Generic Positioning Protocol for Multi-Access Interoperability

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing positioning protocols face challenges in supporting multiple wireless access types, requiring extensive implementation and testing for each new access type, and lack interoperability between satellite-based and terrestrial-based positioning methods.

Innovation Solution

A generic positioning protocol (GPP) is introduced to support multiple positioning methods and access types, enabling efficient implementation and improved interoperability by using common messaging structures and a common location server, allowing for the exchange of position information across different wireless access types.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If multiple existing positioning protocols are used to support positioning for different wireless access types, then positioning support coverage is improved, but implementation complexity and testing requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepositioning support coverageVSAvoidimplementation complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies universality by creating a single generic positioning protocol (GPP) that can support multiple wireless access types (GSM, WCDMA, CDMA2000, EV-DO, and future access types) through a unified message structure and common location server, eliminating the need for separate protocols for each access type and thereby reducing implementation complexity while maintaining broad positioning support coverage

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Adaptability or versatility

If multiple existing positioning protocols are used to support positioning for different wireless access types, then positioning support coverage is improved, but testing requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepositioning support coverageVSAvoidtesting time
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The generic positioning protocol provides a unified framework that works across multiple wireless access types, significantly reducing the extensive implementation and testing that would be required for each separate protocol deployment, thereby reducing testing time while maintaining broad positioning support

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Reliability

If separate positioning protocols are used for different wireless access types, then protocol optimization for specific access types is improved, but interoperability between access types deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprotocol optimizationVSAvoidinteroperability
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The GPP provides a universal positioning framework that enables interoperability between different wireless access types through common messaging structures and a common location server, allowing terminals to exchange position information across GSM, WCDMA, CDMA2000, EV-DO and other access types without requiring separate protocol implementations

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments the positioning functionality into modular components including position elements that can be independently defined for different positioning methods (satellite-based, terrestrial-based), allowing each positioning method to be optimized independently while maintaining overall interoperability through the unified GPP framework

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP2297981B1Method, apparatus and computer program product for a generic positioning protocol gpp
Publication Date: 2018.05.30 QUALCOMM INC
  • EP2297981B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2297981B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2297981B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

In an aspect, a generic positioning protocol (GPP) may be used to support satellite-based positioning methods and terrestrial-based positioning methods for different access types. A terminal may exchange a first GPP message with first information for a positioning method and an access type supported by GPP. The terminal may exchange a second GPP message with second information for the positioning method and the access type. Each GPP message may include at least one position element, and each position element may be for a specific positioning method. The terminal may obtain a position estimate for itself based on the second information. In another aspect, positioning may be performed based on measurements for cells of different wireless access types. In yet another aspect, received transmission times may be transformed to converted times based on common timing, which may be applicable for multiple wireless access types.