Position Reporting Confidence Scaling for Cellular Accuracy

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current positioning technologies in wireless telecommunications, such as A-GPS, OTDOA, and AECID, lack confidence information in reporting formats like polygon and ellipsoid point with uncertainty circle, leading to inaccurate scaling of uncertainty and potential failure to meet quality of service (QoS) requirements, particularly in emergency positioning scenarios.

Innovation Solution

Incorporating confidence parameters into position reporting messages, specifically in polygon and ellipsoid point with uncertainty circle formats, to enable accurate scaling and ensure compliance with end-user confidence requirements, thereby enhancing the accuracy and reliability of positioning results.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If confidence information is not included in position reporting formats, then the reporting format structure remains simple, but the uncertainty scaling becomes inaccurate and QoS requirements cannot be met

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepositioning accuracyVSAvoidreporting format complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The position reporting message is segmented into distinct components: position parameters (latitude, longitude, altitude), uncertainty parameters (horizontal uncertainty, vertical uncertainty), and confidence parameters (confidence value, confidence type). This segmentation allows each component to be handled independently, enabling accurate uncertainty scaling based on confidence information while maintaining a structured and manageable reporting format.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The confidence parameter acts as an intermediary between the positioning measurement and the uncertainty representation. It provides the necessary information to correctly scale uncertainty values, enabling accurate position reporting without requiring complex direct relationships between measurements and uncertainty bounds. The confidence parameter mediates the transformation of raw positioning data into reliable position estimates with proper uncertainty characterization.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If confidence information is not included in position reporting, then the message structure remains simple, but quality of service requirements cannot be satisfied

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveQoS complianceVSAvoidconfidence information
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The confidence parameter is determined and included in the position reporting message before the position information is transmitted to external systems. This preliminary inclusion of confidence information ensures that all necessary data for QoS assessment and uncertainty scaling is available upfront, enabling reliable position reporting that meets service requirements without requiring additional information exchange later.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The confidence parameter provides feedback information about the quality and reliability of the positioning measurement. This feedback is used to appropriately scale uncertainty values and determine whether the position estimate meets QoS requirements. The confidence information creates a closed-loop system where measurement quality directly influences the reported uncertainty and overall reliability assessment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

3Measurement precision

If uncertainty is scaled without confidence information, then the processing remains simple, but positioning accuracy deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepositioning accuracyVSAvoidprocessing efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The uncertainty parameters are dynamically scaled based on the confidence parameter value. When confidence is high, uncertainty values are reduced to reflect higher precision; when confidence is low, uncertainty values are increased to account for lower precision. This parameter change approach allows the system to adapt uncertainty representation to actual measurement quality, improving positioning accuracy without requiring complex processing algorithms.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP2520126B1Method and apparatus for position determination in a cellular communications system
Publication Date: 2018.04.25 TELEFONAKTIEBOLAGET LM ERICSSON (PUBL)
  • EP2520126B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2520126B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2520126B1 patent drawingFigure 3~14

AI summary

A scaling apparatus and method scales uncertainty criteria (horizontal and vertical accuracy requirements) originally received from an end user before the uncertainty criteria is sent on to a wireless terminal (30) as requirements on the accuracy of location positioning performed by/for the wireless terminal. In an example embodiment the amount/degree of scaling is selected according to a configured best estimate of the confidence and uncertainty relation, and such best estimate can be based on the majority of the terminals of the network. For a WCDMA radio access network (RAN) case the scaling can be performed in a radio network controller (RNC). For a Long Term Evolution (LTE) radio access network (RAN) case the scaling can be performed in the evolved Serving Mobile Location Center (eSMLC) node (26). In another case the scaling can alternatively be performed in the wireless terminal itself.