Staged Antenna Multilateration for Location Accuracy
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current cellular networks face challenges in accurately determining the location of mobile communication devices within their geographic coverage area, especially in mixed communication environments with multiple base stations and wireless access points, which limits the provision of location-based services.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a multilateration technique using multiple receiving antennas to estimate both coarse and fine locations of mobile communication devices by analyzing communication signals over various signal pathways, refining the location using different antenna groupings and signal characteristics such as amplitudes and phases.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If multiple receiving antennas are used for location determination, then location accuracy is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the multiple receiving antennas into distinct groups: a first group of receiving antennas and a second group of receiving antennas. This segmentation allows the system to process signals from different antenna groups separately, improving location accuracy through diverse signal pathways while managing complexity by organizing antennas into functional segments rather than treating all antennas as a single complex unit.
2Measurement precision
If multilateration technique is implemented with multiple antenna groups, then location estimation accuracy is improved, but signal processing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary location estimation using the first group of receiving antennas to obtain a coarse location of the mobile device. This preliminary action provides an initial location estimate that can be used to guide subsequent processing with the second antenna group, reducing the overall processing complexity by breaking down the complex multilateration problem into manageable stages rather than processing all signals simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent dynamically selects and switches between different groups of receiving antennas based on signal conditions and processing requirements. The system can activate different antenna groups at different times or for different processing stages, allowing flexible adaptation to varying signal environments while managing processing complexity through dynamic resource allocation rather than continuous full-system operation.
3Measurement precision
If coarse and fine location estimation is performed using different antenna groups, then location precision is improved, but processing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs coarse location estimation using the first antenna group as a preliminary step before conducting fine location estimation with the second antenna group. This staged approach allows the system to quickly obtain an approximate location first, then refine it with more precise measurements from the second group, optimizing the balance between precision and processing time by not delaying the initial location availability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs periodic or staged signal processing where different antenna groups are activated in sequence for coarse and fine estimation. Rather than continuously processing all signals simultaneously, the system uses periodic activation of different antenna groups, which reduces overall processing time while maintaining precision through the structured sequence of coarse followed by fine estimation.
Data Source
AI summary
A communication network of the present disclosure can determine a location of a communication device, such as a mobile communication device, a wireless access point, and/or a base station to provide some examples, within its geographic coverage area based upon one or more communication signals that are communicated within the communication network and/or between the communication network and another communication network. The communication network can implement a multilateration technique to determine the location of the communication device based upon the one or more communication signals as received over various signal pathways. In an embodiment, the communication device can include multiple receiving antennas for receiving the one or more communication signals over multiple first signal pathways. The multilateration technique can use the one or more communication signals as received over the multiple first signal pathways to estimate a coarse location of the mobile communication device. Thereafter, the multilateration technique can, optionally, be used to effectively refine the coarse location based upon the one or more communication signals as received over multiple second signal pathways within the communication network to estimate a fine location of the mobile communication device.