CN101248626A

CN101248626A - Apparatus and method for determining WLAN access point position

Info

Publication number: CN101248626A
Application number: CNA2006800309907A
Authority: CN
Inventors: N·E·特尼; F·凯特比
Original assignee: Qualcomm Inc
Current assignee: Qualcomm Inc
Priority date: 2005-06-24
Filing date: 2006-06-23
Publication date: 2008-08-20
Also published as: TW200718241A

Abstract

Position of a WLAN access point (AP) is determined by reference to user equipment devices (UEs) in communication with the AP and with a radio network interworked with the WLAN. The AP position may be assumed to be the same as position of any UE in communication with the AP. UE positions may be averaged for a plurality of UEs, a plurality of positions of the same UE, or a combination of such UE positions. Round-trip time (RTT) may be measured between a plurality of UEs and the AP, and the AP position may be trilaterated from the RTT measurements and the UE positions. AP position may also be trilaterated from positions of the same UE in combination with RTTs between the AP and the UE, measured at different times. The computations of the AP position may be hosted at the WLAN or the radio network.

Description

Be used for determining the apparatus and method of WLAN access point position

Priority request under 35U.S.C. § 119

The provisional application S/N.60/693 that present patent application requires to submit on June 24th, 2005 is entitled as " WLAN Access Point PositioningVia Interworked UMTS LCS (via the WLAN access point location of the UMTS LCS of intercommunication) ", 727 priority.This provisional application has been transferred to the application's assignee, and similarly is that being quoted clearly of setting forth fully in this article included in this with comprising institute's drawings attached and table like that.

Background

The field

The present invention relates generally to telecommunications, relate in particular to the method and apparatus that is used for determining with the geographical position of the access point of the wireless lan (wlan) of the radio net intercommunication that communication service is provided to the subscriber's installation kind equipment.

Background

People expect that modern communication system can be for comprising that voice-and-data is applied in interior various application reliable transfer of data is provided.In the point-to-multipoint delivery environment, known communication system is based on frequency division multiple access (FDMA), time division multiple access (TDMA), code division multiple access (CDMA), and also may be based on other multiple access communication schemes.

Cdma system can be designed to support one or more CDMA standards, such as (1) " mobile radio station-base station compatibility standard of TIA/EIA-95 dual mode wideband spread spectrum cellular " (this standard and enhancing version A thereof and B can be called as " IS-95 standard "), (2) be also referred to as " TIA/EIA-98-C dual mode wideband spread spectrum cellular mobile station is recommended minimum standard " of " IS-98 standard ", (3) alliance by " third generation partnership projects (3GPP) " by name subsidizes, and be called 3G TS 25.211 comprising, 3G TS 25.212,3G TS 25.213, and the standard (" W=CDMA standard ") that in one group of interior document, embodies of the document of 3G TS25.214, (4) subsidize by " third generation partnership projects 2 " by name alliance (3GPP2), and comprising " C.S0002-A cdma2000 spread spectrum system physical layer standard ", the standard (general designation " cdma2000 standard ") that " C.S0005-A cdma2000 spread spectrum system upper strata (layer 3) signaling standard " embodies in one group of interior document, (5) 1xEV-DO standard " TIA/EIA/IS-856cdma2000 High Rate Packet Data air interface specification ", and (6) some other standard.Similarly to be that comprising like that of setting forth fully in this article, annex, appendix and other annex ground were quoted include in this these standards of listing above.

For example be configured to can be for using with multiple wireless access technology for many subscriber's installation classes (UE) equipment of cell phone and PDA(Personal Digital Assistant) etc.For example, a kind of cell phone can be connected to CDMA whole world mobile communication system (UMTS) network, and can be connected to such as the WLAN that conforms to one or more local area network (LAN) in IEEE (IEEE) 802.11 standards etc.When such subscriber's installation kind equipment is in the coverage of an access point of WLAN, this access point can make this subscriber's installation kind equipment carry out wireless connections by this WLAN, thereby has reduced the required load of traffic of original this subscriber's installation kind equipment of carrying on the cellular radio network.(access point is the radio air interfaces of the WLAN of intermediary technology and wired backhaul or other equipment that is connected to extraneous network of WLAN).In addition, with the subscriber's installation kind equipment from comparing that the UMTS radio net directly can get, the connection by WLAN can provide higher bandwidth and/or better service quality (QoS).

The supplier of communication service wants and must know sometimes the phone of being served and the geographical position of other subscriber's installation kind equipments.For example, may need to know this geographical position with to emergent (for example, the U.S. be 911 and be 112 in European certain areas) personnel identify this position; Also may be intended for the user other location specific service and advertisements are provided.

In the situation of conventional land line phone, determine that the geographical position does not constitute problem usually, because every land line all is associated with the physical address that this service is provided.

In the cellular situation that is connected to radio net of routine, determine that the physical location of phone does not generally constitute problem yet.For example, enhancing 911 (e911) feature in 911 emergencycallboxsystems of North America telephone network (NATN) can activate the global positioning system service, or triangulate/trilateration from each basic transceiver station of radio net, to determine the geographical position of this phone, send this position to telephone service provider and emergency worker by this radio net then.

Yet when providing when connecting to the subscriber's installation kind equipment by the WLAN access point, above-described method may be just inapplicable.Even if suppose near this subscriber's installation kind equipment just access point (because the WLAN communication range is shorter relatively), the position of this access point itself may not be known.For example, consider to be configured to provide the access point of the WLAN of telephone service by IP phone (VoIP).The geographical position of this access point may not be initial known, perhaps may carry out also incorrectly to the preparation of this access point.Even if known and this access point is correctly prepared on certain time point in the geographical position of this access point, this access point or whole WLAN also may be moved subsequently or be connected to the internet from a different physical location.In this case, the reposition of this access point may not be known for the supplier that telephone service is provided by this access point.This reposition may with old position in the same building thing, or it may be outside thousands of mile.Telephone service provider may not know always that this reposition even this access point have been moved this fact.Thus, the emergency worker can not send emergency service, or may send emergency service to old position rather than this reposition.

A solution to this problem may be to equip a global positioning system (GPS) receiver to the WLAN access point to determine its position to allow this access point.Yet the cost of this GPS receiver can make that this approach is competitiveless, the WLAN access point often in the consumer market of the hardware of the extreme Price Sensitive of single-piece more so.

Therefore need in this area to determine not to be equipped with the WLAN access point of GPS receiver the geographical position, and determine the method and apparatus of change in the geographical position of these WLAN access points.

Summary

The embodiment of Jie Shiing determines that by a kind of reference each subscriber's installation kind equipment in the coverage of WLAN access point is provided the mechanism of the position of this access point solves above-mentioned needs herein.

A kind of method of geographical position of the access point that is used to estimate WLAN (wireless local area network) is provided in one embodiment.This method comprises the request of transmission to the positional information of the subscriber's installation kind equipment of cellular radio network, and this UE equipment is just communicated by letter with this access point on the WLAN.This method further comprises the positional information of reception in response to this request, and specifies the estimation of this positional information for the geographical position of this access point.

A kind of method of geographical position of the access point that is used to estimate WLAN (wireless local area network) is provided in one embodiment.This method comprises the request that sends a plurality of location information, and each request in these a plurality of requests relates to the positional information at one or more subscriber's installation kind equipments of communicating by letter with cellular radio network.Each UE equipment in these one or more UE equipment is in the coverage of this access point.This method further comprises a plurality of answers that have positional information of reception in response to these a plurality of requests, and calculates the estimation in the geographical position of this access point at least in part based on these a plurality of answers that receive.

A kind of estimation approach of geographical position of the access point of being convenient to realize WLAN (wireless local area network) is provided in one embodiment.This method comprises the request that sends a plurality of location information from cellular radio network, and each request in these a plurality of requests relates to the positional information of one or more subscriber's installation kind equipments of this cellular radio network.Each UE equipment in these one or more UE equipment is being communicated by letter with this access point on the WLAN.This method further comprises a plurality of answers that have positional information of reception in response to these a plurality of requests, and transmits the positional information of each answer these a plurality of answers from this cellular radio network to this access point.

A kind of estimation approach of geographical position of the access point for preparing WLAN (wireless local area network) is provided in one embodiment.This method comprises the request that sends a plurality of location information from cellular radio network, and the request of each location information in these a plurality of requests relates to the positional information of one or more subscriber's installation kind equipments of this cellular radio network.Each UE equipment in these one or more UE equipment is being communicated by letter with this access point on the WLAN.This method further comprises a plurality of answers that have positional information of reception in response to these a plurality of requests, and calculates the estimation in the geographical position of this access point at least in part based on these a plurality of answers.This estimation is transferred into this access point from this cellular radio network then.

A kind of estimation approach of geographical position of the access point for preparing WLAN (wireless local area network) is provided in one embodiment.This method is included in the cellular radio network place and determines a plurality of UE device locations, each UE device location corresponding in this cellular radio network in the position of at least one subscriber's installation kind equipment of communicate by letter with this access point on the WLAN (being positioned at its coverage).This method further comprises the estimation of calculating the geographical position of this access point at least in part based on these a plurality of UE device locations, and this estimation is sent to this access point from this cellular radio network.

In one embodiment, a kind of WLAN access point comprises WLAN transceiver, program code stored machine readable memory and is coupled to this memory and is coupled to the processor of this WLAN transceiver.This processor is configured to make this access point:

(1) transmission is to the request of the positional information of the subscriber's installation kind equipment of cellular radio network, and this UE equipment is being communicated by letter with this access point on the WLAN;

(2) reception is in response to the positional information of this request; And

(3) specify of the estimation of this positional information for the geographical position of this access point.

In one embodiment, a kind of WLAN access point comprise the WLAN transceiver, to the connection that this access point is connected to cellular radio network of second network interface, program code stored machine readable memory and be coupled to this memory and be coupled to the processor of this WLAN transceiver.This processor is configured to make this access point:

(1) send the request of a plurality of location information, each request relates to is communicating by letter with this cellular radio network and is being arranged in the positional information of one or more subscriber's installation kind equipments of the coverage of this access point;

(2) reception is in response to a plurality of answers that have positional information of these a plurality of requests; And

(3) calculate the estimation in the geographical position of this access point at least in part based on these a plurality of answers that receive.

