Fixed Wireless CPE Geolocation Using Connected UE Measurements
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Solution Overview
Problem
Customer premises equipment (CPE) in cellular networks lack GPS receivers, hindering accurate location determination, which is crucial for network performance and security, such as enforcing geofencing and tuning cellular radios based on position.
Innovation Solution
CPEs self-determine their location by aggregating location data from connected UEs via wireless networks, using GPS or network-based technologies, and triangulating the most accurate positions to report back to the cellular network.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If GPS receivers are installed in CPE to enable accurate location determination, then location accuracy is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces UEs (user equipment/devices) as intermediary elements that already possess GPS capability. These UEs act as mediators to provide location information indirectly to the CPE, eliminating the need to install GPS receivers in the CPE itself. The CPE collects location data from multiple UEs connected to its wireless network and uses this aggregated information to determine its own location, thus achieving location accuracy without adding GPS hardware to the CPE.
2Reliability
If GPS receivers are installed in CPE to enable location-based network management, then network performance and security are improved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses UEs as intermediary devices that already contain GPS receivers and location determination capability. Instead of manufacturing CPE with integrated GPS (which would increase cost), the system leverages the existing GPS capability of connected UEs. The CPE aggregates location information from these UEs to achieve location-based network management functions such as geofencing and security enforcement, thereby maintaining manufacturing cost efficiency while achieving the desired network reliability and security improvements.
3Reliability
If GPS receivers are installed in CPE to enable geofencing enforcement, then network security is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs UEs as intermediary devices that provide location data to the CPE. The CPE uses this location information from multiple UEs to enforce geofencing policies without needing to incorporate GPS receivers into its own hardware. This approach enables reliable geofencing enforcement (improving network security) while avoiding the addition of complex GPS hardware to the CPE, thus resolving the contradiction between reliability and device complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
In some implementations, the techniques described herein relate to a system including: a base station; and a customer premises equipment (CPE) communicatively coupled to the base station via a wide area network (WAN) and to user equipment (UE) via a local area network (LAN). The CPE can transmit location requests to the UEs; receive location request responses from the UEs, wherein a given location request response in the location request responses includes a location and one or more measurement values generated by a respective UE; store the location request responses in a location database; identify highest accuracy location request responses for the UEs from the location request responses based on corresponding measurement values of the location request responses; compute a CPE location based on the highest accuracy location request responses, the CPE location including a latitude and longitude of the CPE; and transmit the CPE location to the base station.