(19)
(11)EP 1 425 602 B1

(12)EUROPEAN PATENT SPECIFICATION

(45)Mention of the grant of the patent:
11.12.2013 Bulletin 2013/50

(21)Application number: 02761601.0

(22)Date of filing:  10.09.2002
(51)International Patent Classification (IPC): 
G01S 1/02(2010.01)
G01S 5/10(2006.01)
(86)International application number:
PCT/US2002/028679
(87)International publication number:
WO 2003/025614 (27.03.2003 Gazette  2003/13)

(54)

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DETECTING EXCESS DELAY IN A COMMUNICATION SIGNAL

VERFAHREN UND VORRICHTUNG ZUR DETEKTION VON ÜBERVERZÖGERUNG IN EINEM KOMMUNIKATIONSSIGNAL

PROCEDE ET APPAREIL DE DETECTION DU DEPASSEMENT DU TEMPS IMPARTI DANS UN SIGNAL DE COMMUNICATION


(84)Designated Contracting States:
AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR IE IT LI LU MC NL PT SE SK TR

(30)Priority: 14.09.2001 US 954699

(43)Date of publication of application:
09.06.2004 Bulletin 2004/24

(73)Proprietor: Qualcomm, Incorporated
San Diego, CA 92121 (US)

(72)Inventor:
  • STEIN, Jeremy M.
    34670 Haifa (IL)

(74)Representative: Wagner, Karl H. 
Wagner & Geyer Partnerschaft Patent- und Rechtsanwälte Gewürzmühlstrasse 5
80538 München
80538 München (DE)


(56)References cited: : 
EP-A- 1 014 103
US-B1- 6 184 829
  
  • CAFFERY J JR ET AL: "Subscriber location in CDMA cellular networks" IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON VEHICULAR TECHNOLOGY, IEEE INC. NEW YORK, US, vol. 47, no. 2, May 1998 (1998-05), pages 406-416, XP002125127 ISSN: 0018-9545
  • MORLEY G D ET AL: "IMPROVED LOCATION ESTIMATION WITH PULSE-RANGING IN PRESENCE OF SHADOWING AND MULTIPATH EXCESS-DELAY EFFECTS" ELECTRONICS LETTERS, IEE STEVENAGE, GB, vol. 31, no. 18, 31 August 1995 (1995-08-31), pages 1609-1610, XP000530983 ISSN: 0013-5194
  
Note: Within nine months from the publication of the mention of the grant of the European patent, any person may give notice to the European Patent Office of opposition to the European patent granted. Notice of opposition shall be filed in a written reasoned statement. It shall not be deemed to have been filed until the opposition fee has been paid. (Art. 99(1) European Patent Convention).


Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION


1. FIELD OF THE INVENTION



[0001] The invention relates to estimating a mobile unit's location using time difference of arrival (TDOA) of communication signals. In particular, the invention relates to adjusting the estimated location of the mobile unit in a cellular communication system using TDOA.

2. DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART



[0002] Recently there has been a great deal of interest in determining the location of mobile devices. One area that is of particular interest is the ability to determine the location of cellular phone users in certain circumstances. For example, the U. S. Federal Communication Commissions (FCC) has mandated that the location of a cellular user be determined when the user dials 911. In addition to the FCC mandate, it is envisioned that other applications that can take advantage of knowing a user's location will be developed.

[0003] Various techniques have been used to determine the location of a mobile unit. For example, the Global Positioning System (GPS) is a satellite system that provides users equipped with a GPS receiver the ability to determine their location anywhere in the world. While GPS provides world wide coverage, it suffers from several drawbacks. One such drawback to the GPS system is that in general a user must have a clear view of four GPS satellites to accurately determine their location. For a cellular user this can be a significant hindrance to the use of GPS because many cellular users are in urban areas where objects, such as tall buildings, may shadow the user so that they are unable to see the required number of satellites. The problem is further exacerbated when the cellular user is indoors in a building.

[0004] Other techniques have been developed that attempt to exploit some of the characteristics of the cellular system itself to aid in the determination of the location of a mobile unit. One such technique is the Time Difference of Arrival (TDOA) technique. The TDOA technique can be used when the actual transmission times of received signals is known, or when the transmission of the received signal occurs at a known periodic rate. For example, if a mobile unit receives signals that are transmitted from at least two base stations, and the signals are transmitted by the base stations at the same time, or the signals are synchronized to each other, the mobile unit will be able to determine the relative difference in time that the two signals are received. The differences in time that the two signals are received corresponds to the difference the distance traveled by each signal from the respective base station to the mobile unit.

[0005] The TDOA between two signals establishes a set of points that maintain the constant time difference, and corresponding travel distance, between the received signals. The set of points defines a hyperbolic surface representing possible locations of the mobile unit. By making multiple, simultaneous, TDOA measurements a family of surfaces can be generated with the intersection of these surfaces providing an estimate of the location of the mobile unit.

[0006] A problem can arise when using the TDOA technique if the signal received by the mobile unit has been delayed. For example, in a typical wireless communication system, a signal emitted from a base station reflects off surfaces, creating multiple instances of the signal that may travel several distinct paths as they propagate through the wireless channel between the base station and a mobile unit. This phenomenon is commonly referred to as multipath. Each of the multipaths traveled by the signal instances is typically a different distance than the other paths, resulting in the multipath signals being received at different times from each other, as well as being delayed from the time that a direct line-of-sight signal would arrive at the mobile unit. The direct line-of-sight signal represents the actual distance from the base station to the mobile unit.

[0007] In the wireless channel, the multipath is created by reflection of the signal from obstacles in the environment such as, for example, buildings, trees, cars, and people. Accordingly, the wireless channel is generally a time varying multipath channel due to the relative motion of the mobile unit and structures that create the multipath. Thus, the amount of delay of the received signal is also time varying.

[0008] The multipath characteristics of a channel can also affect the signal received by the mobile unit in other ways, resulting in, among other things, attenuation of the signal in addition to excess delay of the signal. Attenuation in the signal strength results from, among other things, energy from the signal being absorbed as the signal propagates through the medium and is reflected off objects. In addition, the signal received at a mobile unit is attenuated due to geometric spreading of the signal as it propagates through the wireless channel.

[0009] Excess delay is the difference between the time it takes the signal to travel a multipath route from the base station to the mobile unit and the time it would have taken if the signal had traveled a direct line-of-sight path between the base station and the mobile unit. For example, there may be no direct line-of-sight path between the base station and the user because, for example, the user is shadowed from the base station by a building. In this situation the signal received at the mobile unit will travel a distance greater that the actual line-of-sight distance between the base station and the mobile unit because the signal will have to be reflected off objects to "get around" the obstruction and reach the mobile unit. The increase in distance traveled by the signal introduces additional, or excess, delay into the time of arrival of the signal, resulting in an error in the TDOA measurement, increasing the inaccuracy of the estimated location of the mobile unit.

[0010] Excess delay can also be introduced even if there is a direct line-of-sight path between the base station and the mobile unit. For example, the signal received from the direct line-of-sight path may be attenuated such that it is not sufficiently strong to permit the mobile unit to make a timing measurement. Therefore, one of the multipath instances of the signal will be the first signal received by the mobile unit with sufficient strength to allow a timing measurement to be made.

[0011] Due to these and other problems, signals in a typical communication system, particularly ones operating in a multipath environment, experience excess delay, thereby increasing the inaccuracy in location estimates made using the TDOA technique. Therefore, there is a need to improve the reliability of TDOA measurements and the associated location estimate.
Further attention is drawn to the document EP 1 014 103 A which discloses a local positioning system (LPS) uses the radio propagation parameters in a CDMA forward link or TDMA reverse link to establish a mobile station's position. The mobile station receives pilot channel signals from at least three distinct base stations and records the PN chip offset of the pilot channel signals. The LPS time difference of arrival triangulation approach requires no additional signal detection capabilities. Base stations send out pilot channel signals that arrive at a mobile station with a particular phase and at least a predetermined minimum strength. The mobile station reports back the "visible" pilot channel signals, their phases and signal strength to the LPS which uses a location non-linear system, expressed as a set of cost functions, to estimate the mobile location.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION



[0012] In accordance with the present invention a method for determining a location of a mobile unit as set forth in claim 1, a mobile unit as set forth in claim 21, a base station as set forth in claim 40, and an integrated circuit as set forth in claim 52 are provided. Embodiments of the invention are claimed in the dependent claims.

[0013] A method and apparatus in accordance with the invention determines a lower bound of excess delay in a time of arrival measurement of a received signal, thereby constraining the TDOA measurement and improving the reliability of the location estimate. Determining the lower bound of an excess delay in a time of arrival measurement by a mobile unit includes receiving a signal from a first base station and a signal from a second base station and determining the time difference of arrival between the received signals from the respective base stations, then estimating a minimum value for the delay introduced into the time of arrival of the signals received from each base station based on the time difference of arrival between the signals from the respective base stations and the known distance between the base stations. The lower bound of the excess delay may be used to adjust the estimate of a mobile unit's location using the time difference of arrival measurements of the received signals. The adjusted TDOA is used to perform location calculations, for example, depending on the value of the lower bound of the excess delay and the number of available TDOA measurements, the TDOA measurement could be corrected, weighted differently in the location estimate solution, or discarded from the location estimate solution. In addition, the lower bound of excess delay can be used as an indication of the accuracy of the location estimate.

[0014] The processing to determine the location estimate can be dispersed to, or located in, various devices in the cellular network. In one embodiment, determining the lower bound of excess delay and the location estimate of the mobile unit are both performed by the mobile unit. In another embodiment, the lower bound of excess delay is determined by the mobile unit and the value of the lower bound of excess delay is transmitted to a different location where an estimate of the mobile unit location is performed. In yet another embodiment, the times of arrival of signals received by the mobile unit from at least two base stations are transmitted to a different location and the lower bound of excess delay is determined and an estimate of the mobile unit location is performed. For example, the different location may be a base station, a mobile switching center, or some other component of the cellular infrastructure.

