Selection of a relative positioning method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9696431-B2
Application number	US-201013640701-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 12, 2010
Priority date	Apr 12, 2010
Publication date	Jul 4, 2017
Grant date	Jul 4, 2017

Abstract

It is disclosed to select a relative positioning method from a set of at least two different relative positioning methods that are for determining an estimate of a relative position between first and second entities. The method is selected in dependence on at least one of the following criteria: an estimated/measured distance between the first and second entities; a relative positioning capability, of at least one of the first entity, the second entity and at least one server entity associated with at least one of the first and second entities, to determine an estimate of a relative position between two entities; and an availability, at at least one of the at least one server entity, of a service providing data of at least one reference entity useable for determining an estimate of a relative position between the reference entity and one of the first and second entities.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method performed by an apparatus, said method comprising:
selecting a relative positioning method from a set of at least two different relative positioning methods that are for determining an estimate of a relative position between a first entity and a second entity, wherein said first entity and said second entity are mobile terminals of a mobile radio communications system, said relative positioning method selected in dependence on the following criterion:
a relative positioning capability, of at least one of said first entity, said second entity or at least one server entity associated with at least one of said first entity or said second entity, to determine an estimate of a relative position between two entities, wherein said relative positioning capability is a capability to determine an estimate of a relative position between said two entities based on a double difference observable obtained by subtracting a first difference between respective data obtained for said two entities with respect to a first satellite of a Global Navigation Satellite System and a second difference between respective data obtained for said two entities with respect to a second satellite of said Global Navigation Satellite System that is different from said first satellite,
wherein in case that an estimated/determined distance between said first entity and said second entity is one of below and below-or-equal-to a threshold, a relative positioning method is selected in which said estimate of said relative position between said first entity and said second entity is determined based on data measured at said first entity and on data measured at said second entity without requiring any data of a reference entity.

2. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising at least one of:
obtaining information on at least said criterion in dependence on which said relative positioning method is selected, or
initiating said selected relative positioning method.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein communication between said first entity and its associated server entity and between said second entity and its associated server entity is at least partially based on at least one of the Secure User Plane Protocol or the Long Term Evolution Positioning Protocol.

4. A method performed by an apparatus, said method comprising:
selecting a relative positioning method from a set of at least two different relative positioning methods that are for determining an estimate of a relative position between a first entity and a second entity, wherein said first entity and said second entity are mobile terminals of a mobile radio communications system, said relative positioning method selected in dependence on the following criterion:
a relative positioning capability, of at least one of said first entity, said second entity or at least one server entity associated with at least one of said first entity or said second entity, to determine an estimate of a relative position between two entities, wherein said relative positioning capability is a capability to determine an estimate of a relative position between said two entities based on a double difference observable obtained by subtracting a first difference between respective data obtained for said two entities with respect to a first satellite of a Global Navigation Satellite System and a second difference between respective data obtained for said two entities with respect to a second satellite of said Global Navigation Satellite System that is different from said first satellite,
wherein in case that an estimated/determined distance between said first entity and said second entity is above a threshold, a relative positioning method is selected that is based on measurements performed by said first entity and said second entity and also on data of at least two reference entities.

5. A method performed by an apparatus, said method comprising:
selecting a relative positioning method from a set of at least two different relative positioning methods that are for determining an estimate of a relative position between a first entity and a second entity, wherein said first entity and said second entity are mobile terminals of a mobile radio communications system, said relative positioning method selected in dependence on the following criterion:
a relative positioning capability, of at least one of said first entity, said second entity or at least one server entity associated with at least one of said first entity or said second entity, to determine an estimate of a relative position between two entities, wherein said relative positioning capability is a capability to determine an estimate of a relative position between said two entities based on a double difference observable obtained by subtracting a first difference between respective data obtained for said two entities with respect to a first satellite of a Global Navigation Satellite System and a second difference between respective data obtained for said two entities with respect to a second satellite of said Global Navigation Satellite System that is different from said first satellite,
wherein said relative positioning method is further selected in dependence on the following criterion:
an availability, at at least one of said at least one server entity, of a service providing data of at least one reference entity useable for determining an estimate of a relative position between said reference entity and one of said first entity and said second entity,
wherein in case that an estimated/determined distance between said first entity and said second entity is one of above and above-or-equal-to a threshold, a relative positioning method is selected in which said estimate of said relative position between said first entity and said second entity is determined based on data measured at said first entity, said second entity and at at least two reference entities.

6. The method according to claim 5 , wherein in case that said service providing said data of said at least one reference entity is available at a common server entity associated with said first entity and said second entity or at both a first server entity associated with said first entity and a second server entity associated with said second entity and that at least one of said first entity, said second entity, said common server entity, said first server entity or said second server entity has said relative positioning capability, a positioning method is selected in which said estimate of said relative position between said first entity and said second entity is determined based on data measured at said first entity, said second entity and at at least two reference entities, and wherein said estimate of said relative position between said first entity and said second entity is determined based on an estimate of an absolute position of said first entity and an estimate of an absolute position of said second entity.

7. The method according to claim 6 , wherein said estimate of said absolute position of said first entity is determined based on respective information on a respective absolute position of at least one of said at least two reference entities that is associated with said first entity and on a respective estimate of a respective relative position between said at least one reference entity associated with said first entity and said first entity, and wherein said estimate of said absolute position of said second entity is determined based on respective information on a respective absolute position of at least one of said at least two reference entities that is associated with said second entity and on a respective estimate of a respective relative position between said at least one reference entity associated with said second

Assignees

• Wirola Lauri
• Nokia Technologies Oy

Inventors

• Wirola Lauri

Classifications

• G01S5/011

  Identifying the radio environment · 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

• G01S19/51 Primary

  Relative positioning · CPC title

• G01S5/0289

  of multiple transceivers, e.g. in ad hoc networks · CPC title

• G01S19/43

  using carrier phase measurements, e.g. kinematic positioning; using long or short baseline interferometry · CPC title