said preliminary positioning assistance data for said first one of said one or more indoor regions to a repository device, said request for said preliminary positioning assistance data being indicative of at least one of said one or more identifiers; and

receiving said preliminary positioning assistance data from said repository device.

4. The method as recited in claim 3, and further comprising, at said mobile station:

transmitting a request for positioning assistance data for said first one of said one or more indoor regions to said repository device;

receiving said positioning assistance data from said repository device, said positioning assistance data comprising encoded metadata corresponding to at least one of an electronic map for said first one of said one or more indoor regions, or an access point locator for said first one of said one or more indoor regions;

decoding said encoded metadata; and

providing at least a portion of said decoded metadata to at least one function.

5. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein at least one of:

said preliminary positioning assistance data, or said positioning assistance data is received by from said repository device via a web service.

6. The method as recited in claim 4, and further comprising, at said mobile station:

determining a second estimated location of said mobile station within said first one of said one or more indoor regions based, at least in part, on at least one of;

said preliminary positioning assistance data, or said positioning assistance data.

7. The method as recited in claim 6, wherein determining said second estimated location comprises:

obtaining range measurements to at least three of transmitters; and

determining said second estimated location based, at least in part, on said range measurements.

8. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein said at least one function comprises at least one of:

a positioning function, a navigation function, or a location based service function.

9. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein said positioning assistance data comprises at least one of:

a connectivity graph, an RSSI heatmap or a probability heatmap for said first one of said one or more indoor regions

10. The method as recited in claim 3, wherein determining that said mobile station is at said first one of said one or more indoor regions further comprises:

transmitting a message indicative of at least said signal characteristic measurement to said repository device; and

receiving a response message from said repository device indicative that said mobile station is at said first one of said one or more indoor regions.

11. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein determining that said mobile station is at said first one of said one or more indoor regions further comprises:

transmitting a message indicative of at least said signal characteristic measurement to said directory device; and

receiving a response message from said directory device indicative that said mobile station is at said first one of said one or more indoor regions.

12. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein a first one of said one or more identifiers comprises a location context identifier (LCI) for said first one of said one or more indoor regions.

13. An apparatus for use in a mobile station, the apparatus comprising:

means for initiating transmission of a request for a repository device identifier to a directory device, said request for said repository device identifier being indicative of at least a first estimated location of said mobile station;

means for receiving a response from said directory device, said response identifying one or more identifiers for preliminary positioning assistance data for one or more indoor regions determined to be at or nearby to said first estimated location;

means for obtaining at least a portion of said preliminary positioning assistance data based, at least in part, on at least one of said identifiers; and

means for determining that said mobile station at a first one of said one or more indoor regions based, at least in part, on a signal characteristic measurement for a signal received from a transmitter identified in said at least said portion of said preliminary positioning assistance data.

14. The apparatus as recited in claim 13, wherein said preliminary positioning assistance data comprises at least a portion of an access point locator for said first one of said one or more indoor regions.

15. The apparatus as recited in claim 13, wherein said means for obtaining said at least said portion of said preliminary positioning assistance data further comprises:

means for initiating transmission of a request for said preliminary positioning assistance data for said first one of said one or more indoor regions to a repository device, said request for said preliminary positioning assistance data being indicative of at least one of said one or more identifiers; and

means for receiving said preliminary positioning assistance data from said repository device.

16. The apparatus as recited in claim 15, and further comprising:

means for initiating transmission of a request for positioning assistance data for said first one of said one or more indoor regions to said repository device;

means for receiving said positioning assistance data from said repository device, said positioning assistance data comprising encoded metadata corresponding to at least one of an electronic map for said first one of said one or more indoor regions, or an access point locator for said first one of said one or more indoor regions;

means for decoding said encoded metadata; and

means for providing at least a portion of said decoded metadata to at least one function.

17. The apparatus as recited in claim 16, wherein at least one of:

said preliminary positioning assistance data, or said positioning assistance data is received by from said repository device via a web service.

