# US 2016/0366558 A1 · Methods and apparatus for cell tower location estimation using multiple types of data sources > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2016/0366558 A1 - Document ID: US20160366558A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/735,708 - Filed: 2015-06-10 - Published: 2016-12-15 - Earliest claimed: 2015-06-10 - Assignees: The Nielsen Company (US), LLC - Applicants: The Nielsen Company (US), LLC - Inventors: Dominic Ngai; Sreenivas Sonnaila - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20160366558A1 ## CPC - H04W 4/025: {using location based information parameters} - H04W 4/023: {using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds} - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) ## Abstract Methods and apparatus are disclosed for estimating, based on data collected from multiple types of data sources, the locations of cell towers. A first source is ranked relative to a second source based on the associated accuracy of each source with respect to estimating the location of a cell tower. Data collected from the higher-ranking source is used to identify estimated locations for cell towers from which such data has been collected. Data collected from the lower-ranking source is thereafter used to identify estimated locations for cell towers from which such data has been collected, to the extent that an estimated location for the cell tower has not already been identified via the data collected from the higher-ranking source. In an example method, the higher-ranking source is associated with RF Layer 3 data and/or messages, and the lower-ranking source is associated with RF Layer 1 data and/or messages. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A computer implemented method for estimating locations of cell towers, the method comprising: ranking, with a source ranker, a first data source having a first accuracy relative to a second data source having a second accuracy; identifying based on the ranking of the first data source relative to the second data source, a higher-ranking data source and a lower-ranking data source; identifying, with a location estimator, an estimated location for respective ones of the cell towers based on data collected from the higher-ranking data source; when an estimated location for respective ones of the cell towers has not been identified based on data collected from the higher-ranking data source, identifying, with the location estimator, an estimated location for respective ones of the cell towers based on data collected from the lower-ranking data source, wherein at least one of the source ranker or the location estimator includes a processor; and generating a report, the report including the identified estimated location for respective ones of the cell towers. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the data collected from the higher-ranking data source includes RF Layer 3 data. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) A method as defined in claim 2, wherein the RF Layer 3 data includes a latitude and a longitude, the latitude and the longitude both being associated with a transmitter of a cell tower. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the data collected from the lower-ranking data source includes RF Layer 1 data. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) A method as defined in claim 4, wherein identifying the estimated location for respective ones of the cell towers based on data collected from the lower-ranking data source includes applying a triangulation technique to signal information contained in the RF Layer 1 data. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) A method as defined in claim 1, further including, prior to identifying the estimated location for respective ones of the cell towers based on data collected from the lower-ranking data source, filtering out data collected from the lower-ranking data source that is associated with respective ones of the cell towers for which an estimated location has been identified based on data collected from the higher-ranking data source. ### Claim 7 (canceled) ### Claim 8 A system for estimating locations of cell towers, the system comprising: a source ranker to: rank a first data source having a first accuracy relative to a second data source having a second accuracy; and identify, based on the ranking of the first data source relative to the second data source, a higher-ranking data source and a lower-ranking data source; a location estimator to: identify an estimated location for respective ones of the cell towers based on data collected from the higher-ranking data source; and when an estimated location for respective ones of the cell towers has not been identified based on data collected from the higher-ranking data source, identify an estimated location for respective ones of the cell towers based on data collected from the lower-ranking data source; and a report generator to generate a report, the report including the identified estimated location for respective ones of the cell towers. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) A system as defined in claim 8, wherein the data collected from the higher-ranking data source includes RF Layer 3 data. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) A system as defined in claim 9, wherein the RF Layer 3 data includes a latitude and a longitude, the latitude and the longitude both being associated with a transmitter of a cell tower. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) A system as defined in claim 8, wherein the data collected from the lower-ranking data source includes RF Layer 1 data. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) A system as defined in claim 11, wherein the location estimator, when identifying the estimated location for respective ones of the cell towers based on data collected from the lower-ranking data source, is to apply a triangulation technique to signal information contained in the RF Layer 1 data. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) A system as defined in claim 8, further including a data filter to, prior to identifying the estimated location for respective ones of the cell towers based on data collected from the lower-ranking data source, filter out data collected from the lower-ranking data source that is associated with respective ones of the cell towers for which an estimated location has been identified based on data collected from the higher-ranking data source. ### Claim 14 (canceled) ### Claim 15 A tangible computer readable storage medium comprising computer readable instructions for estimating locations of cell towers, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause a processor to at least: rank a first data source having a first accuracy relative to a second data source having a second accuracy; identify, based on the ranking of the first data source relative to the second data source, a higher-ranking data source and a lower-ranking data source; identify an estimated location for respective ones of the cell towers based on data collected from the higher-ranking data source; when an estimated location for respective ones of the cell towers has not been identified based on data collected from the higher-ranking data source, identify an estimated location for respective ones of the cell towers based on data collected from the lower-ranking data source; and generate a report, the report including the identified estimated location for respective ones of the cell towers. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) A storage medium as defined in claim 15, wherein the data collected from the higher-ranking data source includes RF Layer 3 data. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) A storage medium as defined in claim 16, wherein the RF Layer 3 data includes a latitude and a longitude, the latitude and the longitude both being associated with a transmitter of a cell tower. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) A storage medium as defined in claim 15, wherein the data collected from the lower-ranking data source includes RF Layer 1 data. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) A storage medium as defined in claim 18, wherein the instructions are further to cause the processor to at least, when identifying the estimated location for respective ones of the cell towers based on data collected from the lower-ranking data source, apply a triangulation technique to signal information contained in the RF Layer 1 data ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) A storage medium as defined in claim 15, wherein the instructions are further to cause the processor to at least, prior to identifying the estimated location for respective ones of the cell towers based on data collected from the lower-ranking data source, filter out data collected from the lower-ranking data source that is associated with respective ones of the cell towers for which an estimated location has been identified based on data collected from the higher-ranking data source. ### Claim 21 (canceled)