Method and device for position determination

Abstract

A method and device for position determination, in which one or more application requests a positioning method selection device for positioning data. The positioning method selection device provides an application with positioning data using one or more positioning method in accordance with settings defined by the application and/or the user. The positioning method selection device receives a positioning request from an application, forms a parameter or parameters indicating the quality of positioning requested by the application, compares the quality of positioning data provided by the positioning methods with the positioning quality required by the application, and sends the positioning data to the application in response to the positioning request.

1 . A method comprising:
 receiving, in a positioning method selection device, at least one request for positioning data;   receiving, in the device, at least one quality parameter corresponding to the at least one request, wherein the at least one quality parameter defines an expected accuracy, type or format of the request positioning data;   comparing the at least one quality parameter to an expected quality value for each of one or more available positioning methods;   selecting a positioning method, from the one or more available positioning methods having an expected quality value closest to the at least one quality parameter, to provide the requested positioning data; and   receiving the requested positioning data together with at least one value indicating an actual quality of the received positioning data, wherein the quality is an accuracy, type or format of the received positioning data;   using the value to update the expected quality value of positioning data provided by the selected positioning method in an expected quality register in the device; and   transferring the received positioning data to a requested application.   
     
     
         2 . A method comprising
 receiving a first request for position of a mobile terminal from a first application resident on the mobile terminal;   receiving a second request for the position of the mobile terminal from a second application resident on the mobile terminal; and   selecting a positioning scheme among a plurality of positioning schemes for determining the position according to a criterion specified by the first application or the second application.   
     
     
         3 . A method according to  claim 2 , wherein the criterion is specified by the first application to be applied in processing the second request from the second application. 
     
     
         4 . A method according to  claim 2 , wherein the criterion specifies either an order of preference relating to the selection of the positioning scheme, quality of positioning data for the positioning scheme, positioning accuracy, reliability of positioning, an interval with which positioning data is to be updated, a time that is permitted to elapse before positioning data is provided after activation of the positioning scheme, cost of the positioning scheme, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         5 . A method according to  claim 2 , further comprising:
 receiving positioning data from the selected positioning scheme; and   determining whether the positioning data satisfies the criterion.   
     
     
         6 . A method according to  claim 2 , further comprising:
 selecting another one of the positioning schemes for determining the position;   receiving positioning data from the positioning schemes; and   determining whether the positioning data satisfies the criterion.   
     
     
         7 . A method according to  claim 6 , further comprising:
 generating a notification if the positioning data does not satisfy the criterion.   
     
     
         8 . A method according to  claim 6 , further comprising:
 combining the positioning data from the positioning schemes for use by the first application or the second application.   
     
     
         9 . A method according to  claim 8 , further comprising:
 presenting the combined positioning data in a format specified by a particular one of the applications.   
     
     
         10 . A method according to  claim 2 , wherein the criterion is specified by the first application and another criterion is specified by the second application, the method further comprising:
 determining whether positioning data satisfies either of the criterion or the other criterion; and   initiating forwarding of the positioning data to the first application if the criterion is satisfied and to the second application if the other criterion is satisfied.   
     
     
         11 . An apparatus comprising
 at least one processor; and   at least one memory including computer program code,   the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform at least the following,
 receive a first request for position of a mobile terminal from a first application resident on the mobile terminal; 
 receive a second request for the position of the mobile terminal from a second application resident on the mobile terminal; and 
 select a positioning scheme among a plurality of positioning schemes for determining the position according to a criterion specified by the first application or the second application. 
   
     
     
         12 . An apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein the criterion is specified by the first application to be applied in processing the second request from the second application. 
     
     
         13 . An apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein the criterion specifies either an order of preference relating to the selection of the positioning scheme, quality of positioning data for the positioning scheme, positioning accuracy, reliability of positioning, an interval with which positioning data is to be updated, a time that is permitted to elapse before positioning data is provided after activation of the positioning scheme, cost of the positioning scheme, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         14 . An apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein the apparatus is further caused to:
 receive positioning data from the selected positioning scheme; and   determine whether the positioning data satisfies the criterion.   
     
     
         15 . An apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein the apparatus is further caused to:
 select another one of the positioning schemes for determining the position;   receive positioning data from the positioning schemes; and   determine whether the positioning data satisfies the criterion.   
     
     
         16 . An apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein the apparatus is further caused to:
 generating a notification if the positioning data does not satisfy the criterion.   
     
     
         17 . An apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein the apparatus is further caused to:
 combine the positioning data from the positioning schemes for use by the first application or the second application.   
     
     
         18 . An apparatus according to  claim 17 , wherein the apparatus is further caused to:
 present the combined positioning data in a format specified by a particular one of the applications.   
     
     
         19 . An apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein the criterion is specified by the first application and another criterion is specified by the second application, and the apparatus is further caused to:
 determine whether positioning data satisfies either of the criterion or the other criterion; and   initiate forwarding of the positioning data to the first application if the criterion is satisfied and to the second application if the other criterion is satisfied.   
     
     
         20 . A computer-readable storage medium carrying one or more sequences of one or more instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause an apparatus to perform at least the following:
 receive a first request for position of a mobile terminal from a first application resident on the mobile terminal;   receive a second request for the position of the mobile terminal from a second application resident on the mobile terminal; and   select a positioning scheme among a plurality of positioning schemes for determining the position according to a criterion specified by the first application or the second application.