US 7,525,484 B2 · Gateway and hybrid solutions for wireless location

Abstract

A location system is disclosed for commercial wireless telecommunication infrastructures. The system is an end-to-end solution having one or more location centers for outputting requested locations of commercially available handsets or mobile stations (MS) based on, e.g., CDMA, AMPS, NAMPS or TDMA communication standards, for processing both local MS location requests and more global MS location requests via, e.g., Internet communication between a distributed network of location centers. The system uses a plurality of MS locating technologies including those based on: (1) two-way TOA and TDOA; (2) pattern recognition; (3) distributed antenna provisioning; and (4) supplemental information from various types of very low cost non-infrastructure base stations for communicating via a typical commercial wireless base station infrastructure or a public telephone switching network. Accordingly, the traditional MS location difficulties, such as multipath, poor location accuracy and poor coverage are alleviated via such technologies in combination with strategies for: (a) automatically adapting and calibrating system performance according to environmental and geographical changes; (b) automatically capturing location signal data for continual enhancement of a self-maintaining historical data base retaining predictive location signal data; (c) evaluating MS locations according to both heuristics and constraints related to, e.g., terrain, MS velocity and MS path extrapolation from tracking and (d) adjusting likely MS locations adaptively and statistically so that the system becomes progressively more comprehensive and accurate. Further, the system can be modularly configured for use in location signaling environments ranging from urban, dense urban, suburban, rural, mountain to low traffic or isolated roadways. Accordingly, the system is useful for 911 emergency calls, tracking, routing, people and animal location including applications for confinement to and exclusion from certain areas.

Claims77

Dependent claims

A method for obtaining requested location information regarding a first of a plurality of terrestrial wireless mobile stations using location information from location estimating sources, and to provide the requested location information to an application using wireless location, the location estimating sources, including a first location estimating source and a second location estimating source, the first and second location estimating sources providing information regarding locations of various of the mobile wireless stations, the method comprising the steps of:

first receiving a location request regarding the first of said wireless mobile station from the application, said location request seeking said requested location information;
first obtaining a first location input obtained using an instance, I1, of location information from said first location estimating source, wherein I1 is indicative of one or more locations of said first wireless mobile station, and
second obtaining a second location input obtained using an instance, I2, of location information provided from said second location estimating source, wherein I2 is indicative of one or more locations of said first wireless mobile station;
wherein said first location estimating source employs a first location finding technology that provides I1, and said second location estimating source employs a second location finding technology different than said first location finding technology that provides I2;
and
wherein said steps of first and second obtaining includes a step of providing said first and second location inputs in a common standardized format;
storing data in memory relating to said first location input and said second location input;
third obtaining said requested location information by selectively using portions of said data from said memory, wherein said requested location information is determined according to information indicative of a manner in which said application prefers said requested location information;
and
outputting said requested location information to said application.

7 more elements

A method for estimating, for each mobile station M of a plurality of mobile stations, an unknown terrestrial location (LM) for M using wireless signal measurements obtained via transmissions between said mobile station M and a plurality of fixed location terrestrial communication stations, wherein each of said communications stations is substantially co-located with one or more of a transmitter and a receiver for wirelessly communicating with said mobile station M, comprising:

initiating a plurality of requests for information related to the location of said mobile station M, the requests provided to each of at least two mobile station location evaluators, wherein there is at least a first of the requests provided to a first of the location evaluators and a second of the requests, different from the first request, provided to a second of the location evaluators, such that when said location evaluators are supplied with corresponding input data having values obtained using wireless signal measurements obtained via two way wireless communication between said mobile station M, and the communication stations, each of said first and second location evaluators determine corresponding location information related to LM, and
wherein for at least one location L of one of the mobile stations, said first location evaluator and said second location evaluator output, respectively, first and second position information related to the one mobile station being at L wherein neither of the first and second position information is dependent upon the other;
obtaining a first collection of location information of said mobile station M, wherein the first collection includes first location information from the first location evaluator, and second location information from the second location evaluator;
determining resulting information related to the location LM of the mobile station M, wherein the resulting information is dependent on geographical information in each of the first and second location information;
and
transmitting, to a predetermined destination via a communications network, the resulting information.

