Mobile Device PPP Positioning With Faster GNSS Convergence

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional precise positioning techniques such as PPP and RTK face challenges including long convergence times and high data requirements, making it difficult to achieve centimeter-level accuracy in environments with poor GNSS coverage or rapid transitions between indoor and outdoor settings.

Innovation Solution

Utilizing additional position information from various sources like wireless base stations, IoT devices, LIDAR, and RF sensing to constrain the location of mobile devices, enabling rapid determination of PPP positions through enhanced Bayesian estimators.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If conventional PPP techniques are used, then positioning accuracy can be achieved, but convergence time becomes excessively long

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepositioning accuracyVSAvoidconvergence time
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by using other positioning techniques (such as RTK, dead reckoning, or map matching) to obtain an initial position estimate before PPP convergence begins. This pre-established position information serves as a starting point that accelerates the PPP convergence process, allowing the system to reach centimeter-level accuracy faster than conventional PPP alone would permit.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Measurement precision

If RTK technique is used, then positioning accuracy is improved, but data requirements increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepositioning accuracyVSAvoiddata amount
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses an intermediary approach by incorporating position information from alternative sources (such as cellular tower triangulation, WiFi positioning, or inertial sensors) as a mediator to supplement or replace some of the heavy data requirements of RTK. This intermediary positioning data reduces the burden on GNSS data alone while maintaining high positioning accuracy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Measurement precision

If PPP technique is used, then positioning accuracy reaches centimeter-level, but the technique fails in environments with poor GNSS coverage

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepositioning accuracyVSAvoidpositioning reliability in poor coverage
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple positioning techniques including PPP, RTK, dead reckoning, map matching, and sensor fusion into a unified positioning system. By combining these diverse methods, the system maintains centimeter-level accuracy even in environments with poor GNSS coverage, as the complementary strengths of each technique compensate for the weaknesses of individual methods.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

4Measurement precision

If PPP technique is used, then positioning accuracy is achieved, but performance degrades during rapid transitions between indoor and outdoor settings

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepositioning accuracyVSAvoidpositioning stability during transitions
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies dynamics by implementing a adaptive positioning system that dynamically switches between and blends different positioning techniques based on real-time environmental conditions. During rapid transitions between indoor and outdoor settings, the system dynamically adjusts the weight and contribution of each positioning method (PPP, RTK, dead reckoning, map matching) to maintain stable and accurate positioning throughout the transition.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP4337973B1Determining position information of mobile devices
Publication Date: 2025.11.26 QUALCOMM INC
  • EP4337973B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4337973B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4337973B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A Precise Point Positioning (PPP) system is disclosed in which one or more Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) signals are obtained by a mobile device. The mobile device can obtain position information based on one or more position sources, where the position information is indicative of a location of the mobile device. One or more PPP positions of the mobile device can be determined based on the position information and the one or more GNSS signals, where a position uncertainty of the position information meets or is below an uncertainty threshold. A determination of whether at least one PPP position meets or is below one or more convergence thresholds can be made. In response to determining that at least one PPP position meets or is below the one or more convergence thresholds, the at least one PPP position can be provided.