Methods and apparatus for position location in a wireless network

• US 7,706,328 B2
• Filed: 09/06/2006
• Issued: 04/27/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/04/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Mukkavilli, Krishna Kiran, Walker, Gordon Kent, Ling, Fuyun, Chari, Murali Ramaswamy
• Primary Examiner(s): Harper; Vincent P
• Assistant Examiner(s): OBAYANJU, OMONIYI
• Application Number:
  US11/517,119
• Publication Number:
  US 20070153743A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,329 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456.1, 455/456.6, 370/338, 370/332
• US Class Current: 370/332
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0205 Details
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0053 Allocation of signaling, i.e. of overhead other than pilot signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for position location in a wireless network. In an aspect, a method is provided that includes determining whether a symbol to be transmitted is an active symbol, wherein the symbol comprises a plurality of subcarriers, and encoding identification information on a first portion of subcarriers if it is determined that the symbol is the active symbol. The method also includes encoding idle information on a second portion of subcarriers if it is determined that the symbol in not the active symbol. In an aspect, an apparatus includes detector logic configured to decode a plurality of symbols to determine identification information that identifies a plurality of transmitters, and to determine a plurality of channel estimate associated with the plurality of transmitters. The apparatus also includes position determination logic configured to calculate a device position based on the plurality of transmitters and the plurality of channel estimates.

Claims

1. A method for determining a position of a device in a network, the method comprising:

determining whether a symbol to be transmitted is an active symbol, wherein the symbol comprises a plurality of subcarriers;

encoding identification information on a first portion of subcarriers if it is determined that the symbol is the active symbol; and

encoding idle information on a second portion of subcarriers if it is determined that the symbol is not the active symbol.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting the symbol on a positioning channel provided by the network.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising repeating all said operations for a plurality of symbols.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising adjusting a transmit power for the symbol if it is determined that the symbol is not the active symbol.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising partitioning the plurality of subcarriers into a plurality of interlaces.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said encoding identification information comprises encoding a first group of interlaces with a region identifier and a sub-region identifier.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said encoding the first group comprises scrambling a plurality of pilot signals associated with the first group of interlaces with the region identifier and the sub-region identifier.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising encoding at least one interlace with the region identifier.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said encoding at least one interlace comprises scrambling a plurality of pilot signals associated with the at least one interlace with a region identifier.

10. An apparatus for determining a position of a device in a network, the apparatus comprising:

network logic configured to determine whether a symbol to be transmitted is an active symbol, wherein the symbol comprises a plurality of subcarriers; and

generator logic configured to encode identification information on a first portion of subcarriers if it is determined that the symbol is the active symbol, and to encode idle information on a second portion of subcarriers if it is determined that the symbol is not the active symbol.

11. The apparatus of claim 10;

further comprising transmitter logic configured to transmit the symbol on a positioning channel provided by the network.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the transmitter logic is configured to adjust a transmit power for the symbol if it is determined that the symbol is not the active symbol.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the generator logic is configured to partition the plurality of subcarriers into a plurality of interlaces.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the generator logic is configured to encode a first group of interlaces with a region identifier and a sub-region identifier.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the generator logic is configured to scramble a plurality of pilot signals associated with the first group of interlaces with the region identifier and the sub-region identifier.

16. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the generator logic is configured to encode at least one interlace with the region identifier.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the generator logic is configured to scramble a plurality of pilot signals associated with the at least one interlace with a region identifier.

18. An apparatus for determining a position of a device in a network, the apparatus comprising:

means for determining whether a symbol to be transmitted is an active symbol, wherein the symbol comprises a plurality of subcarriers;

means for encoding identification information on a first portion of subcarriers if it is determined that the symbol is the active symbol; and

means for encoding idle information on a second portion of subcarriers if it is determined that the symbol is not the active symbol.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, further comprising means for transmitting the symbol on a positioning channel provided by the network.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, further comprising means for encoding idle information in a plurality of symbols.

21. The apparatus of claim 18, further comprising means for adjusting a transmit power for the symbol if it is determined that the symbol is not the active symbol.

22. The apparatus of claim 18, further comprising means for partitioning the plurality of subcarriers into a plurality of interlaces.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein said means for encoding identification information comprises means for encoding a first group of interlaces with a region identifier and a sub-region identifier.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein said means for encoding the first group comprises means for scrambling a plurality of pilot signals associated with the first group of interlaces with the region identifier and the sub-region identifier.

25. The apparatus of claim 22, further comprising means for encoding at least one interlace with the region identifier.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein said means for encoding at least one interlace comprises means for scrambling a plurality of pilot signals associated with the at least one interlace with a region identifier.

27. A computer-readable medium having a computer program which when executed by at least one processor operates to determine a position of a device in a network, the computer program comprising:

instructions for determining whether a symbol to be transmitted is an active symbol, wherein the symbol comprises a plurality of subcarriers;

instructions for encoding identification information on a first portion of subcarriers if it is determined that the symbol is the active symbol; and

instructions for encoding idle information on a second portion of subcarriers if it is determined that the symbol is not the active symbol.

28. The computer program of claim 27, further comprising instructions for transmitting the symbol on a positioning channel provided by the network.

29. The computer program of claim 28, further comprising instructions for encoding idle information in a plurality of symbols.

30. The computer program of claim 27, further comprising instructions for adjusting a transmit power for the symbol if it is determined that the symbol is not the active symbol.

31. The computer program of claim 27, further comprising instructions for partitioning the plurality of subcarriers into a plurality of interlaces.

32. The computer program of claim 31, wherein said instructions for encoding identification information comprise instructions for encoding a first group of interlaces with a region identifier and a sub-region identifier.

33. The computer program of claim 32, wherein said instructions for encoding the first group comprise instructions for scrambling a plurality of pilot signals associated with the first group of interlaces with the region identifier and the sub-region identifier.

34. The computer program of claim 31, further comprising instructions for encoding at least one interlace with the region identifier.

35. The computer program of claim 34, wherein said instructions for encoding at least one interlace comprise instructions for scrambling a plurality of pilot signals associated with the at least one interlace with a region identifier.

36. At least one processor configured to perform a method for determining a position of a device in a network, the method comprising:

determining whether a symbol to be transmitted is an active symbol, wherein the symbol comprises a plurality of subcarriers;

encoding identification information on a first portion of subcarriers if it is determined that the symbol is the active symbol; and

encoding idle information on a second portion of subcarriers if it is determined that the symbol is not the active symbol.

37. The method of claim 36, further comprising transmitting the symbol on a positioning channel provided by the network.

38. The method of claim 37, further comprising repeating all said operations for a plurality of symbols.

39. The method of claim 36, further comprising adjusting a transmit power for the symbol if it is determined that the symbol is not the active symbol.

40. The method of claim 36, further comprising partitioning the plurality of subcarriers into a plurality of interlaces.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein said encoding identification information comprises encoding a first group of interlaces with a region identifier and a sub-region identifier.

42. The method of claim 41, wherein said encoding the first group comprises scrambling a plurality of pilot signals associated with the first group of interlaces with the region identifier and the sub-region identifier.

43. The method of claim 40, further comprising encoding at least one interlace with the region identifier.

44. The method of claim 43, wherein said encoding at least one interlace comprises scrambling a plurality of pilot signals associated with the at least one interlace with a region identifier.