3 more elements

A method for locating mobile stations at one or more unknown terrestrial locations using wireless signal measurements obtained via transmissions between said mobile stations and a plurality of fixed location terrestrial communication stations, wherein each of said communications stations includes one or more of a transmitter and a receiver for wirelessly communicating with said mobile stations, comprising:

receiving, from a plurality of location requesting sources, a plurality of input requests for locations of the mobile stations, wherein for each of the input requests there is a corresponding destination for a responsive output;
for each of the input requests, providing one or more location requests for location information, related to a location of one of said mobile stations, to one or more mobile station location determining sources;
first obtaining, in response to a first of the location requests received from a first of the requesting sources, at least first location information of a first location of a first of said mobile stations, said first location information determined using a first set of one or more wireless location techniques;
first determining, using said first location information, first output location data according to a first output criteria for the corresponding destination for the first request, said first output location data including a representation identifying a first geographical location of the first location;
second obtaining, in response to a second of the location requests received from a second of the requesting sources, at least second location information of a second location of a second of said mobile stations, said second location information determined using a second set of one or more wireless location techniques, wherein the second set determines the second location information by activating at least one location computing module for locating the second mobile station from at least a portion of the signal measurements, wherein the at least one location computing module is not activated for determining the first location information;
second determining, using said second location information, second output location data according to a second output criteria for the corresponding destination for the second request, said second output location data including a representation identifying a second geographical location of the second location;
wherein for at least one of said first and second output criteria, there is an output criteria for another of the location requests that is different from said at least one output criteria;
first transmitting said first output location data to its corresponding destination via a communications network;
and
second transmitting said second output location data to its corresponding destination via a communications network, the first and second locations being different.

7 more elements

A method for locating a first wireless mobile stations using measurements of wireless signals, wherein at least one of:

(i) said measurements, and (ii) said wireless signals are transmitted between the first mobile station and at least one of a plurality of terrestrial transceivers, and for locating a second wireless mobile station using second measurments of second wireless signals, where at least one of:
(1) said second measurements, and (2) said second wireless signals are transmitted between the second mobile station and at least one of the plurality of terrestrial transceivers, wherein said transceivers are capable of at least wirelessly detecting a plurality of wireless transmitting mobile stations, including said first and second mobile stations, comprising:
providing access to first and second different mobile station location techniques, wherein each of said location techniques is capable of providing location information for each mobile station of at least some of said mobile stations when said location technique is supplied with corresponding data obtained from wireless signal measurements communicated between the mobile station and one or more of said plurality of transceivers, wherein for at least one location L of one of the mobile stations, said first location technique and said second location technique output, respectively, first and second position information related to the one mobile station being at L wherein neither of the first and second position information is dependent upon a change in the other;
first supplying said first location technique with first corresponding data obtained from wireless signal measurements communicated between one or more of:
(a1) said first mobile station and one or more of said plurality of transceivers, and (a2) said second mobile station and one or more of said plurality of transceivers;
second supplying said second location technique with second corresponding data obtained from wireless signal measurements communicated between one or more of:
(b1) said first mobile station and one or more of said plurality of transceivers, and (b2) said second mobile station and one or more of said plurality of transceivers;
first receiving from said first location technique, first location related information representing one or more of:
a first range of locations for the first mobile station, and a second range of locations for the second mobile station;
second receiving from said second location technique, second location related information representing one or more of:
a third range of locations for the first mobile station, and a fourth range of locations for the second mobile station;
determining resulting location information for each of the first and second mobile stations using at least one of:
(c1) a first value obtained from said first location related information, and (c2) a second value obtained from said second location related information;
wherein there is at least one predetermined common location related component activated for determining the resulting location information for each of said first and second mobile stations, wherein:
(i) said common component is activated, for locating said first mobile station, after at least one step of said steps of first and second supplying, and
(ii) said common component is activated, for locating said second mobile station, after at least one step of said steps of first and second supplying;
providing said resulting location information for each of the first and second mobile stations for presentation, wherein said presentation for at least one of said first and second mobile stations is determined according to an expected accuracy of said resulting location information for the at least mobile station.

14 more elements

A method for locating a wireless mobile station, comprising:

repeatedly performing the following steps (A1) through (A3) for tracking the mobile station, wherein there is at least a first and a second mobile station location technique, each of the location techniques providing an instance of location information for a location of the mobile station to the step (A1) below at some time during said step of repeatedly performing;
wherein for at least one location L of the mobile station, said first mobile station location technique and said second mobile station location technique output location information instances having, respectively, first and second position information for the mobile station being at L, wherein neither of the first and second position information varies substantially as a result in a change in the other;
(A1) receiving an instance, I1, of location information for the mobile station from at least one of the first and a second mobile station location techniques wherein I1 includes position information for the mobile station;
(A2) determining at least one resulting instance of location information for said mobile station using at least one of:
(a) a first value obtained from an instance of first location information received from said first location technique, and (b) a second value obtained from an instance of second location information received from said second location technique;
wherein said step of determining includes a step of determining a likely roadway upon which the mobile station is located;
(A3) outputting said resulting location information for display on a display device, wherein said resulting location information is displayed as at least one location of the mobile station on a map having roadways thereon.