[0015] In one embodiment the adjustment of the estimate of a mobile unit's location includes subtracting the lower bound of excess delay from the actual time of arrival measurements used to determine the time difference of arrival, to produce a corresponding distance adjustment. In another embodiment, the adjustment includes weighting the time difference of arrival measurements, according to the lower bound of excess delay for their associated time of arrival measurements, to adjust the estimated location. In another embodiment, the adjustment includes eliminating a time difference of arrival measurement from the location estimate based on the lower bound of excess delay of its associated time of arrival measurements. In yet another embodiment, the lower bound of excess delay for the received signals is used to determine the accuracy of a location determination estimate of a mobile unit.

[0016] The determination of the lower bound of excess delay may be used in a communication system that includes mobile units and base stations. In one embodiment, the communication system uses CDMA signals. In another embodiment, the communication system uses GSM signals.

[0017] In one embodiment, the signals received by the mobile unit used to determine the time of arrival may be transmitted from each base station at the same time. In another embodiment, the signals received by the mobile unit from the base stations are transmitted synchronized in time to each other. In another embodiment, signals received by the mobile unit are global positioning system (GPS) signals. In yet another embodiment, signals received by the mobile unit are from base stations and GPS in a hybrid system.

[0018] Other features and advantages of the present invention should be apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiment, which illustrates, by way of example, the principles of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS



[0019] Figure 1 is a plan view exemplifying a portion of a cellular network divided into a plurality of cells.

[0020] Figure 2 is an expanded view of a portion of Figure 1 illustrating additional detail of two base stations, their respective coverage areas, and a mobile unit.

[0021] Figure 3 is an expanded view of a portion of Figure 1 illustrating additional detail of two base stations, their respective coverage areas, and a mobile unit.

[0022] Figure 4 is a block diagram illustrating the temporal relation between a first base station, a second base station, and a mobile unit.

[0023] Figure 5 is a graph illustrating an example of a feasible set.

[0024] Figure 6 is a block diagram illustrating additional detail of a mobile unit.

[0025] Figure 7 is a block diagram of a base station.

[0026] Figure 8 is a flow chart illustrating one technique of determining the lower bound of excess delay by a mobile unit.

[0027] Figure 9 is a flow chart illustrating one technique of determining the lower bound of excess delay by a base station.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION



[0028] Figure 1 is a plan view of a portion of an exemplary cellular network 100 divided into a plurality of cells. Illustrated in Figure 1 are five base stations 102, 104, 106, 108, and 110, and their respective cells, or coverage areas 112, 114, 116, 116, 118, and 120. As used herein a base station refers to any transmitter whose location is known at the time of transmission. For example, the base stations could include cell towers of a cellular network, satellites, or other wireless infrastructure.

[0029] The base station coverage areas in Figure 1 indicate the area around the base station where the base station will support communication over the cellular network. While communication over the cellular network is supported within the coverage area, pilot signals transmitted from a base station may be detected by the remote unit at locations outside the coverage area of the base station, and be used in estimating the location of the mobile unit.

[0030] In Figure 1, the base station coverage areas are shown as circular for illustrative purposes only, and an actual coverage area may be of different shapes, including regular as well as irregular shapes. In addition, although all the cells illustrated in Figure 1 are the same size, actual cells may be different shapes and sizes from each other.

[0031] A mobile unit 122 is shown in a region overlapped by two coverage areas 112 and 114. The mobile unit 122 moves through the cellular network 100, passing from the coverage area of one base station to another. As the mobile unit 122 moves through the cellular network 100 the mobile unit may be able to receive signals from more than one base station, as indicated in Figure 1 by the regions where base station coverage areas overlap. For example, in Figure 1 the mobile unit is located in a region where two base stations 102 and 104 and their respective coverage areas 112 and 114 overlap. While the mobile unit is located within this overlap region the mobile unit 122 is able to communicate over the cellular network with both base stations 102 and 104. Examination of Figure 1 illustrates multiple regions where base station cover areas overlap. While the example shown in Figure 1 only shows regions where a maximum of three base stations coverage areas overlap, in an actual cellular network there may be regions where any number of base station coverage areas may overlap.

[0032] In one embodiment, the mobile unit 122 may include an enhanced sensitivity receiver to increase the number of pilot signals transmitted by different base stations that may be detected. Thus, the area which a pilot signal from a single base station may be detected is larger than the area over which a base station may support standard cellular communications. For example, the mobile unit 122 may be able to detect a pilot signal transmitted by a base station, but other signals received from the base station may not be of sufficient strength to support communications such as voice traffic over the cellular network. For example, the mobile unit may be able to detect pilot signals from many base stations that are sufficient for use in estimating the mobile units location, but the mobile unit may be in the coverage areas of only a limited number of the base stations.

[0033] Figures 2 and 3 are views showing an expanded region of two of the base stations 102 and 104 and their respective coverage areas 112 and 114, and the mobile unit 122, illustrating additional detail. Figure 2 illustrates a very simple example where the direct line-of-sight path between the base stations and the mobile unit are not obstructed. As shown in Figure 2, the actual, or line-of-sight, distance from the first base station 102 to the mobile unit 122 is represented by a first distance 202. The actual, or line-of-sight, distance between the second base station 104 and the mobile unit 122 is represented by a second distance 204. If there are no obstructions affecting the signals transmitted from the base stations 102 and 104 to the mobile unit 122, the transmitted signals would arrive at the mobile unit at a time, after being transmitted, equal to the line-of-sight distance between the respective base stations and the mobile unit, represented by 202 and 204 respectively divided by the speed of propagation of the signal through the wireless channel (the speed of light). In this case, there would be no excess delay because the signal traveled the actual line-of-sight distance between the base stations 102 and 104 and the mobile unit 122.

[0034] If the direct line-of-sight path is obstructed, or the direct line-of-sight signal is not usable, for example, due to attenuation, then the signals received by the mobile unit 122 will have to travel a different, longer, path and will have an associated delay. Figure 3 illustrates an example where there is an obstruction, for example, a building or other object, that blocks the line-of-sight path from the base station to the mobile unit. For example, as shown in Figure 3 there is a building or other object 340 located between the first base station 102 and the mobile unit 122. Because the object 340 blocks the direct line-of-sight path between the first base station 102 and the mobile unit, the first instance of the signal from the base station 102 to arrive at the mobile unit follows a different path from the line-of-sight path, for example, the path illustrated by lines 312 and 314. The signal path illustrated by lines 312 and 314 shows that the signal leaves the base station 102 and is reflected off an object 310 to the mobile unit 122.

[0035] Likewise, Figure 3 illustrates another multipath example where an object 330 blocks the direct line-of-sight path between the second base station 104 and the mobile unit 122. Thus, the signal from the second base station 104 will not travel the direct line-of-sight path but will travel a different, longer, path to reach the mobile unit. For example, in Figure 3 the path from the second base station 104 to the mobile unit is a reflected path involving an object 346 and is illustrated by lines 342 and 344.

[0036] As illustrated in Figures 2 and 3, the signal received by a mobile unit from a base station may have traveled a direct line-of-sight path, or some other longer path with excess delay over what the direct line-of-sight path travel time would be. However, the mobile unit measures the time of arrival and does not know if the received signal traveled a direct line-of-sight path or a different path with an associated delay. And even if it is known that the received signal did not travel the direct line-of-sight path, there is no way for the mobile unit to know the distance of the path actually traveled by the signal. Moreover, the path traveled by the signal can change as objects, and the mobile unit, move about.

[0037] Figure 4 is a block diagram illustrating the temporal relation between the first base station 102, the second base station 104, and the mobile unit 122. It should be understood that the speed of the signals travelling from point to point will be assumed constant for all points. The time required for a signal to travel the distance between the first base station (BTS1) 102 and the second base station (BTS2) 104 is represented by a line 402 that is designated d12. The time required for a signal to travel the distance from the first base station 102 to the mobile unit 122 is represented by a line 404 that is designated r1. Likewise, the time required for a signal to travel the distance from the second base station 104 to the mobile unit 122 is represented by a line 406 that is designated r2.

[0038] If the signals received at the mobile unit 122 are transmitted from the two base stations 102 and 104 at the same time, then the time difference of arrival (TDOA), the difference in arrival times for the received signals, indicates the difference between the distance of the mobile unit to the first and second base station represented by r1 and r2 respectively. Even if the signals transmitted from the two base stations are not transmitted at the same time, if they are synchronized to each other, with a known timing relationship, their TDOA can be calculated.

[0039] For example, in a system based on industry standard IS-95, each neighboring base station transmits a pilot signal that is coded with the same pseudorandom, or PN, code. To allow a mobile unit to discriminate between signals from neighboring base stations, the PN code from each base station pilot signal has a different phase (is delayed in time) from the pilot signal of neighboring base stations. Because the phase, or time delay, between base stations is fixed, the relative delay can be subtracted out from the TDOA measurement. Therefore, to simplify the following description it is assumed that signals are transmitted from each base station at the same time. Nevertheless, it should be understood that all that is required is a known relationship between the timing of the signals transmitted by the base stations.

[0040] Referring again to Figure 4, there are several geometric constraints for the TDOA technique of the present invention. First, if there are no receiver timing and estimation errors then the excess delay in a signal path is always a positive value. This can be understood by considering the limiting case when there is no excess delay. If there is no excess delay then the time required for the signal to travel from the base station to the mobile unit is the shortest duration because the signal has traveled the shortest, or direct line-of-sight, path to the mobile unit. Thus, if there are no timing or estimation errors, any other path will be longer that the direct line-of-sight path, resulting in a corresponding longer, positive, excess delay.

