In various embodiments, crowd sourcing techniques are provided to determine beacon altitudes that may then be used in 3D positioning of UE. Some techniques may crowd source beacon altitudes based on global navigation satellite system (GNSS) position fixes obtained by UE. Other techniques may crowd source beacon altitudes based on uncalibrated pressure measurements obtained by UE. Still other techniques may combine beacon altitude crowd-sourcing and pressure sensor calibration on UE. Such techniques may make inferences based on line of sight (LOS) between UE and beacons, determined using signal strength, connection status, and/or timing measurement. The techniques may be implemented separately, or as part of a combined system that determines beacon altitudes in diverse manners. Once beacon altitudes are known, that may be used to determine 3D positions of the UE (e.g., by trilateration, multilateration or other positioning techniques).
G01S 5/02 - Position-fixing by co-ordinating two or more direction or position-line determinationsPosition-fixing by co-ordinating two or more distance determinations using radio waves
In various embodiments, crowd sourcing techniques are provided to enable RTT-based positioning of UE. To address issues of discovering which beacons (e.g., Wi-Fi APs, cellular base stations, BLE transmitters, etc.) support measurement of RTT (e.g., according to IEEE 802.11mc, 3GPP Release 16, etc.), beacon RTT capabilities may be crowd-sourced from UE and maintained by a cloud-based location platform in a beacon database (or more specifically, a RTT database portion thereof). To address the issue of determining physical antenna positions, RTT measurements may be crowd-sourced from UE for those beacons that are RTT capable, and used by a trilateration algorithm (e.g., a WLS multilateration algorithm) to determine physical antenna positions, which also may be maintained in the beacon database. Accuracy of the trilateration may be enhanced by obtaining raw GNSS measurements (e.g., psuedoranges) from the UE, and performing a cloud-based RTK GNSS position fix for the UE.
G01S 5/02 - Position-fixing by co-ordinating two or more direction or position-line determinationsPosition-fixing by co-ordinating two or more distance determinations using radio waves
H04W 4/02 - Services making use of location information
In various embodiments, techniques are provided for deploying a positioning applet to a SIM (e.g., a physical SIM card or an embedded SIM (eSIM)/integrated SIM (iSIM)) via an over-the-air (OTA) update or by permanent programming (i.e. "burning in") during manufacture. The positioning applet may run solely on a processor of the SIM, functioning without support of application, OS or baseband software executing on the CPU or baseband processor of the UE, or network deployed infrastructure support. In operation, the positioning applet collects positioning measurements from a baseband processor (e.g., a baseband chipset) of the UE (e.g., via 3GPP protocols) which are sent (e.g., as an encrypted payload) to a remote location platform that compares the positioning measurements to known positioning data in a database (e.g., a crowd sourced database) to determine UE position. The remote location platform may provide an estimated position to a designated recipient system, without involvement of the UE.
H04W 4/029 - Location-based management or tracking services
H04W 12/30 - Security of mobile devicesSecurity of mobile applications
G01S 5/00 - Position-fixing by co-ordinating two or more direction or position-line determinationsPosition-fixing by co-ordinating two or more distance determinations
G01S 5/02 - Position-fixing by co-ordinating two or more direction or position-line determinationsPosition-fixing by co-ordinating two or more distance determinations using radio waves
H04W 4/70 - Services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC]
H04W 12/03 - Protecting confidentiality, e.g. by encryption
09 - Scientific and electric apparatus and instruments
38 - Telecommunications services
42 - Scientific, technological and industrial services, research and design
Goods & Services
[ downloadable computer software, namely, application program interfaces (APIs) and software development kits (SDKs) used in applications for determining locations of network enabled electronic devices; downloadable computer software and software development tools for creating location based services applications; downloadable databases of location information; downloadable computer software, namely, APIs and SDKs used in applications for verifying and certifying locations of network enabled electronic devices; downloadable computer software, namely, APIs and SDKs for determining location based data, namely, demographic and behavior data ] providing online-access to databases of location information providing temporary use of non-downloadable cloud-based software that provides location determination services for network enabled electronic devices; providing temporary use of non-downloadable cloud-based software that provides location determination services for Internet Protocol addresses; providing temporary use of non-downloadable cloud-based software that provides online location verification and certification services; providing temporary use of non-downloadable cloud-based software that provides location based data determination services for users of network enabled electronic devices, namely, determination of location based demographic and behavior data for users of network enabled electronic devices; providing temporary use of non-downloadable cloud-based software that provides online-access to location based data, namely, demographic and behavior data for users of network enabled electronic devices
42 - Scientific, technological and industrial services, research and design
Goods & Services
providing online non-downloadable software for location determination services for network enabled electronic devices; providing online non-downloadable software for location determination services for Internet Protocol addresses; providing online non-downloadable software for online-access to databases of location information; providing online non-downloadable software for online location verification and certification services; providing online non-downloadable software for location based data determination services for users of network enabled electronic devices, namely, determination of location based demographic and behavior data for users of network enabled electronic devices; providing online non-downloadable software for online-access to location based data, namely, demographic and behavior data for users of network enabled electronic devices; providing a website featuring non-downloadable software used via interactive web pages for developing and managing location based services applications
42 - Scientific, technological and industrial services, research and design
Goods & Services
providing online-access to databases of location information providing online non-downloadable software for location determination services for network enabled electronic devices; providing online non-downloadable software for location determination services for Internet Protocol addresses; providing online non-downloadable software for online location verification and certification services; providing online non-downloadable software for location based data determination services for users of network enabled electronic devices, namely, determination of location based demographic and behavior data for users of network enabled electronic devices; providing online non-downloadable software for online-access to location based data, namely, demographic and behavior data for users of network enabled electronic devices; providing a website featuring interactive web pages for developing and managing location based services applications
09 - Scientific and electric apparatus and instruments
38 - Telecommunications services
42 - Scientific, technological and industrial services, research and design
Goods & Services
[ Downloadable computer software, namely, application program interfaces (APIs) and software development kits (SDKs) used in applications for determining locations of network enabled electronic devices; downloadable computer software and software development tools for creating location based services applications; downloadable databases of location information; downloadable computer software, namely, APIs and SDKs used in applications for verifying and certifying locations of network enabled electronic devices; downloadable computer software, namely, APIs and SDKs for determining location based data, namely, demographic and behavior data ] providing online-access to databases of location information Providing temporary use of non-downloadable cloud-based software that provides location determination services for network enabled electronic devices; providing temporary use of non-downloadable cloud-based software that provides location determination services for Internet Protocol addresses; providing temporary use of non-downloadable cloud-based software that provides on-line location verification and certification services; providing temporary use of non-downloadable cloud-based software that provides location based data determination services for users of network enabled electronic devices, namely, determination of location based demographic and behavior data for users of network enabled electronic devices; providing temporary use of non-downloadable cloud-based software that provides online-access to location based data, namely, demographic and behavior data for users of network enabled electronic devices
In one example embodiment, a Wi-Fi based location determination technique both determines one or more locations of a mobile device, and calculates a confidence score for each determined location. A request is received at a certified location service executing on a server for one or more locations of the mobile device and a data package. The data package may include an indication of a plurality of beacons observed by the mobile device. The certified location service determines one or more locations of the mobile device based on a calculated location of at least some of the plurality of beacons. The certified location service also determines a confidence score for each beacon used in determining each location. An overall confidence score for each determined location may be calculated based on a combination of the confidence scores for each of the beacons used in the determination of the location.