18. The apparatus as recited in claim 16, and further comprising:

means for determining a second estimated location of said mobile station within said first one of said one or more indoor regions based, at least in part, on at least one of;

said preliminary positioning assistance data, or said positioning assistance data.

19. The apparatus as recited in claim 15, wherein said means for determining that said mobile station is at said first one of said one or more indoor regions further comprises:

means for initiating transmission of a message indicative of at least said signal characteristic measurement to said repository device; and

means for receiving a response message from said repository device indicative that said mobile station is at said first one of said one or more indoor regions.

20. The apparatus as recited in claim 13, wherein said means for determining that said mobile station is at said first one of said one or more indoor regions further comprises:

means for initiating transmission of a message indicative of at least said signal characteristic measurement to said directory device; and

means for receiving a response message from said directory device indicative that said mobile station is at said first one of said one or more indoor regions.

21. A mobile station comprising:

a network interface; and

a processing unit to;

initiate transmission of a request for a repository device identifier to a directory device via said network interface, said request for said repository device identifier being indicative of at least a first estimated location of said mobile station;

obtain a response from said directory device via said network interface, said response identifying one or more identifiers for preliminary positioning assistance data for one or more indoor regions determined to be at or nearby to said first estimated location;

obtain, via said network interface, at least a portion of said preliminary positioning assistance data based, at least in part, on at least one of said identifiers; and

determine that said mobile station at a first one of said one or more indoor regions based, at least in part, on a signal characteristic measurement for a signal received from a transmitter identified in said at least said portion of said preliminary positioning assistance data.

22. The mobile station as recited in claim 21, wherein said preliminary positioning assistance data comprises at least a portion of an access point locator for said first one of said one or more indoor regions.

23. The mobile station as recited in claim 21, said processing unit to further:

initiate transmission of a request for said preliminary positioning assistance data for said first one of said one or more indoor regions to a repository device via said network interface, said request for said preliminary positioning assistance data being indicative of at least one of said one or more identifiers; and

obtain said preliminary positioning assistance data from said repository device via said network interface.

24. The mobile station as recited in claim 23, said processing unit to further:

initiate transmission of a request for positioning assistance data for said first one of said one or more indoor regions to said repository device via said network interface;

obtain said positioning assistance data from said repository device via said network interface, said positioning assistance data comprising encoded metadata corresponding to at least one of an electronic map for said first one of said one or more indoor regions, or an access point locator for said first one of said one or more indoor regions;

decode said encoded metadata; and

provide at least a portion of said decoded metadata to at least one function.

25. The mobile station as recited in claim 24, wherein at least one of:

said preliminary positioning assistance data, or said positioning assistance data is obtained from said repository device via said network interface using a web service.

26. The mobile station as recited in claim 24, said processing unit to further:

determine a second estimated location of said mobile station within said first one of said one or more indoor regions based, at least in part, on at least one of;

said preliminary positioning assistance data, or said positioning assistance data.

27. The mobile station as recited in claim 23, said processing unit to further:

initiate transmission of a message indicative of at least said signal characteristic measurement to said repository device via said network interface; and

obtain a response message from said repository device via said network interface, said response message being indicative that said mobile station is at said first one of said one or more indoor regions.

28. The mobile station as recited in claim 21, said processing unit to further:

initiate transmission of a message indicative of at least said signal characteristic measurement to said directory device via said network interface; and

obtain a response message from said directory device via said network interface, said response message being indicative that said mobile station is at said first one of said one or more indoor regions.

29. An article comprising:

a non-transitory computer readable medium having stored therein computer implementable instructions that are executable by a special purpose electronic computing device to;

initiate transmission of a request for a repository device identifier to a directory device, said request for said repository device identifier being indicative of at least a first estimated location of said mobile station;

obtain a response from said directory device, said response identifying one or more identifiers for preliminary positioning assistance data for one or more indoor regions determined to be at or nearby to said first estimated location;

obtain at least a portion of said preliminary positioning assistance data based, at least in part, on at least one of said identifiers; and

determine that said mobile station at a first one of said one or more indoor regions based, at least in part, on a signal characteristic measurement for a signal received from a transmitter identified in said at least said portion of said preliminary positioning assistance data.