4 more elements

A method for locating, from a plurality of wireless mobile stations, one of the wireless mobile stations using measurements of wireless signals, wherein at least one of:

(i) said measurements and (ii) said wireless signals are transmitted between said one mobile station and at least one of a plurality of fixed location communication stations, each communication station capable of at least one of receiving wireless signals from, and transmitting wireless signals to said one mobile station, comprising:
receiving, from each of at least first and second mobile station location estimators, corresponding first and second information related to likely geographical approximations for a location of said one mobile station, wherein:
(a) for determining a likely geographical approximation, GAA, for a location, LA, of a second of the mobile stations at a time TA, said first location estimator generates GAA without requiring a prior likely geographical location approximation generated by said second location estimator for locating the second mobile station at substantially the location LA at substantially the time TA, and,
(b) for estimating a likely geographical approximation, GAB, for a location, LB, of a third one of the mobile stations at a time TB, said second location estimator generates GAB without requiring a prior likely geographical location approximation generated by said first location estimator for locating the third mobile station at the location LB at substantially the time TB;
determining a resulting location estimate of said one mobile station, wherein said step of determining includes at least one of the substeps (B1) through (B2) following:
(B1) when said first and second information include, respectively, first and second likely geographical approximations, combining said first and second likely geographical approximations so that said resulting location estimate is dependent on each of said first and second location likely geographical approximations;
and
(B2) selecting one of said first and second information for receiving preference in determining said resulting location, wherein said selecting is dependent upon location related data in at least one of said first and second information.

5 more elements

A method for locating a wireless mobile station capable of wireless two way communication with a plurality of fixed location terrestrial stations, comprising:

providing access to a plurality of mobile station location estimating techniques, wherein each said location technique provides location information having a location estimate of said mobile station when said location technique is supplied with sufficient corresponding input information upon which the location estimate is dependent, and wherein the corresponding input information is at least partially derived from measurements of wireless signals transmitted from or received at the mobile station;
receiving, over time, a plurality of location estimates of the mobile station;
determining, a plurality of consecutive resulting location estimates for tracking the mobile station, wherein said step of determining includes steps (a) and (c) following:
(a) deriving, for at least one time during the tracking, a corresponding one of said resulting location estimates of the mobile station using one of said location estimates by said first location technique for locating the mobile station;
(b) deriving, for at least one time during the tracking, a corresponding one of said resulting location estimates of the mobile station using one of said location estimates by said second location technique for locating the mobile station;
(c) preferring a location estimate of said first location technique over a location estimate of said second location technique when both are available for substantially a same location of the mobile station.

3 more elements

A method for locating a mobile station using wireless signal measurements obtained from transmissions between said mobile station and a plurality of fixed location communication stations, wherein each of said communications stations includes one or more of a transmitter and a receiver for wirelessly communicating with said mobile station, comprising:

providing access to first and second mobile station location evaluators, wherein said location evaluators are able to determine information related to one or more location estimates of said mobile station when said location evaluators are supplied with data having values obtained during wireless signal two way communication between said mobile station and the communication stations;
wherein for at least one location L of the mobile station, said first mobile station location evaluator and said second mobile station location evaluator output location information instances having, respectively, first and second position information for the mobile station being at L, wherein neither of the first and second position information substantially changes with a change in the other of the first and second position information;
first obtaining, from said first location evaluator, first location related information for identifying a location of the mobile station for at least one of the following situations:
a tracking of the mobile station, and in response to a request for a location of the mobile station;
second obtaining, from said second location evaluator, second location related information for identifying a location of the mobile station for said same at least one situation;
determining resulting location information of the mobile station dependent upon at least one of:
(a) a first value obtained from said first location related information, and (b) a second value obtained from said second location related information;
wherein said determining step includes providing the resulting location information with:
(i) data indicative of one of:
an error and a likelihood of the mobile station being at a location represented by said resulting location information;
and
(ii) a timestamp indicative of when the resulting location information corresponds to a location of the mobile station.

9 more elements

A method for locating one or more mobile stations using wireless signal measurements obtained from transmissions between said mobile stations and a plurality of terrestrial communication stations, wherein each of said communication stations includes one or more of a transmitter and a receiver for wirelessly communicating with said mobile stations, comprising:

