Broadcom Corporation

Avago Technologies General IP (singapore) Pte. Ltd.

Avago Technologies International Sales Pte. Limited

David Murray

Jeyhan Karaoguz

Charles Abraham

Mark Leonard Buer

David Garrett

David Albert Lundgren

Nambirajan Seshadri

A GNSS enabled device that is communicatively coupled to a network, receives time stamps via the network. The time stamps are generated based on reference clock signals within the network. GNSS receiver clock signal frequency may be adjusted based on the time stamps. When GNSS satellite signals and/or SRN signals are not available, the time stamps enable synchronization with GNSS satellites. Network clock signals and/or time stamps may be generated by an access point, a DSL modem, a cable modem and/or a primary reference clock within the network. A series of time stamps may be utilized for adjusting frequencies. Clock signals may be generated for adjusting frequencies based on a comparison between time stamps and oscillator or mixer output. Clock signals are generated for baseband, intermediate and/or RF frequency signal processing. GNSS satellite signals may be demodulated, correlated with a pseudonoise code sequence and/or synchronized based on the time stamps.

Estimating frequency of a GNSS enabled device based on time stamps

Aspects of a method and system for authorizing network transactions based on radio frequency (RF) characterization of a device's location are provided. In this regard, whether to approve a communication device to perform a network transaction may be determined based on results of a comparison between a radio frequency (RE) characterization of a location of the communication device and one or more approved RF characterizations. The RF characterization may be based on information from a plurality of receivers within the communication device. The one or more approved characterizations may be stored in the network device. The RF characterization may indicate a quantity of RF sources detected and identified by the communication device at the location. The RF characterization may indicate signal strength of signals received from RF sources detected and indentified by the communication device at the location.

Method and system for authorizing network transactions based on radio frequency (RF) characterization of a device's location

A transmitting communication device may iteratively adjust its transmit power, and may estimate, based on iterative transmit power adjustment, relative location of a receiving communication device. The transmit power may be initialized to a maximum value, and the transmit power may be iteratively reduced until connectivity with the receiving communication device is lost. The loss of connectivity may be determined based on reception of responses to ping messages transmitted by the transmitting communication device. The transmitting communication device may authenticate the receiving communication device and/or a user of the receiving communication device. The authentication may comprises utilizing transmit power adjustment and/or relative location estimation therefrom to ensure that a separation between the devices does not exceed a maximum value. The transmitting communication device may generate location info associated with the receiving communication device based on the relative location estimation, and may communicate the location info to a location server.

Method and system for characterizing location and/or range based on transmit power

A mobile device may communicate with a location server during location based services (LBS) operations using a secure identifier. The secure identifier abstracts identification information of the mobile device and/or identification information of a user of the mobile device in instances that the mobile device and/or user identification information are deemed protectable from the location server. The location server may be operable to store location data corresponding to the mobile device and/or the user in a location reference database based on the secure identifier. The secure identifier may comprise a unique value, which may be randomly generated. The secure identifier may also be generated based on the mobile device and/or user identification information, by applying, for example, encryption algorithms to the mobile device and/or user identification information. Service providers for the mobile device may retrieve the abstracted mobile device and/or user identification information from the secure identifier.

Method and system for ensuring user and/or device anonymity for location based services (LBS)

A mobile device communicates position samples of one or more reference position with respect to one or more other communication device such as access points to a location server communicatively coupled to a reference database. The location server determines whether to utilize the one or more reference position in the reference position database based on the communicated samples. The mobile device scans the position samples, which indicate position information of the one or more other communication device and/or whether the position information is reliable for use. The scanned position samples are accumulated and transmitted to the location server. The location server updates records for the one or more reference positions with respect to the one or more other communication device in the reference position database based on the accumulated position samples received. The updated records are utilized to determine a fast position fix for the position device.