30. The article as recited in claim 29, wherein said preliminary positioning assistance data comprises at least a portion of an access point locator for said first one of said one or more indoor regions.

31. The article as recited in claim 29, said computer implementable instructions being further executable by said special purpose electronic computing device to:

initiate transmission of a request for said preliminary positioning assistance data for said first one of said one or more indoor regions to a repository device, said request for said preliminary positioning assistance data being indicative of at least one of said one or more identifiers; and

obtain said preliminary positioning assistance data from said repository device.

32. The article as recited in claim 31, said computer implementable instructions being further executable by said special purpose electronic computing device to:

initiate transmission of a request for positioning assistance data for said first one of said one or more indoor regions to said repository device;

obtain said positioning assistance data from said repository device, said positioning assistance data comprising encoded metadata corresponding to at least one of an electronic map for said first one of said one or more indoor regions, or an access point locator for said first one of said one or more indoor regions;

decode said encoded metadata; and

provide at least a portion of said decoded metadata to at least one function.

33. The article as recited in claim 32, wherein at least one of:

said preliminary positioning assistance data, or said positioning assistance data is obtained from said repository device through a web service.

34. The article as recited in claim 32, said computer implementable instructions being further executable by said special purpose electronic computing device to:

determine a second estimated location of said mobile station within said first one of said one or more indoor regions based, at least in part, on at least one of;

said preliminary positioning assistance data, or said positioning assistance data.

35. The article as recited in claim 32, said computer implementable instructions being further executable by said special purpose electronic computing device to:

initiate transmission of a message indicative of at least said signal characteristic measurement to said repository device; and

obtain a response message from said repository device indicative that said mobile station is at said first one of said one or more indoor regions.

36. The article as recited in claim 29, said computer implementable instructions being further executable by said special purpose electronic computing device to:

initiate transmission of a message indicative of at least said signal characteristic measurement to said directory device; and

obtain a response message from said directory device indicative that said mobile station is at said first one of said one or more indoor regions.

37. A method comprising, at a directory station:

receiving a request for a repository device identifier from a mobile station, said request for said repository device identifier being indicative of at least a first estimated location of said mobile station;

determining one or more indoor regions that are at or nearby said first estimated location; and

transmitting a response to said mobile station, said response identifying one or more identifiers for preliminary positioning assistance data for said one or more indoor regions.

38. The method as recited in claim 37, wherein said response to said mobile station is further indicative of a repository device capable of providing said preliminary positioning assistance data for at least a first one of said one or more indoor regions.

39. The method as recited in claim 37, and further comprising, at said directory device:

receiving a message from said mobile station, said message being indicative of a signal characteristic measurement for a signal received by said mobile station from a transmitter identified in at least a portion of said preliminary positioning assistance data;

determining that said mobile station is at a first one of said one or more indoor regions based, at least in part, on said signal characteristic measurement; and

transmitting a response message to said mobile station, the response message being indicative that said mobile station is at said first one of said one or more indoor regions.

40. The method as recited in claim 37, wherein said preliminary positioning assistance data comprises at least a portion of an access point locator for at least a first one of said one or more indoor regions.

41. The method as recited in claim 40, and further comprising, at said directory device:

establishing encoded metadata for said first one of said one or more indoor regions, said encoded metadata corresponding to at least one of an electronic map for said first one of said one or more indoor regions, or said access point locator for said first one of said one or more indoor regions.

42. The method as recited in claim 41, and further comprising, at said directory device:

transmitting said encoded metadata to a repository device capable of providing positioning assistance data for said first one of said one or more indoor regions to said mobile station, said positioning assistance data comprising said encoded metadata.

43. The method as recited in claim 37, wherein a first one of said one or more identifiers comprises a location context identifier (LCI) for said first one of said one or more indoor regions.

44. The method as recited in claim 37, wherein determining said one or more indoor regions that are at or nearby said first estimated location further comprises:

determining a particular area covering at least a portion of said first estimated location; and

determining at least one location context identifier (LCI) as identifying said particular area.

