Mobile Terminal Positioning Using Multi-Network Neighbor Cell Data
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current positioning technologies for mobile terminals do not fully exploit the potential of positioning-related information from neighbor cells in cellular communication networks, limiting the accuracy of position estimation.
Innovation Solution
The method involves using positioning-related information from both serving and neighbor cells across different communication networks, including those with different air interface types and operators, to enhance position estimation by considering a wider range of cells, thereby improving accuracy without requiring additional hardware or increasing battery power consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If positioning-related information is obtained only from serving cells of a single communication network, then the device complexity remains low, but the positioning accuracy is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines positioning-related information from multiple communication networks (e.g., GSM, UMTS, LTE) and multiple cells (serving and neighbor cells) into a unified positioning system. The location server aggregates data from different network types and operators, merging diverse positioning inputs to achieve higher positioning accuracy without significantly increasing device complexity at the mobile terminal side.
Solution Approach 2:
The positioning system is designed to handle multiple types of communication networks and cell types universally. The location server can process positioning-related information from serving cells and neighbor cells across different air interface types (GSM, UMTS, LTE) and different operators through a single interface, making the system multi-functional and adaptable to various network configurations.
2Measurement precision
If positioning-related information from multiple networks and cell types is utilized, then positioning accuracy improves, but the difficulty of detecting and measuring increases
Solution Approach 1:
The location server acts as an intermediary between the mobile terminal and the multiple communication networks. It centralizes the complex task of retrieving and processing positioning-related information from serving cells and neighbor cells across different networks. The mobile terminal simply provides measurements, while the location server handles the complexity of querying multiple networks and operators, thus reducing the measuring difficulty at the terminal side.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables self-service positioning where the mobile terminal autonomously provides its measurements and the location server autonomously retrieves positioning-related information from multiple networks using the provided measurements. The terminal does not need to manually query each network, and the server automatically manages the complex data retrieval process across different operators and network types.
3Measurement precision
If only serving cell information is used for positioning, then the loss of information is limited, but the positioning accuracy is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary retrieval of positioning-related information for neighbor cells before actual positioning calculation. The location server proactively queries the positioning-related information database using cell identifiers from measurements to obtain coverage area estimates and radio channel models in advance, so that when positioning is needed, all necessary information is already prepared and available, reducing processing load during the actual positioning event.
Data Source
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AI summary
It is inter alia disclosed a method performed by an apparatus, the method comprising providing or obtaining information on a serving cell that is, at a point of time, serving a mobile terminal and information related to a neighbor cell that is, at least substantially at the point of time, observed by the mobile terminal. The serving cell is a cell of a first communication network. The neighbor cell is a cell of a second communication network. The first communication network has a type that is different from a type of the second communication network and/or is operated by an operator that is different from an operator of the second communication network. It is further disclosed a method performed by an apparatus, the method comprising storing, providing or obtaining positioning-related information for a serving cell that is capable of serving a mobile terminal when the mobile terminal is positioned at a first position, and positioning-related information for a neighbor cell that is observable by the mobile terminal when the mobile terminal is positioned at the first position and served by the serving cell. Furthermore, according apparatuses, computer programs and computer readable media storing such computer programs are disclosed.