Method and system for updating obsolete records for reference positions in a reference position database

A multi-radio mobile device comprises a plurality of different radios. When a location update occurs, the multi-radio mobile device, at a specific location, acquires location-based radio information from a remote location server. The multi-radio mobile device selects a radio for use in the specific location based on the acquired location-based radio information comprising available radios in the specific location and radio weights. The radio is selected from the available radios based on the radio weights in the specific location. Transmissions of a desired service are received in the specific location utilizing the selected radio. Location-based radio measurements reports to the remote location server are generated utilizing signal strength measurements for the received signals. Radio quality information of the available radios is calculated by the location server utilizing location-based radio measurement reports from associated users. The radio weights of the available radios are determined based on the calculated radio quality information.

Method and system for location-based dynamic radio selection

A GNSS enabled mobile device moves from a first area where GNSS signal quality and/or level is above a threshold to a second area where GNSS signal quality and/or level is below the threshold. The GNSS enabled mobile device in the second area determines its own location utilizing previous GNSS measurements in the first area. GNSS signals are received to calculate GNSS measurements whenever the GNSS enabled mobile device is in the first area. The calculated GNSS measurements are utilized to determine a location of the GNSS enabled mobile device within the first area. The GNSS enabled mobile device in the second area utilizes the most current GNSS measurements in the first area to determine its own location. Sensors such as an image sensor, a light sensor, an audio sensor and/or a location sensor are used to refine the location of the GNSS enabled mobile device in the second area.

Sensor-assisted location-aware mobile device

A wireless communication device determines its location and communicates the location to other local devices utilizing a nonstandard, standard and/or proprietary protocol in combination with another protocol such as a Bluetooth, RFID, IEEE 802.11 and/or a cellular phone protocol. The location may be determined utilizing a GNSS receiver and/or network device information. A new location may be determined based on the determined location, a relative distance and/or a relative direction to other local devices. Determined location information may be communicated to other devices via a network. The wireless communication device may receive locations and/or corresponding location uncertainties from devices located within a limited range. The received information is utilized to determine a more accurate location. The more accurate location is communicated back to the devices within the limited range and/or to other communication devices.

Collaborative sharing of location information among devices in a network

A servicing communication device may receive a subset of a location reference database that is maintained by a plurality of location servers, and may provide location related data to a mobile device that is communicatively coupled to the servicing communication device based on the received subset. The servicing communication device may determine capabilities and/or requirements of the mobile device, and may generate the location related data based on that determination. The servicing communication device may determine attributes and/or parameters that may affect determination of the subset of the location reference database. The subset of location reference database may be requested based on the determined attributes and/or parameters. The attributes and/or parameters may comprise a location of the servicing communication device. The servicing communication device may determine its location, directly based on GNSS transmissions and/or indirectly based on assisted GNSS (A-GNSS) data received from the plurality of location servers.

Method and system for optimized transfer of location database information

A mobile device collects information about application usage and associates collected application information with a location of the mobile device and/or a time that the application is accessed. The application is stored on the mobile device or on an external device and accessed via a network. The application information, location of the mobile device and time the application is accessed are communicated to another device and stored in a storage device which may be operated or managed by a service provider or another entity. The application information may comprise identification of a website, a network device or URL, the application and/or data that is input and/or output from the application. The location of the mobile device and/or the time, are determined utilizing a GNSS receiver and/or utilizing information from a network device. The application information, the location of the mobile device and/or the time may be utilized for targeted advertizing.

Determining application usage relative to a particular location

A communication device within a GNSS group propagates GNSS assistance data to one or more other communication devices in the GNSS group utilizing direct device-to-device connections. The GNSS assistance data comprises ephemeris received from one or more GNSS satellites and/or predicted ephemeris. As a source device, the communication device generates, and/or acquires from other resources such as a remote location server, the predicted ephemeris. As a destination device, the communication device receives existing GNSS assistance data from a source device and/or other communication devices in the GNSS group. A GNSS position for the communication device and corresponding time information are used to refresh the received GNSS assistance data. In instances where the communication device further acts as a relay device, the refreshed GNSS assistance data is relayed to other communication devices over wired and/or wireless direct device-to-device connections utilizing appropriate communication technologies such as WiFi, Bluetooth and/or Bluetooth low energy.

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Mission Viejo, CA, United States of America

David Murray