Techniques for affecting a wireless signal-based positioning capability of a mobile device based on one or more onboard sensors

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9354324-B2
Application number	US-201213622818-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 19, 2012
Priority date	Oct 20, 2011
Publication date	May 31, 2016
Grant date	May 31, 2016

Abstract

Various methods, apparatuses and/or articles of manufacture are provided which may, for example, be implemented to compute one or more inferences from signals generated by one or more inertial sensors or environmental sensors, detect an erroneous condition responsive to a comparison of the computed inference(s) with an initial position or a position fix, and, in response to the detection of the erroneous condition, affect at least one process at the mobile device that is used, at least in part, to obtain a position fix.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising, on a mobile device:
determining a first positioning parameter based, at least in part, on a wireless positioning signal received by said mobile device;
determining a second positioning parameter based, at least in part, on a signal generated by a sensor of said mobile device; and
affecting an indication of uncertainty with regard to at least said first positioning parameter based, at least in part, on said first positioning parameter and said second positioning parameter.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 , and further comprising, on said mobile device:
estimating a position of said mobile device based, at least in part, on said first positioning parameter; and
affecting an indication of position uncertainty with regard to said estimated position of said mobile device based, at least in part, on said indication of uncertainty.

3. The method as recited in claim 2 , and further comprising, on said mobile device:
affecting a wireless signal-based positioning capability based, at least in part, on at least one of: said indication of uncertainty; or said indication of a position uncertainty.

4. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein said affecting said indication of uncertainty further comprises:
determining a difference value based, at least in part, on said first positioning parameter and said second positioning parameter; and
affecting said indication of uncertainty based, at least in part, on a comparison of said difference value with a threshold value.

5. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein said first positioning parameter is based, at least in part, on an estimated pseudorange from a transmitter of said wireless positioning signal to said mobile device.

6. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein said first positioning parameter comprises an estimated velocity of said mobile.

7. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein said second positioning parameter is based, at least in part, on an estimated velocity measurement of said mobile device.

8. The method as recited in claim 1 , and further comprising, on said mobile device:
determining a motion mode of said mobile device; and
wherein said second positioning parameter is based, at least in part, on said motion mode of said mobile device.

9. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein said sensor comprises at least one of: an inertial sensor; or an environmental sensor.

10. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein said wireless positioning signal comprises a satellite positioning system (SPS) signal.

11. An apparatus for use in a mobile device, the apparatus comprising:
means for determining a first positioning parameter based, at least in part, on a wireless positioning signal received by said mobile device;
means for determining a second positioning parameter based, at least in part, on a signal generated by a sensor of said mobile device; and
means for affecting an indication of uncertainty with regard to at least said first positioning parameter based, at least in part, on said first positioning parameter and said second positioning parameter.

12. The apparatus as recited in claim 11 , and further comprising:
means for estimating a position of said mobile device based, at least in part, on said first positioning parameter; and
means for affecting an indication of position uncertainty with regard to said estimated position of said mobile device based, at least in part, on said indication of uncertainty.

13. The apparatus as recited in claim 12 , and further comprising:
means for affecting a wireless signal-based positioning capability based, at least in part, on at least one of: said indication of uncertainty; or said indication of position uncertainty.

14. The apparatus as recited in claim 11 , and further comprising:
means for determining a difference value based, at least in part, on said first positioning parameter and said second positioning parameter; and
means for affecting said indication of uncertainty based, at least in part, on a comparison of said difference value with a threshold value.

15. The apparatus as recited in claim 11 , wherein said first positioning parameter is based, at least in part, on an estimated pseudorange from a transmitter of said wireless positioning signal to said mobile device.

16. The apparatus as recited in claim 11 , wherein said first positioning parameter comprises an estimated velocity of said mobile.

17. The apparatus as recited in claim 11 , wherein said second positioning parameter is based, at least in part, on an estimated velocity measurement of said mobile device.

18. The apparatus as recited in claim 11 , and further comprising:
means for determining a motion mode of said mobile device; and
wherein said second positioning parameter is based, at least in part, on said motion mode of said mobile device.

19. The apparatus as recited in claim 11 , wherein said sensor comprises at least one of: an inertial sensor; or an environmental sensor.

20. The apparatus as recited in claim 11 , wherein said wireless positioning signal comprises a satellite positioning system (SPS) signal.

21. A mobile device:
a communication interface;
a sensor; and
one or more processors configured to:
determine a first positioning parameter based, at least in part, on a wireless positioning signal received by said communication interface;
determine a second positioning parameter based, at least in part, on a signal to be generated by said sensor; and
affect an indication of uncertainty with regard to at least said first positioning parameter based, at least in part, on said first positioning parameter and said second positioning parameter.

22. The mobile device as recited in claim 21 , said one or more processors further configured to:
estimate a position of said mobile device based, at least in part, on said first positioning parameter; and
affect an indication of position uncertainty with regard to said estimated position of said mobile device based, at least in part, on said indication of uncertainty.

23. The mobile device as recited in claim 22 , said one or more processors further configured to:
affect a wireless signal-based positioning capability based, at least in part, on at least one of: said indication of uncertainty or said indication of a position uncertainty, or any combination thereof.

24. The mobile device as recited in claim 21 , said one or more processors further configured to:
determine a difference value based, at least in part, on said first positioning parameter and said second positioning parameter; and
affect said indication of uncertainty based, at least in part, on a comparison of said difference value with a threshold value.

25. The mobile device as recited in claim 21 , wherein said first positioning parameter is to be based, at least in part, on an estimated pseudorange from a transmitter of said wireless positioning signal to said mobile device.

26. The mobile device as recited in claim 21 , wherein said first positioning parameter to comprise an estimated velocity of said mobile.

27. The mobile device as recited in claim 21 , wherein said second positioning parameter is to be based, at least in part, on an estimated velocity measurement of said mobile device.

28. The mobile device as recited in claim 21 , said one or more processors further con

Assignees

• Wu Jie
• Riley Wyatt T
• Morrison William J
• Qualcomm Inc

Inventors

• Wu Jie
• Riley Wyatt T
• Morrison William J

Classifications

• G01S19/49

  whereby the further system is an inertial position system, e.g. loosely-coupled · CPC title

• G01S19/25 Primary

  involving aiding data received from a cooperating element, e.g. assisted GPS · CPC title

• G01S19/46 Primary

  the supplementary measurement being of a radio-wave signal type · CPC title

• G01S19/20 Primary

  Integrity monitoring, fault detection or fault isolation of space segment · CPC title

• H04W64/00

  Locating users or terminals {or network equipment} for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management · CPC title