G01S 5/02 - Position-fixing by co-ordinating two or more direction or position-line determinationsPosition-fixing by co-ordinating two or more distance determinations using radio waves
Collection and analysis of network transaction information which includes the mobile device's usage, location, movements coupled with data from non- wire less network sources allow for the automation of analysis for the detection of smuggling or other criminal behaviors and tasking of high-accuracy location surveillance.
In various embodiment, techniques are provided for associating attributes with network addresses based on network address observations. The techniques may involve filtering network address observations to ensure data quality, mapping/translating associations with observed attributes to one or more attributes that are not directly observed, processing network address observations and/or network address to attribute associations by clustering/grouping, processing network address observations and/or network address to attribute associations to determine refined attributes based on one or more other attributes, and propagating network address to attribute associations between network addresses.
For indoor location of a wireless device, use of Digital Television (DTV) signals for receiver location allows for high yield, precise location estimates. The device location is determined based on pseudo-ranges between the device and a plurality of DTV transmitters. The pseudo-ranges are determined based on the known and a priori unknown portions of the DTV signals received by the device and monitor stations. A new Payload Correlation Procedure (payload = unknown DTV data segments) to locate a client device is employed, and a Field Correlation Procedure, which uses only known data segments of the DTV signal, may be used in conjunction with the Payload Correlation Procedure. This approach addresses the problem presented by the limited size of the radio communications link between the Location Server and Client versus the very large bandwidth of multiple DTV channels.
H04N 7/08 - Systems for the simultaneous or sequential transmission of more than one television signal, e.g. additional information signals, the signals occupying wholly or partially the same frequency band
G01S 5/00 - Position-fixing by co-ordinating two or more direction or position-line determinationsPosition-fixing by co-ordinating two or more distance determinations
G01S 3/02 - Direction-finders for determining the direction from which infrasonic, sonic, ultrasonic, or electromagnetic waves, or particle emission, not having a directional significance, are being received using radio waves
In an overlay, network-based, wireless location system, passive network probes and Location Measurement Units, typically co-located with eNodeB's, are used to collect identity information and radio signaling both in the forward and reverse channels for use in power- based, timing-based and/or angle-based positioning methods in Long Term Evolution (LTE) and LTE- Advanced wireless communications networks.
Disclosed is a method for processing readily available radio network, timing and power information about cellular networks and typical measurements made by the mobile device and network. A probabilistic method is disclosed that uses both time (i.e., range) and power differences with known downlink transmitter antenna characteristics to locate mobiles with accuracy better than cell-ID with ranging, with high capacity, and without the need for field calibration.
In an overlay, network-based, Wireless Location System, LMUs typically co-located with BTSs, are used to collect uplink radio signaling for use in TOA, TDOA and/or AoA positioning methods. In a UMTS, the dual nature of the uplink allows for identification of the correct uplink signal even in the presence of co-channel interference from other UMTS mobile devices.
Collection and analysis of network transaction information which includes the mobile device's usage, location, movements coupled with data from non-wireless network sources allow for the automation of analysis for the detection of anti-social or criminal behaviors and tasking of high-accuracy location surveillance.
H04W 4/02 - Services making use of location information
H04W 4/04 - in a dedicated environment, e.g. buildings or vehicles
H04W 4/06 - Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]Services to user groupsOne-way selective calling services
H04W 4/18 - Information format or content conversion, e.g. adaptation by the network of the transmitted or received information for the purpose of wireless delivery to users or terminals
A network-based wireless location system (WLS) is configured to locate mobile devices, or user equipment (UE), wirelessly communicating with a relay node (RN). The RN is wirelessly backhauled to a serving donor enhanced NodeB (donor eNB), and the RN has eNB functionality to communicate with the UE and has UE functionality to communicate data from the UE with the donor eNB. The WLS carries out a method including receiving uplink transmissions from the RN, using the uplink transmissions from the RN to compute a location estimate for the RN, and determining a location estimate for the UE based on the location estimate for the RN.
In a network-based Wireless Location System (WLS), geographically distributed Location Measurement Units (LMUs) must be able to detect and use reverse channel (mobile to network) signals across multiple BTS coverage areas. By using Matched Replica correlation processing with the local and reference signals subdivided into discrete segments prior to correlation, the effects of mobile clock drift and Doppler shifts can be mitigated allowing for increased processing gain. By using historical network and real-time data about the radio signal and/or radio channel, the segmentation and computation scheme may be optimized to reduce latency and enhance capacity while maximizing location accuracy.