45. An apparatus for use in a directory station:

means for receiving a request for a repository device identifier from a mobile station, said request for said repository device identifier being indicative of at least a first estimated location of said mobile station;

means for determining one or more indoor regions that are at or nearby said first estimated location; and

means for transmitting a response to said mobile station, said response identifying one or more identifiers for preliminary positioning assistance data for said one or more indoor regions.

46. The apparatus as recited in claim 45, wherein said response to said mobile station is further indicative of a repository device capable of providing said preliminary positioning assistance data for at least a first one of said one or more indoor regions.

47. The apparatus as recited in claim 45, and further comprising:

means for receiving a message from said mobile station, said message being indicative of a signal characteristic measurement for a signal received by said mobile station from a transmitter identified in at least a portion of said preliminary positioning assistance data;

means for determining that said mobile station is at a first one of said one or more indoor regions based, at least in part, on said signal characteristic measurement; and

means for transmitting a response message to said mobile station, the response message being indicative that said mobile station is at said first one of said one or more indoor regions.

48. The apparatus as recited in claim 45, wherein said preliminary positioning assistance data comprises at least a portion of an access point locator for at least a first one of said one or more indoor regions.

49. The apparatus as recited in claim 48, and further comprising:

means for establishing encoded metadata for said first one of said one or more indoor regions, said encoded metadata corresponding to at least one of an electronic map for said first one of said one or more indoor regions, or said access point locator for said first one of said one or more indoor regions.

50. The apparatus as recited in claim 49, and further comprising:

means for transmitting said encoded metadata to a repository device that is capable of providing positioning assistance data for said first one of said one or more indoor regions to said mobile station, said positioning assistance data comprising said encoded metadata.

51. A computing platform at a directory station, the computing platform comprising:

a network interface; and

a processing unit to;

obtain a request for a repository device identifier from a mobile station via said network interface, said request for said repository device identifier being indicative of at least a first estimated location of said mobile station;

determine one or more indoor regions that are at or nearby said first estimated location; and

initiate transmission of a response to said mobile station via said network interface, said response identifying one or more identifiers for preliminary positioning assistance data for said one or more indoor regions.

52. The computing platform as recited in claim 51, wherein said response to said mobile station is further indicative of a repository device capable of providing said preliminary positioning assistance data for at least a first one of said one or more indoor regions.

53. The computing platform as recited in claim 51, said processing unit to further:

obtain a message from said mobile station via said network interface, said message being indicative of a signal characteristic measurement for a signal received by said mobile station from a transmitter identified in at least a portion of said preliminary positioning assistance data;

determine that said mobile station is at a first one of said one or more indoor regions based, at least in part, on said signal characteristic measurement; and

initiate transmission of a response message to said mobile station via said network interface, the response message being indicative that said mobile station is at said first one of said one or more indoor regions.

54. The computing platform as recited in claim 51, wherein said preliminary positioning assistance data comprises at least a portion of an access point locator for at least a first one of said one or more indoor regions.

55. The computing platform as recited in claim 54, said processing unit to further:

establish encoded metadata for said first one of said one or more indoor regions, said encoded metadata corresponding to at least one of an electronic map for said first one of said one or more indoor regions, or said access point locator for said first one of said one or more indoor regions.

56. The computing platform as recited in claim 55, said processing unit to further:

initiate transmission of said encoded metadata via said network interface to a repository device that is capable of providing positioning assistance data for said first one of said one or more indoor regions to said mobile station, said positioning assistance data comprising said encoded metadata.

57. An article comprising:

a non-transitory computer readable medium having stored therein computer implementable instructions that are executable by a special purpose computing platform at a directory device to;

obtain a request for a repository device identifier from a mobile station, said request for said repository device identifier being indicative of at least a first estimated location of said mobile station;

determine one or more indoor regions that are at or nearby said first estimated location; and

initiate transmission of a response to said mobile station, said response identifying one or more identifiers for preliminary positioning assistance data for said one or more indoor regions.

