Tiered positioning assistance data for mobile devices within an indoor environment

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9442179-B2
Application number	US-201313794269-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 11, 2013
Priority date	Mar 11, 2013
Publication date	Sep 13, 2016
Grant date	Sep 13, 2016

Abstract

Various methods, apparatuses and/or articles of manufacture are provided which may be implemented in one or more electronic devices supporting mobile device positioning within an indoor environment. Tiered positioning assistance data (tiered-PAD) corresponding to an indoor environment may be generated and/or distributed. Mobile device positioning and/or navigation capabilities may be based, at least in part, on tiered-PAD corresponding to the indoor environment. Tiered-PAD may be provided to a plurality of mobile devices. A given mobile device may, for example, select applicable portion(s) of tiered-PAD to affect one or more positioning functions and/or the like which may be performed, at least in part, by the mobile device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising, at a mobile device:
receiving, via a processing unit, a single generic message corresponding to an indoor environment, said message having been broadcast by a transmitting device provisioned within said indoor environment or within a threshold distance from said indoor environment and comprising tiered positioning assistance data (tiered-PAD) for use by a plurality of mobile devices;
accessing, via said processing unit, a specific portion of said tiered-PAD from said message; and
affecting a positioning function performed, at least in part, by said mobile device based, at least in part, on said specific portion of said tiered-PAD.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein said tiered-PAD comprises at least a first tier positioning assistance data and a second tier positioning assistance data, and wherein said specific portion comprises at least said first tier positioning assistance data.

3. The method as recited in claim 2 , and wherein said specific portion further comprises said second tier positioning assistance data.

4. The method as recited in claim 2 , wherein, within said tiered-PAD, a first tier protection scheme is applied to control access to at least said first tier positioning assistance data, and a second tier protection scheme is applied to control access to at least said second tier positioning assistance data.

5. The method as recited in claim 2 , wherein at least a portion of said first tier positioning assistance data is indicative of: (1) at least one wireless signal transmitting device capable of transmitting a wireless signal to said mobile device while located within said indoor environment; and (2) a location of said at least one wireless signal transmitting device.

6. The method as recited in claim 2 , wherein at least a portion of said second tier positioning assistance data is indicative of a wireless signal propagation related parameter corresponding to at least a portion of said indoor environment.

7. The method as recited in claim 2 , wherein said tiered-PAD further comprises at least third tier positioning assistance data, and wherein at least a portion of said third tier positioning assistance data is indicative of:
a navigation parameter corresponding to at least a portion of said indoor environment; or
an identifier for one or more network resources capable of providing at least said navigation parameter, or some combination thereof.

8. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein said tiered-PAD comprises a plurality of different tier positioning assistance data, and wherein said specific portion is based, at least in part, on a determination as to which of said plurality of different tier positioning assistance data apply to said positioning function.

9. The method as recited in claim 1 , and further comprising, at said mobile device:
in response to receiving said message, initiating a wireless signal reception calibration process corresponding to said positioning function.

10. The method as recited in claim 9 , wherein said wireless signal reception calibration process is based, at least in part, on said message and/or one or more subsequent signals broadcast by said transmitting device.

11. An apparatus for use in a mobile device, the apparatus comprising:
means for receiving a single generic message corresponding to an indoor environment, said message having been broadcast by a transmitting device provisioned within said indoor environment or within a threshold distance from said indoor environment and comprising tiered positioning assistance data (tiered-PAD) for use by a plurality of mobile devices;
means for accessing a specific portion of said tiered-PAD from said message; and
means for affecting a positioning function performed, at least in part, by said mobile device based, at least in part, on said specific portion of said tiered-PAD.

12. The apparatus as recited in claim 11 , wherein said tiered-PAD comprises at least first tier positioning assistance data and second tier positioning assistance data, and wherein said specific portion comprises at least said first tier positioning assistance data.

13. The apparatus as recited in claim 12 , and wherein said specific portion further comprises said second tier positioning assistance data.

14. The apparatus as recited in claim 12 , wherein, within said tiered-PAD, a first tier protection scheme is applied to control access to at least said first tier positioning assistance data, and a second tier protection scheme is applied to control access to at least said second tier positioning assistance data.

15. The apparatus as recited in claim 12 , wherein at least a portion of said first tier positioning assistance data is indicative of: (1) at least one wireless signal transmitting device capable of transmitting a wireless signal to said mobile device while located within said indoor environment; and (2) a location of said at least one wireless signal transmitting device.

16. The apparatus as recited in claim 12 , wherein at least a portion of said second tier positioning assistance data is indicative of a wireless signal propagation related parameter corresponding to at least a portion of said indoor environment.

17. The apparatus as recited in claim 12 , wherein said tiered-PAD further comprises at least third tier positioning assistance data, and wherein at least a portion of said third tier positioning assistance data is indicative of:
a navigation parameter corresponding to at least a portion of said indoor environment; or
an identifier for one or more network resources capable of providing at least said navigation parameter, or some combination thereof.

18. The apparatus as recited in claim 11 , wherein said tiered-PAD comprises a plurality of different tier positioning assistance data, and wherein said specific portion is based, at least in part, on a determination as to which of said plurality of different tier positioning assistance data apply to said positioning function.

19. The apparatus as recited in claim 11 , and further comprising:
means for initiating a wireless signal reception calibration process corresponding to said positioning function, in response to receiving said message.

20. The apparatus as recited in claim 19 , wherein said wireless signal reception calibration process is based, at least in part, on said message and/or one or more subsequent signals broadcast by said transmitting device.

21. A mobile device comprising:
a network interface unit; and
a processing unit configured to:
obtain a single generic message corresponding to an indoor environment and received via said network interface unit, said message having been broadcast by a transmitting device provisioned within said indoor environment or within a threshold distance from said indoor environment and comprising tiered positioning assistance data (tiered-PAD) for use by a plurality of mobile devices;
access a specific portion of said tiered-PAD from said message; and
affect a positioning function performed, at least in part, by said mobile device based, at least in part, on said specific portion of said tiered-PAD.

22. The mobile device as recited in claim 21 , wherein said tiered-PAD comprises at least a first tier positioning assistance data and a second tier positioning assistance data, and wherein said specific portion comprises at least said first tier positioning assistance data.

23. The mobile device as recited in clai

Assignees

• Qualcomm Inc

Inventors

• Do Ju-Yong
• Beauregard Stephen J
• Gao Weihua
• Venkatraman Sai Pradeep
• Emadzadeh Amir A
• Raman Sundar
• Zhang Gengsheng

Classifications

• G01S19/12

  wherein the cooperating elements are telecommunication base stations · CPC title

• H04W64/00

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

• G01S5/0236 Primary

  Assistance data, e.g. base station almanac · CPC title

• G01S19/48

  by combining or switching between position solutions derived from the satellite radio beacon positioning system and position solutions derived from a further system · CPC title