G01S 3/16 - Systems for determining direction or deviation from predetermined direction using amplitude comparison of signals derived sequentially from receiving antennas or antenna systems having differently-oriented directivity characteristics or from an antenna system having periodically-varied orientation of directivity characteristic
18.
COMBINATION OF MULTIPLE BASELINES FOR LOCATION ESTIMATION
A method for combining a plurality of individual location measurements, for use in a wireless location system, includes the following steps. A quality metric for a single location estimate is computed along with individual quality metrics and individual weightings for each individual location measurement. In addition, weighting operations incorporating a quality metric for a single location are performed, and the measurement weights are adjusted based on information about co-location groups; and a decision metric and common bias accounting for multiple reference measurements are computed.
A method for use in emergency services to a locator device comprises remotely triggering the locator device. This causes the locator device to employ a first wireless transceiver to communicate with a control center and to employ a second wireless transceiver to initiate an emergency services call to a public services answering point (PSAP). Information relating to the locator device is provided from the control center to the PASP using a backchannel communications channel.
H04M 11/04 - Telephonic communication systems specially adapted for combination with other electrical systems with alarm systems, e.g. fire, police or burglar alarm systems
Disclosed is a method for processing readily available radio network, timing and power information about cellular networks and typical measurements made by the mobile device and network. A probabilistic method is disclosed that uses both time (i.e., range) and power differences with known downlink transmitter antenna characteristics to locate mobiles with accuracy better than cell-ID with ranging, with high capacity, and without the need for field calibration.
A wireless location system is configured to operate in a CDMA-based wireless communication network. In exemplary embodiments, location measuring units (LMUs) can synchronize to sectors of base stations and store sector timing information. In response to a request to geo-locate a mobile device communicating with a sector, sector timing information for the servicing sector is sent to other LMUs and the LMUs can use the sector timing information to detect uplink signals transmitted by the mobile device. The location of the mobile device can then be estimated based on time of arrival measurements made by the LMUs.
A location sentry system is provided for use within a mobile device. The sentry system can be configured to detect unauthorized attempts to locate mobile devices by monitoring messages passed between the mobile device and the wireless network and/or messages passed between components of the mobile device, and determining that one or more of the messages is/are indicative of an attempt to locate the mobile device. In response to a determination that an unauthorized attempt has been detected, the location sentry can be configured to take one or more actions. For example, the location sentry system could prevent location information from being sent back to the wireless network and/or the location sentry system could cause incorrect information to be sent to the wireless network.
In a wireless location system configured to use a baseline correlation method, an iterative approach to increasing location accuracy is disclosed. The quality of received signals is ordered from highest to lowest and used to calculate an initial location. The initial location is modified using the lower quality signals as constrained by the time and frequency deviation from the initial location and velocity estimate.
Methods and systems of hybrid positioning are provided for increasing the reliability and accuracy of location estimation. According to embodiments of the invention, the quality of reported locations from specific sources of location is assessed. Satellite and non-satellite positioning systems provide initial positioning estimates. For each positioning system relevant information is collected and based on the collected information each system is assigned appropriate weight.
G01S 3/00 - Direction-finders for determining the direction from which infrasonic, sonic, ultrasonic, or electromagnetic waves, or particle emission, not having a directional significance, are being received
25.
REMOTELY ACTIVATABLE LOCATOR WITH VOICE/DATA RELAY
A method for use in locating a mobile locator device in a wireless communications network (WCN) includes establishing a three-way call involving the locator device, a caretaker, and an emergency services answering point upon initiation of an emergency services call from the locator device, and providing a location record for the locator device from a database to the answering point while conducting the three-way call. Therefore, in cases of an emergency location where a locator is attached to a disabled subject or object, the locator device allows for extended emergency services calling where a third party such as a care giver, guardian, or custodial organization may be involved in real-time with the automatically located call to provide verbal or textual information to responders.
H04M 11/04 - Telephonic communication systems specially adapted for combination with other electrical systems with alarm systems, e.g. fire, police or burglar alarm systems
26.
DETECTION AND SELECTION OF A REFERENCE SIGNAL FOR NETWORK-BASED WIRELESS LOCATION
A serving mobile location center (SMLC) receives a position request concerning a mobile-of-interest (MOI) operating in a discontinuous transmission (DTX) mode, and in response a wireless location system (WLS) is tasked to locate the MOL. A plurality of location measurement units (LMUs) are instructed to receive and digitize radio frequency (RF) energy. At the LMUs, a signal of interest is received and cross-correlated with a known training sequence to produce a received detection metric. The detection metric is weighted to favor the MOI even in the presence of interference from other mobile devices. The SMLC selects the LMU with the best weighted detection metric as a reference site and selects two or more LMUs with lesser weighted detection metrics above a threshold as co- operating sites. The received signal of interest is demodulated and demodulated data are distributed to the cooperating sites.
A large volume of high accuracy location data is determined in many commercial wireless networks from location based services (LBS) and, in the United States, for E911. Uplink-Time-Difference-of-Arrival (UTDOA) and Assisted GPS (AGPS) are the predominant geolocation technologies providing these high accuracy locations. In the US alone over 10 million wireless subscribers are located every month because they dial the national emergency number "911" on their mobile phones. This rich set of location data provides an a priori distribution of the location of subscribers in the wireless network. All digital wireless communications networks have a mechanism for the subscribers to time synchronize their handsets to the network. This mechanism provides a band of ranges from the serving cell site to the handset. An a posteriori location estimate can be determined very quickly by considering the a priori distribution of callers in the range band that the current subscriber is in.
