Telecom Italia S.p.a.

Armando Annunziato

Stefano Salio

Giorgio Rosenga

Stefano Giannini

In a method of planning cellular communication networks, at least one cost function indicative of the quality of service rendered by the network is defined which takes into account the quality of service of location-based services rendered by the network. That cost function is preferably based on the concept of dilution of precision and is indicative of the quality of service of voice services, data services and location based services jointly. A system is provided for measuring at least one actual network parameter. The measurements provided by the measurement system are compared with the corresponding parameters as planned with the purpose of locating at least one critical point in the network where inadequate quality of service is being provided. Information items indicative of counter measures to be carried out in the network in order to dispense with at least one critical point are provided. The cost function may be optimised by using as input data the location of at least one base station in the cellular communication network.

Method for planning cellular communication networks, corresponding network and computer program product therefor

A method for determining the location coordinates of a mobile terminal with respect to reference elements adapted to send toward the mobile terminal radioelectric signals involves the steps of measuring the radioelectric signals to derive respective measurements, the measurements being affected by measurement errors, and subjecting the measurements to state-based statistical filtering, such as, a Kalman filtering, to derive therefrom the location coordinates of the mobile terminal. At least some of the reference elements are terrestrial reference elements and in the statistical filtering at least one further state is included in addition to the coordinates. The further state is representative of the measurement errors. The terminal is adapted to be mounted on a vehicle, such as, a motorcar, and to have associated therewith a measurement source, such as, an altimeter adapted to provide additional measurements indicative of the location, e.g., the altitude, and/or the displacement of the mobile terminal.

Method for the location of mobile terminals, related systems and terminal, computer program products thereof

To locate a mobile terminal (MS, MS, . . . ) within a mobile communication network comprising at least a radio base station (BTS, BTS, . . . , BTSn), a set of physical dimensions are measured, which identify, according to respective functions, the location coordinates (x, y, z) of the mobile terminal. The method comprises the steps of: generating, starting from said set of physical dimensions and respective functions, a global locating error function (&#x3c6;) which has a minimum for values of said locating co-ordinates (x, y, z) corresponding with the position occupied by said mobile terminal, seeking the minimum of said error function (&#x3c6;) by varying at least one of said locating co-ordinates (x, y, z), and locating said mobile terminal in correspondence with the value of said at least one locating co-ordinate corresponding to said minimum.

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Turin, Italy

Armando Annunziato