58. The article as recited in claim 57, wherein said response to said mobile station is further indicative of a repository device capable of providing said preliminary positioning assistance data for at least a first one of said one or more indoor regions.

59. The article as recited in claim 57, said computer implementable instructions being further executable by said special purpose computing platform to:

obtain a message from said mobile station, said message being indicative of a signal characteristic measurement for a signal received by said mobile station from a transmitter identified in at least a portion of said preliminary positioning assistance data;

determine that said mobile station is at a first one of said one or more indoor regions based, at least in part, on said signal characteristic measurement; and

initiate transmission of a response message to said mobile station, the response message being indicative that said mobile station is at said first one of said one or more indoor regions.

60. The article as recited in claim 57, wherein said preliminary positioning assistance data comprises at least a portion of an access point locator for at least a first one of said one or more indoor regions.

61. The article as recited in claim 60, said computer implementable instructions being further executable by said special purpose computing platform to:

establish encoded metadata for said first one of said one or more indoor regions, said encoded metadata corresponding to at least one of an electronic map for said first one of said one or more indoor regions, or said access point locator for said first one of said one or more indoor regions.

62. The article as recited in claim 61, said computer implementable instructions being further executable by said special purpose computing platform to:

initiate transmission of said encoded metadata to a repository device that is capable of providing positioning assistance data for said first one of said one or more indoor regions to said mobile station, said positioning assistance data comprising said encoded metadata.

63. A method comprising, at a repository device:

receiving a request for preliminary positioning assistance data for an indoor region from a mobile station, said request for said preliminary positioning assistance data being indicative of a identifier for said preliminary positioning assistance data; and

transmitting said preliminary positioning assistance data to said mobile station, said preliminary positioning assistance data comprising at least a portion of an access point locator for said indoor region.

64. The method as recited in claim 63, and further comprising, at said repository device:

receiving a request for positioning assistance data for said indoor region from said mobile station; and

transmitting said positioning assistance data to said mobile station, said positioning assistance data comprising encoded metadata corresponding to at least one of an electronic map for said indoor region, or said access point locator for said first indoor region.

65. The method as recited in claim 64, wherein at least one of:

said preliminary positioning assistance data, or said positioning assistance data is transmitted to said mobile station using a web service.

66. The method as recited in claim 63, and further comprising, at said repository device:

receiving a message from said mobile station, said message being indicative of a signal characteristic measurement for a signal received by said mobile station from a transmitter identified in at least a portion of said preliminary positioning assistance data; and

determining that said mobile station is at said indoor region based, at least in part, on said signal characteristic measurement.

67. The method as recited in claim 66, and further comprising, at said repository device:

transmitting a response message to said mobile station, the response message being indicative that said mobile station is at said indoor region.

68. The method as recited in claim 67, wherein said response message to said mobile station comprises a location context identifier (LCI) for said indoor region.

69. The method as recited in claim 67, wherein said response message to said mobile station comprises said positioning assistance data for said indoor region.

70. The method as recited in claim 63, wherein said identifier for said preliminary positioning assistance data was obtained by said mobile station from a directory device.

71. The method as recited in claim 64, wherein at least a portion of said encoded metadata was obtained from a directory device.

72. An apparatus for use in a repository device, the apparatus comprising:

means for obtaining a request for preliminary positioning assistance data for an indoor region from a mobile station, said request for said preliminary positioning assistance data being indicative of a identifier for said preliminary positioning assistance data; and

means for transmitting said preliminary positioning assistance data to said mobile station, said preliminary positioning assistance data comprising at least a portion of an access point locator for said indoor region.

73. The apparatus as recited in claim 72, and further comprising:

means for obtaining a request for positioning assistance data for said indoor region from said mobile station; and

means for transmitting said positioning assistance data to said mobile station, said positioning assistance data comprising encoded metadata corresponding to at least one of an electronic map for said indoor region, or said access point locator for said first indoor region.

