Enhanced cell ID location method using non uniform subsectors and neighboring cell centroid

A method of determining the location of a mobile device comprising the steps of:

• (a) receiving measurement information from cells neighboring the serving cell and range information from the serving cell;
• (b) dividing the serving cell into a plurality of subsectors;
• (c) placing candidate locations on an intersection of bisectors of the plurality of subsectors and a range determined using the range information;
• (d) selecting a subset of neighboring and serving cells as a function of the measurement information;
• (e) determining a radio frequency (RF) coverage centroid for each of the selected neighboring cells;
• (f) determining a centroid of the determined RF centroids;
• (g) determining a location of the target mobile device as the candidate location having a minimum distance to the determined centroid;
• wherein the step of selecting a subset of neighboring and serving cells further comprises weighting measurement information for one or more of the neighboring and serving cells as a function of cell size;
• wherein cell size is determined as a function of transmission power level of the respective cell, timing advance values from mobile devices within the respective cell, and combinations thereof.

A method of determining the location of a mobile device comprising the steps of:

• (a) receiving measurement information from cells neighboring the serving cell and range information from the serving cell;
• (b) dividing the serving cell into a plurality of subsectors;
• (c) placing candidate locations on an intersection of bisectors of the plurality of subsectors and a range determined using the range information;
• (d) selecting a subset of neighboring and serving cells as a function of the measurement information;
• (e) determining a radio frequency (RF) coverage centroid for each of the selected neighboring cells;
• (f) determining a centroid of the determined RF centroids;
• (g) determining a location of the target mobile device as the candidate location having a minimum distance to the determined centroid;
• (h) determining a radial uncertainty of the mobile device location, wherein the radial uncertainty is determined as a function of type of range information.

A method of determining the location of a mobile device comprising the steps of:

• (a) receiving measurement information from cells neighboring the serving cell and range information from the serving cell;
• (b) dividing the serving cell into a plurality of subsectors;
• (c) placing candidate locations on an intersection of bisectors of the plurality of subsectors and a range determined using the range information;
• (d) selecting a subset of neighboring and serving cells as a function of the measurement information;
• (e) determining a radio frequency (RF) coverage centroid for each of the selected neighboring cells;
• (f) determining a centroid of the determined RF centroids;
• (g) determining a location of the target mobile device as the candidate location having a minimum distance to the determined centroid;
• (h) determining an angular uncertainty of the mobile device location, wherein the angular uncertainty is determined as a function of the selected subsector.

A method of determining the location of a mobile device comprising the steps of:

• (a) receiving measurement information from cells neighboring the serving cell and range information from the serving cell;
• (b) dividing the serving cell into a plurality of subsectors;
• (c) placing candidate locations on an intersection of bisectors of the plurality of subsectors and a range determined using the range information;
• (d) selecting a subset of neighboring and serving cells as a function of the measurement information;
• (e) determining a radio frequency (RF) coverage centroid for each of the selected neighboring cells;
• (f) determining a centroid of the determined RF centroids;
• (g) determining a location of the target mobile device as the candidate location having a minimum distance to the determined centroid;
• wherein the step of determining a centroid of the determined RF centroids further comprises performing an unequally weighted average of selected neighboring cell centroids;
• wherein the weights are a function of values selected from the group consisting of neighboring cell power level, serving cell power level, inter-site distance between neighboring and serving cells, and combinations thereof.