U-blox Ag

Koninklijke Philips Corporation N.V.

Nxp B.v.

Geotate B.v.

Koninklijke Phillips Electronics N.v.

Christopher Brian Marshall

Andrew Thomas Yule

Saul Robin Dooley

Marco Driusso

Simon Royce Turner

Paul John Rankin

Bryan D Young

Dusko Vujadinovic

Alessandro Pin

Roberto Rinaldo

Alessandro Biason

Pascal Herczog

Kevin Robert Boyle

Alan James Davie

Brian John Minnis

Paul Arthur Gough

Paul R Marshall

Adrian G Spencer

Johan Peeters

Leo Laughlin

Fabio Ricciato

Matija Rezar

Balthasar Antonius Gerardus Vanluijt

Matteo Noschese

Erik Strumbelj

Andrew Thomas Yale

Fulvio Babich

Giacomo Pojani

Paul A Gough

A method and apparatus are provided for estimating characteristic differences between wireless signals transmitted from the same location in spaced apart frequency ranges. Also provided are a method and apparatus for estimating a combined time of arrival of the wireless signals, using the characteristic differences. A further method is provided, for identifying that two signals have been transmitted from the same location. Also disclosed is a method of maintaining a database of characteristic difference information.

Estimating and using characteristic differences between wireless signals

Disclosed are Methods and apparatuses for estimating one or more characteristics of the communications channel. The method comprises receiving a first wireless signal transmitted by a transmitter at a first set of frequencies in a first time slot; and receiving a second wireless signal transmitted by the transmitter at a second set of frequencies in a second time slot. The second set of frequencies partially overlaps with the first set of frequencies and the second time slot is different from the first time slot. The method further comprises jointly processing the first wireless signal and the second wireless signal to estimate the one or more characteristics of the communications channel. Corresponding apparatuses are configured to implement the methods.

Estimating one or more characteristics of a communications channel

Methods and apparatus are disclosed for sharing assistance information relating to an uplink signal transmitted by a first User Equipment. The assistance information may be used to assist a wireless communication device to intercept the uplink signal and measure its time of arrival. The assistance information may be used to assist in the calculation of a position or time, based on the measured time of arrival.

Intercepting an uplink signal to assist in timing or positioning calculations

Methods and apparatus for assisting positioning or timing calculations. In one aspect the invention provides a method for assisting a determination of a position or a time, the method comprising: obtaining first phase information, the first phase information characterizing a first phase of a first wireless signal transmitted by a transmitter at a first frequency and received by a first receiver at a first location; and obtaining second phase information, the second phase information characterizing a second phase of a second wireless signal transmitted by the transmitter at a second, different frequency and received by a second receiver at a second, different location. The method further comprises comparing the first phase information with the second phase information to produce phase comparison information; and using the phase comparison information to assist in the determination of a position or a time.

Phase-comparison of multi-frequency transmissions for assisting the determination of position or time

Two wireless signals are received from transmitters in different locations transmitting at different frequencies. Phase information from the two signals is gathered for use in positioning and/or timing calculations. Calibration information is preferably also gathered to support the calculations. Information about the rate of change of phase may be gathered for use in velocity and timing drift calculations. The transmitters may be stations in a wireless infrastructure network. Assistance information may be gathered and shared to support the interception of uplink/downlink signals from the stations. Also disclosed are User Equipment, Base Stations, remote supporting services, elliptic hyperbolic relationships for interpreting and using the spatial variation of the phase difference, and positioning engines for use in the system.

Phase-comparison for assisting the determination of position or time

Provided is a method for determining positions of one or more target receivers, wherein the one or more target receivers and one or more reference receivers receive a plurality of signals transmitted at unknown times from a plurality of sources that are located at unknown positions and not synchronized with each other. The method includes: obtaining times of arrival of the plurality of signals at the one or more target receivers; obtaining a plurality of times of arrival of the plurality of signals at the one or more reference receivers; and computing, based on the plurality of times of arrival of the plurality of signals at the one or more reference receivers, a plurality of reference positions of the one or more reference receivers, and the times of arrival of the plurality of signals at the one or more target receivers. The method may include determining directions of the plurality of sources.