[0041] Second, the absolute value of each TDOA measurement is upper bounded by the time it would take a signal to travel from one base station to the other base station along a line-of-sight path. This is due to the geometric triangle inequality that states that no one side of a triangle can be longer than, or equal to, the sum of the other two sides of the triangle, or conversely, any side of a triangle is longer than, or equal to, the difference between the other two sides of the triangle.

[0042] Although the excess delay of the signals received from the base stations is not known, the technique described below can determine a lower bound for the excess delay. The lower bound for the excess delay can be used to improve the estimated location of the mobile unit. The lower bound for the excess delay represents the minimum excess delay that can exist and still satisfy all mathematical relationships for the timing of the signal and the excess delay as described below. The set of all lower bounds for the excess delay values for the received base station signals will be used to establish an improved mobile unit location estimate.

[0043] The technique will be described for a single TDOA measurement, as illustrated in Figure 4, although the technique can be applied to any number of TDOA measurements. As shown in Figure 4, the mobile unit 122 is receiving signals, for example pilot signals in an IS-95 based system, from two base stations 102 and 104. The signals received from these two base stations result in a single TDOA measurement comprising the difference in elapsed time for the signal to travel from each base station to the mobile unit. As previously described, r1, and r2 are the time required for the signal to travel the distances from the first and second base station respectively to the mobile unit 122, and d12 is the time required for the signal to travel the known line of sight distance between the two base stations. As shown in Figure 4, line segments r1, r2, and d12 form a triangle. This gives the following constraint of Equation 1:



[0044] Let x1 and x2 represent the excess delay of the signal time of arrival at the mobile unit 122 of the signals transmitted by the first base station 102 and the second base station 104 respectively. It should be apparent that the x1 and x2 values are not known because the actual path traveled by the signals is not known. As discussed previously, x1 and x2 are positive values, expressed as x1 ≥ 0, and x2 ≥ 0. Also, let the time bias, or time offset between the mobile unit and base station clock times, of the mobile unit 122 be represented by tb. Typically, the time bias is constant for all measurements, at least in a relatively short period such as used to make a TDOA measurement. Then, the time difference of arrival measured at the mobile unit for signals received from the two base stations 102 and 104 is represented mathematically as Equation 2:



[0045] Where:

TDOA12 is the time difference of arrival between signals from base station 1 and base station 2 as measured at the mobile unit.

TOA1 is the time of arrival of the signal from base station 1 as measured at the mobile unit.

TOA2 is the time of arrival of the signal from base station 2 as measured as the mobile unit.



[0046] By replacing the two inequalities of Equation [1] into Equation [2] the following inequalities are derived:





[0047] To determine lower bounds for the excess delay terms xi for i=1,2, a solution to the Equations of [3a] and [3b] are determined with the additional constraint that xi ≥ 0, because as already mentioned, the excess delay is positive.

[0048] The technique just described can be expanded to the general case where there are N base stations. Each pair of i and j measurements, from i and j base stations respectively, form two sets of inequalities, similar to Equations [3a] and [3b], as shown below in Equations [4a] and [4b]:





[0049] Thus, for N base stations there are (N-1)*N/2 sets of inequalities, as illustrated in Equations [4a] and [4b], resulting in a total of M=(N-1)*N inequalities. The sets of inequalities can be written in matrix format as Equation 5:



[0050] Where:

A is an M by N matrix; and

b is a column vector with M components.



[0051] The inequalities of Equation [5] can be solved, with the constraint of all excess delay values x ≥ 0 , to find minimum values for the unknowns xi and xj. One method of solving these inequalities is to define a cost vector c with N components. The cost vector is then solved for i=1,..,N cases where the vector c is a vector of zeros, with a 1 in the ith place. This reduces the problem of minimizing cx, subject to x ≥ 0 and Axb. Those skilled in the art will recognize that the solution may be determined by techniques for solving linear inequalities, such as can be found in the literature, for example, Strang and Gilbert, "Linear Algebra and its Applications", chapter 8, third edition, Harcourt Brace Jovanovish, 1998, incorporated herein.

[0052] A simple numeric example illustrates one method of how the lower bound may be determined. In this example, the measured TDOA12 =5 time units, and the time required for the signal to travel the known line-of-sight distance between the two base stations is d12=4 time units. Substituting the values for TDOA12 and d12 into the inequalities of Equations [3a] and [3b] results in Equations [6a] and [6b]:





[0053] These inequalities, along with the constrain that x1 ≥ 0, and x2 ≥ 0, define a feasible set, a set composed of the solutions to the family of linear inequalities listed for this example.

[0054] Figure 5 is a graph illustrating the feasible set for the above example. As shown in Figure 5, there are two axes, one representing the values of x1 (line 502), and the other representing values of x2 (line 504), defining four quadrants. The upper right quadrant 510 contains values that satisfy the inequalities, x1 ≥ 0, and x2 ≥ 0, and are therefore possible members of the feasible set. The further constraints on x1 and x2 establish additional bounds on the feasible set. These additional bounds are shown as the regions defined by the inequalities x1 - x2 ≥ 1, and x2 - x1 ≥ -9. The inequality x1 - x2 ≥ 1 defines a region of possible solutions downward and to the right of a line x1 - x2 = 1 (512). The inequality x2 - x1 ≥ -9 defines a region of possible solution upward and to the left of a line x2 - x1 = -9 (514). The set of points that satisfy all the inequalities, thereby defining the feasible set, is the shaded area 516 of Figure 5.

[0055] To determine the lower bound of the excess delay, a cost function is minimized. In the example, where there are signals from two base stations there are two cost functions, c1 = x1, and c2 = x2. Solving the minimum cost for each of the two cost functions, and satisfying the inequalities that defined the feasible set, results in the minimum cost occurring at point 530 where x1(min)=1 and x2(min)=0. Thus, in this example there is a lower bound of excess delay of 1 time unit on TOA1, and a lower bound of excess delay of 0 time unit on TOA2.

[0056] After the lower bounds for the excess delay have been determined, they may be used to improve the estimate of the mobile unit's location when using a TDOA estimation of location. For example, the lower bound of excess delay value could be subtracted from the respective time of arrival (TOA) measurements, before the estimated location is determined, thereby reducing the errors in the TOA measurements that are used to estimate location. The lower bound of excess delay values could also be used to determine weighting factors, used to give increased preference, or weights, to some of the received signal measurements in determining the location solution. The lower bound of excess delay values could also be used to discard a measurement entirely, for example, if the lower bound of excess delay value of a measurement exceeds a threshold, then the measurement may not be used in the location estimate solution.. In addition the lower bound of excess delay value could be used in determining an indication of the accuracy of the location solution. These examples of how to use the lower bound of excess delay values, as well as others, can be used independently or in any combination. In addition, the uses of the lower bound of excess delay values can be used by the mobile unit, transmitted to another location in the cellular infrastructure such as the base station for use there, or used at both the mobile unit and the other location in the cellular infrastructure.

[0057] Figure 6 is a block diagram illustrating additional detail of the mobile unit 122. The mobile unit 122 includes a receiver 602 configured to receive signals from base stations. For example, the receiver may be configured to receive code division multiple access (CDMA) signals, or global system for mobile communication (GSM) from a base station. The receiver 602 receives signals from the base stations and determines the TOA for each signals. The receiver outputs the TOA of the received signals to the excess delay engine 604.

[0058] The excess delay engine 604 accepts the TOA of the received signals and determines the lower bounds of the excess delay for each of the received signals. The lower bounds of the excess delay may be output to a controller 606 where they are used in location determination. In addition, the TOA of the received signals or the lower bounds of the excess delay may be communicated to a different location, for example a base station and used at the base station. In one embodiment, the excess delay engine 604 may be part of the controller 606. In another embodiment, the excess delay engine 604 may be part of the receiver 602. In yet another embodiment, the receiver 602, excess delay engine 604, and controller 606 are combined into a single unit. The receiver 602, excess delay engine 604, and controller 606 may be made form an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), a gate array, or discrete components. In other embodiments, the functions of the receiver 602, excess delay engine 604, and controller 606 may be implemented in software, or any combination of hardware and software.

[0059] Figure 7 is a block diagram illustrating additional detail of the base station 102. In an alternative embodiment, the mobile unit transmits the TOA measurements of the signals received by the mobile unit to a base station where the estimate of the location of the mobile unit are made. In this embodiment, the base station 102 includes a receiver 704 configured to receive signals from a mobile unit. For example, the received may be configured to receive code division multiple access (CDMA) signals, or global system for mobile communication (GSM) from a mobile unit. The receiver 704 receives TOA measurements of signals received by the mobile unit. The receiver 704 outputs the TOA of the signals received by the mobile unit to an excess delay engine 706.

[0060] The excess delay engine 706 accepts the TOA signals received from the mobile unit and determines the lower bounds of the excess delay for each of the received signals. The lower bounds of the excess delay may be output to a controller 708 where they are used in determining an estimate of the location of the mobile unit. In one embodiment, the excess delay engine 706 may be part of the controller 708. In another embodiment, the excess delay engine 706 may be part of the receiver 704. In yet another embodiment, the receiver 704, excess delay engine 706, and controller 708 are combined into a single unit. The transmitter 702, receiver 704, excess delay engine 706, and controller 708 may be made form an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), a gate array, or discrete components. In other embodiments, the functions of the transmitter 702, receiver 704, excess delay engine 706, and controller 708 may be implemented in software, or any combination of hardware and software.

[0061] While Figure 7 illustrates a base station, the excess delay engine could be located anywhere in the cellular infrastructure. For example, the excess delay engine could be included in a base station controller (BSC) or a mobile switching center (MSC). In one embodiment, the excess delay engine is part of a position determination engine (PDE) that estimates the location of the mobile unit.

[0062] In another alternative embodiment, the mobile unit determines the lower bounds of excess delay and transmits the value for the lower bound of excess delay to the base station 102. In this embodiment, the receiver 702 receives the value of the lower bound of excess delay determined by the mobile unit and outputs the value to the controller 708 where the value is used in determining an estimate of the location of the mobile unit.

[0063] Figure 8 is a flow chart illustrating one technique of determining the lower bound of excess delay by a mobile unit. The flow chart represents operations performed by the mobile unit 122. While Figure 8 describes an example of the technique where the remote unit receives signals from two base stations, in an actual system the mobile unit may receive signals from any number of base stations. Operation flow begins in block 804, when a signal is received from a first base station at the mobile unit. Flow then continues to block 806. In block 806 a signal is received from a second base station. While the example illustrated in Figure 8 describes the signals being received sequentially, in a typical communication system the signals from all base stations are received simultaneously.

[0064] Flow then continues to block 808. In block 808 the TDOA of the two received signals is determined. Flow then continues to block 810, where the lower bound of excess delay for the received signals is determined. Flow then continues to block 812. In block 812 the location of the mobile unit is estimated, with the TDOA estimate adjusted using the lower bound of excess delay.

[0065] Figure 9 is a flow chart illustrating one technique of determining the lower bound of excess delay by at a location in the cellular network other than the mobile unit. For example, the technique described in Figure 9 could be included in a base station, a mobile switching center, or as part of a position determination engine. While Figure 9 describes an example of the technique where the remote unit receives signals from two base stations, in an actual system the mobile unit may receive signals from any number of base stations. Operation flow begins in block 904, when TOA values of signals received at a mobile unit from at least two base stations are received at the base station from the mobile unit. While the flow chart describes the operation in relationship to one mobile unit, the base station is able to perform the operation in relationship to many mobile units.

[0066] Flow then continues to block 908. In block 908 the TDOA of two of the received TOA values is determined. Flow then continues to block 910, where the lower bound of the excess delay is determined. Flow then continues to block 912. In block 912 the location of the mobile unit is estimated, with the TDOA estimate adjusted using the lower bound of excess delay.

[0067] The foregoing description has described examples of certain embodiments of the invention where the estimate of the mobile units location is done by time difference of arrival measurements of signals transmitted from base stations. The techniques described can also be used in combination with other position location systems. For example, the technique could be used to supplement a global positioning system (GPS), or other position location system, creating a hybrid system that combines measurements from the different measurement systems to estimate the mobile unit location. In addition, the techniques described could be used to correct the time bias of a reference used for the GPS measurements.

[0068] The foregoing description details certain embodiments of the invention. It will be appreciated, however, that no matter how detailed the foregoing appears, the invention may be embodied in other specific forms. The described embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive and the scope of the invention is, therefore, indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description. All changes which come with the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope.


Claims

1. A method of determining location of a mobile unit (122), the method comprising:

receiving (804, 806) signals from at least two base stations (102, 104);

determining (808) a time difference of arrival between the received signals;

estimating (810) a lower bound of excess delay for each of the received signals in accordance with the time of arrival of each of the signals and known distances (202, 204) between the base stations (102, 104), wherein the excess delay is a difference between a time it takes the received signal to travel a multipath route from the respective base station to the mobile unit and the time it would have taken if the received signal had traveled a direct line-of-sight path between the respective base station and the mobile unit; and

estimating (812) a location of the mobile unit (122) in accordance with the estimated lower bound of excess delay for each of the received signals and the time difference of arrival between the received signals.


 
2. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the received signals are CDMA pilot signals.
 
3. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the received signals are GSM signals.
 
4. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising adjusting (812) the estimated location of the mobile unit (122) using the lower bound of excess delay.
 
5. A method as defined in claim 4, wherein the adjustment comprises subtracting the lower bound of excess delay from the time of arrival measurement for the respective signal.
 
6. A method as defined in claim 4, wherein the adjustment comprises weighting the time of arrival measurements according to the lower bound of excess delay.
 
7. A method as defined in claim 4, wherein the adjustment comprises eliminating a time of arrival measurement from the location estimate based on the lower bound of excess delay.
 
8. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the lower bound of excess delay for the received signals is used to determine an accuracy of the location estimate of the mobile unit (122).
 
9. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the excess delay introduced into the signals is due to multipath.
 
10. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein signals are received at the mobile unit (122) from a plurality of base stations (102, 104, 106, 108, 110) and the lower bound on the excess delay is estimated for a plurality of signal time of arrival determinations.
 
11. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the signals received from the base stations (102, 104, 106, 108, 110) are transmitted from the base stations (102, 104, 106, 108, 110) at the same time.
 
12. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the signals received from the base stations (102, 104, 106, 108, 110) are transmitted synchronized in time to each other.
 
13. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the received signals are communication signals.
 
14. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the received signals are cellular communication signals.
 
15. A method as defined in claim 1 wherein, estimating the lower bound of excess delay is done with less than all of the signals received from the base stations (102, 104, 106, 108, 110).
 
16. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein estimating location of the mobile unit (122) includes another position location system.
 
17. A method as defined in claim 16, wherein the other position location system is a global positioning system.
 
18. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the method further comprising:

transmitting the time difference of arrival and lower bound of excess delay to a different location and estimating (812) location of the mobile unit (122) in accordance with the estimated lower bound of excess delay and the time difference of arrival between the received signals at the different location.


 
19. A method as defined in claim 1, the method further comprising:

transmitting the times of arrival of the signals to a different location;

determining (808) the time difference of arrival between the received signals from the respective base stations at the different location;

estimating (810) a lower bound of excess delay in accordance with the time of arrival of each signal from its respective base station (102, 104) and a known distance (202, 204) between the base stations (102, 104) at the different location; and

estimating (812) location of the mobile unit (122) in accordance with the estimated lower bound of excess delay and the time difference of arrival between the received signals at the different location.


 
20. A method as defined in claim 18 or 19, wherein the different location is a base station (102, 104).
 
21. A mobile unit (122) comprising:

a receiver (602) configured to receive respective signals from at least two base stations (102, 104), and to determine a time of arrival of the signals transmitted by each base station (102, 104);

an excess delay engine (604) configured to receive the time of arrival of the signals and to estimate a lower bound of excess delay for each of the received signals in accordance with the time of arrival of each of the signals from their respective base stations (102, 104) and known distances (202, 204) between the base stations (102, 104), wherein the excess delay is a difference between a time it takes the received signal to travel a multipath route from the respective base station to the mobile unit and the time it would have taken if the received signal had traveled a direct line-of-sight path between the respective base station and the mobile unit.


 
22. A mobile unit (122) as defined in claim 21, wherein the received signals are CDMA pilot signals.
 
23. A mobile unit (122) as defined in claim 21, wherein the received signals are GSM signals.
 
24. A mobile unit (122) as defined in claim 21, further comprising estimating a location of the mobile unit (122) in accordance with the estimated lower bound of excess delay and the time difference of arrival between the received signals.
 
25. A mobile unit (122) as defined in claim 24, further comprising adjusting (812) the estimated location of the mobile unit (122) using the lower bound of excess delay.
 
26. A mobile unit (122) as defined in claim 25, wherein the adjustment comprises subtracting the lower bound of excess delay from the time of arrival measurement.
 
27. A mobile unit (122) as defined in claim 25, wherein the adjustment comprises weighting the time of arrival measurements according to the lower bound of excess delay.
 
28. A mobile unit (122) as defined in claim 25, wherein the adjustment comprises eliminating a time of arrival measurement from the location estimate based on the lower bound of excess delay.
 
29. A mobile unit (122) as defined in claim 24, wherein the lower bound of excess delay for the received signals is used to determine an accuracy of the estimated location of the mobile unit (122).
 
30. A mobile unit (122) as defined in claim 24, wherein the location estimate determined by the mobile unit (122) is transmitted to a base station (102, 104).
 
31. A mobile unit (122) as defined in claim 24, wherein estimating location of the mobile unit (122) includes another position location system.
 
32. A mobile unit (122) as defined in claim 31, wherein the other position location system is a global positioning system.
 
33. A mobile unit (122) as defined in claim 21, wherein the lower bound of excess delay of the received signals is transmitted to one of the base stations (102, 104).
 
34. A mobile unit (122) as defined in claim 21, wherein the delay introduced into the signal is due to multipath.
 
35. A mobile unit (122) as defined in claim 21, wherein the mobile unit (122) is used in a communication system.
 
36. A mobile unit (122) as defined in claim 21, wherein the mobile unit (122) is used in a cellular communication system.
 
37. A mobile unit (122) as defined in claim 21 wherein, estimating (810) the lower bound of excess delay is done with less than all of the signals received from the base stations (102, 104).
 
38. A mobile unit (122) as defined in claim 21 further comprising:

a transmitter configured to accept the time of arrival and to transmit the time of arrival to a different location.


 
39. A mobile unit (122) as defined in claim 38, wherein the different location further comprises:

an excess delay engine (604) configured to receive the time of arrival and estimate a lower bound of excess delay in accordance with the time of arrival of the signal from its respective base station (102, 104) and a known distance (202, 204) between the base stations (102, 104), and estimating (812) location of the mobile unit in accordance with the estimated lower bound of excess delay and the time difference of arrival between the received signals.


 
40. A base station (102, 104) comprising:

a receiver (704) configured to receive signals from at least one mobile unit (122), wherein the signals received from the at least one mobile unit (122) comprise the times of arrival of signals received by the mobile unit (122) from at least two base stations (102, 104); and

an excess delay engine (706) configured to receive the times of arrival of the signals and to estimate a lower bound of excess delay for each of the received signals for the times of arrival of each of the signals from their respective base stations (102, 104) wherein the base stations (102, 104) are located known distances (202, 204) apart, wherein the excess delay is a difference between a time it takes the received signal to travel a multipath route from the respective base station to the mobile unit and the time it would have taken if the received signal had traveled a direct line-of-sight path between the respective base station and the mobile unit.


 
41. A base station (102, 104) as defined in claim 40, wherein an estimated location of a mobile unit (122) is determined in accordance with the lower bound of excess delay and a time difference of arrival of the signals received.
 
42. A base station (102, 104) as defined in claim 41, wherein the estimated location of the mobile unit (122) is adjusted using the lower bound of excess delay.
 
43. A base station (102, 104) as defined in claim 42, wherein the adjustment comprises subtracting the lower bound of excess delay from the time of arrival measurement of the respective signal.
 
44. A base station (102, 104) as defined in claim 42, wherein the adjustment comprises weighting the time of arrival measurements according to the lower bound of excess delay.
 
45. A base station (102, 104) as defined in claim 42, wherein the adjustment comprises eliminating a time of arrival measurement from the location estimate based on the lower bound of excess delay.
 
46. A base station (102, 104) as defined in claim 41, wherein the lower bound of excess delay for the received signals is used to determine an accuracy of the estimated location of a mobile unit (122).
 
47. A base station (102, 104) as defined in claim 41 wherein, estimating (810) the lower bound of excess delay is done with less than all of the signals received from the mobile unit (122).
 
48. A base station (102, 104) as defined in claim 41, wherein estimating location of the mobile unit (122) includes another position location system.
 
49. A base station (102, 104) as defined in claim 48, wherein the other position location system is a global positioning system.
 
50. A base station (102, 104) as defined in claim 40, wherein the base station (102, 104) is used in a communication system.
 
51. A base station (102, 104) as defined in claim 40, wherein the base station (102, 104) is used in a cellular communication system.
 
52. An integrated circuit configured to determine a lower bound of an excess delay in a time of arrival measurement of a received signal, the integrated circuit comprising:

an input circuit configured to receive (804, 806) signals from at least two base stations (102, 104) and to output a time of arrival measurement for each received signal;

an excess delay engine (604) configured to determine a time difference of arrival between the received signals from the respective base stations (102, 104), and to estimate (810) a lower bound of excess delay for each of the received signals introduced into the signals received from each base station (102, 104) based on the time of arrival of each signal from its respective base station (102, 104) and a known distance (202, 204) between two associated base stations (102, 104), wherein the excess delay is a difference between a time it takes the received signal to travel a multipath route from the respective base station to the mobile unit and the time it would have taken if the received signal had traveled a direct line-of-sight path between the respective base station and the mobile unit.


 
53. An integrated circuit as defined in claim 52, wherein the received signals are CDMA pilot signals.
 
54. An integrated circuit as defined in claim 52, wherein the received signals are GSM signals.
 
55. An integrated circuit as defined in claim 52, further comprising estimated location of a mobile unit (122) in accordance with the lower bound of excess delay and the time difference of arrival between the received signals.
 
56. An integrated circuit as defined in claim 55, wherein the estimated location of the mobile unit (122) is adjusted using the lower bound of excess delay.
 
57. An integrated circuit as defined in claim 56, wherein the adjustment comprises subtracting the lower bound of excess delay from the time of arrival measurement.
 
58. An integrated circuit as defined in claim 56, wherein the adjustment comprises weighting the time of arrival measurements according to the lower bound of excess delay.
 
59. An integrated circuit as defined in claim 56, wherein the adjustment comprises eliminating a time of arrival measurement from the estimated location based on the lower bound of excess delay.
 
60. An integrated circuit as defined in claim 55, wherein the lower bound of excess delay for the received signals is used to determine an accuracy of the estimated location of the mobile unit (122).
 
61. An integrated circuit as defined in claim 55, wherein estimating location of the mobile unit (122) includes another position location system.
 
62. An integrated circuit as defined in claim 61, wherein the other position location system is a global positioning system.
 
63. An integrated circuit as defined in claim 52, wherein the delay introduced into the signals is due to multipath.
 
64. An integrated circuit as defined in claim 52 wherein, estimating the lower bound of excess delay is done with less than all of the signals received.
 


Ansprüche

1. Ein Verfahren zum Bestimmen eines Ortes von einer mobilen Einheit (122), wobei das Verfahren die folgenden Schritte aufweist:

Empfangen (804, 806) von Signalen von wenigstens zwei Basisstationen (102, 104);

Bestimmen (808) einer Ankunftszeitdifferenz zwischen den empfangenen Signalen;

Schätzen (810) einer unteren Grenze einer Zusatzverzögerung für jedes der empfangenen Signale in Übereinstimmung mit der Ankunftszeit von jedem der Signale und bekannten Abständen (202, 204) zwischen den Basisstationen (102, 104), wobei die Zusatzverzögerung eine Differenz ist zwischen einer Zeit, die das empfangene Signal benötigt, um eine Multipathroute von der entsprechenden Basisstation zu der mobilen Einheit zurückzulegen und der Zeit, die benötigt würde, wenn das empfangene Signal einen Weg in direkter Sichtlinie zwischen der entsprechenden Basisstation und der mobilen Einheit zurückgelegt hätte; und

Schätzen (812) eines Ortes der mobilen Einheit (122) in Übereinstimmung mit der geschätzten unteren Grenze der Zusatzverzögerung für jedes der empfangenen Signale und der Ankunftszeitdifferenz der empfangenen Signale.


 
2. Ein Verfahren wie definiert in Anspruch 1, wobei die empfangenen Signale CDMA Pilotsignale sind.
 
3. Ein Verfahren wie definiert in Anspruch 1, wobei die empfangenen Signale GSM Signale sind.
 
4. Ein Verfahren wie definiert in Anspruch 1, wobei das Verfahren ferner das Einstellen (812) des geschätzten Ortes der mobilen Einheit (122) aufweist, unter der Verwendung der unteren Grenze der Zusatzverzögerung.
 
5. Ein Verfahren wie definiert in Anspruch 4, wobei die Einstellung das Subtrahieren der unteren Grenze der Zusatzverzögerung von der Ankunftszeitmessung für das entsprechende Signal aufweist.
 
6. Ein Verfahren wie definiert in Anspruch 4, wobei die Einstellung das Gewichten der Ankunftszeitmessungen entsprechend der unteren Grenze der Zusatzverzögerung aufweist.
 
7. Ein Verfahren wie definiert in Anspruch 4, wobei die Einstellung das Eliminieren einer Ankunftszeitmessung von der Ortsschätzung aufweist, basierend auf der unteren Grenze der Zusatzverzögerung.
 
8. Ein Verfahren wie definiert in Anspruch 1, wobei die untere Grenze der Zusatzverzögerung für die empfangenen Signale verwendet wird, um eine Genauigkeit der Ortsschätzung der mobilen Einheit (122) zu bestimmen.
 
9. Ein Verfahren wie definiert in Anspruch 1, wobei die Zusatzverzögerung aufgrund von Multipath in die Signale eingeführt wird.
 
10. Ein Verfahren wie definiert in Anspruch 1, wobei Signale an der mobilen Einheit (122) von einer Vielzahl von Basisstationen (102, 104, 106, 108, 110) empfangen werden und wobei die untere Grenze der Zusatzverzögerung für eine Vielzahl von Signal-Ankunftszeitbestimmungen geschätzt wird.
 
11. Ein Verfahren wie definiert in Anspruch 1, wobei die Signale, die von den Basisstationen (102, 104, 106, 108, 110) empfangen werden, von den Basisstationen (102, 104, 106, 108, 110) zur selben Zeit gesendet werden.
 
12. Ein Verfahren wie definiert in Anspruch 1, wobei die Signale, die von den Basisstationen (102, 104, 106, 108, 110) empfangen werden, zeitsynchronisiert zueinander gesendet werden.
 
13. Ein Verfahren wie definiert in Anspruch 1, wobei die empfangenen Signale Kommunikationssignale sind.
 
14. Ein Verfahren wie definiert in Anspruch 1, wobei die empfangenen Signale zelluläre Kommunikationssignale sind.
 
15. Ein Verfahren wie definiert in Anspruch 1, wobei das Schätzen der unteren Grenze der Zusatzverzögerung ausgeführt wird mit weniger als der Gesamtzahl von Signalen, die von den Basisstationen (102, 104, 106, 108, 110) empfangen werden.
 
16. Ein Verfahren wie definiert in Anspruch 1, wobei das Schätzen des Ortes der mobilen Einheit (122) ein weiteres Positionsortungssystem aufweist.
 
17. Ein Verfahren wie definiert in Anspruch 1, wobei das weitere Positionsortungssystem ein globales Positionierungssystem ist.
 
18. Ein Verfahren wie definiert in Anspruch 1, wobei das Verfahren ferner folgende Schritte aufweist:

Senden der Ankunftszeitdifferenz und der unteren Grenze der Zusatzverzögerung zu einem anderen Ort und Schätzen (812) des Ortes der mobilen Einheit (122) in Übereinstimmung mit der geschätzten unteren Grenze der Zusatzverzögerung und der Ankunftszeitdifferenz zwischen den empfangenen Signalen und dem anderen Ort.


 
19. Ein Verfahren wie definiert in Anspruch 1, wobei das Verfahren ferner folgende Schritte aufweist:

Senden der Ankunftszeit der Signale zu einem anderen Ort;

Bestimmen (808) der Ankunftszeitdifferenz zwischen den empfangenen Signalen von den entsprechenden Basisstationen an dem anderen Ort;

Schätzen (810) einer unteren Grenze der Zusatzverzögerung in Übereinstimmung mit der Ankunftszeit von jedem Signal seiner entsprechenden Basisstation (102, 104) und einem bekannten Abstand (202, 204) zwischen den Basisstationen (102, 104) bei dem anderen Ort; und

Schätzen (812) des Ortes der mobilen Einheit (122) in Übereinstimmung mit der geschätzten unteren Grenze der Zusatzverzögerung und der Ankunftszeitdifferenz zwischen den empfangenen Signalen an dem anderen Ort.


 
20. Ein Verfahren wie definiert in Anspruch 18 oder 19, wobei der andere Ort eine Basisstation (102, 104) ist.
 
21. Eine mobile Einheit (122), wobei die mobile Einheit Folgendes aufweist:

einen Empfänger (602), der konfiguriert ist zum Empfangen von entsprechenden Signalen von wenigstens zwei Basisstationen (102, 104), und zum Bestimmen einer Ankunftszeit der empfangenen Signale, die von jeder Basisstation (102, 104) gesendet werden;

eine Zusatzverzögerungseinheit (604), die konfiguriert ist zum Empfangen der Ankunftszeit der Signale und zum Schätzen einer unteren Grenze einer Zusatzverzögerung für jedes der empfangenen Signale in Übereinstimmung mit der Ankunftszeit von jedem der Signale von deren entsprechenden Basisstationen (102, 104) und bekannten Abständen (202, 204) zwischen den Basisstationen (102, 104), wobei die Zusatzverzögerung eine Differenz ist zwischen einer Zeit, die das empfangene Signal benötigt, um eine Multipathroute von der entsprechenden Basisstation zu der mobilen Einheit zurückzulegen und der Zeit, die benötigt würde, wenn das empfangene Signal einen Weg in direkter Sichtlinie zwischen der entsprechenden Basisstation und der mobilen Einheit zurückgelegt hätte.


 
22. Eine mobile Einheit (122) wie definiert in Anspruch 21, wobei die empfangenen Signale CDMA Signale sind.
 
23. Eine mobile Einheit (122) wie definiert in Anspruch 21, wobei die empfangenen Signale GSM Signale sind.
 
24. Eine mobile Einheit (122) wie definiert in Anspruch 21, wobei die mobile Einheit ferner das Schätzen eines Ortes der mobilen Einheit (122) aufweist, in Übereinstimmung mit der geschätzten unteren Grenze der Zusatzverzögerung und der Ankunftszeitdifferenz zwischen den empfangenen Signalen.
 
25. Eine mobile Einheit (122) wie definiert in Anspruch 24, wobei die mobile Einheit ferner das Einstellen (812) des geschätzten Ortes der mobilen Einheit (122) aufweist, unter der Verwendung der unteren Grenze der Zusatzverzögerung.
 
26. Eine mobile Einheit (122) wie definiert in Anspruch 25, wobei die Einstellung das Subtrahieren der unteren Grenze der Zusatzverzögerung von der Ankunftszeitmessung für das entsprechende Signal aufweist.
 
27. Eine mobile Einheit (122) wie definiert in Anspruch 25, wobei die Einstellung das Gewichten der Ankunftszeitmessungen entsprechend der unteren Grenze der Zusatzverzögerung aufweist.
 
28. Eine mobile Einheit (122) wie definiert in Anspruch 25, wobei die Einstellung das Eliminieren einer Ankunftszeitmessung von der Ortsschätzung aufweist, basierend auf der unteren Grenze der Zusatzverzögerung.
 
29. Eine mobile Einheit (122) wie definiert in Anspruch 24, wobei die untere Grenze der Zusatzverzögerung für die empfangenen Signale verwendet wird, um eine Genauigkeit der Ortsschätzung der mobilen Einheit (122) zu bestimmen.
 
30. Eine mobile Einheit (122) wie definiert in Anspruch 24, wobei die Ortsschätzung, die von der mobilen Einheit (122) bestimmt wird, an eine Basisstation (102, 104) gesendet wird.
 
31. Eine mobile Einheit (122) wie definiert in Anspruch 24, wobei das Schätzen des Ortes der mobilen Einheit (122) ein weiteres Positionsortungssystem aufweist.
 
32. Eine mobile Einheit (122) wie definiert in Anspruch 31, wobei das weitere Positionsortungssystem ein globales Positionierungssystem ist.
 
33. Eine mobile Einheit (122) wie definiert in Anspruch 21, wobei die untere Grenze der Zusatzverzögerung der empfangenen Signale zu einer der Basisstationen (102, 104) gesendet wird.
 
34. Eine mobile Einheit (122) wie definiert in Anspruch 21, wobei die Verzögerung aufgrund von Multipath in die Signale eingeführt wird.
 
35. Eine mobile Einheit (122) wie definiert in Anspruch 21, wobei die mobile Einheit (122) in einem Kommunikationssystem benutzt wird.
 
36. Eine mobile Einheit (122) wie definiert in Anspruch 21, wobei die mobile Einheit (122) in einem zellulären Kommunikationssystem benutzt wird.
 
37. Eine mobile Einheit (122) wie definiert in Anspruch 21, wobei das Schätzen (810) der unteren Grenze der Zusatzverzögerung ausgeführt wird mit weniger als der Gesamtzahl von Signalen, die von den Basisstationen (102, 104) empfangen werden.
 
38. Eine mobile Einheit (122) wie definiert in Anspruch 21, wobei die mobile Einheit ferner Folgendes aufweist:

einen Sender, der konfiguriert ist zum Akzeptieren der Ankunftszeit und zum Senden der Ankunftszeit zu einem anderen Ort.


 
39. Eine mobile Einheit (122) wie definiert in Anspruch 38, wobei der andere Ort ferner Folgendes aufweist:

eine Zusatzverzögerungseinheit (604), die konfiguriert ist zum Empfangen der Ankunftszeit und zum Schätzen einer unteren Grenze einer Zusatzverzögerung in Übereinstimmung mit der Ankunftszeit von dem Signal von dessen entsprechender Basisstation (102, 104) und einem bekannten Abstand (202, 204) zwischen der Basisstation (102, 104), und Schätzen (812) eines Ortes der mobilen Einheit in Übereinstimmung mit der geschätzten unteren Grenze der Zusatzverzögerung und der Ankunftszeitdifferenz zwischen den empfangenen Signalen.


 
40. Eine Basisstation (102, 104), wobei die Basisstation Folgendes aufweist:

einen Empfänger (704), der konfiguriert ist zum Empfangen von Signalen von wenigstens einer mobilen Einheit (122), wobei die Signale, die von der wenigstens einen mobilen Einheit (122) empfangen werden, die Ankunftszeiten der Signale aufweisen, die von der mobilen Einheit (122) von wenigstens zwei Basisstationen (102, 104) empfangen wurden; und

eine Zusatzverzögerungseinheit (706), die konfiguriert ist zum Empfangen der Ankunftszeiten der Signale und zum Schätzen einer unteren Grenze einer Zusatzverzögerung für jedes der empfangenen Signale für die Ankunftszeiten von jedem der empfangenen Signale von deren entsprechenden Basisstationen (102, 104), wobei die Basisstationen (102, 104) in bekannten Abständen (202, 204) angeordnet sind, wobei die Zusatzverzögerung eine Differenz ist zwischen einer Zeit, die das empfangene Signal benötigt, um eine Multipathroute von der entsprechenden Basisstation zu der mobilen Einheit zurückzulegen und der Zeit, die benötigt würde, wenn das empfangene Signal einen Weg in direkter Sichtlinie zwischen der entsprechenden Basisstation und der mobilen Einheit zurückgelegt hätte.


 
41. Eine Basisstation (102, 104) wie definiert in Anspruch 40, wobei eine Schätzung des Ortes von einer mobilen Einheit (122) bestimmt wird in Übereinstimmung mit der unteren Grenze der Zusatzverzögerung und einer Ankunftszeitdifferenz der empfangenen Signale.
 
42. Eine Basisstation (102, 104) wie definiert in Anspruch 41, wobei der geschätzte Ort der mobilen Einheit (122) eingestellt wird unter der Verwendung der unteren Grenze der Zusatzverzögerung.
 
43. Eine Basisstation (102, 104) wie definiert in Anspruch 42, wobei die Einstellung das Subtrahieren der unteren Grenze der Zusatzverzögerung von der Ankunftszeitmessung für das entsprechende Signal aufweist.
 
44. Eine Basisstation (102, 104) wie definiert in Anspruch 42, wobei die Einstellung das Gewichten der Ankunftszeitmessungen entsprechend der unteren Grenze der Zusatzverzögerung aufweist.
 
45. Eine Basisstation (102, 104) wie definiert in Anspruch 42, wobei die Einstellung das Eliminieren einer Ankunftszeitmessung von der Ortsschätzung aufweist, basierend auf der unteren Grenze der Zusatzverzögerung.
 
46. Eine Basisstation (102, 104) wie definiert in Anspruch 41, wobei die untere Grenze der Zusatzverzögerung für die empfangenen Signale verwendet wird, um eine Genauigkeit der Ortsschätzung der mobilen Einheit (122) zu bestimmen.
 
47. Eine Basisstation (102, 104) wie definiert in Anspruch 41, wobei das Schätzen (810) der unteren Grenze der Zusatzverzögerung ausgeführt wird mit weniger als der Gesamtzahl von Signalen, die von den Basisstationen (102, 104) empfangen werden.
 
48. Eine Basisstation (102, 104) wie definiert in Anspruch 41, wobei das Schätzen des Ortes der mobilen Einheit (122) ein weiteres Positionsortungssystem aufweist.
 
49. Eine Basisstation (102, 104) wie definiert in Anspruch 48, wobei das weitere Positionsortungssystem ein globales Positionierungssystem ist.
 
50. Eine Basisstation (102, 104) wie definiert in Anspruch 40, wobei die Basisstation (102, 104) in einem Kommunikationssystem benutzt wird.
 
51. Eine Basisstation (102, 104) wie definiert in Anspruch 40, wobei die Basisstation (102, 104) in einem zellulären Kommunikationssystem benutzt wird.
 
52. Ein integrierter Schaltkreis, wobei der integrierte Schaltkreis konfiguriert ist zum Bestimmen einer unteren Grenze einer Zusatzverzögerung in einer Ankunftszeitmessung von einem empfangenen Signal, wobei der integrierte Schaltkreis ferner Folgendes aufweist:

einen Eingangsschaltkreis, der konfiguriert ist zum Empfangen (804, 806) von Signalen von wenigstens zwei Basisstationen (102, 104), und zum Ausgeben einer Ankunftszeitmessung für jedes der empfangenen Signale;

eine Zusatzverzögerungseinheit (604), die konfiguriert ist zum Empfangen der Ankunftszeit zwischen den empfangenen Signalen von deren entsprechenden Basisstationen (102, 104) und zum Schätzen (810) einer unteren Grenze einer Zusatzverzögerung für jedes der empfangenen Signale, die in jedes der Signale eingeführt wurde, das von jeder der Basisstationen (102, 104) empfangen wurde, basierend auf der Ankunftszeit von jedem der Signale von deren entsprechenden Basisstationen (102, 104) und einem bekannten Abstand (202, 204) zwischen zwei assoziierten Basisstationen (102, 104), wobei die Zusatzverzögerung eine Differenz ist zwischen einer Zeit, die das empfangene Signal benötigt, um eine Multipathroute von der entsprechenden Basisstation zu der mobilen Einheit zurückzulegen und der Zeit, die benötigt würde, wenn das empfangene Signal einen Weg in direkter Sichtlinie zwischen der entsprechenden Basisstation und der mobilen Einheit zurückgelegt hätte.


 
53. Ein integrierter Schaltkreis wie definiert in Anspruch 52, wobei die empfangenen Signale CDMA Pilotsignale sind.
 
54. Ein integrierter Schaltkreis wie definiert in Anspruch 52, wobei die empfangenen Signale GSM Signale sind.
 
55. Ein integrierter Schaltkreis wie definiert in Anspruch 52, wobei der integrierte Schaltkreis ferner das Schätzen eines Ortes der mobilen Einheit (122) aufweist, in Übereinstimmung mit der geschätzten unteren Grenze der Zusatzverzögerung und der Ankunftszeitdifferenz zwischen den empfangenen Signalen.
 
56. Ein integrierter Schaltkreis wie definiert in Anspruch 55, wobei der geschätzte Ort der mobilen Einheit (122) eingestellt wird unter der Verwendung der unteren Grenze der Zusatzverzögerung.
 
57. Ein integrierter Schaltkreis wie definiert in Anspruch 56, wobei die Einstellung das Subtrahieren der unteren Grenze der Zusatzverzögerung von der Ankunftszeitmessung aufweist.
 
58. Ein integrierter Schaltkreis wie definiert in Anspruch 56, wobei die Einstellung das Gewichten der Ankunftszeitmessungen entsprechend der unteren Grenze der Zusatzverzögerung aufweist.
 
59. Ein integrierter Schaltkreis wie definiert in Anspruch 56, wobei die Einstellung das Eliminieren einer Ankunftszeitmessung von der Ortsschätzung aufweist, basierend auf der unteren Grenze der Zusatzverzögerung.
 
60. Ein integrierter Schaltkreis wie definiert in Anspruch 55, wobei die untere Grenze der Zusatzverzögerung für die empfangenen Signale verwendet wird, um eine Genauigkeit der Ortsschätzung der mobilen Einheit (122) zu bestimmen.
 
61. Ein integrierter Schaltkreis wie definiert in Anspruch 55, wobei das Schätzen des Ortes der mobilen Einheit (122) ein weiteres Positionsortungssystem aufweist.
 
62. Ein integrierter Schaltkreis wie definiert in Anspruch 61, wobei das weitere Positionsortungssystem ein globales Positionierungssystem ist.
 
63. Ein integrierter Schaltkreis wie definiert in Anspruch 52, wobei die Verzögerung aufgrund von Multipath in die Signale eingeführt wird.
 
64. Ein integrierter Schaltkreis wie definiert in Anspruch 52, wobei das Schätzen der unteren Grenze der Zusatzverzögerung ausgeführt wird mit weniger als der Gesamtzahl von empfangenen Signalen.
 


Revendications

1. Procédé pour déterminer la position d'un poste mobile (122), le procédé comprenant :

recevoir (804, 806) des signaux provenant d'au moins deux stations de base (102, 104) ;

déterminer (808) une différence d'instants d'arrivée entre les signaux reçus ;

estimer (810) une limite inférieure d'excès de retard pour chacun des signaux reçus en fonction de l'instant d'arrivée de chacun des signaux et de distances connues (202, 204) entre les stations de base (102, 104), l'excès de retard étant une différence entre le temps pris par le signal reçu pour parcourir une route à trajets multiples à partir de la station de base respective jusqu'au poste mobile et le temps que cela aurait pris si le signal reçu avait parcouru un chemin en ligne directe entre la station de base respective et le poste mobile ; et

estimer (812) une position du poste mobile (122) en fonction de la limite inférieure d'excès de retard estimée pour chacun des signaux reçus et de la différence d'instants d'arrivée entre les signaux reçus.


 
2. Procédé selon la revendication 1, dans lequel les signaux reçus sont des signaux pilotes CDMA.
 
3. Procédé selon la revendication 1, dans lequel les signaux reçus sont des signaux GSM.
 
4. Procédé selon la revendication 1, comprenant en outre un ajustement (812) de la position estimée du poste mobile (122) en utilisant la limite inférieure d'excès de retard.
 
5. Procédé selon la revendication 4, dans lequel l'ajustement comprend une soustraction de la limite inférieure d'excès de retard de la mesure d'instant d'arrivée pour le signal respectif.
 
6. Procédé selon la revendication 4, dans lequel l'ajustement comprend une pondération des mesures d'instants d'arrivée en fonction de la limite inférieure d'excès de retard.
 
7. Procédé selon la revendication 4, dans lequel l'ajustement comprend l'élimination d'une mesure d'instant arrivée à partir de l'estimation de position sur la base de la limite inférieure d'excès de retard.
 
8. Procédé selon la revendication 1, dans lequel la limite inférieure d'excès de retard pour les signaux reçus est utilisée pour déterminer la précision de l'estimation de position du poste mobile (122).
 
9. Procédé selon la revendication 1, dans lequel l'excès de retard introduit dans les signaux est dû aux multiples trajets.
 
10. Procédé selon la revendication 1, dans lequel des signaux sont reçus au niveau du poste mobile (122) à partir d'une pluralité de stations de base (102, 104, 106, 108, 110) et la limite inférieure d'excès de retard est estimée pour une pluralité de déterminations d'instant d'arrivée de signal.
 
11. Procédé selon la revendication 1, dans lequel les signaux reçus à partir des stations de base (102, 104, 106, 108, 110) sont émis à partir des stations de base (102, 104, 106, 108, 110) en même temps.
 
12. Procédé selon la revendication 1, dans lequel les signaux reçus à partir des stations de base (102, 104, 106, 108, 110) sont émis synchronisés temporellement entre eux.
 
13. Procédé selon la revendication 1, dans lequel les signaux reçus sont des signaux de communication.
 
14. Procédé selon la revendication 1, dans lequel les signaux reçus sont des signaux de communication cellulaires.
 
15. Procédé selon la revendication 1, dans lequel l'estimation de la limite inférieure d'excès de retard est faite avec moins de la totalité des signaux reçus des stations de base (102, 104, 106, 108, 110).
 
16. Procédé selon la revendication 1, dans lequel l'estimation de position du poste mobile (122) comprend un autre système de détermination de position.
 
17. Procédé selon la revendication 16, dans lequel l'autre système de détermination de position est un système de positionnement global.
 
18. Procédé selon la revendication 1, dans lequel le procédé comprend en outre :

transmettre la différence d'instants d'arrivée et la limite inférieure d'excès de retard à une position différente et estimer (812) la position du poste mobile (122) en fonction de la limite inférieure d'excès de retard estimée et de la différence d'instants d'arrivée entre les signaux reçus au niveau de la position différente.


 
19. Procédé selon la revendication 1, le procédé comprenant en outre :

transmettre les instants d'arrivée des signaux à une position différente ;

déterminer (808) la différence d'instants d'arrivée entre les signaux reçus à partir des stations de base respectives au niveau de la position différente ;

estimer (810) une limite inférieure d'excès de retard en fonction de l'instant arrivée de chaque signal provenant de sa station de base (102, 104) respective et d'une distance connue (202, 204) entre les stations de base (102, 104) au niveau de la position différente ; et

estimer (812) la position du poste mobile (122) en fonction de la limite inférieure d'excès de retard estimée et de la différence d'instants d'arrivée entre les signaux reçus au niveau de la position différente.


 
20. Procédé selon la revendication 18 ou 19, dans lequel la position différente est une station de base (102, 104).
 
21. Poste mobile (122) comprenant :

un récepteur (602) agencé pour recevoir des signaux respectifs provenant d'au moins deux stations de base (102, 104), et pour déterminer un instant d'arrivée des signaux émis par chaque station de base (102, 104) ;

un moteur d'excès de retard (604) agencé pour recevoir l'instant d'arrivée des signaux et pour estimer une limite inférieure d'excès de retard pour chacun des signaux reçus en fonction de l'instant d'arrivée de chacun des signaux reçus à partir de leurs stations de base (102, 104) respectives et de distances connues (202, 204) entre les stations de base (102, 104), dans lequel l'excès de retard est une différence entre le temps pris par le signal reçu pour parcourir une route à trajets multiples à partir de la station de base respective jusqu'au poste mobile et le temps que cela aurait pris si le signal reçu avait parcouru un chemin en ligne directe entre la station de base respective et le poste mobile.


 
22. Poste mobile (122) selon la revendication 21, dans lequel les signaux reçus sont des signaux pilotes CDMA.
 
23. Poste mobile (122) selon la revendication 21, dans lequel les signaux reçus sont des signaux GSM.
 
24. Poste mobile (122) selon la revendication 21, comprenant en outre une estimation de la position du poste mobile (122) en fonction de la limite inférieure d'excès de retard estimée et de la différence d'instants d'arrivée entre les signaux reçus.
 
25. Poste mobile (122) selon la revendication 24, comprenant en outre un ajustement (812) de la position estimée du poste mobile (122) en utilisant la limite inférieure d'excès de retard.
 
26. Poste mobile (122) selon la revendication 25, dans lequel l'ajustement comprend la soustraction de la limite inférieure d'excès de retard de la mesure d'instant d'arrivée.
 
27. Poste mobile (122) selon la revendication 25, dans lequel l'ajustement comprend une pondération des mesures d'instant d'arrivée en fonction de la limite inférieure d'excès de retard.
 
28. Poste mobile (122) selon la revendication 25, dans lequel l'ajustement comprend l'élimination d'une mesure d'instant d'arrivée à partir de l'estimation de position sur la base de la limite inférieure d'excès de retard.
 
29. Poste mobile (122) selon la revendication 24, dans lequel la limite inférieure d'excès de retard pour les signaux reçus est utilisé pour déterminer la précision de la position estimée du poste mobile (122).
 
30. Poste mobile (122) selon la revendication 24, dans lequel l'estimation de position déterminée par le poste mobile (122) est transmise à une station de base (102, 104).
 
31. Poste mobile (122) selon la revendication 24, dans lequel l'estimation de position du poste mobile (122) comprend un autre système de détermination de position.
 
32. Poste mobile (122) selon la revendication 31, dans lequel l'autre système de détermination de position est un système de positionnement global.
 
33. Poste mobile (122) selon la revendication 21, dans lequel la limite inférieure d'excès de retard des signaux reçus est transmise à l'une des stations de base (102, 104).
 
34. Poste mobile (122) selon la revendication 21, dans lequel le retard introduit dans le signal est dû aux multiples trajets.
 
35. Poste mobile (122) selon la revendication 21, dans lequel le poste mobile (122) est utilisé dans un système de communication.
 
36. Poste mobile (122) selon la revendication 21, dans lequel le poste mobile (122) est utilisé dans un système de communication cellulaire.
 
37. Poste mobile (122) selon la revendication 21, dans lequel l'estimation (810) de la limite inférieure d'excès de retard est faite avec moins de la totalité des signaux reçus à partir des stations de base (102, 104).
 
38. Poste mobile (122) selon la revendication 21, comprenant en outre :

un émetteur agencé pour accepter l'instant d'arrivée et pour transmettre l'instant d'arrivée à une position différente.


 
39. Poste mobile (122) selon la revendication 38, dans lequel la position différente comprend en outre :

un moteur d'excès de retard (604) agencé pour recevoir l'instant d'arrivée et estimer une limite inférieure d'excès de retard en fonction de l'instant d'arrivée du signal à partir de sa station de base respective (102, 104) et d'une distance connue (202, 204) entre les stations de base (102, 104), et estimer (812) la position du poste mobile en fonction de la limite inférieure d'excès de retard estimée et de la différence d'instants d'arrivée entre les signaux reçus.


 
40. Station de base (102, 104) comprenant :

un récepteur (704) agencé pour recevoir des signaux provenant d'au moins un poste mobile (122), les signaux reçus à partir dudit au moins un poste mobile (122) comprenant les instants d'arrivée de signaux reçus par le poste mobile (122) à partir d'au moins deux stations de base (102, 104) ; et

un moteur d'excès de retard (706) agencé pour recevoir les instants d'arrivée des signaux et pour estimer une limite inférieure d'excès de retard pour chacun des signaux reçus pour les instants d'arrivée de chacun des signaux provenant de leurs stations de base (102, 104) respectives, dans lequel les stations de base (102, 104) sont séparées par des distances connues (202, 204), dans lequel l'excès de retard est une différence entre le temps pris par le signal reçu pour parcourir une route à trajets multiples à partir de la station de base respective jusqu'au poste mobile et le temps que cela aurait pris si le signal reçu avait parcouru un chemin en ligne directe entre la station de base respective et le poste mobile.


 
41. Station de base (102, 104) selon la revendication 40, dans laquelle une position estimée d'un poste mobile (122) est déterminée en fonction de la limite inférieure d'excès de retard et d'une différence d'instants d'arrivée des signaux reçus.
 
42. Station de base (102, 104) selon la revendication 41, dans laquelle la position estimée du poste mobile (122) est ajustée en utilisant la limite inférieure d'excès de retard.
 
43. Station de base (102, 104) selon la revendication 42, dans laquelle l'ajustement comprend une soustraction de la limite inférieure d'excès de retard de la mesure d'instant d'arrivée du signal respectif.
 
44. Station de base (102, 104) selon la revendication 42, dans laquelle l'ajustement comprend une pondération des mesures d'instants d'arrivée en fonction de la limite inférieure d'excès de retard.
 
45. Station de base (102, 104) selon la revendication 42, dans laquelle l'ajustement comprend l'élimination d'une mesure d'instant d'arrivée à partir de l'estimation de position sur la base de la limite inférieure d'excès de retard.
 
46. Station de base (102, 104) selon la revendication 41, dans laquelle la limite inférieure d'excès de retard pour les signaux reçus est utilisée pour déterminer la précision de la position estimée d'un poste mobile (122).
 
47. Station de base (102, 104) selon la revendication 41, dans laquelle l'estimation (810) de la limite inférieure d'excès de retard est faite avec moins de la totalité des signaux reçus du poste mobile (122).
 
48. Station de base (102, 104) selon la revendication 41, dans laquelle l'estimation de la position du poste mobile (122) comprend un autre système de détermination de position.
 
49. Station de base (102, 104) selon la revendication 48, dans laquelle l'autre système de détermination de position est un système de positionnement global.
 
50. Station de base (102, 104) selon la revendication 40, dans laquelle la station de base (102, 104) est utilisée dans un système de communication.
 
51. Station de base (102, 104) selon la revendication 40, dans laquelle la station de base (102, 104) est utilisée dans un système de communication cellulaire.
 
52. Circuit intégré agencé pour déterminer une limite inférieure d'excès de retard dans une mesure d'instant d'arrivée d'un signal reçu, le circuit intégré comprenant :

un circuit d'entrée agencé pour recevoir (804, 806) des signaux provenant d'au moins deux stations de base (102, 104) et pour fournir une mesure d'instant d'arrivée pour chaque signal reçu ;

un moteur d'excès de retard (604) agencé pour déterminer une différence d'instants d'arrivée entre les signaux reçus à partir des stations de base respectives (102, 104), et pour estimer (810) une limite inférieure d'excès de retard pour chacun des signaux reçus introduits dans les signaux reçus à partir de chaque station de base (102, 104) sur la base de l'instant d'arrivée de chaque signal provenant de sa station de base (102, 104) respective et d'une distance connue (202, 204) entre deux stations de base (102, 104) associées, dans lequel l'excès de retard est une différence entre le temps pris par le signal reçu pour parcourir une route à trajets multiples à partir de la station de base respective jusqu'au poste mobile et le temps que cela aurait pris si le signal reçu avait parcouru un chemin en ligne directe entre la station de base respective et le poste mobile.


 
53. Circuit intégré selon la revendication 52, dans lequel les signaux reçus sont des signaux pilotes CDMA.
 
54. Circuit intégré selon la revendication 52, dans lequel les signaux reçus sont des signaux GSM.
 
55. Circuit intégré selon la revendication 52, comprenant en outre une position estimée d'un poste mobile (122) en fonction de la limite inférieure d'excès de retard et de la différence d'instants d'arrivée entre les signaux reçus.
 
56. Circuit intégré selon la revendication 55, dans lequel la position estimée du poste mobile (122) est ajustée en utilisant la limite inférieure d'excès de retard.
 
57. Circuit intégré selon la revendication 56, dans lequel l'ajustement comprend une soustraction de la limite inférieure d'excès de retard de la mesure d'instant d'arrivée.
 
58. Circuit intégré selon la revendication 56, dans lequel l'ajustement comprend une pondération des mesures d'instants d'arrivée en fonction de la limite inférieure d'excès de retard.
 
59. Circuit intégré selon la revendication 56, dans lequel l'ajustement comprend l'élimination d'une mesure d'instant d'arrivée à partir de la position estimée sur la base de la limite inférieure d'excès de retard.
 
60. Circuit intégré selon la revendication 55, dans lequel la limite inférieure d'excès de retard pour les signaux reçus est utilisée pour déterminer la précision de la position estimée du poste mobile (122).
 
61. Circuit intégré selon la revendication 55, dans lequel l'estimation de la position du poste mobile (122) comprend un autre système de détermination de position.
 
62. Circuit intégré selon la revendication 61, dans lequel l'autre système de détermination de position est un système de positionnement global.
 
63. Circuit intégré selon la revendication 52, dans lequel le retard introduit dans les signaux est dû aux multiples trajets.
 
64. Circuit intégré selon la revendication 52, dans lequel l'estimation de la limite inférieure d'excès de retard est faite avec moins de la totalité des signaux reçus.
 




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Cited references

REFERENCES CITED IN THE DESCRIPTION



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Patent documents cited in the description




Non-patent literature cited in the description