Method and apparatus for determining the location of a remote station in a CDMA communication network
AssigneeQUALCOMM Incorporated
InventorsSamir S. Soliman, Alkinoos Hector Vayanos
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Abstract
An apparatus and method for locating a remote station in a synchronous communications network using the time of arrival of a reference pilot signal at the remote station as a time reference. The time difference of arrival (TDOA) of GPS signals received by the remote station and other signals received from a base station, are measured relative to this reference time. From these measurements, the location of the remote station is determined. The invention treats the location issue as a TDOA problem.
Claims8
A method to determine a location of a remote station in a synchronous communications network, comprising:
- receiving a network time signal at a remote station, wherein receipt of the network time signal establishes a reference time and the network time signal is a reference pilot signal which includes a zero phase pilot PN sequence transmitted from a base station in the communication network;
- receiving a plurality of signals at the remote station, the plurality of signals comprising at least a first signal transmitted from a global positioning network (GPS), the at least a first signal being synchronized with the network time signal;
- determining a time difference for the each of the plurality of signals;
- and
- determining a location for the remote station using the time difference of arrivals.
A method to determine a location of a remote station in a synchronous communications network, comprising:
- receiving a network time signal at a remote station, wherein receipt of the network time signal establishes a reference time and the network time signal is a reference pilot signal and wherein the remote station also receives other signals transmitted from the GPS network and other pilot signals;
- receiving a plurality of signals at the remote station, the plurality of signals comprising at least a first signal transmitted from a global positioning network (GPS), the at least a first signal being synchronized with the network time signal;
- determining a time difference for the each of the plurality of signals;
- and
- determining a location for the remote station using the time difference of arrivals.
An apparatus used to determine a location of a remote station in a synchronous communication network including a global positioning network (GPS), comprising:
- a remote station including a remote station transceiver, the first remote transceiver capable of receiving a plurality of signals, the plurality of signals comprising at least a first signal transmitted from the GPS communicatively coupled to the remote station;
- at least one base station communicatively coupled to the remote station and including a base station transceiver, the base station transceiver capable of transmitting a network timing signal to the remote station, the network timing signal being synchronized with signals received from the GPS network, and wherein receipt of the network timing signal establishes a reference time;
- determining a time difference of arrival between at least two of the plurality of signals received by the remote station;
- and
- determining a position for the remote station using the time difference of arrivals.
An apparatus used to determine a location of a wireless transceiver in a synchronous communications network, comprising:
- at least one satellite;
- a satellite transmitter located at each of said at least one satellite for transmitting satellite signals;
- a base station including a digital signal processing unit, wherein said base station transmits a reference pilot signal and other signals;
- and
- a transceiver in wireless communication with said at least one satellite and said base station, said transceiver receiving said reference pilot signal and said at least one satellite signals,
- wherein said reference pilot signal is used to measure a time difference of arrival (TDOA) for each of said at least one satellite signals and said other signals, if any, and
- wherein said digital signal processing unit uses said TDOAs to determine the location of said transceiver.
An apparatus used to determine a location of a wireless transceiver in a synchronous communications network, comprising:
- at least one satellite;
- a satellite transmitter means located at each of said at least one satellite for transmitting satellite signals;
- a base station including a means for processing digital signals, wherein said base station transmits a reference pilot signal and other signals;
- and
- a transceiver means for communicating with said at least one satellite and said base station, said transceiver means receiving said reference pilot signal and said at least one satellite signals,
- wherein said reference pilot signal is used to measure a time difference of arrival (TDOA) for each of said at least one satellite signals and said other signals, if any, and
- wherein said means for processing digital signals uses said TDOAs to determine the location of said transceiver.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.