Method and apparatus for positioning with wireless signals

Methods and apparatus are disclosed for sharing, by a first User Equipment, interception-assistance information relating to an uplink signal transmitted by the first User Equipment. The interception-assistance information may be used to assist a second User Equipment to intercept the uplink signal and measure at least one characteristic of it. Calculation-assistance information may be used to assist in the calculation of a position or time, based on the measured characteristic.

A method and apparatus for calculating a ranging measurement in a cellular communications network. The method comprises: receiving () at a receiver () a first signal associated with a first cell-sector of a sectorised base station in the cellular communications network; determining () at least one first time of arrival at the receiver () of a portion of the first signal; receiving () at the receiver () a second signal associated with a second cell-sector of the sectorised base-station; determining () at least one second time of arrival at the receiver () of a portion of the second signal; and calculating () a ranging measurement between the base station and the receiver (), based on a combination of the at least one first time of arrival and the at least one second time of arrival.

Calculating a ranging measurement in a cellular communications network

The invention provides duplexing apparatus, wireless devices and methods for duplexing signals in which measurements are taken at multiple frequencies across a frequency band of interest, and in which a balancing impedance is controlled as a function of those measurements. Isolation between the RX and TX nodes is enhanced across the frequency band as a result.

Duplexing apparatus, wireless devices and related methods

A method and apparatus for determining a drift between a local clock of a movable device and a reference clock that is used by one or more reference devices. The local clock may be calibrated at a calibration location and then the movable device may be moved to an operating location that is different from the calibration location. The drift is determined by observing one or more signals transmitted by the respective one or more reference devices, when the device is at the calibration location and when it is at the operating location. These observations are used together with a model of the signals to determine the drift.

Determining clock-drift using signals of opportunity

A method and apparatus for assisting the calculation of the position of a receiver device (), by observing a transmitted signal having a known structure. The method comprises: comparing (S) the time of arrival, at a reference position (X), of a first portion of the signal with the time of arrival at the receiver, at an unknown position (Y), of a second portion of the signal; obtaining (S) a local wave propagation model of the signal, the model comprising an estimate of the direction of propagation of the signal in the neighborhood of the reference position and unknown position; and using (S) the direction of propagation and the result of the comparison to assist in the calculation of the unknown position relative to the reference position.

Positioning using a local wave-propagation model

A method and apparatus for estimating the position of an electronic device. The method comprises receiving an observation comprising the identity of at least one wireless transmitter detected by the device at the position to be estimate, comparing the observation with the contents of a set of record, detecting respective first and second matches between the observation and records, and retrieving the corresponding positions. The method comprises estimating the position of the electronic device based on at least one of the first position estimate and the second position estimate, depending upon quality characteristics of the first match and the second match and indications of the sources of the respective records.

Location estimation by observing wireless signals

A method of determining an indication of the position of an electronic device. The method includes: obtaining () information relating to a radio signal received by the device. The received radio signal are transmissions from one or more satellites of a satellite-positioning system from which information an inference can be made about the true position of the device at the time the signal was received. The method also involves obtaining () a plurality of hypotheses about the true position of the device; and evaluating () the plurality of hypotheses by assessing a degree of consistency between the information relating to the radio signal and the hypotheses. Using the outcome of the evaluations, the method also includes selecting () one or more of the hypotheses; and outputting () an indication of the selected one or more hypotheses.

Position validation

A method of appending a position stamp to an image file of a photo or video clip taken with a digital camera having a GPS antenna and a GPS RF front-end including an analogue to digital converter for receiving GPS signals and outputting GPS signal samples together with a digital camera and computer for the same.

Method of position stamping a photo or video clip taken with a digital camera

A method of creating an image file and a digital camera for the same. The method comprised the steps of: (i) generating and storing image data corresponding to a photo or video clip; (ii) sampling received GPS signals and storing the resultant GPS signal samples (hereafter 'raw GPS data'); and (iii) creating a single file containing both the image data and the raw GPS data.

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Haywards Heath, United Kingdom

Christopher Brian Marshall