In an overlay, network-based, wireless location system, LMUs typically co-located with BTSs are used to collect radio signaling both in the forward and reverse channels for use in TDOA and/or AOA positioning methods. Information broadcast from the radio network and by global satellite navigation system constellations can be received by the LMU and used to reduce the difficulty of initial system configuration and reconfiguration due to radio network changes.
G01S 1/24 - Systems for determining direction or position line using a comparison of transit time of synchronised signals transmitted from non-directional antennas or antenna systems spaced apart, i.e. path-difference systems the synchronised signals being pulses or equivalent modulations on carrier waves and the transit times being compared by measuring the difference in arrival time of a significant part of the modulations
29.
METHODS OF AND SYSTEMS FOR MEASURING BEACON STABILITY OF WIRELESS ACCESS POINTS
Methods of and systems for measuring beacon stability of wireless access points are provided. A method of determining a measure of likelihood that a designated wireless device exhibits at least one pathological characteristic includes determining a set of reference points associated with a designated wireless device, and retrieving attributes of the reference points, attributes associated with other wireless devices related to the designated wireless device, and/or statistical information. The statistical information includes a temporal distribution of detection of signals of reference points, a spatial distribution of the reference points, and/or a cardinality of the set or a subset of the reference points. The method further includes determining a measure of likelihood that the designated wireless device exhibits at least one pathological characteristic based on attributes of the reference points, attributes associated with the reception of signals, and/or the statistical information.
G01S 3/02 - Direction-finders for determining the direction from which infrasonic, sonic, ultrasonic, or electromagnetic waves, or particle emission, not having a directional significance, are being received using radio waves
30.
NETWORK LOCATION AND SYNCHRONIZATION OF PEER SENSOR STATIONS IN A WIRELESS GEOLOCATION NETWORK
Transmitters are located with a network of sensors by measuring signal characteristics at multiple known locations and processing these measurements at a central node. The sensors communicate their location to the central node along with measured characteristics of the transmitter's signal, and may be required to synchronize with other sensors. Often, GNSS receivers are utilized to locate and synchronize the sensors. However, the GNSS signals may be attenuated by obstructions. In this case, the sensors determine their location by making ranging measurements with sensors that can receive the GNSS signals. The waveform for the wireless backhaul permits this ranging. Additionally, many sensors can determine their location and time synchronize with the geolocation network through reception of signals from other sensors even if they do not have a direct connection to sensors that know their location and are time synchronized.
Methods of and systems for estimating the probability of movement of access points and/or resolving multiple location estimate conflicts in a WLAN positioning system are provided. Disclosed are methods to quantify the probability that a particular location estimate of a mobile device made by a Wi-Fi based positioning system is correct to within an arbitrary accuracy. Implementations use observed access point cluster size, age information for access point location determination, the probability that one or more access points detected by the mobile device have relocated based on historic information about the movement of a collection of access points, and/or cumulative distribution functions that characterize the conditional probability that one or more access points detected by the mobile device have relocated within a specified time interval to make the probability determinations.
A method for locating an entity attached to a locator device comprises receiving, at the locator device, a message over a cellular network. Responsive to receiving the message, a call over the cellular network is automatically initiated to enable a party answering the call to determine a location of the locator device.
For Wireless Communications Networks (WCNs) that support soft handover, cooperator receiver selection for a TDOA, AOA, TDOA/AOA, or hybrid network-based or network-overlay Wireless Location System (WLS) must contend with one or more network base stations as a serving cell. When the active set contains more than one member, two techniques for determining a set of cooperating and demodulating receivers to use in the signal collection for location estimation is disclosed. In one embodiment, the active set members are constructively reduced to a single member that is used as a proxy serving cell. In another embodiment, the information contained in the active set membership is retained and a new set of demodulating and cooperator receivers are generated based on the entire membership of the active set.
For Wireless Communications Networks (WCNs) that support soft handover, cooperator receiver selection for a TDOA, AOA, TDOA/AOA, or hybrid network-based or network-overlay Wireless Location System (WLS) must contend with one or more network base stations as a serving cell. When the active set contains more than one member, two techniques for determining a set of cooperating and demodulating receivers to use in the signal collection for location estimation is disclosed. In one embodiment, the active set members are constructively reduced to a single member that is used as a proxy serving cell. In another embodiment, the information contained in the active set membership is retained and a new set of demodulating and cooperator receivers are generated based on the entire membership of the active set.
To reduce power consumption in a user terminal, especially mobile devices, a system and method are introduced that use terrestrial beacons as a location proxy when satellite positioning signals are not available. The geographic locations of the terrestrial beacons need not be known to use the beacons as a proxy for a satellite positioning signals derived location.
Collection and analysis of network transaction information which includes the mobile device's usage, location, movements coupled with data from non-wireless network sources allow for the automation of analysis for the detection of anti-social behaviors.
By combining imaging systems with wireless location functionality, a subject's videometric signature can be linked to a public identity, thus enabling continuous surveillance outside or between the coverage area of video surveillance networks. In addition to extending the surveillance coverage area, the combination of computerized video surveillance with wireless location determination may also allow for identification of mobile device users via the existing mobile equipment and user identifiers used in the wireless network.
G01S 1/00 - Beacons or beacon systems transmitting signals having a characteristic or characteristics capable of being detected by non-directional receivers and defining directions, positions, or position lines fixed relatively to the beacon transmittersReceivers co-operating therewith
38.
IMPROVEMENT OF THE ACCURACY AND PERFORMANCE OF THE HYBRID POSITIONING SYSTEM
The present disclosure relates to a method for determining the position of a WLAN positioning system (WPS) and satellite positioning system (SPS) enabled device. The method can include determining an initial WPS position of the device using WPS, calculating an error region around the initial WPS position of the device, dividing the error region into a plurality of points, obtaining satellite measurements from at least two satellites in view of the device, determining a variation in a receiver clock bias for each point within the error region based on the satellite measurements from at least two satellites, selecting the point with the lowest variation in the receiver clock bias, and determining whether or not to use the point with the lowest variation in receiver clock bias to refine the initial WPS position of the device.