74. The apparatus as recited in claim 73, wherein at least one of:

said means for transmitting said preliminary positioning assistance data, or said means for transmitting said positioning assistance data comprises a web service.

75. The apparatus as recited in claim 72, and further comprising:

means for obtaining a message from said mobile station, said message being indicative of a signal characteristic measurement for a signal received by said mobile station from a transmitter identified in at least a portion of said preliminary positioning assistance data; and

means for determining that said mobile station is at said indoor region based, at least in part, on said signal characteristic measurement.

76. The apparatus as recited in claim 75, and further comprising:

means for transmitting a response message to said mobile station, the response message being indicative that said mobile station is at said indoor region.

77. The apparatus as recited in claim 76, wherein said response message to said mobile station comprises said positioning assistance data for said indoor region.

78. A computing platform at a repository device, the computing platform comprising:

a network interface; and

a processing unit to;

obtain a request for preliminary positioning assistance data for an indoor region from a mobile station via said network interface, said request for said preliminary positioning assistance data being indicative of a identifier for said preliminary positioning assistance data; and

initiate transmission of said preliminary positioning assistance data to said mobile station via said network interface, said preliminary positioning assistance data comprising at least a portion of an access point locator for said indoor region.

79. The computing platform as recited in claim 78, said processing unit to further:

obtain a request for positioning assistance data for said indoor region from said mobile station via said network interface; and

initiate transmission of said positioning assistance data to said mobile station via said network interface, said positioning assistance data comprising encoded metadata corresponding to at least one of an electronic map for said indoor region, or said access point locator for said first indoor region.

80. The computing platform as recited in claim 79, wherein at least one of:

said preliminary positioning assistance data, or said positioning assistance data is transmitted to said mobile station via said network interface using a web service.

81. The computing platform as recited in claim 78, said processing unit to further:

obtain a message from said mobile station via said network interface, said message being indicative of a signal characteristic measurement for a signal received by said mobile station from a transmitter identified in at least a portion of said preliminary positioning assistance data; and

determine that said mobile station is at said indoor region based, at least in part, on said signal characteristic measurement.

82. The computing platform as recited in claim 81, said processing unit to further:

initiate transmission of a response message to said mobile station via said network interface, the response message being indicative that said mobile station is at said indoor region.

83. The computing platform as recited in claim 82, wherein said response message to said mobile station comprises said positioning assistance data for said indoor region.

84. An article comprising:

a non-transitory computer readable medium having stored therein computer implementable instructions that are executable by a special purpose computing platform at a repository device to;

obtain a request for preliminary positioning assistance data for an indoor region from a mobile station via said network interface, said request for said preliminary positioning assistance data being indicative of a identifier for said preliminary positioning assistance data; and

initiate transmission of said preliminary positioning assistance data to said mobile station, said preliminary positioning assistance data comprising at least a portion of an access point locator for said indoor region.

85. The article as recited in claim 84, said computer implementable instructions being further executable by said special purpose computing platform to:

obtain a request for positioning assistance data for said indoor region from said mobile station via said network interface; and

initiate transmission of said positioning assistance data to said mobile station, said positioning assistance data comprising encoded metadata corresponding to at least one of an electronic map for said indoor region, or said access point locator for said first indoor region.

86. The article as recited in claim 85, wherein at least one of:

said preliminary positioning assistance data, or said positioning assistance data is transmitted to said mobile station using a web service.

87. The article as recited in claim 84, said computer implementable instructions being further executable by said special purpose computing platform to:

obtain a message from said mobile station via said network interface, said message being indicative of a signal characteristic measurement for a signal received by said mobile station from a transmitter identified in at least a portion of said preliminary positioning assistance data; and

determine that said mobile station is at said indoor region based, at least in part, on said signal characteristic measurement.

88. The article as recited in claim 87, said computer implementable instructions being further executable by said special purpose computing platform to:

initiate transmission of a response message to said mobile station via said network interface, the response message being indicative that said mobile station is at said indoor region.

89. The article as recited in claim 88, wherein said response message to said mobile station comprises said positioning assistance data for said indoor region.