In one embodiment, a kind of machine readable memory is stored the code instructions that can use for the processor of WLAN access point.When carrying out by this processor, this processor dispose this access point with

(1) send the request of a plurality of location information, each request in these a plurality of requests relates to is communicating by letter with cellular radio network and is being arranged in the positional information of one or more subscriber's installation kind equipments of the coverage of this access point;

In one embodiment, a kind of radio network controller of cellular radio network comprises BTS interface to basic transceiver station, this radio network controller is coupled to the network interface of the WLAN with access point, program code stored machine readable memory and the processor that is coupled to this memory, this BTS interface and this network interface.This processor is configured to make this radio network controller

(1) send the request of a plurality of location information, each request in these a plurality of requests relates to is communicating by letter with this cellular radio network and is being arranged in the positional information of one or more subscriber's installation kind equipments of the coverage of this access point;

(2) reception is replied in response to a plurality of receptions that have positional information of these a plurality of requests;

(3) calculate the estimation in the geographical position of this access point at least in part based on these a plurality of answers that receive; And

(4) send this estimation to this access point via this network interface.

(3) send these a plurality of answers to this access point via this network interface.

In one embodiment, the program code stored instruction of a kind of machine readable memory.When these instructions are carried out by the processor of the radio network controller of cellular radio network, this processor dispose this radio network controller with

(1) send the request of a plurality of location information, each request in these a plurality of requests relates to is communicating by letter with this cellular radio network and is being arranged in the positional information of one or more subscriber's installation kind equipments of the coverage of WLAN access point;

(2) reception is in response to a plurality of answers that have positional information of these a plurality of requests;

(3) calculate the estimation in the geographical position of this access point at least in part based on these a plurality of answers; And

(4) send this estimation to this access point via this network interface.

(3) network interface via this radio network controller sends these answers to this access point.

Can understand these and other embodiment and aspect of the present invention better with reference to following explanation, accompanying drawing and appended claims.

Brief Description Of Drawings

Fig. 1 is the high level block diagram that figure releases the assembly selected works of the system that comprises the communication network that disposes according to one embodiment of present invention;

Fig. 2 is figure releases the assembly selected works at the basic transceiver station of using in the communication network of configuration according to one embodiment of present invention a high level block diagram;

Fig. 3 is figure releases the assembly selected works of the subscriber's installation kind equipment that uses in the communication network of configuration according to one embodiment of present invention a high level block diagram;

Fig. 4 A is that figure releases the diagram that access point according to an embodiment of the invention can be used a kind of message selected works exchange of the position data that obtains the subscriber's installation kind equipment;

Fig. 4 B is that figure releases the diagram that access point according to an embodiment of the invention can be used the another kind of message selected works exchange of the position data that obtains the subscriber's installation kind equipment;

Fig. 5 A be figure release access point according to an embodiment of the invention can use acquisition can be for the diagram of a kind of message selected works exchange of the subscriber's installation position data of the usefulness of the position of estimating this access point;

Fig. 5 B be figure release access point according to an embodiment of the invention can use acquisition can be for the diagram of the another kind of message selected works exchange of the subscriber's installation position data of the usefulness of the position of estimating this access point;

Fig. 6 A be figure release access point according to an embodiment of the invention can use acquisition can for the subscriber's installation position of the usefulness of the position of estimating this access point and two-way time data a kind of diagram of message selected works exchange;

Fig. 6 B be figure release access point according to an embodiment of the invention can use acquisition can for the subscriber's installation position of the usefulness of the position of estimating this access point and two-way time data the diagram of another kind of message selected works exchange;

Fig. 7 A is that figure releases a kind of diagram of message selected works exchange that access point according to an embodiment of the invention can be used the estimation of this access point position that acquisition calculates based on subscriber's installation kind equipment position data at the radio net place;

Fig. 7 B is that figure releases the diagram of another kind of message selected works exchange that access point according to an embodiment of the invention can be used the estimation of this access point position that acquisition calculates based on subscriber's installation kind equipment position data at the radio net place;

Fig. 8 A is that figure releases access point according to an embodiment of the invention and can use acquisition diagram based on a kind of message selected works exchange of the estimation of subscriber's installation kind equipment position and this access point position that two-way time, data computation went out at the radio net place;

Fig. 8 B is that figure releases access point according to an embodiment of the invention and can use acquisition diagram based on the another kind of message selected works exchange of the estimation of subscriber's installation kind equipment position and this access point position that two-way time, data computation went out at the radio net place;

Fig. 8 C is that figure releases access point according to an embodiment of the invention and can use acquisition diagram based on the another kind of message selected works exchange of the estimation of subscriber's installation kind equipment position and this access point position that two-way time, data computation went out at the radio net place;

Fig. 9 A is that figure releases the diagram of another kind of message selected works exchange that access point according to an embodiment of the invention can be used the estimation of this access point position that acquisition calculates based on subscriber's installation kind equipment position data at the radio net place;

Fig. 9 B is that figure releases the diagram of another kind of message selected works exchange that access point according to an embodiment of the invention can be used the estimation of this access point position that acquisition calculates based on subscriber's installation kind equipment position data at the radio net place;

Figure 10 A is that figure releases access point according to an embodiment of the invention and can use acquisition diagram based on a kind of message selected works exchange of the estimation of subscriber's installation kind equipment position and this access point position that two-way time, data computation went out at the radio net place;

Figure 10 B is that figure releases access point according to an embodiment of the invention and can use acquisition diagram based on the another kind of message selected works exchange of the estimation of subscriber's installation kind equipment position and this access point position that two-way time, data computation went out at the radio net place;

Figure 11 is that diagram comprises the high level block diagram of the assembly selected works of the system of the communication network of configuration according to another embodiment of the invention; And

Figure 12 illustrates a kind of message selected works exchange that the method for database average and main place respectively and computing engines is asked in a kind of employing.

Specify

In this article, use word " embodiment ", " variant " and similar expression to represent a specific device, process or goods, and may not be meant same apparatus, process or goods.Therefore, " embodiment " (or similar expression) of using in a place or linguistic context can be represented a specific device, process or goods; Identical or similar expression at another place can be represented another device, process or goods.Use expression " alternative embodiment " to indicate one of several different possible embodiments with similar phrase.The number of possible embodiments may not be defined in two or any other quantity.

Use word " exemplary " to represent " playing example, example or illustrative effect " herein.Be described as at this that any embodiment of " exemplary " is unnecessary to be interpreted as being better than or to surpass other embodiment.All embodiment that describe in this explanation give the exemplary embodiment that legal protection scope of the present invention is provided for making those skilled in the art can make or use the present invention not really want to limit, and legal protection scope of the present invention is by claim and the definition of equivalence techniques scheme thereof.

Base transceiver station (" BTS ") and base station controller (" BSC ") are the parts that are called the network of " radio net ", " RN ", " access network ", " AN ", " radio access network " or " RAN ".Base station controller also can be known as radio network controller or " RNC ".Radio net can be UTRAN or UMTS terrestrial radio Access Network.This radio net can be between a plurality of subscriber's installation kind equipments transmission of data packets.This radio net can further be connected to other networks in this radio net external world, such as company's Intranet, internet or conventional public switch telephone network (" PSTN "), and can be between each subscriber's installation kind equipment and this type of outer net transmission of data packets.

Fig. 1 is the high level block diagram of the assembly selected works of the diagram combination 100 that comprises subscriber's installation kind equipment (at this for cell phone) 110, WLAN (wireless local area network) 120 and cellular system radio net 130.Subscriber's installation kind equipment 110 with these two network services.WLAN 120 and radio net 130 are in interoperation relationships, and communicate with one another by packet switching wide area network (WAN) 170 and packet data server node 180.

This radio net comprises radio network controller 131 and basic transceiver station 132.In some variants, radio net 130 is CDMA UMTS radio nets.Radio network controller 131 is communicated by letter with basic transceiver station 132 by communication link 133.To understand after studying this paper carefully as those skilled in the art, radio net 130 can comprise more basic transceiver station, more radio network controller, more communication link and other assembly.

Radio network controller 131 further is coupled to public switch telephone network 150 by telephone switchboard 160, and is coupled to WAN 170 by PDSN 180.In the agreement that can adopt arbitrary number such as the data interchange between each network element of radio network controller 131 and packet data server node 180 etc.---for example, Internet protocol (IP), ATM(Asynchronous Transfer Mode) agreement, T1, E1, frame relay and other agreements---realize.

As shown in fig. 1, radio network controller 131 comprise BTS interface (I/O) 135 to basic transceiver station 132, to the PDSN interface 136 of PDSN 180, to the PTSN interface 137 of telephone switchboard 160 and the database (DB) 140 that is used to carry out location storage.Database 140 also can be implemented as the part of memory 139.Database 140 and interface 135,136 and 137 are operated under execution is stored in the control of one or more processors 138 of the program code in one or more memory devices 139.

Fig. 2 is the high level block diagram of the assembly selected works at diagram base transceiver station 132.In this embodiment, basic transceiver station 132 comprises wireless receiver 210, transmitting set 212, radio network controller interface 214, memory 216, processor 218 and encoder/decoder circuitry system 220.Receiver 210, transmitter 212, RNC interface 214 and encoder/decoder 220 be configured to set up with the forward direction of subscriber's installation kind equipment 110 and reverse link by the processor 218 of operation under the program code in being stored in memory 216 control so as to/from the grouping that transmits and receive data of this subscriber's installation kind equipment 110.In the situation of for example data, services, base transceiver station 132 is by packet data server node 180 and pass through the forward link data grouping of radio network controller 131 receptions from the packet switching network 170, and sends these groupings to subscriber's installation kind equipment 110.Base transceiver station 132 is received in the reverse link data packets that subscriber's installation kind equipment 110 places start, and gives the packet switching network 170 by radio network controller 131 and packet data server node 180 with these packet forward.In the situation of telephone service, dividing into groups by telephone switchboard 160 and by the forward link data of radio network controller 131 receptions from telephone network 150 in basic transceiver station 132, and sends these groupings to subscriber's installation kind equipment 110.132 places, the basic transceiver of being grouped in of voice station of carrying that start at subscriber's installation kind equipment 110 places are received, and are forwarded to telephone network 150 via radio network controller 131 and telephone switchboard 160.Phone/voice service also can come route by WAN 170.

In illustrated embodiment, cellular radio network 130 not only provided data communication services but also provided the voice call service to it to subscriber's installation kind equipment 110.In alternative embodiment, cellular radio network 130 can only provide data, services or only provide the voice call service to it to subscriber's installation kind equipment 110.