A method for determining the position of a device in a hybrid positioning system is disclosed. The method includes determining an initial position estimate of a device using a non-satellite positioning system, obtaining satellite measurements from less than four satellites, the measurements including each satellite's position with respect to the initial position estimate, determining a Dilution of Precision (DOP) based on the satellite measurements, if the DOP is small, refining the initial position estimate using the satellite measurements, and if the DOP is large, providing the initial estimate as a final position estimate for the device. The non- satellite positioning system can, optionally, be a WLAN positioning system. The obtaining satellite measurements can, optionally, be from two satellites or three satellites. A method for determining a DOP with less than four satellites in a hybrid positioning system is also disclosed.
G01S 19/08 - Cooperating elementsInteraction or communication between different cooperating elements or between cooperating elements and receivers providing integrity information, e.g. health of satellites or quality of ephemeris data
40.
METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR ESTIMATING RANGE OF MOBILE DEVICE TO WIRELESS INSTALLATION
A method of and system for estimating the range of a mobile device to a wireless installation is disclosed. A method of estimating the position of a mobile device includes receiving signals transmitted by fixed-position wireless communication stations in range of a mobile device. One of the wireless communication stations from which signals are received by the mobile device is designated as a serving station and location information is retrieved for said serving station and at least one other neighboring station from which signals are received. For each of the at least one other neighboring stations, a corresponding distance between the serving station and said neighboring station is determined based on the location information. A position of the mobile device is estimated based on the location information for the serving station and said neighboring stations and further based on the distances between the serving station and said neighboring stations.
The invention features a method of estimating an expected error of a position estimate for use in a WLAN positioning system that estimates the position of a WLAN-enabled device. The WLAN-enabled device receives signals transmitted by at least one WLAN access point in range of the WLAN-enabled device, and a position of the WLAN-enabled device is estimated based on the received signals from the at least one WLAN access point in range. A signal strength value is measured for the signals transmitted by the at least one WLAN access point, and a maximum signal strength value is determined. The method also estimates an expected error of the position estimate based on the maximum signal strength value of the signals transmitted by the at least one WLAN access point in range of the WLAN enabled device. The expected error predicts a relative accuracy of the position estimate.
A Wide Area Sensor Network is disclosed that utilizes wideband software defined radios (SDRs) to provide a capability to monitor the airwaves over a wide frequency range, detect when critical frequencies are being jammed or otherwise interfered with, and locate the source of the interference so that the interference can be eliminated. In addition, a diversity receiver is disclosed. The diversity receiver generates position, time and frequency references for use in locating and synchronizing sensor platforms of a WLS. In an illustrative embodiment, the diversity receiver comprises a first receiver subsystem comprising a terrestrial broadcast receiver, and a common processor platform (CPP) coupled via first link means to the first receiver subsystem. The first receiver subsystem provides a stable time reference and position information to the CPP via the first link means. In addition, the diversity receiver includes second link means for coupling the diversity receiver to a sensor platform and providing time and frequency references and location data to the sensor platform.
G01S 3/02 - Direction-finders for determining the direction from which infrasonic, sonic, ultrasonic, or electromagnetic waves, or particle emission, not having a directional significance, are being received using radio waves
43.
SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR USING A HYBRID SATELLITE AND WLAN POSITIONING SYSTEM
The disclosed subject matter generally relates to hybrid positioning systems and methods and, more specifically, systems and methods of detecting moved WLAN access points using a wireless local area network based positioning system (WLAN-PS) and a satellite-based positioning system (SPS) with at least two satellites measurement and also systems and methods of integrating a wireless local area network (WLAN) based positioning system (WLAN-PS) and a satellite positioning system (SPS) to improve accuracy of location estimates by selecting the best set of measurements from both systems.
G01S 1/00 - Beacons or beacon systems transmitting signals having a characteristic or characteristics capable of being detected by non-directional receivers and defining directions, positions, or position lines fixed relatively to the beacon transmittersReceivers co-operating therewith
A Network Autonomous Wireless Location System (NAWLS) is designed to allow for precise location of a mobile device (e.g., a cell phone) without interconnection to, and with minimal disruption of, the local wireless communications network. Using distributed radio network monitors (RNM) and a managed network emulator (NE); mobile devices are sampled, acquired or captured. Once triggered by the RNM or NE, an untethered wireless location system (U-WLS) is used to calculate a precise location. The U-WLS; comprising mobile receiver sites, each capable of self location, exchanging information with other components of the NAWLS, and receiving or exchanging signals from the mobile device; utilizes various network-based and handset-based wireless location techniques dependent on the deployed options. In addition, the NAWLS includes data links interconnecting the U- WLS, NE and RNM.
G01S 1/24 - Systems for determining direction or position line using a comparison of transit time of synchronised signals transmitted from non-directional antennas or antenna systems spaced apart, i.e. path-difference systems the synchronised signals being pulses or equivalent modulations on carrier waves and the transit times being compared by measuring the difference in arrival time of a significant part of the modulations
Disclosed are methods and systems for filtering an intermediate frequency (IF) band when digitizing a radio frequency (RF) signal using a higher Nyquist zone several times above the sampling rate. Undersampling may be employed along with an undersampled Nyquist filtering technique to implement an integrated receiver for base station applications such as wireless base station beacon monitoring. Such a receiver may be integrated into a smaller package and consume less power at a reduced cost. In one embodiment, the receiver may operate at a high RF sampled frequency that is microsampled in the 10th Nyquist zone at less than 20% undersampling. In another embodiment, the receiver may operate in the 5th Nyquist zone at 1/2 the sampling rate with 40 % undersampling. In various embodiments, sampling and processing functions may be implemented using software on a computer or other embedded computing device.
