Positioning With Wireless Local Area Networks And WLAN-Aided Global Positioning Systems

• US 20120076122A1
• Filed: 12/01/2011
• Published: 03/29/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm Atheros Incorporated (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Inventors: Wang, Yi-Hsiu
• Granted Patent: US 8,855,685 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/05 providing aiding data
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/06 employing an initial estimate of the location of the receiver as aiding data or in generating aiding data
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/252 Employing an initial estimate of location in generating assistance data
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/28 Satellite selection
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/29 carrier including Doppler, related G01S19/246 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/48 by combining or switching between position solutions derived from the satellite radio beacon positioning system and position solutions derived from a further system
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/12 by co-ordinating position lines of different shape, e.g. hyperbolic, circular, elliptical or radial
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/14 Determining absolute distances from a plurality of spaced points of known location
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/1851 Systems using a satellite or space-based relay H04B7/18508, H04B7/18521 take precedence; providing specific services H04B7/18523 - H04B7/18576
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• 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 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices

Abstract

Accurate position capability can be quickly provided using a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN). When associated with a WLAN, a wireless device can quickly determine its relative and/or coordinate position based on information provided by an access point in the WLAN. Before a wireless device disassociates with the access point, the WLAN can periodically provide time, location, and decoded GPS data to the wireless device. In this manner, the wireless device can significantly reduce the time to acquire the necessary GPS satellite data (i.e. on the order of seconds instead of minutes) to determine its coordinate position.

Claims

1. A method of determining a new common position of a first device and a second device, the first and second devices having wireless networking capability, the method including:

exchanging information between the first device and the second device in an ad hoc communication mode, wherein the exchanged information includes last positions of the first and second devices and update times associated with the last positions.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the last positions and the update times are provided by access points previously associated with the first and second devices.

3. A wireless local area network (WLAN) system for facilitating providing a global positioning system (GPS) position of a client, the system including:

analog means for associating with the client, the analog means including a frequency synthesizer receiving one of a first signal associated with WLAN baseband operation and a second signal associated with GPS baseband operation;

an analog to digital conversion means; and

digital means for providing the WLAN baseband operation and the GPS baseband operation.

4. The WLAN system of claim 3, further including:

means for providing decoded GPS data to the client preceding disassociation of the client to the WLAN.