Depend on convention and depend on concrete realization variant, other forms can be taked in basic transceiver station 132, and can be represented by other titles, such as B node or base station system (" BSS ").Similarly, radio network controller 131 can be taked other forms, and can be represented by other titles, such as base station controller, mobile switching centre or Serving GPRS Support Node.Scope of the present invention is prolonged and these and similar wireless communication system components.

WLAN (wireless local area network) 120 provides local geographic area---for example, and office's inner room or building, residence, shop, shopping center, computer coffee bar or the vehicles (train, aircraft, boats and ships)---interior wireless access.Usually, WLAN 120 provides the communication range than basic transceiver station 132 much shorters of radio net 130.In certain embodiments, 1000 meters of the ranges of each access point of WLAN 120 or below; In more individual other embodiment, the range of each access point of WLAN 120 100 meters or below.In certain embodiments, the range of basic transceiver station 132 at least some overlay areas is the twice of range of each access point of WLAN 120 at least; In more individual other embodiment, the range of basic transceiver station 132 at least some zones is at least ten times of range of each access point of WLAN120.In certain embodiments, WLAN 120 complies with the 802.11Wi-Fi standard family ground operation by working group's 11 exploitations of IEEELAN/MAN standard committee, and this standard family also comprises each revision of these standards.Particularly, WLAN 120 can operate under IEEE 801.11a, 802.11b, 802.11g Wi-Fi standard.802.11b and the 802.11g standard code work in the 2.4GHz frequency band, and 802.11 standard codes the operation in the 5GHz frequency band.In some embodiment that are intended to U.S.'s use, need not licence and can operate WLAN 120.In some embodiment that are intended to U.S.'s use, need not licence and can in the amateur frequency band of electromagnetic spectrum, operate WLAN 120.Usually, WLAN 120 and radio net 130 are worked on different frequency and are used the different coding technology.

Should be noted that the present invention needn't be defined to the WLAN that works under 802.11 standards.

WLAN 120 comprises the access point 122 that is coupled to network interface 124, network interface 124 so that via flyback line 126 coupling (directly or indirectly) to WAN 170.Should be noted that WLAN 120 can be coupled to other networks except that WAN 170, maybe can be coupled to several networks that comprise WAN 170.WAN 170 as providing being connected between radio net 130 and the WLAN 120 in this article with going through more after a while.

The radio air interfaces of access point 122 WLAN of intermediary 120 technology is connected with the inside that is provided by WLAN 120---for example access point 122 is connected to the connection of the line 125 of network interface 124.Should be noted that in certain embodiments network interface 124 can be included in the access point 122 and become its part, thus the radio air interfaces 120 and flyback line 126 of access point 122 WLAN of intermediary 120.

As shown in fig. 1, access point 122 comprise store instruction memory 123, be coupled to memory 123 and be configured to carry out the processor 121 of these instructions and be coupled to processor 121 and be configured in standard applicatory---the transceiver (Tx/Rx) 127 of working under all IEEE 802.11 standards as discussed above.

Flyback line 126 can be wired, wireless or make up wired and wireless sections.

Subscriber's installation kind equipment 110 can be cell phone, have the personal digital assistant of wireless capability, wireless pc card, external or built-in radio modem or other mobile communication equipments.Fig. 3 is the high level block diagram of assembly selected works that an embodiment of subscriber's installation kind equipment 110 is shown.As shown in Figure 3, subscriber's installation kind equipment 110 (for example comprises radio net transceiver (radio net Receiver And Transmitter) 311, WLAN Transceivers (WLAN Receiver And Transmitter) 312, encoder and decoder circuit system 313, display 314, LCD), user input device 315 (for example, keypad), processor 316, memory 317 and location-based service module 318 (LCS, for example GPS receiver).Radio net transceiver 311, WLAN transceiver 312, encoder and decoder circuit system 313, display 314, user input device 315 and location-based service module 318 are stored in processor 316 configurations of the code in the memory 317 by execution.Subscriber's installation kind equipment 110 is configured to communicate by letter with radio net 130 by wireless communication link 134.Communicating by letter between subscriber's installation kind equipment 110 and the radio net 130 adopted wireless cellular network host-host protocol, all packet transmission protocol of honeycomb as described above etc.Subscriber's installation kind equipment 110 is further configured by wireless communication link 128 and communicates by letter with WLAN 120.Communicating by letter between subscriber's installation kind equipment 110 and the WLAN 120 adopted protocol of wireless local area network, such as IEEE 802.11 standard compliance agreements etc.

When carrying out the whole bag of tricks described herein, access point 122, UE 110, BTS 132 and RNC131 can by execution be stored in its separately the code in the corresponding memory its separately corresponding controller be configured to fulfillment process step (for example, send and received communication message) with just fitting.

As shown in fig. 1, combination 100 comprises a public switch telephone network and a packet switching wide area network.Those skilled in the art will recognize that after studying this paper carefully, and the alternative embodiment of aspects need not to be defined to these or other network of given number according to the present invention.For example, communication network 100 can be connected to subscriber's installation kind equipment 110 one or more communication networks that add, and equips second cordless communication network of kind equipment etc. such as having several wireless users.WLAN 120 can be connected to other networks (it is connected to PDSN 180) except that WAN 170 via flyback line 126.WLAN 120 can be by indirectly---for example be connected to WAN 170 by one or more other networks.Other subscriber's installation kind equipments can also be arranged, and they are communicated by letter with RNC 130 with WLAN 120 except that UE 110.

By with reference to (based on) position data of subscriber's installation kind equipment 110, and also may be with reference to position data at other similar subscriber's installation kind equipments that both communicate by letter with access point 122 and radio net 130, the geographical position of access point 122 is determined.(and other subscriber's installation kind equipments) location estimation of subscriber's installation kind equipment 110 can be by radio net by for example triangulating from a plurality of basic transceivers station or trilateration is determined.Location estimation subscriber's installation kind equipment 110 and other subscriber's installation kind equipments also can be by the corresponding separately location-based service module of subscriber's installation kind equipment to be determined---such as the GPS receiver etc.---.

Subscriber's installation kind equipment 110 can directly convey to access point 122 with its location estimation.This in Fig. 4 A figure release, Fig. 4 A be illustrated in WLAN access point 122 in the combination 100 can use obtain subscriber's installation kind equipment 110 and in the exchange 400 of the message selected works of the location estimation of other subscriber's installation kind equipments of communicating by letter with access point 122WLAN.In the process of message 400, access point 122 be adopted as such as control messages and be used for to access point 122 provide location estimation message such as message exchange and the interworking protocol that designs comes or send location request message 410 by WLAN link 128 or by flyback line 126, WAN 170, PDSN 180 and radio net 130 to subscriber's installation kind equipment 110.Subscriber's installation kind equipment 110 receives message 410 by its WLAN transceiver 312 or by radio net 130, and uses WLAN transceiver 312 to measure response message 420 to WLAN 120 transmissions in response to receiving location request message 410.Notice that subscriber's installation kind equipment 110 can estimate its position in response to receiving message 420, or the location estimation of its available previous acquisition and storage responds.The response of noticing this storage should be to obtain when this subscriber's installation kind equipment is in the clothes zone of this access point relatively in the recent period.Measure the location estimation that response message 420 comprises subscriber's installation kind equipment 110.Access point 122 receives message 420 by its WLAN transceiver (not shown) and the location estimation of the subscriber's installation kind equipment 110 that wherein comprised.

Subscriber's installation kind equipment 110 also can be automatically---and promptly be not to provide its location estimation to WLAN 120 in response to position requests ground from WLAN 120.Can provide its location estimation to WLAN 120 termly when for example, subscriber's installation kind equipment 110 is in the coverage that is in access point 122.

Fig. 4 B illustrates the another kind of message selected works exchange 450 in the combination 100.In the process of message 450, WLAN access point 122 sends location request message 460 by line 125, wlan network interface 124, flyback line 126, WAN 170, PDSN180 and PDSN interface 136 to the radio network controller 131 of radio net 130.WLAN 120 and signaling between the radio net 130 are to adopt the interworking protocol of the usefulness of communicating by letter between WLAN 120 and radio net 130 to carry out.RNC 131 receiving position request messages 460, and communicate by letter with BTS 132 in response to message 460 and to measure control messages 470 so that BTS 132 sends to subscriber's installation kind equipment 110 via the radio net air interface.(this air interface can realize the UMTS signaling.) measure control messages 470 and comprise request to the location estimation of subscriber's installation kind equipment 110.

Subscriber's installation kind equipment 110 receives message 470, and sends measurement response message 480 via this air interface to radio net 130 in response.Measure the location estimation that response message 480 comprises subscriber's installation kind equipment 110.As in the exchange as shown in Fig. 4 A, subscriber's installation kind equipment 110 can be estimated its position in response to receiving message 470, or the location estimation of its available previous acquisition and storage responds.The estimation of noticing this storage should be to obtain when the subscriber's installation kind equipment is in the coverage of this access point relatively in the recent period.

The subscriber's installation location estimation that comprises in the message 480 is forwarded to RNC 131 from BTS 132.RNC 131 sends back to WLAN access point 122 with position response message 490 then.Message 490 can adopt interworking protocol, and traverses the route identical with message 460 (but being backward).

Radio net 130 can be by obtaining the location estimation of subscriber's installation kind equipment 110 as discussing in several sections in front in response to the

message

470 and 480 of location request message 460.In some cases, radio net 130 can have the current relatively location estimation of subscriber's installation kind equipment 110.For example, radio net 130 may be receive location request message 460 not long ago (that is, in scheduled time slot) obtain these location estimation from subscriber's installation kind equipment 110.In this case,

message

470 and 480 can be omitted, and the position response message 490 that has a location estimation of subscriber's installation kind equipment 110 can be sent to this access point without delay.

In other embodiments, radio net 130 also can be by obtaining the location estimation of subscriber's installation kind equipment 110 to subscriber's installation kind equipment 110 request location estimation with need not dominance in the available location-based service in network 130 places.For example, radio net 130 can make in two or more basic transceivers station each determine that it separately with respect to the direction of subscriber's installation kind equipment 110, comes the position of estimating user equipment kind equipment 110 then by trilateration.Similarly, radio net 130 can make a plurality of basic transceivers station determine that by measuring to the two-way time (RTT) of subscriber's installation kind equipment 110 it separately to the distance of equipment 110, comes the position of estimating user equipment kind equipment 110 then by trilateration.In these embodiments, radio net 130 need not to seek help from

message

470 and 480 also can obtain its estimation to the position of subscriber's installation kind equipment 110, and the estimation that will so obtain is included in the position response message 490.

Access point 122 in communicating by letter with subscriber's installation kind equipment (for example, equipment 110) (or near this time) can be supposed oneself and this subscriber's installation kind equipment coordination coexistence that has obtained its location estimation simply.Access point 122 can be stored this location estimation and when needed then---for example when the geographical position in the source of the calling that connects by WLAN 120 is requested---provides this location estimation.The error of this location estimation is the boundary with the size of WLAN coverage.This size may be less relatively.For example, the service range of 802.11b/g is often estimated at 100 meters.In the middle of practice, often find that this service range is because of unfavorable signal communication environments even shorter.

This grade position error is for being competent at for the service of many position sensings of position target advertisement etc., but it may be unacceptable for other services.For example, urgent call source, location may require that higher accuracy is arranged on the location estimation of access point in having the environment in intensive residence.In addition, following wlan standard (for example, 802.11n) be expected to provide bigger in a way range, and the scheme outside actual wlan standard (for example, repeater and switch) can expand effective overlay area of WLAN greatly, in some cases even be extended to km level range.Position error is thus with corresponding increase.Therefore, the accuracy of the access point position of enhancing estimation will be useful.We and then description improve several technology of the accuracy of estimating based on the access point position of the location estimation of subscriber's installation kind equipment.

According to asking averaging, access point obtains a plurality of subscriber's installation kind equipment location estimation, and they are asked on average to approach its oneself position.Access point can be independently to several subscriber's installation kind equipment request subscriber's installation kind equipment location estimation.We claim this to ask averaging is " UE divides ensemble average ".That access point also can be asked same mobile user equipment kind equipment but be associated with different time to allow this subscriber's installation kind equipment to travel round several subscriber's installation kind equipment location estimation all over the service (overlay area) of this WLAN.We will claim this to ask averaging method is " time diversity is average ".Access point UE also capable of being combined and time diversity are average, thereby a plurality of subscriber's installation kind equipment is utilized, and have at least one its a plurality of location estimation at different time are provided in these subscriber's installation kind equipments.We ask averaging method to be called " composite type UE/ time diversity is average " this.

Fig. 5 A illustrates the message selected works exchange 500 that makes the WLAN access point can utilize UE to divide ensemble average to calculate and store its location estimation.This exchange relates to two different subscriber's installation kind equipments---UE1 and UE2, and for each this exchange and the exchange 450 identical (or similar substantially) shown in Fig. 4 B in these equipment.In the process of message 500, the WLAN access point adopts interworking protocol to send UE1 location request message 505 to radio net.Radio net receives UE1 location request message 505, and comes to send UE1 to subscriber's installation kind equipment UE1 via the radio net air interface and measure control messages 510.Subscriber's installation kind equipment UE1 receives message 510, and sends UE1 through air interface thus to radio net in response and measure response message 515.UE1 measures the location estimation that response message 515 comprises subscriber's installation kind equipment UE1.Subscriber's installation kind equipment UE1 can estimate its position in response to receiving message 505, or the location estimation of its available previous acquisition and storage responds.The estimation of noticing this storage should be relatively in the recent period---for example, when being in the coverage of this access point, UE1 obtains.Radio net is to WLAN access point home position response message 520, and this message comprises the location estimation of UE1.Use message 525,530,535 and 540 to come subscriber's installation kind equipment UE2 is repeated this process then.

Notice that UE2 location request message 525 can just be sent out before UE1 position response message 520 is received.For example, access point can roughly send message 505 and 525, holding fix response message 520 and 540 then at one time.In addition, measure control messages from the single broadcast of radio net or multicast and just can comprise request the location estimation of a plurality of subscriber's installation kind equipments.

Should also be understood that and ask mean deviation to be not limited to two subscriber's installation kind equipments.

In case the access point acquisition has the position response of the location estimation of two or more subscriber's installation kind equipments, it is just asked on average to obtain the estimation to the improvement in its own geographical position these location estimation, and store this latter and estimate usefulness for future, for example being convenient to provides this geographical position to 911 emergency workers.

Fig. 5 B illustrates the message selected works exchange 550 that makes the WLAN access point can utilize time diversity on average to obtain and store its location estimation.Message 550 is similar to exchange 500, its main distinction part be location request message and position request response to/from same subscriber's installation kind equipment but in different time points transmission/reception.Time difference between these two position responses makes this subscriber's installation kind equipment move no small distance probably in the interval between this twice measurement, the overlay area that promptly has ten meters distance at least or constitute this access point is the distance of the relatively large part (for example, at least 10%) of long one dimension.For example, this time difference can be at least one minute, at least ten minutes, at least one hour or at least one day.

The technology that another kind is used to improve the location estimation of access point is to allow access point measure two-way time (RTT) between this access point and this one or more subscriber's installation kind equipments.Had three RTT to measure---no matter its be about different user equipment kind equipment or about single mobile subscriber's installation kind equipment, access point just can be done trilateration to its oneself position.Also can be with this technology and a plurality of subscriber's installation kind equipment with from the use that combines of a plurality of measurements of one of these subscriber's installation kind equipments.For example, can obtain two position measurements from the first subscriber's installation kind equipment that moves, and obtain the 3rd position measurement from the second subscriber's installation kind equipment.Notice that in this respect a subscriber's installation kind equipment may be the same with another good; That is, may play the same good effect with the measurement of equipping kind equipments from three different users in three measurements that different time is obtained from unique user equipment kind equipment, its prerequisite is that this unique user equipment kind equipment has moved between all measurements really.

Fig. 6 A illustrates the message selected works exchange 600 that makes the WLAN access point can utilize RTT data and trilateration to obtain and store its location estimation.This exchange is similar to the

exchange

450 and 500 of Fig. 4 B and 5A, but it relates to three subscriber's installation kind equipments---UE1 to UE3, and the additional messages that is used for measure R TT.Here, suppose that also access point comes to each subscriber's installation kind equipment position of radio net request with the form of independent affairs.Particularly, access point sends three location request message 606,614 and 622 to radio net.In these message each relates to a different subscriber's installation kind equipment.In response in these location request message each, radio net sends one to corresponding subscriber's installation kind equipment and measures control messages: measure control messages 608 and be sent to UE1, measure control messages 616 and be sent to UE2, be sent to UE3 and measure control messages 624.

After each subscriber's installation kind equipment received the measurement control messages that sends to oneself, it was beamed back the measurement response message that comprises the estimation of its position a: UE1 to radio net and sends and measure response message 610, UE2 and send and measure response message 618 and UE3 sends and measures response message 626.When radio net receives in these UE location estimation each, it sends corresponding position corresponding message to access point: position response message 612 carries the location estimation of UE1, position response message 620 carries the location estimation of UE2, and position response message 628 carries the location estimation of UE3.

Access point receives each in these position response messages, and by and provide the relative users equipment kind equipment exchange RTT of this location estimation to measure message to measure two-way time between its own and this subscriber's installation kind equipment: access point exchange (1) RTT measure message 613 with measure its oneself and UE1 between two-way time, (2) RTT measures message 621 measuring the two-way time between its own and UE2, and (3) RTT measures message 629 to measure the two-way time between its own and UE3.These RTT measure in message each preferably after the relevant position corresponding message that receives from radio net in very short time (for example, as soon as possible or when next message is from access point) be sent out.In this way, just comprise with RTT about the response of the position of subscriber's installation kind equipment and measure basically location estimation at this equipment of identical time acquisition about same subscriber's installation kind equipment.

From these RTT, access point calculates the distance between in its own and these subscriber's installation kind equipments each.Its oneself position just can be estimated by trilateration in the relevant position of given these three distances and these subscriber's installation kind equipments, access point.Access point is stored this estimation of its position for the usefulness in future, for example, so that provide its geographical position to 911 emergency workers.

Should be appreciated that in message 600 UE2 location request message 614 can just be sent out before UE1 position response message 612 is received, and UE3 location request message 622 can before being received, UE2 position response message 620 just be sent out.For example, access point can roughly send message 606,614 and 622 at one time, and the holding fix response message 612,620 and 628 then.In addition, single position response message just can comprise the request to the location estimation of two or more subscriber's installation kind equipments.

Fig. 6 B illustrates and makes the WLAN access point can utilize the RTT data and do three limits from unique user equipment kind equipment and locate the message selected works exchange 650 that obtains and store its location estimation.This exchange very is similar to exchange 600, but three corresponding position response messages of these three location request message and this be to/from the same mobile user equipment kind equipment transmission/reception in the different places of the coverage that in each UE location estimation, is arranged in access point.Time difference between the position response message in succession makes this subscriber's installation kind equipment move no small distance between the measurement in succession at two probably.For example, this time difference can be at least one minute, at least ten minutes, at least one hour or at least one day.

Receive from after in these three location estimation of same subscriber's installation kind equipment each at access point, its measures the distance to this subscriber's installation kind equipment.In certain embodiments, access point so with the position requests essentially identical time of its transmission at relative users equipment kind equipment, or in the relatively short time that receives the position response that relates to this same subscriber's installation kind equipment, measure RTT about this same equipment.In this way, the position of subscriber's installation kind equipment response comprises the location estimation of measuring substantially this equipment that obtains in the identical time with the corresponding RTT of this subscriber's installation kind equipment.

When access point had had these three location estimation and these three RTT that are associated to measure, access point calculated the estimation of its own position by trilateration, and stores the usefulness of this estimation of its position for future.

Can utilize and ask the precision that on average further improves the access point position estimation of calculating with the RTT meter.That is

message

600 and 650 can be repeated, and then the time is asked on average so that initial measured error is compensated.This asks and on average can use identical one or one group of subscriber's installation kind equipment or different one or one group of subscriber's installation kind equipment to carry out.For example, can at first obtain to measure (as shown in Fig. 6 A) from estimation and corresponding RTT that three different user equipment kind equipments obtain, can be used to then obtain second estimation (as shown in Fig. 6 B), and can ask on average to obtain the more accurate estimation of access point position these two estimations from three position measurements and the corresponding RTT measurement of unique user equipment kind equipment.Similarly, can estimate to estimate to ask average to the access point primary importance that obtains from first group of three subscriber's installation kind equipment with the access point second place that obtains from second group of three subscriber's installation kind equipment.In these two groups some or even whole subscriber's installation kind equipments can be identical, perhaps each group in these two groups can comprise all different equipment.Can ask average to the plural location estimation of access point.

The access point position that utilizes RTT and trilateration to obtain is estimated to ask the potential possible deflection influence of pure time average that on average helps to reduce the subscriber's installation position.Certainly, any time average scheme access point under situation about moving between all measurements, all easily produce detect less than error; It is desirable getting the measurement of reasonably drawing close on the time thus.In addition, if two access point positions estimate to differ by more than preset distance, then can be moved at disconnected this access point of rational deterministic pushdown.In this case, access point can be stored nearest location estimation (ignorance fall not long ago access point position estimate), and perhaps access point can make the location estimation of being stored invalid and initiate one group of new position measurement.Triggering the preset distance of this type of action must be established greatlyyer than the possible measure error of any reality in the process of this estimation access point position.For example, this preset distance can be set as greater than the longest one dimension in the coverage of access point.

UE notices the delay-sensitive that depends between the time that accuracy that subscriber's installation position measurement and RTT measure both these methods measures the time and the corresponding RTT of position measurement, because may move some distances between the time of these two measurements.Therefore these two measurements as far as possible closely are desirable synchronously.

These methods of being discussed so far can be regarded as being hosted within on the WLAN access point, because belong to this access point from the responsibility of data available calculating access point position.Therefore, except to the generality support of the intercommunication interface of radio net, access point also comprises and is mixed with the software of execution such as other various steps of asking average computation etc.Because access point software may disunity or is not easy to upgrading, change therefore that to be hosted within may be desirable on the radio net with finally calculating into.

In the embodiment compatible with the mode of radio net master place, the intercommunication interface between WLAN and the radio net comprises the position of preparation access point to wireless network request its oneself.Wireless network has with the above identical location option of describing about the method for WLAN master place to be opened it.

In the above in first and the simplest situation of Miao Shuing (access point is supposed its any given subscriber's installation kind equipment coordination coexistence own and in its coverage therein), location Calculation does not almost have any difference from access point master Su Bianwei radio net master place, because access point is to radio net request unique user equipment kind equipment position, shown in Fig. 4 A.When asking average and/or RTT measuring technique to strengthen the accuracy that access point position estimates, the selection of the main place that the final position is calculated becomes even more important.

In the embodiment with the radio net master place version of asking average realization access point position to estimate, access point is to the request of radio net releasing position.Radio net is responsible for determining the position of a plurality of subscriber's installation kind equipments in the coverage of this WLAN access point then, and average access point position to obtain estimating is asked in these positions.As in the situation of the similar position calculation of WLAN master place, this asks averaging method can be UE deversity scheme, time diversifying method or knockdown UE/ time diversifying method.

Fig. 7 A illustrates according to using UE to divide the message selected works exchange 700 of the radio net master Su Fangfa of ensemble average.This exchange relates to two different subscriber's installation kind equipments---UE1 and UE2.In the process of message 700, the WLAN access point adopts interworking protocol to send location request message 705 to radio net.The location estimation of message 705 these access points of request.Radio net receives message 705 and sends measurement control messages 710 via the radio net air interface to subscriber's installation kind equipment UE1.Subscriber's installation kind equipment UE1 receives message 710, and sends to radio net through air interface thus in response and measure response message 715.Measure the location estimation that response message 715 comprises subscriber's installation kind equipment UE1.According to the location positioning procedure that is for general on positioning UE in the radio net, subscriber's installation kind equipment UE1 can estimate its position corresponding to receiving message 710, or the location estimation of its available previous acquisition responds.This radio net also sends to the second subscriber's installation kind equipment UE2 through radio net air interface thus and measures control messages 730.Subscriber's installation kind equipment UE2 receives message 730, and sends to radio net through air interface thus in response and measure response message 735.Measure the location estimation that response message 735 comprises subscriber's installation kind equipment UE2.According to the location positioning procedure that is for general on positioning UE in the radio net, subscriber's installation kind equipment UE2 can estimate its position in response to receiving message 730, or the location estimation of its available previous acquisition responds.Notice that if what use is previous the acquisition and the estimation of storage then these estimations should be to obtain relatively in the recent period when relative users equipment kind equipment is in the coverage of this access point.

In case radio net (for example, the radio network controller of this radio net) obtained to have the position response of the location estimation of UE1 and UE2 subscriber's installation kind equipment, it just asks average estimation with the position that obtains this access point to the location estimation of these subscriber's installation kind equipments.Radio net sends to this access point with the location estimation of access point then in position response message 740.Access point is stored this and is estimated usefulness for future, for example, so that provide its position to 911 emergency workers.

Message 730 can be before message 710, be sent out in the substantially the same time afterwards or with it.In addition, single broadcast or multicast location request message can comprise the request to the location estimation of a plurality of equipment.

Fig. 7 B illustrates the message selected works exchange 750 of radio net master Su Fangfa according to diversity service time.This exchange relates to unique user equipment kind equipment.In the process of message 750, the WLAN access point adopts interworking protocol to send location request message 755 to radio net.The location estimation of message 755 request access points.Radio net receives message 755 and sends measurement control messages 760 via this radio net air interface to this subscriber's installation kind equipment.This subscriber's installation kind equipment receives message 760, and sends measurement response message 765 via this air interface to radio net in response.Location estimation when measurement response message 765 comprises on the time T 1 of this subscriber's installation kind equipment in being in the coverage of this access point.Radio net also sends to this subscriber's installation kind equipment via this radio net air interface and measures control messages 780.This subscriber's installation kind equipment receives message 780, and sends to radio net through air interface thus in response and measure response message 785.Location estimation when measurement response message 785 comprises on the time T 2 of this subscriber's installation kind equipment in being in the coverage of this access point.This subscriber's installation kind equipment should be in time to the estimation of its own position and thereby diversity arranged spatially in the message 765 and 785.Time difference between these two location estimation can make this subscriber's installation kind equipment move no small distance probably between these two estimations.For example, this time difference can be at least one minute, at least ten minutes, at least one hour or at least one day.

In case radio net (for example, the radio network controller of this radio net) obtain to have the position response of the location estimation of this subscriber's installation kind equipment, it just asks average estimation with the position that obtains this access point to these location estimation of this subscriber's installation kind equipment.Radio net sends the location estimation of access point then to this access point in position response message 790.Access point is stored this and is estimated usefulness for future, for example so that provide its geographical position to 911 emergency workers.

Should also be understood that time average is not limited to two location estimation are asked average.

The mode of this radio net master place also can adopt composite type UE/ time diversity averaging method, according to the method, radio net is asked the estimation of on average calculating access point position by a plurality of location estimation to (1) subscriber's installation kind equipment with at least one location estimation of (2) at least one other subscriber's installation kind equipment.

These are measured by the RTT that obtains subscriber's installation kind equipment position and be associated and estimate that succeeded by trilateration the method for access point position also can be by radio net master place.At this, intercommunication interface can provide radio net to equip the means of the RTT measurement of kind equipment from access point to the specific user to the WLAN request.According to this mode, radio net is determined subscriber's installation kind equipment position, and measures to the RTT of WLAN request about response subscriber's installation kind equipment.Radio net can one after the other be done this processing to several subscriber's installation kind equipments.

Fig. 8 A illustrates the message selected works exchange 800 according to these class methods.In the process of message 800, access point sends AP location request message 802 to radio net (for example, to radio network controller).For obtaining to be used to calculate the initial data of access point position, radio net sends to subscriber's installation kind equipment UE1 and measures control messages 804.Message 804 comprises the request to the location estimation of UE1.UE1 measures response message 806 with the measurement that comprises the UE1 location estimation and responds.Radio net sends request to WLAN, and it provides the UE1RTT measurement request message 808 of the two-way time between this access point and the UE1 to radio net.For measuring the two-way time to UE1, the access point of WLAN is carried out the RTT measuring process 810 with UE1.WLAN measures in the response message 812 at UE1RTT then the UE1RTT that records is sent to radio net.Notice here and utilize in the method for RTT the same running through described herein other, RTT should be measured in the time of the measured point in the position (UE1 position) of the approaching UE that is associated, makes thus to move very big distance between the time that this equipment is measured at its RTT and the position is measured as yet.

By adopting the similar procedure of message 814,816,818,820 and 822, radio net obtains location estimation and the RTT about UE2; By adopting another similar procedure of message 824,826,828,830 and 832, radio net obtains to measure about the location estimation of UE3 and RTT.After radio net has these three location estimation and the corresponding RTT measurement about UE1, UE2 and UE3, radio net (for example, RNC) calculate the estimation of access point position by trilateration, and this estimation is sent to the WLAN access point via AP position corresponding message 834.Can utilize to ask and on average improve this access point position estimation.

In some alternative embodiments, WLAN provides a RTT to measure tabulation with the initial position request to radio net, has eliminated thus supporting independent RTT to measure the needs of the interworking protocol of request.But, this simplification meeting because of the RTT of each subscriber's installation kind equipment measure with the location estimation measurement between delay influence the accuracy of the location estimation of gained as a result.Accuracy depends on the speed of subscriber's installation kind equipment and the delay between the measurement.If the tachometric survey to the subscriber's installation kind equipment can (for example be used radio net, by location-based service), then the position that estimates by backpropagation is to obtain on the time that RTT measures subscriber's installation kind equipment position roughly, and the accuracy of the method just can be enhanced.Fig. 8 B illustrates the message selected works exchange 840 according to the method.

As in the situation of the calculating of WLAN master place, use RTT to measure and the radio net master Su Fangfa of trilateration can be to single mobile subscriber's installation kind equipment diversity mode service time.Fig. 8 C illustrates the message selected works exchange 850 used according to the radio net master place embodiment of these class methods.In the process of message 850, access point sends AP location request message 852 to radio net (for example, to radio network controller).Radio net sends T1 (time point 1) to the subscriber's installation kind equipment and measures control messages 854.The request of the location estimation of this subscriber's installation kind equipment when message 854 comprises T1.This subscriber's installation kind equipment is measured response message 856 in response to message 854 with the T1 that comprises this subscriber's installation kind equipment location estimation.Radio net is the T1RTT measurement request message 858 of the two-way time between this access point and this subscriber's installation kind equipment when WLAN sends its measurement of request T1 or about it also.For carrying out the measurement of being asked, the access point of WLAN subscriber's installation kind equipment exchange T1RTT is therewith measured message 860.WLAN measures in the response message 862 at T1RTT then and sends the T1RTT (it is corresponding to T1) that records to radio net.

By adopting the similar procedure of message 864,866,868,870 and 872, radio net obtains location estimation and the corresponding RTT about T2 (time point 2); By adopting the similar procedure of message 874,876,878,880 and 882, radio net obtains location estimation and the corresponding RTT about T3 (time point 3).Time interval between T1, T2 and the T3 makes this subscriber's installation kind equipment move no small distance in each in these intervals probably.Radio net had measure about these three different location estimation of T1, T2 and T3 and corresponding RTT after, radio net (for example, RNC) calculate the estimation of access point position by trilateration, and this estimation is sent to the WLAN access point via AP position response message 884.Can use to ask and on average improve the access point position estimation.

Also can use the combination of UE diversity (a plurality of UE) and time diversity (relating to a plurality of measurements of one of these UE) technology.

The embodiment of the radio net master place that use RTT measures can adopt to ask and on average strengthen the accuracy that access point position is estimated.For example, message 800 and/or 850 can be repeated, and a plurality of QP location estimation of gained are asked on average to reduce individual influence of measurement error as a result.These a plurality of AP location estimation can use identical one or one group of subscriber's installation kind equipment or different one or one group of subscriber's installation kind equipment to obtain.It on average is similar that this and the top use of having described in the WLAN master place embodiment that uses RTT to measure are asked.

As simply mentioning, radio net can need not access point and do the priori request of dominance and safeguard the access point position database autonomously.For example, when with specific WLAN access point intercommunication, this network can be from obtaining location survey by each subscriber's installation kind equipment of this particular access point service, and they are stored in the database 140 usefulness for time average.In essence, this radio net master place form with time average formula location is identical, but initiates autonomously rather than in response to the request from access point.If there was such request to arrive afterwards, then radio net can come the access point of doing request is responded with the position of its current estimation.This database also can be stored the volatile information of these estimations, and---in one minute---this estimates from the maximum deviation of currency etc. for example just in the period of last predetermined length.

Fig. 9 A illustrates the message selected works exchange 900 according to this type of embodiment.The first subscriber's installation kind equipment UE1 of radio in the coverage that is in a WLAN access point sends UE1 location request message 905.Message 905 comprises the subscriber's installation kind equipment position requests to the first subscriber's installation kind equipment UE1.The first subscriber's installation kind equipment UE1 is with comprising that the measurement response message 910 that the first subscriber's installation kind equipment UE1 geographical position is estimated responds.Radio net sends the UE location request message 915 that has the subscriber's installation kind equipment position requests of UE2 to the second subscriber's installation kind equipment UE2 similarly.Subscriber's installation kind equipment UE2 is with comprising that the measurement response message 920 that the UE2 geographical position is estimated responds.Radio net (for example, the radio network controller of this radio net) is asked on average these two location estimation (and also having other subscriber's installation kind equipment location estimation), and the WLAN access point position of event memory gained is estimated.Then, WLAN sends the message 925 that has the request of access point location estimation.Radio net receives message 925, and responds with the AP position response message 930 that comprises the access point position estimated mean value.Notice that radio net need not now to wait for that the location estimation from one or more subscriber's installation kind equipments just can be in response to the AP location request message.

Fig. 9 B illustrates the message selected works exchange 950 that is positioned at another embodiment of access point position database (for example, the database among Fig. 1 140) according to radio net autonomously.At this, use same mobile user equipment kind equipment when it is communicated by letter with same access point, to obtain a plurality of measurements of its position.Radio net needn't at first be access in a request and just obtain these data.When the request (message 975) to the AP position arrived, radio net need not holding fix now and estimates just can respond.

As in Non-Self-Governing formula radio net master Su Fangfa, can will combine to asking from a plurality of positions of same subscriber's installation kind equipment on average with the location estimation of a plurality of equipment is asked on average.

The radio net master place embodiment that uses RTT to measure also can be by the embodiment of accommodation for autonomous formula.In other words, radio net need not can carry out RTT method (as among Fig. 8 A-8C) from the initial AP position requests of QLAN.In case WLAN request comes, radio net just can respond with the delay of much shorter.

In the superincumbent discussion, we have supposed that the RTT measurement made by WLAN.But TT also is feasible from subscriber's installation kind equipment measure R.Thus, can be by the message that is used between radio net and the WLAN to ask and provide RTT to measure being provided, and being added and receive message that RTT measures to the request of subscriber's installation kind equipment and from it these depend on the method that RTT measures above revising.Interworking protocol between WLAN and the radio net can be simplified thus.

Figure 10 A illustrates according to radio net wherein and (for example, RNC) goes out the message selected works exchange 1000 of embodiment of this type of radio net master place of access point position from three different subscriber's installation kind equipment trilaterations.Message 1000 is similar to above-described message 800, and its difference part is that radio net is to obtain two-way time from subscriber's installation kind equipment rather than WLAN.Figure 10 B illustrates according to radio net wherein and (for example, RNC) comes trilateration to go out the message selected works exchange 1050 of another radio net master place embodiment of access point position from three location estimation of the same subscriber's installation kind equipment obtained at different time.Message 1050 is similar to above-described message 850, and its difference part is that radio net is to obtain two-way time from subscriber's installation kind equipment rather than WLAN.

In some embodiment that RTT is measured by (respectively) subscriber's installation kind equipment, can be merged to the message of same subscriber's installation kind equipment request UE location estimation and the message of request RTT.For example, message 1004 and 1008 can be combined into single message; Message 1054 and 1058 also can be combined into single message.Similarly, the message of UE location estimation is provided and provides the message of corresponding RTT can be combined into single message to radio net.For example, the location estimation in the message 1006 can be included in the message 1012; And the location estimation in the message 1056 can be included in the message 1062.

Make the needs that request triggers exchange by eliminating with access point, the radio net master place embodiment that RTT is measured by the subscriber's installation kind equipment can be autonomous formula operation and carries out accommodation.When being used as so accommodation, from access point can be at any time to the request of its location estimation---for example having been exchanged and radio net as calculated and after having stored location estimation---to the access point of doing request in other message received by radio net.

Vague generalization ground more, the position calculation of each access point can be by coming main place at other entity of branch of communicating by letter with radio net and/or these access points with the database storage positional information.It is similar and comprise the high level block diagram of assembly selected works of the combination 1100 of subscriber's installation kind equipment 110, WLAN (wireless local area network) 120 and cellular system radio net 130 with the combination 100 of Fig. 1 that Figure 11 is that figure releases.In addition, Figure 11 illustrates based on network computing engines 1100 and based on network location database 1120.Both all can communicate by letter computing engines 1100 and database 1120 with radio net 130 and/or WLAN 120 via WAN 170.In the embodiment shown in Figure 11, computing engines 1110 comprise memory 1114, network interface 1116 and carry out the code that is stored in the memory 1114 and configuring network interface 1116 to send and to receive the processor 1112 of the internet message of realizing that access point position estimation, storage and preparation process are required.Database 1120 comprise memory 1124, network interface 1126, location storage (such as hard disk drive) 1128 and carry out the code that is stored in the memory 1124 and configuring network interface 1126 and location storage 1128 to send and to receive the processor 1122 of the internet message of realizing that access point position estimation, storage and preparation process are required.Database 1120 can be stored the positional information of being made a plurality of access points of keyword by Access Point Identifier, and available thus Access Point Identifier comes the position of Query Database 1120 with the corresponding access point of employed identifier in acquisition and the inquiry.

Figure 12 illustrates the message selected works exchange 1200 of adopting the method for asking database average and main place respectively and computing engines.In the process of message 1200, radio net sends UE1 location request message 1204 to UE1.UE1 responds with the location estimation message 1208 that it carries the UE1 positional information.Radio net receives location estimation message 1208, and in UE1 location message 1212 this UE1 positional information is transmitted to this computing engines.Similarly, radio net sends UE2 location request message 1216 to UE2, receives the UE2 positional information in location estimation message 1220, and in UE2 location message 1224 this UE2 positional information is transmitted to this computing engines.This computing engines receives UE1 and UE2 positional information, and asks mean deviation to generate AP to this a plurality of UE position and calculate the position.This computing engines is calculated the position with AP then and is sent to this database in AP location message 1226.Should be noted that this computing engines can receive each new UE position (about a particular access point) and generate a new AP and calculate the position, or it does this processing when can or receiving just suitable order at preset time.

When WLAN needed the position of access point, it sent AP to this database and calculates location request message 1228.Calculate under the stored situation in position at AP, database is calculated position response message 1232 with AP and is responded, and this message is given WLAN with the band of position of calculating of access point.Notice that this database need not at first just can do this processing to access point or to other information of radio net request.

Be combined in radio net above the combination 1110 of Figure 11 also can be carried out or in access point, realized the additive method that these embodiment of calculating and/or database describe.For example, after studying this paper carefully, those of ordinary skills can revise the message 1200 of Figure 12 to realize:

(1) UE time diversity average (based on from the positional information of same UE average),

(2) composite type UE and time diversity average (based on from same UE and average from a plurality of position measurements of a plurality of UE),

(3) based on the trilateration of UE diversity (trilateration of measuring based on a plurality of positions and RTT) from different UEs,

(4) based on the trilateration of time diversity (trilateration of measuring based on a plurality of positions and RTT) from same UE, and

(5) based on the trilateration of composite type UE and time diversity (measuring measuring right trilateration) with position/RTT from different UEs based on a plurality of positions/RTT from same UE.

Although be the step of sequentially having described each method (and corresponding message) in the disclosure, some in these steps can by divide other element synergistically or concurrently, asynchronously or synchronously, with pipeline system or otherwise carry out.Without any the specific (special) requirements that will carry out these steps by the identical order of the order of steps of listing with this explanation, only pointed out to dominance, or can be clear and definite from context, or require inherently.In addition, step or communication information shown in being not all are necessary in each embodiment according to the present invention, and in according to some embodiments of the present invention, some steps that do not illustrate especially or communication information may be desirable on the contrary.Similarly, without any want strict by shown in the order requirement that comes the communication information shown in the execution graph, only pointed out to dominance, or can be clear and definite from context, or requirement inherently.

Those skilled in the art it will be appreciated that information and signal can be by any expressions the in various different technologies and the skill.For example, running through data, instruction, order, information, signal, bit, code element and the chip that top explanation may be quoted from all the time can be represented by voltage, electric current, electromagnetic wave, magnetic field or magnetic particle, light field or light particle or its combination in any.

Those skilled in the art can further understand, and each illustrative logical blocks, module, circuit and the algorithm steps described in conjunction with these embodiment disclosed herein can be implemented as electronic hardware, computer software or the two combination.For this interchangeability of hardware and software clearly is described, each illustrative assembly, frame, module, circuit and step are to do vague generalization with the form of its function collection to describe in the above.This type of function collection be implemented as hardware, software, or the combination of hardware and software depend on concrete application and force at the design constraint of whole system.Those skilled in the art can realize described function collection by different way at each application-specific, but this type of realizes that decision-making should not be interpreted as causing departing from the scope of the present invention.

Each illustrative logical blocks, module and the circuit of describing in conjunction with embodiment disclosed herein can be designed to carry out herein with processor, digital signal processor (" DSP "), application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) (" ASIC "), field programmable gate array (" FPGA ") or other programmable logic devices, discrete gate or transistor logic, discrete hardware components or its with system, and the combination in any of the function of description realizes or carries out.System can be a microprocessor with processor, but in alternative, processor can be any conventional processors, controller, microcontroller or state machine.Processor also can be implemented as the combination of computing equipment, for example DSP and the combination of microprocessor, a plurality of microprocessor, one or more microprocessors of cooperating with the DSP core or any other this type of configuration.

The method of describing in conjunction with embodiment disclosed herein or the step of algorithm can be embodied directly in hardware, in the software module of being carried out by processor or embody in the two combination.Software module can reside in the storage medium of RAM memory, flash memory, ROM memory, eprom memory, eeprom memory, register, hard disk, removable dish, CD-ROM or any other form known in the art.Exemplary storage medium be coupled to processor so that this processor can from/read or writing information to this storage medium.In alternative, storage medium can be incorporated in the processor.Processor and storage medium can reside among the ASIC.ASIC can reside in the subscriber's installation kind equipment.Alternatively, processor and storage medium can be used as discrete assembly and reside in the subscriber's installation kind equipment.

It is for making any technical staff in this area all can make or use the present invention that above description to the disclosed embodiments is provided.Various modifications to these embodiment will be conspicuous for those skilled in the art, and defined herein generic principles can be applied to other embodiment and can not break away from the spirit or scope of the present invention.Thus, the present invention is not intended to be defined to shown embodiment herein, but should authorize according to the scope of the broad sense consistent with principle disclosed herein and novel features.

Claims

1. the method in the geographical position of an access point of estimating wireless lan (wlan), this method comprises:

Transmission is to the request of the positional information of subscriber's installation class (UE) equipment of cellular radio network, and this UE equipment is communicated by letter with the described access point on the described WLAN;

Reception is in response to the described positional information of described request; And

Specifying described positional information is the estimation in the geographical position of described access point.

2. the method for claim 1 is characterized in that, further comprises:

Store the estimation in described geographical position at described access point place.

3. method as claimed in claim 2 is characterized in that, the step of described transmission request and receiving position information is carried out at described access point place, and described receiving step comprises from described cellular radio network and receives described positional information.

4. method as claimed in claim 3 is characterized in that, further comprises:

Provide telephone service via described WLAN to described UE from described access point.

5. method as claimed in claim 4 is characterized in that, described WLAN has 100 meters or following WLAN range at described access point place.

6. method as claimed in claim 4 is characterized in that, described WLAN has the WLAN range below 1000 meters at described access point place.

7. method as claimed in claim 4 is characterized in that, described cellular radio network has the honeycomb range of range two double-lengths that are described WLAN at least.

8. method as claimed in claim 4 is characterized in that, further comprises:

According to the described access point of 802.11 standard operations;

Wherein said cellular radio network is global mobile communication system (UMTS) compliant systems could.

9. method as claimed in claim 4 is characterized in that, the step of described transmission request, receiving position information, assigned address information and stored position information is regularly to carry out.

10. method as claimed in claim 2 is characterized in that, the step of described transmission request and receiving position information is carried out at described access point place, and described receiving step comprises by the WLAN interface and receives described positional information from described UE equipment.

11. the method for claim 1 is characterized in that, the step of described transmission request and receiving position information is carried out at described cellular radio network place.

12. method as claimed in claim 11 is characterized in that, further comprises:

To send described access point to from the described estimation of described cellular radio network.

13. method as claimed in claim 12 is characterized in that, further comprises:

In the request of described cellular radio network place reception to described estimation;

Wherein said forwarding step is in response to receive and described the request of estimating is carried out.

14. the method in the geographical position of an access point of estimating wireless lan (wlan), this method comprises:

Send the request of a plurality of location information, each request in described a plurality of request relates to the positional information at one or more subscriber's installation classes (UE) equipment of communicating by letter with cellular radio network, and each the UE equipment in described one or more UE equipment is in the coverage of the described access point on the described WLAN;

Reception is replied in response to a plurality of receptions that have positional information of described a plurality of requests;

Calculate the estimation in the geographical position of described access point at least in part based on described a plurality of answers that receive.

15. method as claimed in claim 14 is characterized in that, further comprises:

Provide telephone service via described WLAN from described access point at least one UE equipment to described one or more UE equipment.

16. method as claimed in claim 14 is characterized in that, described WLAN has 100 meters or following WLAN range at described access point place.

17. method as claimed in claim 14 is characterized in that, described WLAN has the WLAN range below 1000 meters at described access point place.

18. method as claimed in claim 14 is characterized in that, described cellular radio network has the honeycomb range of range two double-lengths that are described WLAN at least.

19. method as claimed in claim 14 is characterized in that, further comprises:

According to the described access point of 802.11 standard operations;

Wherein said cellular radio network is global mobile communication system (UMTS).

20. method as claimed in claim 14 is characterized in that, described transmission, reception and the step of calculating are regularly repeated.

21. method as claimed in claim 14 is characterized in that:

Described forwarding step comprises from described access point and transmits described a plurality of request to described one or more UE equipment; And

Described reception and calculation procedure are carried out at described access point place.

22. method as claimed in claim 21 is characterized in that, described calculation procedure comprises asks average to the positional information in the described answer that respectively receives.

23. method as claimed in claim 14 is characterized in that:

Described forwarding step comprises from described access point and transmits described a plurality of request to described cellular radio network; And

Described receiving step is carried out at described access point place.

24. method as claimed in claim 23 is characterized in that, each request in described a plurality of requests relates to the positional information of a different UEs equipment.

25. method as claimed in claim 23 is characterized in that, each request in described a plurality of requests relates to the positional information of same UE equipment.

26. method as claimed in claim 23, it is characterized in that, described a plurality of request comprises first request of a UE who relates to the very first time, second request that relates to the 2nd UE and the 3rd request that relates to the described UE of second time, described second time is different with the described very first time, and described the 2nd UE is different with a described UE.

27. method as claimed in claim 14 is characterized in that:

Described forwarding step comprises from described cellular radio network and transmits described a plurality of request to described one or more UE equipment; And

Described reception and calculation procedure are carried out at described cellular radio network place.

28. method as claimed in claim 27 is characterized in that, described calculation procedure comprises asks average to the positional information in the described answer that respectively receives.

29. method as claimed in claim 28 is characterized in that, each request in described a plurality of requests relates to the positional information of a different UEs equipment.

30. method as claimed in claim 28 is characterized in that, each request in described a plurality of requests relates to the positional information of same UE equipment.

31. method as claimed in claim 28, it is characterized in that, described a plurality of request comprises first request of a UE who relates to the very first time, second request that relates to the 2nd UE and the 3rd request that relates to the described UE of second time, described second time is different with the described very first time, and described the 2nd UE is different with a described UE.

32. method as claimed in claim 14, it is characterized in that, described a plurality of answer that receives comprises the 3rd reception answer that first reception that has primary importance information was replied, had the second reception answer of second place information and has the 3rd positional information, and described method further comprises:

Measure described access point with and the UE equipment that is associated of described primary importance information between first two-way time (RTT);

Measure described access point with and the 2nd UE equipment that is associated of described second place information between the 2nd RTT; And

Measure described access point with and the 3rd UE equipment that is associated of described the 3rd positional information between the 3rd RTT;

Wherein said calculation procedure comprises from described primary importance information, described second place information, described the 3rd positional information, a described RTT, described the 2nd RTT and described the 3rd RTT comes trilateration to go out the estimation in the geographical position of described access point.

33. method as claimed in claim 32 is characterized in that:

Described receiving step is carried out at described access point place.

34. method as claimed in claim 32 is characterized in that:

Described forwarding step comprises from described cellular radio network and transmits described a plurality of request; And

Described receiving step is carried out at described radio net place.

35. method as claimed in claim 32 is characterized in that:

Described receiving step is carried out at described access point place.

36. method as claimed in claim 32 is characterized in that, further comprises:

Provide telephone service from described access point via described WLAN at least one UE equipment to described one or more UE equipment.

37. method as claimed in claim 32 is characterized in that, described WLAN has 100 meters or following WLAN range at described access point place.

38. method as claimed in claim 32 is characterized in that, described WLAN has the WLAN range below 1000 meters at described access point place.

39. method as claimed in claim 32 is characterized in that, described cellular radio network has the honeycomb range of range two double-lengths that are described WLAN at least.

40. method as claimed in claim 32 is characterized in that, further comprises:

According to the described access point of 802.11 standard operations;

41. method as claimed in claim 14, it is characterized in that, described a plurality of answer that receives comprises having to receive in first of the primary importance information of the very first time the one UE equipment to reply, to have to receive to reply and have to receive in the 3rd of the 3rd positional information of a described UE equipment of the 3rd time in second of the second place information of a described UE of second time replys, and described method further comprises:

First two-way time (RTT) of measurement between described access point of the described very first time and a described UE equipment;

Two RTT of measurement between described described access point of second time and a described UE equipment; And

Three RTT of measurement between described described access point of the 3rd time and a described UE equipment;

Wherein said calculation procedure comprises the estimation that goes out the geographical position of described access point from described primary importance information, described second place information, described the 3rd positional information, a described RTT, described the 2nd RTT and described the 3rd RTT trilateration.

42. method as claimed in claim 41 is characterized in that:

Described receiving step is carried out at described radio net place.

43. method as claimed in claim 14, it is characterized in that, described a plurality of answer that receives comprises from first reception of a UE equipment replys and replys from second reception of a described UE equipment, described first answer comprises the positional information that is associated in the position of very first time point with a described UE equipment, described second answer comprises the positional information that is associated in the position of second time point with a described UE equipment, described first and second time points have diversity, thereby make described first equipment differ at least 10 meters at the position and a described UE equipment of described very first time point in the position of described second time point.

44. method as claimed in claim 14 is characterized in that, starts from same UE equipment without any two in each answer that receives of using in described calculation procedure.

45. method as claimed in claim 14 is characterized in that, further is included in described access point place described each UE equipment mark from described one or more UE equipment that described radio net is received in the described access point on the described WLAN is communicated by letter.

46. method as claimed in claim 14 is characterized in that:

Described forwarding step comprises from described cellular radio network and transmits described a plurality of request to described one or more UE equipment;

Described receiving step is carried out at described cellular radio network place; And

Described calculation procedure is carried out at the computing engines place;

Described method further comprises:

By communication network the positional information in each received answer is circulated a notice of to computing engines;

By described communication network described estimation is conveyed to location database from described computing engines; And

The place stores described estimation at described database.

47. method as claimed in claim 46 is characterized in that, described calculation procedure comprises asks average to the positional information in each received answer.

48. method as claimed in claim 47 is characterized in that, each request in described a plurality of requests relates to the positional information of a different UEs equipment.

49. method as claimed in claim 47 is characterized in that, each request in described a plurality of requests relates to the positional information of same UE equipment.

50. method as claimed in claim 47, it is characterized in that, described a plurality of request comprises first request of a UE who relates to the very first time, second request that relates to the 2nd UE and the 3rd request that relates to the described UE of second time, described second time is different with the described very first time, and described the 2nd UE is different with a described UE.

51. method as claimed in claim 46, it is characterized in that, described a plurality of answer that receives comprises the 3rd reception answer that first reception that has primary importance information was replied, had the second reception answer of second place information and has the 3rd positional information, and described method further comprises:

52. the estimation approach in the geographical position of an access point of being convenient to realize wireless lan (wlan), this method comprises:

Send the request of a plurality of location information from cellular radio network, each request in described a plurality of request relates to the positional information of one or more subscriber's installation classes (UE) equipment of described cellular radio network, and each the UE equipment in described one or more UE equipment is communicated by letter with the described access point on the described WLAN;

Reception is replied in response to a plurality of receptions that have positional information of described a plurality of requests; And

The positional information of each answer that receives in described a plurality of answers is sent to described access point from described cellular radio network.

53. method as claimed in claim 52 is characterized in that, further comprises:

Described cellular radio network is operated as global mobile communication system (UMTS);

Wherein said access point is operated under 802.11 standards.

54. the estimation approach in the geographical position of an access point for preparing wireless lan (wlan), this method comprises:

Send the request of a plurality of location information from cellular radio network, the request of each location information in described a plurality of request relates to the positional information of one or more subscriber's installation classes (UE) equipment of described cellular radio network, and each the UE equipment in described one or more UE equipment is communicated by letter with the described access point on the described WLAN;

Calculate the estimation in the geographical position of described access point at least in part based on described a plurality of answers that receive; And

Described estimation is sent to described access point from described cellular radio network.

55. method as claimed in claim 54 is characterized in that, further comprises:

Receive request to the estimation in described geographical position from described access point at described cellular radio network place;

Wherein said forwarding step is in response to the request that receives the estimation in described geographical position and carries out.

56. method as claimed in claim 44 is characterized in that, further comprises:

Wherein said access point is to operate under 802.11 standards.

57. method as claimed in claim 54, it is characterized in that, described a plurality of answer that receives comprises from first reception of a UE equipment replys and replys from second reception of a described UE equipment, described first answer comprises the positional information that is associated in the position of very first time point with a described UE equipment, described second answer comprises the positional information that is associated in the position of second time point with a described UE equipment, described first and second time points have diversity, thereby make a described UE equipment differ at least 10 meters at the position and a described UE equipment of described very first time point in the position of described second time point.

58. method as claimed in claim 44 is characterized in that, starts from same UE equipment without any two in each answer that receives of using in described calculation procedure.

59. the estimation approach in the geographical position of an access point for preparing wireless lan (wlan), this method comprises:

Determine a plurality of UE device locations at the cellular radio network place, each UE device location is corresponding to the position of at least one subscriber's installation class (UE) equipment of described cellular radio network, and described at least one UE equipment is communicated by letter with the described access point on the described WLAN;

Calculate the estimation in the geographical position of described access point at least in part based on described a plurality of UE device locations; And

60. method as claimed in claim 59 is characterized in that, described determining step is carried out by angular surveying and triangulation.

61. method as claimed in claim 59 is characterized in that, described determining step is determined by two-way time (RTT) measurement and trilateration.

62. method as claimed in claim 59 is characterized in that, further comprises:

Wherein said access point is to operate under 802.11 standards.

63. method as claimed in claim 59 is characterized in that, further comprises:

Receive one or more signs of described at least one the UE equipment of communicating by letter with the described access point on the described WLAN at described radio net place.

64. method as claimed in claim 59 is characterized in that, further comprises:

Store the volatile information of described estimation at described cellular radio network place.

65. method as claimed in claim 59 is characterized in that, described determining step is initiated by described cellular radio network autonomously.

66. as the described method of claim 65, it is characterized in that, further comprise:

The request that after described determining step, sends by described access point to described estimation in the reception of described cellular radio network place;

Wherein said transfer step is in response to described reception the step of the request of estimation is carried out.

67. method as claimed in claim 59 is characterized in that, further comprises:

Repeat described determine and calculation procedure with a plurality of estimations in the geographical position that obtains described access point; And described a plurality of estimations are asked average.

68. method as claimed in claim 59 is characterized in that:

Described a plurality of UE device location comprises a UE device location, the 2nd UE device location and the 3rd UE device location;

Described determining step comprises:

Receive corresponding to measuring first two-way time (RTT) of a described UE device location, measure and measure from described access point at described cellular radio network place corresponding to the 3rd RTT of described the 3rd UE device location corresponding to the 2nd RTT of described the 2nd UE device location, and

From the estimation that a described UE device location, described the 2nd UE device location, described the 3rd UE device location, a described RTT measure, described the 2nd RTT measures and described the 3rd RTT measurement trilateration goes out the geographical position of described access point.

69. method as claimed in claim 59 is characterized in that:

Described determining step is included in the step that described cellular radio network place determines described a plurality of UE device locations; And

Described calculation procedure comprises at least in part the step of estimation of calculating the geographical position of described access point based on described a plurality of UE device locations.

70. a kind of access point of wireless lan (wlan) comprises:

Transceiver;

Program code stored memory; And

Be coupled to described memory and be coupled to the processor of described transceiver, wherein said processor is configured to make described access point:

Transmission is to the request of the positional information of cellular radio network one subscriber's installation class (UE) equipment, and described UE equipment is communicated by letter with the described access point on the described WLAN;

71. as the described access point of claim 70, it is characterized in that, further comprise:

Second network interface:

Wherein said processor disposes described access point to provide telephone service via described WLAN and described second network interface to described UE equipment.

72. a kind of access point of wireless lan (wlan) comprises:

Transceiver;

The connection that described access point is connected to cellular radio network to second network interface;

Program code stored memory; And

Be coupled to described processor and be coupled to the processor of described transceiver, wherein said processor is configured to make described access point:

Send the request of a plurality of location information, each request in described a plurality of request relates to the positional information at one or more subscriber's installation classes (UE) equipment of communicating by letter with described cellular radio network, and each the UE equipment in described one or more UE equipment is in the service area of the described access point on the described WLAN;

73., it is characterized in that as the described access point of claim 72:

Described a plurality of answer comprises that first of the primary importance information that has a UE equipment replys, has second the 3rd answer of replying and having the 3rd positional information of the 3rd UE equipment of the second place information of the 2nd UE equipment;

Described processor is further configured and becomes to make described access point:

Measure first two-way time (RTT) between described access point and the described UE equipment;

Measure the 2nd RTT between described access point and described the 2nd UE equipment;

Measure the 3rd RTT between described access point and described the 3rd UE equipment;

The estimation that goes out described geographical position from described primary importance information, described second place information, described the 3rd positional information, a described RTT, described the 2nd RTT and described the 3rd RTT trilateration.

74., it is characterized in that as the described access point of claim 72:

Described a plurality of answer comprises that having a UE equipment replys, has a described UE equipment in first of the primary importance information of the very first time and reply and have three answer of a described UE equipment in the 3rd positional information of the 3rd time in second of the second place information of second time;

First two-way time (RTT) of measurement between described approximately described access point of the very first time and a described UE equipment;

Two RTT of measurement between described approximately described access point of second time and a described UE equipment;

Three RTT of measurement between described approximately described access point of the 3rd time and a described UE equipment; And

75. making described access point carry out, a machine readable media that comprises instruction, described instruction comprise following action when being carried out by the wireless lan (wlan) access point:

Send the request of a plurality of location information, each request in described a plurality of request relates to the positional information of one or more subscriber's installation classes (UE) equipment of communicating by letter with cellular radio network, and each the UE equipment in described one or more UE equipment is in the service area of the described access point on the described WLAN;

76. a kind of radio network controller in the cellular radio network, described radio network controller comprises:

BTS interface to basic transceiver station;

Be used for described radio network controller is coupled to the network interface of the wireless lan (wlan) that comprises access point;

Program code stored memory; And

Be coupled to the processor of described memory, described BTS interface and described network interface;

Wherein said processor is configured to make described radio network controller:

Send the request of a plurality of location information, each request in described a plurality of request relates to the positional information at one or more subscriber's installation classes (UE) equipment of communicating by letter with described cellular radio network, and each the UE equipment in described one or more UE equipment is in the coverage of the described access point on the described WLAN;

Send described estimation to described access point via described network interface.

77. a kind of radio network controller in the cellular radio network, described radio network controller comprises:

BTS interface to basic transceiver station;

Program code stored memory; And

Reception is in response to a plurality of answers that have positional information of described a plurality of requests; And

Send described a plurality of answers to described access point via described network interface.

78. making described cellular radio network carry out, a machine readable media that comprises instruction, described instruction comprise following operation when being carried out by the processor of the radio network controller of cellular radio network:

Send the request of a plurality of location information, each request in described a plurality of request relates to the positional information at one or more subscriber's installation classes (UE) equipment of communicating by letter with described cellular radio network, and each the UE equipment in described one or more UE equipment is in the coverage of a wireless lan (wlan) access point;

79. making described cellular radio network carry out, a machine readable media that comprises instruction, described instruction comprise following operation when being carried out by the processor of the radio network controller of cellular radio network:

Described network interface via described radio network controller sends described each answer to described access point.