摘要:
Various embodiments are directed to methods and apparatus for mobile device position determination and the efficient communication of mobile device position related information. In different areas different types of reference signals may be available to be used by a mobile device for position determination. Some types of references signal may be well suited for an indoor environment, e.g., audio signals, Bluetooth signals and Wi-Fi signals, while other types of signals may be well suited for an outdoor environment, e.g., GPS signals and cellular base station signals. Different types of signals may facilitate different possible resolution accuracies for a position determination. In various embodiments, in different areas within a geographic coverage region, different sets of reference signals are available to determine its position. In some embodiments, different position determination resolutions are used in different area as a function of the reference signal type which is available.
摘要:
A set of signal prediction map generation parameters, used to generate a signal prediction map to determine mobile device location, are initially modeled as large variance random variables. A network device, e.g., a server, receives estimated positions of mobiles and corresponding signal measurements, e.g., received signal power measurements, taken at those estimated positions by the mobiles. Received signal measurement information and corresponding estimated position information from a mobile is used to update one or more of the signal prediction map generation parameter distributions. After multiple updates to a distribution of a signal prediction map generation parameter, the network node transmits a prediction parameter update signal communicating the new distribution of the signal prediction parameter to be subsequently used by the mobile devices in the system when generating a signal prediction map and estimating its position.
摘要:
Various embodiments are directed to methods and apparatus for mobile device position determination and the efficient communication of mobile device position related information. In different areas different types of reference signals may be available to be used by a mobile device for position determination. Some types of references signal may be well suited for short range in an indoor environment, e.g., audio signals, Bluetooth signals and Wi-Fi signals, while other types of signals may be well suited for an outdoor environment, e.g., GPS signals and cellular base station signals. Different types of signals may facilitate different possible resolution accuracies for a position determination. In various embodiments, in different areas within a geographic coverage region, different sets of reference signals are available to be used by a mobile wireless device to determine its position. In some embodiments, different position determination resolutions are used in different area as a function of the reference signal type which is available.
摘要:
Methods and apparatus for communicating the location of a mobile wireless communications device are described. Codewords, e.g., values or sets of bits, are selected from a codebook mapping different codewords to corresponding pieces of location information. In a first approach location information is communicated by using codewords from different codebooks with the product, e.g., intersection of location information provided by the codewords, providing relatively detailed location information using relatively few bits. In a second approach user specific codebooks are defined for individual users. The codewords in the codebook corresponding to a particular user map to locations the individual specific user is likely to frequent. In another approach codewords are transmitted at different power levels and/or using different coding rates. Received codewords corresponding to a device may be used in combination to determine the location or refine the understanding of the device location.
摘要:
One or more bits are used in peer discovery signals to signal a device's ability and/or willingness to participate in a cooperative manner with regard to one or more mobile device location determination related operations. In some embodiments, the one or more bits are located at predetermined locations within a header portion of a peer discovery signal. Different bits, in some embodiments, are associated with different specific cooperative location determination related operations. The peer discovery signal is transmitted, e.g., broadcast, periodically or on some predetermined basis by a mobile wireless communications device. In this manner, a device listening to the peer discovery signals can determine other devices' willingness to perform particular location discovery related operations with very little signaling overhead.
摘要:
Methods and apparatus for resolving an ambiguity with regard to a mobile device's location are described. In various embodiments, when a level of ambiguity with regard to the location of a mobile device is detected, and the level of ambiguity is above a threshold, an ambiguity resolution request signal is generated and transmitted. In this manner, a wireless terminal needing help in determining its location reliably may request such help but at other times may determine its own location without assistance. In some embodiments the ambiguity resolution request signal includes information, e.g., location probabilities, on one or more locations which are under consideration as possible locations of the mobile device. A device responding to the ambiguity resolution request provides information allowing the mobile device confronted with a location ambiguity to eliminate at least on location under consideration or to generate a new probability for one or more locations under consideration.
摘要:
Signal measurements are received, e.g., by a network device such as a location determination server, and a location of a mobile device to which the signal measurements correspond is determined. The measurements are also used to update parameters used to generate a signal prediction map. The signal prediction map, generated using the updated parameters, is then used for determining the position of another mobile device. In some embodiments parameter updating is performed when the location of a device is determined to a predetermined degree of certainty but not when the position of a mobile device is determined with a lower degree of certainty. Parameters used for generating prediction maps are updated, e.g., refined, based on signals collected for use in determining the location of a device without the need to conduct an updated survey and/or take signal measurements specifically for the purpose of updating prediction map parameters.
摘要:
Mobile devices are used as temporary location anchor points, e.g., to supplement fixed location permanent location anchor points, in a wireless communications system in which mobile device locations are determined. A mobile device receives a command or request to operate as a location anchor point. In some embodiments, the command includes time information indicating the amount of time the mobile device is to operate as a location anchor point. In some embodiments, a mobile device operating as a location anchor point reports a received signal strength measurement along with information identifying the device from which the signal was received to a network element, e.g., a location server node. In some embodiments, a mobile device operating as a location anchor point broadcasts a signal providing location information. The mobile device receives compensation for operating as a location anchor point. Compensation may be monetary, services, or benefits provided by the network.
摘要:
A mobile wireless device receives a set of fingerprint prediction maps, e.g., RF signal prediction maps, and corresponding probability metrics, e.g., indicative of map reliability. A fingerprint prediction map is an expected signal measurement map corresponding to a parameter or parameters to be measured and a area given a set of expected conditions. At different times, e.g., due to different conditions, a different map in the set of fingerprint prediction maps may be more likely to be accurate. The mobile wireless device updates the probability metrics, associated with different alternative maps in the set of maps, as a function of one or more of: known information, sensor readings, measurements, detected information, and position determination. The mobile wireless device determines its current position using fingerprint predication maps and one or more updated probability metrics.
摘要:
Methods and apparatus related to communicating advertisements and/or service announcements to devices in a communications system are described. In various embodiments mobile devices are used as mobile advertisement transmission platforms. Advertisements may be downloaded to the wireless communications device along with transmission constraints. Transmission of an advertisement is made when a transmission constraint, e.g., target audience constraint is satisfied. The wireless terminal may change its transmission frequency, coding rate and/or other transmission characteristics to satisfy a transmission constraint and/or optimize revenue. The mobile device reports advertisements transmissions to a network device, e.g., advertisement server and the owner of the device is compensated for the transmissions. Transmission constraints may involve a number of devices to be reached, the type of devices to be reached, and/or other constraints relating to the demographics of device users. Information may be obtained from peer discovery signals and used to determine if a constraint is satisfied.