HYBRID POSITIONING USING SYNCHRONOUS AND ASYNCHRONOUS TECHNIQUES

• US 20120306692A1
• Filed: 11/02/2011
• Published: 12/06/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Werner, Benjamin A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,866,670 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 342/357.29
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/05 providing aiding data
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/09 providing processing capability normally carried out by the receiver
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/46 the supplementary measurement being of a radio-wave signal type

Abstract

Methods and apparatuses for a mobile station to obtain a position fix using synchronous hybrid positioning and asynchronous hybrid positioning techniques are described. In one embodiment, a wireless communication apparatus may transmit a request to a mobile station for fine time assistance (FTA) corresponding to a global navigation satellite system (GNSS). The apparatus may be configured to receive the FTA, first timing measurements from one or more base stations, and second timing measurements from the GNSS. The apparatus may identify whether the FTA was received from the mobile station. If it is determined that the FTA was received, then the apparatus may establish a position fix for the mobile station using a synchronous hybrid positioning technique relating the timing measurements to a time scale associated with a system frame number (SFN). If not, then the apparatus may establish the position fix using an asynchronous hybrid positioning technique.

Claims

1. A wireless communications apparatus comprising:

a transmitter configured to transmit a request to a mobile station for fine time assistance (FTA) corresponding to a global navigation satellite system (GNSS);

a receiver configured to receive the FTA from the mobile station in response to the request, first timing measurements obtained by the mobile station from one or more base stations, and second timing measurements obtained by the mobile station from the GNSS; and

a processor communicatively coupled to the transmitter and the receiver and configured to;

identify whether the FTA was received from the mobile station; and

if the FTA was received from the mobile station,

establish a position fix for the mobile station using a synchronous hybrid positioning technique; and

if the FTA was not received from the mobile station,

establish the position fix for the mobile station using an asynchronous hybrid positioning technique.

2. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 1, wherein the synchronous hybrid positioning technique comprises:

identifying a system frame number (SFN) received within the FTA, wherein the SFN is associated with at least one of the one or more base stations;

forming one or more pseudoranges for the mobile station based on the first timing measurements and the second timing measurements relative to a time scale associated with the SFN, wherein the time scale comprises a known offset between the first timing measurements and the second timing measurements; and

establishing the position fix for the mobile station based on the pseudoranges.

3. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 1, wherein the asynchronous hybrid positioning technique comprises forming one or more psuedoranges for the mobile station based on the first timing measurements and the second timing measurements, wherein a time scale for the first timing measurements and a time scale for the second timing measurements are not interrelated.

4. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 2 wherein the SFN and the first timing measurements are associated with one base station.

5. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 4 wherein the first timing measurements comprise no OTDOA measurements.

6. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 2 wherein the first timing measurements and the second timing measurements are calculated by the mobile station in relation to a time scale of the one or more base stations based on the SFN.

7. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 1 wherein the second timing measurements are obtained by the mobile station from no more than two space vehicles associated with the GNSS.

8. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 1 wherein the FTA comprises a quantified uncertainty threshold value.

9. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 8 wherein the processor is further configured to:

establish the position fix for the mobile station using the synchronous hybrid positioning technique if the quantified uncertainty threshold value received from the mobile station with the FTA is below a threshold; and

establish the position fix for the mobile station using the asynchronous hybrid positioning technique if the quantified uncertainty threshold value is not below the threshold.

10. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first timing measurements comprise OTDOA measurements.

11. A method comprising:

transmitting a request to a mobile station for fine time assistance (FTA) corresponding to a global navigation satellite system (GNSS);

receiving a response from the mobile station in response to the request, first timing measurements obtained by the mobile station from one or more base stations, and second timing measurements obtained by the mobile station from the GNSS;

identifying whether the FTA was contained in the response from the mobile station in response to the request; and

if the FTA was contained in the response,

establishing a position fix for the mobile station using a synchronous hybrid positioning technique; and

if the FTA was not contained in the response,

establishing the position fix for the mobile station using an asynchronous hybrid positioning technique.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the synchronous hybrid positioning technique comprises:

identifying a system frame number (SFN) received within the FTA, wherein the SFN is associated with at least one of the one or more base stations;

forming one or more pseudoranges for the mobile station based on the first timing measurements and the second timing measurements relative to a time scale associated with the SFN, wherein the time scale comprises a known offset between the first timing measurements and the second timing measurements; and

establishing the position fix for the mobile station based on the pseudoranges.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the asynchronous hybrid positioning technique comprises:

forming one or more pseudoranges for the mobile station based on the first timing measurements and the second timing measurements, wherein a time scale for the first timing measurements and a time scale for the second timing measurements are not interrelated.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein the SFN and the first timing measurements are associated with one base station.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the first timing measurements comprise no OTDOA measurements.

16. The method of claim 12 wherein the first timing measurements and the second timing measurements are performed by the mobile station in relation to a time scale of the one or more base stations based on the SFN.

