# US 9,435,876 B2 · Autonomous muting indication to enable improved time difference of arrival measurements > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,435,876 B2 - Document ID: US9435876B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/521,792 - Filed: 2014-10-23 - Published: 2015-04-16 - Granted: 2016-09-06 - Earliest claimed: 2009-10-05 - Assignees: Google Technology Holdings LLC - Applicants: Google Technology Holdings LLC - Inventors: Colin D. Frank; Sandeep H. Krishnamurthy - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9435876B2 ## CPC - G01S 5/06: Position of source determined by co-ordinating a plurality of position lines defined by path-difference measurements (G01S5/12 takes precedence) - H04W 4/023: {using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds} - H04W 64/00: Locating users or terminals {or network equipment} for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management - 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 - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) ## Abstract A method, user communication device, and a base station are disclosed. A transceiver 302 may receive a serving transmission from a serving base station. A processor 304 may make a status determination of an autonomous muting status of a neighbor base station based on the serving transmission. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for measuring a time difference of arrival measurement in a mobile network, the method comprising: receiving, by one or more processors, a serving transmission from a serving base station; and making, by the one or more processors, a status determination of an autonomous muting status of a neighbor base station based on the serving transmission; and applying, by the one or more processors, a muting threshold test to a neighbor base station reading when the autonomous muting status is active; and upon passing the muting threshold test, combining, by the one or more processors, the neighbor base station into a position measurement. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the muting threshold test is applied in order to distinguish between an actual position reference transmission and noise. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein applying the muting threshold test includes comparing the reading of the neighbor base station to a muting threshold to determine whether the reading of the neighbor base station is noise. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, determining that the muting threshold test is passed when the reading of the neighbor base station is greater than the muting threshold. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising sending the position measurement to the serving base station. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein making the status determination includes: decoding a status indication from the serving transmission; and designating the autonomous muting status of the neighbor base station as active based on the status indication. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein making the status determination includes determining that the autonomous muting status of the neighbor base station is active. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein making the status determination includes determining that the autonomous muting status of the neighbor base station is active. ### Claim 9 A system for measuring a time difference of arrival measurement in a mobile network, the system comprising a user equipment device having one or more processors configured to: receive a serving transmission from a serving base station; and make a status determination of an autonomous muting status of a neighbor base station based on the serving transmission; and apply a muting threshold test to a neighbor base station reading when the autonomous muting status is active; and upon passing the muting threshold test, combining the neighbor base station into a position measurement. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The system of claim 9, wherein the one or more processors are configured to apply the muting threshold test in order to distinguish between an actual position reference transmission and noise. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The system of claim 9, wherein the one or more processors are configured to apply the muting threshold test by comparing the reading of the neighbor base station to a muting threshold to determine whether the reading of the neighbor base station is noise. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the one or more processors are configured to determine that the muting threshold test is passed when the reading of the neighbor base station is greater than the muting threshold. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The system of claim 9, wherein the one or more processors are configured to send the position measurement to the serving base station. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The system of claim 9, wherein the one or more processors are configured to make the status determination by: decoding a status indication from the serving transmission; and designating the autonomous muting status of the neighbor base station as active based on the status indication. ### Claim 15 A non-transitory, tangible computer-readable medium on which instructions are stored, the instructions, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform a method for measuring a time difference of arrival measurement in a mobile network, the method comprising: receiving a serving transmission from a serving base station; and making a status determination of an autonomous muting status of a neighbor base station based on the serving transmission; and applying a muting threshold test to a neighbor base station reading when the autonomous muting status is active; and upon passing the muting threshold test, combining the neighbor base station into a position measurement. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The medium of claim 15, wherein the muting threshold test is applied in order to distinguish between an actual position reference transmission and noise. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The medium of claim 15, wherein applying the muting threshold test includes comparing the reading of the neighbor base station to a muting threshold to determine whether the reading of the neighbor base station is noise. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The medium of claim 17, wherein the method further comprises determining that the muting threshold test is passed when the reading of the neighbor base station is greater than the muting threshold. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The medium of claim 15, wherein the method further comprises sending the position measurement to the serving base station. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The medium of claim 15, wherein making the status determination includes: decoding a status indication from the serving transmission; and designating the autonomous muting status of the neighbor base station as active based on the status indication.