WIRELESS NETWORK HYBRID POSITIONING

• US 20150057018A1
• Filed: 10/02/2014
• Published: 02/26/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Moeglein, Mark Leo, Rowitch, Douglas Neal, Riley, Wyatt Thomas, Deloach, James Douglass Jr., Sheynblat, Leonid
• Granted Patent: US 9,778,372 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/11 wherein the cooperating elements are pseudolites or satellite radio beacon positioning system signal repeaters
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/13 Receivers
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0036 of measured values, i.e. measurement on mobile and position calculation on base station
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0236 Assistance data, e.g. base station almanac
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0242 Determining the position of transmitters to be subsequently used in positioning G01S5/0289 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0258 by combining or switching between measurements derived from different systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/10 Position of receiver fixed by co-ordinating a plurality of position lines defined by path-difference measurements , e.g. omega or decca systemsG01S5/12 takes precedence ; beacons and receivers cooperating therewith G01S1/306, G01S1/308
• 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 64/003 locating network equipment

Abstract

Methods and apparatuses for position determination and other operations. In one embodiment of the present invention, a mobile station uses wireless signals from a plurality of wireless networks (e.g., with different air interfaces and/or operated by different service providers) for position determination (e.g., for data communication, for obtaining time and/or frequency information, for range measurement, for sector or altitude estimation). In one embodiment of the present invention, mobile stations are used to harvest statistical data about wireless access points (e.g., the locations of mobile stations that have received signals from the wireless access points, such as from cellular base stations, wireless local area network access points, repeaters for positioning signals or other wireless communication transmitters) and to derive location information (e.g., position and coverage area of the wireless access points) for the wireless networks from the collected statistical data.

Claims

1. A method of determining a position of a mobile station, the method comprising:

receiving wireless signals from a first wireless network;

receiving wireless signals from a second wireless network;

determining signal strength of the wireless signals from the first wireless network and the wireless signals from the second wireless network; and

determining the position of the mobile station based at least in part on the signal strength.

2. The method of claim 1, the method further comprising:

receiving, at a receiver, Satellite Positioning System (SPS) signals from SPS satellites;

wherein the act of determining the signal strength is further based on the SPS signals from the SPS satellites.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first wireless network and the second wireless network use a common air interface standard.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first wireless network and the second wireless network are operated by different service providers.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first wireless network and the second wireless network operate with a common communication protocol.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first wireless network and the second wireless network operate with one or more common communication protocol.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first wireless network and the second wireless network operate different communication protocols and are operated by a common service provider.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the act of determining the position of the mobile station based on the signal strength occurs at a location server.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile station is not subscribed to the first wireless network, and wherein the mobile station is subscribed to the second wireless network.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

obtaining assistance data from the first wireless network.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the assistance data comprises Satellite Positioning System (SPS) assistance data.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

obtaining assistance data from the first wireless network; and

transmitting pseudorange measurements to a location server.

51. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the position of the mobile station is further based on signal strengths of wireless signals received from third and fourth wireless networks.

13. An apparatus for determining a position of the mobile station, the mobile device comprising:

means for receiving wireless signals from a first wireless network;

means for receiving wireless signals from a second wireless network;

means for determining signal strength of the wireless signals from the first wireless network and the wireless signals from the second wireless network; and

means for determining the position of the mobile station based at least in part on the signal strength.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising:

means for receiving Satellite Positioning System (SPS) signals from SPS satellites, wherein the means for determining the signal strength uses the SPS signals from the SPS satellites.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the first wireless network and the second wireless network use a common air interface standard.

16. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the first wireless network and the second wireless network are operated by different service providers.

17. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the first wireless network and the second wireless network operate with a common communication protocol.

18. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the first wireless network and the second wireless network operate different communication protocols and are operated by a common service provider.

19. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the means for determining the position of the mobile station based on the signal strength comprises a location server.

20. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the mobile station is not subscribed to the first wireless network, and wherein the mobile station is subscribed to the second wireless network.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, further comprising:

means for obtaining assistance data from the first wireless network.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the assistance data comprises Satellite Positioning System (SPS) assistance data.

23. The apparatus of claim 21, further comprising:

means for obtaining assistance data from the first wireless network; and

means for transmitting pseudorange measurements to a location server.

24. A mobile device comprising a processor and a memory wherein the memory includes software instructions configured to cause the mobile device to:

receive wireless signals from a first wireless network;

receive wireless signals from a second wireless network;

determine signal strength of the wireless signals from the first wireless network and the wireless signals from the second wireless network; and

determine the position of the mobile station based at least in part on the signal strength.

25. The mobile device of claim 24, wherein software instructions are further configured to cause the mobile device to:

receive Satellite Positioning System (SPS) signals from SPS satellites, wherein the act of determining the signal strength is further based on the SPS signals from the SPS satellites.

26. The mobile device of claim 24, wherein the first wireless network and the second wireless network use a common air interface standard.

27. The mobile device of claim 24, wherein the first wireless network and the second wireless network are operated by different service providers.

28. The mobile device of claim 24, wherein the first wireless network and the second wireless network operate with a common communication protocol.