17. The method of claim 11 wherein the second timing measurements are obtained by the mobile station from no more than two space vehicles associated with the GNSS.

18. The method of claim 11 wherein the first timing measurements comprise OTDOA measurements.

19. A wireless communications apparatus comprising:

means for transmitting a request to a mobile station for fine time assistance (FTA) corresponding to a global navigation satellite system (GNSS);

means for receiving the FTA from the mobile station in response to the request, first timing measurements obtained by the mobile station from one or more base stations, and second timing measurements obtained by the mobile station from the GNSS;

means for identifying whether the FTA was received in response to the request;

means for establishing a position fix for the mobile station using a synchronous hybrid positioning technique, if the FTA was received in response to the request; and

means for establishing a position fix for the mobile station using an asynchronous hybrid positioning technique, if the FTA was not received in response to the request.

20. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 19, wherein the synchronous hybrid positioning technique comprises:

means for identifying a system frame number (SFN) received within the FTA, wherein the SFN is associated with at least one of the one or more base stations;

means for forming one or more pseudoranges for the mobile station based on the first timing measurements and the second timing measurements relative to a time scale associated with the SFN, wherein the time scale comprises a known offset between the first timing measurements and the second timing measurements; and

means for establishing the position fix for the mobile station based on the pseudoranges.

21. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 19, wherein the asynchronous hybrid positioning technique comprises:

means for forming one or more pseudoranges for the mobile station based on the first timing measurements and the second timing measurements, wherein a time scale for the first timing measurements and a time scale for the second timing measurements are not interrelated.

22. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 20 wherein the SFN and the first timing measurements are associated with one base station.

23. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 22 wherein the first timing measurements comprise no OTDOA measurements.

24. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 20 wherein the first timing measurements and the second timing measurements are performed by the mobile station in relation to a time scale of the one or more base stations based on the SFN.

25. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 19 wherein the first timing measurements comprise OTDOA measurements.

26. A computer program product residing on a processor-readable medium and comprising processor-readable instructions configured to cause a processor to:

transmit a request to a mobile station for fine time assistance (FTA) corresponding to a global navigation satellite system (GNSS);

receive a response to the request to the mobile station for the FTA from the mobile station, first timing measurements obtained by the mobile station from one or more base stations, and second timing measurements obtained by the mobile station from the GNSS;

identify whether the response to the request for the FTA from the mobile station contained the FTA;

establish a position fix for the mobile station using a synchronous hybrid positioning technique, if the FTA was contained in the response to the request; and

establish a position fix for the mobile station using an asynchronous hybrid positioning technique, if the FTA was not contained in the response to the request.

27. The computer program product of claim 26 wherein the synchronous hybrid positioning technique comprises:

identifying a system frame number (SFN) received within the FTA, wherein the SFN is associated with at least one of the one or more base stations;

forming one or more pseudoranges for the mobile station based on the first timing measurements and the second timing measurements relative to a time scale associated with the SFN, wherein the time scale comprises a known offset between the first timing measurements and the second timing measurements; and

establishing the position fix for the mobile station based on the pseudoranges.

28. The computer program product of claim 26 wherein the asynchronous hybrid positioning technique comprises:

forming one or more pseudoranges for the mobile station based on the first timing measurements and the second timing measurements, wherein a time scale for the first timing measurements and a time scale for the second timing measurements are not interrelated.

29. The computer program product of claim 27 wherein the SFN and the first timing measurements are associated with one base station.

30. The computer program product of claim 29 wherein the first timing measurements comprise no OTDOA measurements.

31. The computer program product of claim 27 wherein the first timing measurements and the second timing measurements are performed by the mobile station in relation to a time scale of the one or more base stations based on the SFN.

32. The computer program product of claim 26 wherein the first timing measurements comprise OTDOA measurements.

33. A method for a mobile station, comprising:

obtaining fine time assistance (FTA) that is associated with a global navigation satellite system (GNSS);

identifying a system frame number (SFN) received within the FTA, wherein the SFN is associated with at least one base station;

forming one or more pseudoranges for the mobile station based on first timing measurements and second timing measurements relative to a time scale associated with the SFN, wherein;

the first timing measurements are obtained by the mobile station from the at least one base station,

the second timing measurements are obtained by the mobile station from the GNSS, and

the time scale comprises a known offset between the first timing measurements and the second timing measurements; and

establishing a position fix for the mobile station based on the pseudoranges.

34. A method for a mobile station, comprising:

forming one or more pseudoranges for the mobile station based on first timing measurements and second timing measurements, wherein;

the first timing measurements are obtained by the mobile station from at least one base station, and the second timing measurements are obtained by the mobile station from a global navigation satellite system (GNSS);

a time scale for the first timing measurements and a time scale for the second timing measurements are not interrelated; and

establishing a position fix for the mobile station based on the pseudoranges.