Low-Cost Internet Base Station Location via Mobile Station GPS
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Solution Overview
Problem
Low-Cost Internet Base Stations (LCIBs) deployed in areas with insufficient GPS reception face challenges in acquiring an initial GPS fix, which is necessary for auto-configuration and operational status, leading to potential customer dissatisfaction and reliability issues.
Innovation Solution
LCIBs determine their location based on the location of an associated mobile station, using the mobile station's GPS coordinates transmitted over the backhaul connection, eliminating the need for external GPS antennas and manual location data entry.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If LCIBs use internal GPS receivers to acquire initial GPS fix, then location determination is possible, but deployment fails in areas with insufficient GPS reception
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces mobile stations as intermediaries between the LCIB and GPS satellites. Instead of the LCIB directly receiving GPS signals, the mobile station acts as a mediator that receives GPS signals in areas with sufficient reception and transmits the location information to the LCIB through the backhaul connection, enabling location determination in GPS-denied environments.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables mobile stations to perform multiple functions: their original communication function and an additional function as GPS signal receivers for LCIBs. This multi-functionality allows the system to leverage existing mobile station deployments to solve the LCIB location determination problem without requiring dedicated GPS infrastructure at each LCIB site.
2Reliability
If LCIBs deploy with external GPS antennas, then GPS reception improves, but device complexity and deployment cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the GPS reception function from the LCIB hardware and relocates it to mobile stations. By separating the GPS signal acquisition function from the base station, the system eliminates the need for complex external GPS antennas and associated hardware at LCIB sites, while maintaining reliable location determination.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent leverages the mobile station's existing GPS capability to serve the LCIB's location determination needs. The mobile station essentially performs the GPS reception function that would otherwise require dedicated LCIB hardware, reducing overall system complexity and deployment cost.
3Loss of information
If manual location data entry is required, then location information can be obtained, but user inconvenience and deployment time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system automatically obtains location information through the mobile station's GPS receiver and backhaul transmission, eliminating the need for manual user input. The location data is acquired and transmitted automatically as part of the normal communication operations, significantly reducing deployment time and user burden.
Solution Approach 2:
The mobile station pre-acquires GPS location information that can then be transmitted to the LCIB when needed. This preliminary acquisition of location data by the mobile station eliminates the need for real-time manual entry or complex location determination processes at deployment time.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and systems are provided for implementing mobile-station and macro-network-aided location determination of a low-cost Internet base station (LCIB). In an embodiment, a location of a mobile station that is associated with an LCIB is determined. The location of the mobile station is used to determine a location of the LCIB.