29. The mobile device of claim 24, wherein the first wireless network and the second wireless network operate with one or more common communication protocol.

30. The mobile device of claim 24, wherein the first wireless network and the second wireless network operate different communication protocols and are operated by a common service provider.

31. The mobile device of claim 24, wherein the mobile station is not subscribed to the first wireless network, and wherein the mobile station is subscribed to the second wireless network.

32. The mobile device of claim 31, wherein software instructions are further configured to cause the mobile device to:

obtain assistance data from the first wireless network.

33. The mobile device of claim 32, wherein the assistance data comprises Satellite Positioning System (SPS) assistance data.

34. The mobile device of claim 32, wherein software instructions are further configured to cause the mobile device to:

obtain assistance data from the first wireless network; and

transmit pseudorange measurements to a location server.

35. A non-transitory computer-readable medium tangibly embodying a program of machine-readable instructions executable by a digital processing apparatus to perform a method for determining a position of a mobile station having memory and a processor, said method comprising operations of:

receiving wireless signals from a first wireless network;

receiving wireless signals from a second wireless network;

determining signal strength of the wireless signals from the first wireless network and the wireless signals from the second wireless network; and

determining the position of the mobile station based at least in part on the signal strength.

36. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 35, said method further comprising operations of:

receiving, at a receiver, Satellite Positioning System (SPS) signals from SPS satellites, wherein the act of determining the signal strength is further based on the SPS signals from the SPS satellites.

37. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 35, wherein the first wireless network and the second wireless network use a common air interface standard.

38. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 35, wherein the first wireless network and the second wireless network are operated by different service providers.

39. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 35, wherein the first wireless network and the second wireless network operate with a common communication protocol.

40. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 35, wherein the first wireless network and the second wireless network operate with one or more common communication protocol.

41. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 35, wherein the first wireless network and the second wireless network operate different communication protocols and are operated by a common service provider.

42. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 35, wherein the act of determining the position of the mobile station based on the signal strength occurs at a location server.

43. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 35, wherein the mobile station is not subscribed to the first wireless network, and wherein the mobile station is subscribed to the second wireless network.

44. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 43, said method further comprising operation of:

obtaining assistance data from the first wireless network.

45. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 44, wherein the assistance data comprises Satellite Positioning System (SPS) assistance data.

46. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 44, said method further comprising operations of:

obtaining assistance data from the first wireless network; and

transmitting pseudorange measurements to a location server.

47. A method of determining a position of a mobile station, the method comprising:

receiving wireless signals from a first base station in a first wireless network;

receiving wireless signals from a second base station in a second wireless network;

determining a first identity of the first base station in the first wireless network;

determining a second identity of the second base station in the second wireless network;

determining which of the two networks through which to communicate with a location server having access to a base station almanac based upon a communication subscription or connection status;

transmitting the first and second base station identities to the location server via the determined network;

receiving, from the location server, corresponding positions of the first and second base stations; and

determining the position of the mobile station based on the received positions.

52. The method of claim 47, wherein determining which of the two networks through which to communicate with the location server comprises selecting both the first network and the second network for communicating with the location server.

53. The method of claim 47, wherein determining which of the two networks through which to communicate with the location server comprises calculating a trade-off between cost and performance of using the first network as compared to the second network for communicating with the location server.

48. A mobile device for determining a position of the mobile station, the mobile device comprising:

means for receiving wireless signals from a first base station in a first wireless network;

means for receiving wireless signals from a second base station in a second wireless network;

means for determining a first identity of the first base station in the first wireless network;

means for determining a second identity of the second base station in the second wireless network;

means for determining which of the two networks through which to communicate with a location server having access to a base station almanac based upon a communication subscription or connection status;

means for transmitting the first and second base station identities to the location server via the determined network;

means for receiving, from the location server, corresponding positions of the first and second base stations; and

means for determining the position of the mobile station based on the received positions.

49. A mobile device comprising a processor and a memory wherein the memory includes software instructions to:

receive wireless signals from a first base station in a first wireless network;

receive wireless signals from a second base station in a second wireless network;

determine a first identity of the first base station in the first wireless network;

determine a second identity of the second base station in the second wireless network;

determine which of the two networks through which to communicate with a location server having access to a base station almanac based upon a communication subscription or connection status;

transmit the first and second base station identities to the location server via the determined network;

receive, from the location server, corresponding positions of the first and second base stations; and

determine the position of the mobile station based on the received positions.

50. A non-transitory computer-readable medium tangibly embodying a program of machine-readable instructions executable by a digital processing apparatus to perform a method for determining a position of a mobile station having memory and a processor, said method comprising operations of:

receiving wireless signals from a first base station in a first wireless network;

receiving wireless signals from a second base station in a second wireless network;

determining a first identity of the first base station in the first wireless network;

determining a second identity of the second base station in the second wireless network;

determining which of the two networks through which to communicate with a location server having access to a base station almanac based upon a communication subscription or connection status;

transmitting the first and second base station identities to the location server via the determined network;

receiving, from the location server, corresponding positions of the first and second base stations; and

determining the position of the mobile station based on the received positions.