receiving a location request for a location of a first of the mobile stations, wherein the first mobile station is capable of providing wireless telephony transmissions, and the first mobile station includes a substantially same collection of components that are in electronic contact with one another for performing each of at least most wireless telephony transmissions from the first mobile station;
generating one or more messages, for information related to a location of said first mobile station, said messages for requesting activation of one or more mobile station location estimators such that when said location estimators are supplied with corresponding input data having values obtained from wireless signal measurements obtained via transmissions between said first mobile station and the communication stations, said one or more location estimators determine location related information for the first mobile station;
first obtaining, from at least two of said location estimators, first mobile station related location information obtained as a result of an available at least two instances of said corresponding input data;
determining a resulting location estimate of the first mobile station obtained from said first mobile station related location information;
wherein at least one of said steps of generating, first obtaining, and determining includes a substep of one of:
(i) transmitting information to a destination via a communication network, and (ii) receiving information from a source via a communication network;
using said resulting location information, to determine output location information according to output criteria corresponding to an application requesting data related to a location of the mobile station, wherein said output criteria includes at least some of:
(a) a transmission protocol;
(b) a granularity of by which a location estimate of the mobile station represented by said resulting location information is to be provided;
(c) a frequency with which repeated location estimates of the mobile station are to be output to the application;
(d) destination data for determining where said resulting location information is to be transmitted;
(e) an indication as to whether a location estimate of the mobile station is to be adjusted according to a known geographical feature different from the communication stations;
and
(f) a desired representation of a location estimate of the mobile station represented by said resulting location information.

11 more elements

A mobile station location system, comprising:

a gating module for communicating with two or more mobile station location estimating sources for determining corresponding geographic extents for locations of a plurality of mobile stations, such that for each mobile station M of at least some of the mobile stations, when one or more of the estimating sources are supplied with corresponding data obtained from measurements of wireless signals transmitted between the mobile station M, and at least one of (1) and (2) following:
(1) a plurality of communication stations capable of at least one of:
wirelessly detecting said mobile stations, and being wirelessly detected by said mobile stations, and
(2) one or more non-terrestrial wireless signal transmitting stations,
then for said one or more location estimating sources supplied with their corresponding data, each such source outputs a corresponding geographic extent of a geographical location of the mobile station M;
wherein for a first of said mobile station location estimating sources, and for a second of said mobile station location estimating sources, for at least one instance of locating one of the mobile stations, said first and second sources can provide if activated, respectively, first and second different corresponding geographic extents for the one mobile station;
wherein the first corresponding geographic extent is not dependent upon the second corresponding geographic extent, and the second geographic extent is not dependent upon the first geographic extent;
wherein said gating module communicates on a communications network with at least the first of the location estimating sources for providing said location system with said corresponding geographic extent for a location L of the mobile station M;
and
a resulting estimator for determining a likely location estimate of the location L of the mobile station M using two or more of said corresponding geographic extents for the mobile station M, said resulting estimator activating at least one of:
(i) a selector for giving preference, as more indicative of the location L, to at least one geographic extent obtained from said corresponding geographic extents, and (ii) a combiner for combining said two or more corresponding geographic extents for obtaining said likely location estimate.

8 more elements

A mobile station location system, comprising:

a communications controller for selectively communicating with a plurality of mobile station location estimating sources for at least one of (1) and (2) following:
(1) activating a selected one or more of said mobile station location estimating sources;
and
(2) receiving location related information for locating a plurality of mobile stations;
wherein for each mobile station M of at least some of the mobile stations, when one or more of said location estimating sources are supplied with corresponding data obtained from measurements of wireless signals transmitted between (i) and (ii) following:
(i) the mobile station M, and
(ii) at least one of:
a network of communication stations cooperatively linked for use in locating the mobile stations, and one or more non-terrestrial wireless signal transmitting stations,
then each such source supplied with its corresponding data, outputs a corresponding location estimate of a geographical location of the mobile station M;
wherein for a first of said mobile station location estimating sources, when estimating a location L1 of one of the mobile stations, said first source is dependent upon a result from a first location computing component for computing the location L1, and for a second of said mobile station location estimating sources, when estimating a location of one of the mobile stations, said second source is dependent upon a result from a different second location computing component, wherein the first source is not dependent upon on an output from the second location computing component when estimating the mobile at the location L1, and the second location computing component is not dependent upon an output from the first location computing component when estimating the mobile at the location L2;
wherein for at least one instance of locating one of the mobile stations, said first and second sources can provide, if activated, different location estimates;
an interface in communication with said controller, said interface for communicating on a communications network with at least one of said first and second location estimating sources for thereby at least one of (3) and (4) following:
(3) requesting activation of said at least one location estimating source, and
(4) receiving, from said at least one location estimating source, said corresponding location estimate of the mobile station M;
a resulting estimator for determining a likely location estimate of a location L of the mobile station M using two or more of said corresponding location estimates for the mobile station M at L, wherein said resulting estimator includes at least one of:
(i) a selector for giving preference, as more indicative of the location L, to at least one preferred location estimate obtained from said corresponding location estimates;
and
(ii) a combiner for obtaining said likely location estimate as a function of said two or more of said corresponding location estimates.

15 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Gateway and hybrid solutions for wireless location

Life of this patent

Gateway and hybrid solutions for wireless location

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims77