# US 7,411,546 B2 · Other cell sites used as reference point to cull satellite ephemeris information for quick, accurate assisted locating satellite location determination > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 7,411,546 B2 - Document ID: US7411546B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 11/822,925 - Filed: 2007-07-11 - Published: 2008-01-24 - Granted: 2008-08-12 - Earliest claimed: 2004-10-15 - Assignees: TeleCommunication Systems, Inc. - Inventors: Lance Douglas Pitt; Leslie Johann Lamprecht; Jeffrey Thomas Martin - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7411546B2 ## CPC - G01S 19/06: employing an initial estimate of the location of the receiver as aiding data or in generating aiding data - G01S 19/05: providing aiding data - G01S 19/258: {relating to the satellite constellation, e.g. almanac, ephemeris data, lists of satellites in view} - G01S 19/28: Satellite selection - G01S: RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES ## Abstract A geometric shape (e.g., an inverted cone) is computed above a given ‘reference point’ defined from locations of cell sites OTHER than the cell site currently servicing a given wireless device, to provide a best-guess as to a near-future location of a mobile wireless device. Locating satellites (e.g., GPS) are culled into a preferred group and communicated to mobile devices within a particular region (e.g., serviced by a particular base station). The culled locating satellites may select visible locating satellites, or more preferably those locating satellites currently within a cone of space above the relevant base station, for communication by a mobile device within the service area of a base station. Thus, cell sites other than the one in use by the relevant wireless device may be specifically used to determine a reference point for culling the ephemeris information used to expedite Assisted GPS location determinations. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of culling a plurality of locating satellites into a sub-plurality for communication via a wireless base station, comprising: defining a reference point based on a combined location of at least one other cell site not including a cell site currently servicing a relevant mobile device; defining a geometric shaped area above the reference point, which is physically distant from said relevant mobile device; culling said plurality of locating satellites to a culled group of locating satellites within said geometric shaped area above said reference point; and passing an identity of said culled group of locating satellites to said relevant mobile device. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of culling a plurality of locating satellites into a sub-plurality for communication via a wireless base station according to claim 1, wherein: said combined location is an average location of at least two other cell sites not including said cell site currently servicing said relevant mobile device. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of culling a plurality of locating satellites into a sub-plurality for communication via a wireless base station according to claim 2, wherein said average location comprises: an average of latitudes of said at least two other cell sites; and an average of longitudes of said at least two other cell sites. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method of culling a plurality of locating satellites into a sub-plurality for communication via a wireless base station according to claim 3, wherein: said latitudes relate to a latitude of respective antennae associated with respective ones of said at least two other cell sites; and said longitudes relate to a longitude of respective antennae associated with respective ones of said at least two other cell sites. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of culling a plurality of locating satellites into a sub-plurality for communication via a wireless base station according to claim 1, wherein: said combined location is a mean location of at least two other cell sites not including said cell site currently servicing said relevant mobile device. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of culling a plurality of locating satellites into a sub-plurality for communication via a wireless base station according to claim 5, wherein said mean location comprises: a mean of latitudes of said at least two other cell sites; and a mean of longitudes of said at least two other cell sites. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of culling a plurality of locating satellites into a sub-plurality for communication via a wireless base station according to claim 6, wherein: said latitudes relate to a latitude of respective antennae associated with respective ones of said at least two other cell sites; and said longitudes relate to a longitude of respective antennae associated with respective ones of said at least two other cell sites. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of culling a plurality of locating satellites into a sub-plurality for communication via a wireless base station according to claim 1, wherein: said geometric shaped area is an inverted cone. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of culling a plurality of locating satellites into a sub-plurality for communication via a wireless base station according to claim 8, wherein: said inverted cone is normal to Earth. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of culling a plurality of locating satellites into a sub-plurality for communication via a wireless base station according to claim 1, wherein: said reference point is derived from a wireless base station. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of culling a plurality of locating satellites into a sub-plurality for communication via a wireless base station according to claim 10, wherein: said reference point is derived from a surveyed location of a cellular cell site which may be a site of an antenna or a cluster of antenna. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method of culling a plurality of locating satellites into a sub-plurality for communication via a wireless base station according to claim 1, wherein: said wireless base station is a cellular phone base station. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The method of culling a plurality of locating satellites into a sub-plurality for communication via a wireless base station according to claim 1, wherein: said culling is performed by said mobile device. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The method of culling a plurality of locating satellites into a sub-plurality for communication via a wireless base station according to claim 1, wherein: said culling is performed by said wireless base station with which said mobile device is in communication. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The method of culling a plurality of locating satellites into a sub-plurality for communication via a single base station according to claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of locating satellites comprise: a Global Positioning Satellite (GPS). ### Claim 16 Apparatus for culling a plurality of locating satellites into a sub-plurality for communication via a wireless base station, comprising: means for defining a reference point based on a combined location of at least one other cell site not including a cell site currently servicing a relevant mobile device; means for defining a geometric shaped area above the reference point, which is physically distant from said relevant mobile device; means for culling said plurality of locating satellites to a culled group of locating satellites within said geometric shaped area above said reference point; and means for passing an identity of said culled group of locating satellites to said relevant mobile device. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The apparatus for culling a plurality of locating satellites into a sub-plurality for communication via a wireless base station according to claim 16, wherein: said combined location is an average location of at least two other cell sites not including said cell site currently servicing said relevant mobile device. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of culling a plurality of locating satellites into a sub-plurality for communication via a wireless base station according to claim 17, wherein said average location comprises: an average of latitudes of said at least two other cell sites; and an average of longitudes of said at least two other cell sites. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of culling a plurality of locating satellites into a sub-plurality for communication via a wireless base station according to claim 18, wherein: said latitudes relate to a latitude of respective antennae associated with respective ones of said at least two other cell sites; and said longitudes relate to a longitude of respective antennae associated with respective ones of said at least two other cell sites. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The apparatus for culling a plurality of locating satellites into a sub-plurality for communication via a wireless base station according to claim 16, wherein: said combined location is a mean location of at least two other cell sites not including said cell site currently servicing said relevant mobile device. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The method of culling a plurality of locating satellites into a sub-plurality for communication via a wireless base station according to claim 20, wherein said mean location comprises: a mean of latitudes of said at least two other cell sites; and a mean of longitudes of said at least two other cell sites. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The apparatus for culling a plurality of locating satellites into a sub-plurality for communication via a wireless base station according to claim 21, wherein: said latitudes relate to a latitude of respective antennae associated with respective ones of said at least two other cell sites; and said longitudes relate to a longitude of respective antennae associated with respective ones of said at least two other cell sites. ### Claim 23 (depends on 16) The apparatus for culling a plurality of locating satellites into a sub-plurality for communication via a wireless base station according to claim 16, wherein: said geometric shaped area is an inverted cone. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The apparatus for culling a plurality of locating satellites into a sub-plurality for communication via a wireless base station according to claim 23, wherein: said inverted cone is normal to Earth. ### Claim 25 (depends on 16) The apparatus for culling a plurality of locating satellites into a sub-plurality for communication via a wireless base station according to claim 16, wherein: said reference point is derived from a wireless base station. ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) The apparatus for culling a plurality of locating satellites into a sub-plurality for communication via a wireless base station according to claim 25, wherein: said reference point is derived from a surveyed location of a cellular cell site which may be a site of an antenna or a cluster of antenna. ### Claim 27 (depends on 16) The apparatus for culling a plurality of locating satellites into a sub-plurality for communication via a wireless base station according to claim 16, wherein: said wireless base station is a cellular phone base station. ### Claim 28 (depends on 16) The apparatus for culling a plurality of locating satellites into a sub-plurality for communication via a wireless base station according to claim 16, wherein: said means for culling is comprised by said mobile device. ### Claim 29 (depends on 16) The apparatus for culling a plurality of locating satellites into a sub-plurality for communication via a wireless base station according to claim 16, wherein: said means for culling is comprised by said wireless base station with which said mobile device is in communication. ### Claim 30 (depends on 16) The apparatus for culling a plurality of locating satellites into a sub-plurality for communication via a single base station according to claim 16, wherein each of said plurality of locating satellites comprise: a Global Positioning Satellite (GPS).