A Wide Area Sensor Network (WASN) is disclosed that utilizes wideband software defined radios (SDRs) to monitor RF energy over a wide frequency range, detect when critical frequencies are being jammed or otherwise interfered with, and locate the source of the interference so that the interference can be eliminated. The WASN may use one or more geolocation techniques In addition, the WASN may detect and locate unauthorized transmitters as well as estimate the transmitted power of authorized transmitters to assure they are not transmitting more power than authorized.
G01S 3/02 - Direction-finders for determining the direction from which infrasonic, sonic, ultrasonic, or electromagnetic waves, or particle emission, not having a directional significance, are being received using radio waves
47.
METHOD FOR POSITION ESTIMATION USING GENERALIZED ERROR DISTRIBUTIONS
A method for improving the results of radio location systems that incorporate weighted least squares optimization generalizes the weighted least squares method by using maximum a posteriori (MAP) probability metrics to incorporate characteristics of the specific positioning problem (e.g., UTDOA). Weighted least squares methods are typically used by TDOA and related location systems including TDOA/ AOA and TDOA/GPS hybrid systems. The incorporated characteristics include empirical information about TDOA errors and the probability distribution of the mobile position relative to other network elements. A technique is provided for modeling the TDOA error distribution and the a priori mobile position. A method for computing a MAP decision metric is provided using the new probability distribution models. Testing with field data shows that this method yields significant improvement over existing weighted least squares methods.
Location of small, consumer deployed femto-cells cannot be determined by the usual site survey methods. Location of attached mobiles allows for a proxy location of the femto-cell that can then be used for wireless network planning including the provisioning of a calculated default emergency services location for the femto-cell.
Illustrative embodiments of the inventive subject matter described herein include, but are not limited to, the following: a femto-cell device, methods for use by a wireless location system (WLS) in locating a femto-cell device, and a wireless location system having certain features relating to the location of femto-cell devices. A femto-cell device used in a wireless communications system (WCS) includes a location subsystem configured to acquire information identifying the geographic location of the femto-cell device. The device also includes an antenna subsystem, a radio frequency (RF) block coupled to the antenna subsystem, a baseband block coupled to the RF block, and a communications block coupled to the baseband block. In addition, the device is configured to communicate with the WCS, including communicating at least some of the location information to the WCS.
Various aspects are disclosed herein for determining a location estimate for multi-mode mobile devices using measurements from one or more radio access technologies and providing a combined location solution. Using the multiple radio access technology capability of the wireless communications system, a mobile communications device may be located on a first radio network characterized by a first radio modulation technique, radio network topology, and channel bandwidth. The mobile communications device may then be handed off to a second radio network and located using a second radio network characterized by a second radio modulation technique, radio network topology, and channel bandwidth. The two location estimates may then be used to develop a combined location estimate.
A method and apparatus for position determination is provided using measurements from both Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers and terrestrial-based Uplink Time Difference of Arrival (UTDOA) receivers. The method involves the transformation of downlink satellite measurements into equivalent UTDOA measurements by computing comparable cross-correlation coefficients and time differences of arrival with respect to a UTDOA reference station. The method includes a weighting operation whereby the relative weights of the UTDOA measurements and the relative weights of the GPS measurements are adjusted based on a theoretical scaling followed by empirical adjustments. The method further involves the efficient computation and combining ofmetries that are used to minimize the weighted error between candidate location solutions and the UTDOA and GPS measurements. This is done efficiently in two dimensions for UTDOA and in three dimensions for GPS measurements by increasing the complexity of searching operations as the optimal location solution is approached.
In a network-based Wireless Location System (WLS), geographically distributed Location Measurement Units (LMUs) must be able to detect and use reverse channel (mobile to network) signals across multiple BTS coverage areas. By using Matched Replica correlation processing with the local and reference signals subdivided into discrete segments prior to correlation, the effects of mobile clock drift and Doppler shifts can be mitigated allowing for increased processing gain.
Embodiments of the disclosed subject matter provide systems and methods of integrating a WLAN-based positioning system (WLAN PS) and a cellular-based positioning system (CPS). An integrated system refers to a system that combines the information and measurements from both systems in order to increase the availability of the positioning service to more users to improve the accuracy of the positioning estimates, as compared to each individual system working independently. The integration can occur at different levels from a high-level combination of location estimation provided by both systems to the lowest level of integration of raw measurements from both systems and combining them to find the best estimate of the location of a user or a mobile device. The integration also includes using information from one system to assist the other system so as to increase the accuracy of the various estimates.
Embodiments of the disclosed subject matter provide a method of integrating a WLAN- based positioning system (WLAN-PS) and a satellite -based positioning system (SPS) to create a hybrid positioning system. An integrated or hybrid system refers to a system which combines the measurements from one or more systems to improve the accuracy of the positioning and velocity and bearing estimates and the accuracy of expected error estimate, and to reduce consumed power as compared to each individual system working independently. The method of integrating a WLAN-PS and SPS to create a hybrid positioning system can add raw SPS measurements as another input to WLAN-PS and WLAN-PS final estimations as another input to SPS. Raw SPS measurements from two or more satellites can assist the WLAN-PS to increase the accuracy of position estimate, HPE, and stationary user detection.
H04M 11/04 - Telephonic communication systems specially adapted for combination with other electrical systems with alarm systems, e.g. fire, police or burglar alarm systems
A method for use in controlling a mobile device's access to one or more wireless communications networks (WCNs) with an overlaid wireless location system (WLS) includes monitoring a set of one or more predefined signaling links of at least one WCN, and detecting an event associated with the mobile device.
A method of providing a relevant subset of information to a client device is based in part on scanning for Wi-Fi access points within range of the client device, using a Wi-Fi database that covers a large target region to retrieve information about these access points, using this information to estimate the position of the mobile client device, selecting a limited region in the vicinity of the estimated location of the client device, and providing information about Wi-Fi access points within this limited region to the client. For efficient transfer and maintenance of data, the target region may be divided into a hierarchy of fixed geographical tiles.
