Method and system for determining a position of a mobile communication device

Abstract

A GNSS enabled mobile device transmits to a location server a combination of GNSS-based location data and non-GNSS based location data used to determining reference positions at the location server. The GNSS mobile device receives the determined reference positions from the location server to calculate an associated GNSS position fix. The transmitted GNSS-based location data comprises GNSS position fixes associated with the GNSS enabled mobile device. The transmitted non-GNSS-based location data comprises a serving Cell-ID, neighbor Cell-IDs, neighbor cell fingerprinting, timing advance parameters, and/or a mobile country code. Reference positions associated with the serving Cell-ID are determined and/or refined based on location information acquired from each of associated mobile devices. To respond to a reference position request from the GNSS enabled mobile device without an associated serving Cell-ID, the location server determines corresponding reference positions by combing subscriber population density with an associated MCC.

1 - 22 . (canceled) 
     
     
         23 . A mobile device comprising:
 a satellite signal processor operable to process satellite-based location data; and a mobile communication processor operable to:   transmit the satellite based location data and non-satellite based location data to a location server;   receive from the location server, a determined reference position based on the satellite based location data, the non-satellite based location data, and an uncertainty level,   wherein the uncertainty level is adapted according to the non-satellite based location data; and   calculate a position fix for the mobile device based on the reference position.   
     
     
         24 . The mobile device according to  claim 23 , wherein the satellite based location data comprises position fixes associated with the mobile device. 
     
     
         25 . The mobile device according to  claim 23 , wherein the satellite based location data comprises a serving Cell-ID, one or more neighbor Cell-IDs, neighbor cell fingerprinting, timing advance parameters, and/or a mobile country code. 
     
     
         26 . The mobile device according to  claim 25 , wherein the neighbor cell fingerprinting is associated with the one or more neighbor Cell-IDs. 
     
     
         27 . A method of processing signals, the method comprising:
 transmitting satellite based location data and non-satellite based location data to a location server;   receiving from the location server, a determined reference position based on the satellite based location data, the non-satellite based location data, and an uncertainty level, wherein the uncertainty level is adapted according to the non-satellite based location data; and   calculating a position fix for the mobile device based on the reference position.   
     
     
         28 . The method according to  claim 27 , wherein the transmitted GNSS-based location data comprises GNSS position fixes associated with the GNSS enabled mobile device. 
     
     
         29 . The method according to  claim 27 , wherein the transmitted non-GNSS based location data comprises a serving Cell-ID, one or more neighbor Cell-IDs, neighbor cell fingerprinting, timing advance parameters, and/or a mobile country code. 
     
     
         30 . The method according to  claim 29 , wherein the neighbor cell fingerprinting is associated with the one or more neighbor Cell-IDs. 
     
     
         31 . The method according to  claim 29 , wherein the location server acquires location information associated with the serving Cell-ID from the GNSS enabled mobile device and other mobile devices associated with the location server. 
     
     
         32 . The method according to  claim 29 , wherein the location server adaptively computes the uncertainty level with a fixed confidence level of the determined reference position based on the satellite based location data and the non-satellite based location data associated with the serving Cell-ID. 
     
     
         33 . The method according to  claim 29 , wherein the location server refines the determined reference position based on the acquired location information associated with the serving Cell-ID. 
     
     
         34 . The method according to  claim 29 , wherein the location server determines one or more reference subpositions associated with the serving Cell-ID based on the neighbor cell fingerprinting. 
     
     
         35 . The method according to  claim 34 , wherein the location server communicates the determined one or more reference subpositions associated with the serving Cell-ID to the GNSS enabled mobile device. 
     
     
         36 . The method according to  claim 27 , wherein the location server identifies subscriber population density associated with the mobile country code. 
     
     
         37 . The method according to  claim 36 , wherein the location server determines the reference position based on the mobile country code and identified subscriber population density associated with the mobile country code. 
     
     
         38 . A system for processing signals, the system comprising:
 a location server operable to:   receive satellite based location data and non-satellite based location data from a mobile station;   determine a reference position according to the satellite based location data and the non-satellite based location data; and   determine an uncertainty level that is adapted according to the non-satellite based location data, wherein the reference position and the uncertainty level enable the mobile station to calculate a position fix.   
     
     
         39 . The system according to  claim 38 , wherein the location server adaptively computes the uncertainty level with a fixed confidence level based on location information from multiple sources. 
     
     
         40 . The system according to  claim 38 , wherein the location server identifies subscriber population density associated with a mobile country code. 
     
     
         41 . The system according to  claim 40 , wherein the location server determines the reference position based on the subscriber population density. 
     
     
         42 . The system according to  claim 38 , wherein the satellite based location data comprises a serving Cell-ID, one or more neighbor Cell-IDs, neighbor cell fingerprinting, timing advance parameters, and/or a mobile country code.