Method and system for updating obsolete records for reference positions in a reference position database

• US 9,014,727 B2
• Filed: 04/02/2010
• Issued: 04/21/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Seshadri, Nambirajan, Murray, David
• Primary Examiner(s): MAPA, MICHAEL Y
• Application Number:
  US12/753,678
• Publication Number:
  US 20110202576A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,845 Days
• Field of Search: 455/404.2, 455418-420, 455/435.1, 4554561-457, 455/561, 370/338
• US Class Current: 455/456.6
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/273 Asynchronous replication or reconciliation

Abstract

A mobile device communicates position samples of one or more reference position with respect to one or more other communication device such as access points to a location server communicatively coupled to a reference database. The location server determines whether to utilize the one or more reference position in the reference position database based on the communicated samples. The mobile device scans the position samples, which indicate position information of the one or more other communication device and/or whether the position information is reliable for use. The scanned position samples are accumulated and transmitted to the location server. The location server updates records for the one or more reference positions with respect to the one or more other communication device in the reference position database based on the accumulated position samples received. The updated records are utilized to determine a fast position fix for the position device.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving, at a location server, a first plurality of position samples from a first mobile device and a second plurality of position samples from a second mobile device;

extracting a first position of a communication device from the first plurality of position samples and a second position of the communication device from the second plurality of position samples;

determining whether the first plurality of position samples are reliable based on whether a threshold number of the first plurality of position samples were received within a predetermined time period;

determining whether the second plurality of position samples are reliable based on whether a threshold number of the second plurality of position samples were received within the predetermined time period; and

prioritizing, at the location server, the first position over the second position in a position database when the first plurality of position samples are reliable and the second plurality of position samples are not reliable.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

indicating, at the location server, that the first position is reliable and that the second position is not reliable.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

extracting, from the first plurality of position samples, a position of the first mobile device relative to the communication device; and

extracting, from the second plurality of position samples, a position of the second mobile device relative to the communication device.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein prioritizing comprises:

removing the second position of the second mobile device from the position database.

5. The method according to claim 3, further comprising:

determining whether the communication device is a mobile communication device.

6. The method according to claim 3, further comprising:

removing the communication device from the position database based on the first and second plurality of position samples.

7. A system, comprising:

a position database; and

a location server, coupled to the position database, configured to;

receive position samples from a mobile device;

extract a position of a communication device from the position samples and a determination of a reliability of the position, wherein the position is determined to be reliable when a threshold number of the position samples indicating the position of the communication device are received within a predetermined time period; and

prioritize the position relative to other positions stored in the position database based on whether the position is determined to be reliable.

8. The system according to claim 7, wherein the communication device is an access point.

9. The system according to claim 7, wherein the location server is further configured to remove the position from the position database when the position is determined to be not reliable.

10. The system according to claim 7, wherein the location server is further configured to determine whether the communication device is mobile.

11. The system according to claim 7, further comprising:

a receiver, coupled to the location server, configured to receive at least one of Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX) or WiFi signals.

12. The system according to claim 7, wherein the location server comprises:

a satellite radio network coupled to the location server.

13. The system according to claim 7, wherein the location server is further configured to periodically update records in the position database.

14. The system according to claim 7, wherein the location server is further configured to update records in the position database in response to a request.

15. The system according to claim 7, wherein the location server is further configured to mark records in the position database as obsolete when a reliable position has not been received within the predetermined time period.

16. The system according to claim 7, wherein the location server is further configured to determine whether the communication device is mobile by comparing the position to a prior position of the communication device.

17. The system according to claim 7, wherein the location server is configured to use the communication device as a reference for a location determination of a second mobile device when the position is determined to be reliable.

18. A system, comprising:

a position database storing a plurality of records for a reference position; and

a location server, coupled to the position database, configured to;

receive, from a mobile device, a plurality of position samples for the reference position;

determine that the plurality of position samples are reliable if;

a number of position samples in the plurality of position samples that were received within a predetermined period of time is greater than a threshold number; and

the plurality of position samples indicate a consistent geographic area; and

update the plurality of records for the reference position based on the plurality of position samples if the location server determined that the plurality of position samples are reliable.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the location server is further configured to:

determine whether the plurality of position samples were received within the predetermined period of time; and

remove the reference position from the position database if the plurality of position samples were not received within the predetermined period of time.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the location server is further configured to:

use the updated plurality of records to locate a second mobile device.

21. The system of claim 18, wherein the location server is further configured to:

prioritize a record corresponding to the plurality of position samples in the position database if the location server determined that the plurality of position samples are reliable.