In a Wireless Location System (WLS) deployed in connection with a CDMA-based wireless communications system, Location Measurement Units are used to collect multi-path corrupted radio signaling for use in time difference of arrival (TDOA) and hybrid positioning methods. Signal processing techniques are used to enhance the WLS's ability to determine the minimally time- delayed multi-path component and thus increase the accuracy of the TDOA location in CDMA-based wireless communications systems. The signal processing includes a filtering technique for reducing the leading sidelobes of the cross-correlation function as well as a leading edge discovery procedure.
In a wireless location system, a method for determining frame and slot timing information for use in receiving an uplink signal from a user equipment (UE) device assigned to an uplink Dedicated Physical Control Channel (DPCCH) includes receiving signals in the uplink DPCCH at a location measurement unit (LMU) of the WLS. The method also includes detecting a predefined bit pattern known to be present in a plurality of predefined slots of the uplink DPCCH. Next, the frame and slot timing information are determined for the uplink DPCCH based on the detected bit pattern. Finally, the frame and slot timing information is used for collecting uplink signals from the UE for use in location processing.
In an overlay, network-based Wireless Location System, Location Measurement Units (LMUs) are used to collect radio signaling both in the forward and reverse channels for use in TDOA and/or AoA positioning methods. Information broadcast from the radio network and by global satellite navigation system constellations can be received by the LMUs and used to reduce the difficulty of initial system configuration and reconfiguration due to radio network changes.
09 - Scientific and electric apparatus and instruments
Goods & Services
Computer programs for use in operating wireless fidelity
network enabled devices, for use in determining location
using wireless fidelity network access points and for use in
integrating and synthesizing location output of positioning
systems.
In an overlay, U-TDOA-based, Wireless Location System, LMUs typically co-located with BTSs, are used to collect radio signaling both in the forward and reverse channels. Techniques are used to compensate for sparse LMU deployments where sections of the U-TDOA service area are uplink demodulation or downlink beacon discovery limited.
In an overlay, U-TDOA-based, Wireless Location System, LMUs typically co-located with BTSs, are used to collect radio signaling both in the forward and reverse channels. Techniques are used to compensate for sparse LMU deployments where sections of the U-TDOA service area are uplink demodulation or downlink beacon discovery limited.
In an overlay, U-TDOA-based, Wireless Location System, LMUs typically co-located with BTSs, are used to collect radio signaling both in the forward and reverse channels. Techniques are used to compensate for sparse LMU deployments where sections of the U-TDOA service area are uplink demodulation or downlink beacon discovery limited.
In an overlay, U-TDOA-based, Wireless Location System, LMUs typically co-located with BTSs, are used to collect radio signaling both in the forward and reverse channels. Techniques are used to compensate for sparse LMU deployments where sections of the U-TDOA service area are uplink demodulation or downlink beacon discovery limited.
Methods of estimating the speed and/or bearing of a WLAN-enabled device are provided. A method of estimating a bearing of a WLAN-enabled device includes receiving signals transmitted by an access point, including a first message and a second message. The method further includes determining an actual time of arrival value of the second message and determining a time difference of arrival value for the second message based on the actual time of arrival of the second message and an expected time of arrival of the second message, which is based on an actual arrival time of the first message. Estimating the bearing of the device is based on the estimated speed and location of the device, the time difference of arrival value, and the location of the access point. Estimating the speed of the device is based on the time difference of arrival value.
Techniques for locating wireless devices involve a wireless device making measurements of signals transmitted by geographically distributed base stations within a wireless network. If some key site information is known about these transmitters, such as the transmitter location, transmit signal power, signal propagation, and transmit signal timing, measurements of these transmit signals by a device to be located can be used to determine the position of the device. In this example, all information exchange between the device and the location node is facilitated by a data link that is not provided by the wireless network providing signals used in the location estimation process. Accordingly, devices may be located based on downlink signal measurements made by the devices, where the devices are not part of the wireless network, are not provided wireless service by the network, and do not possess the ability to transmit signals to the wireless network, and where communication resources of the wireless network are not consumed to facilitate location.
A wireless location system may include geolocation of a wireless device connected to Voice-over-Internet-Protocol (VoIP) adapter. The VoIP adapter may include a wireless transceiver or a wireless location determining receiver that facilitates the location of a wireless device connected to the VoIP adapter. The wireless transceiver or the location determining receiver may provide location information to an emergency dispatcher.
H04M 11/04 - Telephonic communication systems specially adapted for combination with other electrical systems with alarm systems, e.g. fire, police or burglar alarm systems
68.
EMERGENCY WIRELESS LOCATION SYSTEM INCLUDING A WIRELESS TRANSCEIVER
A wireless location system may include geolocation of a wireless device connected to Voice-over- Internet-Protocol (VoIP) adapter. The VoIP adapter may include a wireless transceiver or a wireless location determining receiver that facilitates the location of a wireless device connected to the VoIP adapter. The wireless transceiver or the location determining receiver may provide location information to an emergency dispatcher.
H04M 11/04 - Telephonic communication systems specially adapted for combination with other electrical systems with alarm systems, e.g. fire, police or burglar alarm systems
Iterative geolocation of a stationary RF emitter through the use of TDOA may include the use of a single portable geolocation (e.g., TDOA) sensor, a pair of portable geolocation sensors and three of more portable geolocation sensors. Adding portable geolocation sensors to the iterative process reduces the constraints on the signals to be located as well as providing a reduction in the number of iterations required to obtain improved location accuracy.
G01S 1/24 - Systems for determining direction or position line using a comparison of transit time of synchronised signals transmitted from non-directional antennas or antenna systems spaced apart, i.e. path-difference systems the synchronised signals being pulses or equivalent modulations on carrier waves and the transit times being compared by measuring the difference in arrival time of a significant part of the modulations
70.
LOCATION OF WIDEBAND OFDM TRANSMITTERS WITH LIMITED RECEIVER BANDWIDTH
A system for locating wireless transmitters employing an Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) digital modulation scheme. The OFDM scheme comprises transmitting signal components over narrowband frequency channels spanning a wideband channel. The system includes a first receiving system configured to receive a fraction of the signal components transmitted by a first wireless transmitter to be located in a fraction of the narrowband frequency channels, and to process the fraction of the signal components to derive location related measurements. The system further includes at least a second receiving system configured to receive the fraction of the signal components transmitted by the first wireless transmitter, and to process this fraction of the signal components to derive location related measurements. The system also includes a processing system configured to use location related measurements from the first and second receiving systems to compute the location of the wireless transmitter.
Several techniques for locating wireless devices involve the Mobile Stations (MS) making measurements of the signals transmitted by geographically distributed base stations within a wireless network. If some key site information is known about these transmitters, such as the transmitter location, transmit signal power, signal propagation, and transmit signal timing, measurements of these transmit signals by a MS can be used to determine the position of the MS. An automatic method to detect transmitters, identify key transmitter information, and utilize the base station transmit signals to perform location is presented. In addition, this method facilitates the use of cell site transmit signals that are part of multiple wireless networks.
The invention features a method of estimating an expected error of a position estimate for use in a WLAN positioning system that estimates the position of a WLAN- enabled device. The WLAN-enabled device receives signals transmitted by a WLAN access point in range of the WLAN-enabled device. The method estimates the position of the WLAN-enabled device based on the received signals from the WLAN access point in range of the WLAN enabled device. The method also estimates an expected error of the position estimate based on characteristics of the WLAN access point in range of the WLAN enabled device, wherein the expected error predicts a relative accuracy of the position estimate.
A system for locating a mobile wireless device is configured to communicate with a wireless communications system via a control plane and a user plane. The user plane includes a data channel, and the system includes a server configured to communicate via the data channel with a wireless device to be located. The server obtains from the wireless device information useful for tasking the wireless location system. The information useful for tasking may include information indicative of at least one cell site neighboring a serving cell site with which the wireless device is communicating. This may include information indicative of a serving cell site, a reverse channel through which the wireless device is communicating, and/or a hopping pattern, etc. The system may be used, for example, in connection with a GSM or UMTS wireless communications system.
A mobile wireless device is configured to provide a location quality of service indicator (QoSI) indicative of the quality of a calculated location estimation for use by a location-based service. The QoSI may be calculated by the device itself or by a server, such as a location enabling server (LES). The QoSI may be used to represent the predicted location accuracy, availability, latency, precision, and/or yield.
Systems and methods of automated retrieval of location information from a user device for use with server systems are provided. A method of a server retrieving information indicative of a geographic position of a client device for use in selecting and send information based on the geographic position includes providing a server having location independent content and location dependent content. The client device sends a request to the server. In response to the request, the server sends a message to the mobile client device requesting information indicative of the geographic position of the client device. In response, the client device automatically sends information indicative of the geographic position of the client device to the server. In response to receiving the information indicative of the geographic position of the client device, the server selects location dependent content that corresponds to the client geographic position and sends it to the client device.
G06F 15/16 - Combinations of two or more digital computers each having at least an arithmetic unit, a program unit and a register, e.g. for a simultaneous processing of several programs
G06F 9/44 - Arrangements for executing specific programs
Systems and methods of gathering information from WLAN-enabled access points to estimate position of a WLAN positioning device. A device estimates the position of itself includes a WLAN radio module, extraction logic for extracting identify information from said received WLAN; and logic to cooperate with a WLAN-based positioning system. The radio may be a receive only device or one which has limited transmission capabilities (e.g., only probe requests). Certain extraction logic extracts information from WLAN signals destined for WLAN-enabled devices other than said device. Other extraction logic includes diversity and combination logic to combine headers of multiple, similar but not identical WLAN packets. Some embodiments include caches. Others measure multiple received signal strength indicator (RSSI) values for sufficiently long WLAN packets to improve an estimate of the Doppler frequency of said device. Still others include a phases for active and passive scanning of WLAN APs.
A method for estimating position using WLAN access point radio propagation characteristics in a WLAN location based service is provided. A location-based services system has a plurality of Wi-Fi access points in a target area. The Wi-Fi access points are positioned at geographic locations and have signal coverage areas. A method of characterizing at least one of the Wi-Fi access points comprises determining the geographic location of the Wi-Fi access point, dividing the signal coverage area of the Wi-Fi access point into at least one section, and determining radio propagation characteristics for each section. The radio propagation characteristics of each section characterize a radio channel of the Wi-Fi access point, and the characterization can be used in a location algorithm.
Methods and systems for classifying WLAN access points according to the quality of estimation of characteristics of the WLAN access points are provided. The classifications may be used to scale a reference database and quantify an expected error of estimation of the characteristics of the access points. WLAN access points may be classified based on their impact on a user's position, speed of travel, and direction of travel estimation accuracy in a WLAN positioning system. A method for determining a quality of estimation of characteristics of a Wi-Fi access point comprises a Wi-Fi enabled scanning device measuring a number of received signal strength (RSS) samples of the Wi-Fi signal transmitted by the Wi-Fi access point. A total distance traveled by the Wi- Fi enabled scanning device while measuring the number of RSS samples is estimated and used to estimate the quality of estimation of characteristics of the Wi-Fi access point.
A method for estimating the speed and bearing of a Wi-Fi enabled device using WLAN radio signals in a WLAN based location service is provided. A method used to estimate a speed of travel of a Wi-Fi enabled device comprises the Wi-Fi enabled device receiving signals transmitted by Wi-Fi access points in range of the Wi-Fi enabled device, and using the signals to estimate the speed of and/or direction of travel of the Wi-Fi enabled device.
