Method and device for position determination

Abstract

There is a mobile terminal including an antenna, a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver and at least two different applications. Each of the at least two different applications are executable on the mobile terminal. The mobile terminal is configured to wirelessly transmit information to and wirelessly receive information from a mobile communication network. The mobile terminal is further configured to use positioning data from a plurality of positioning methods including at least a GPS method and a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) positioning method. The mobile terminal also includes at least one processor and at least one memory including computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the mobile terminal to receive positioning data associated with at least two of the plurality of positioning methods. The mobile terminal centrally manages, processes a request for, combines and makes available positioning data.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A mobile terminal comprising:
 an antenna;   a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver;   at least two different applications, each of the at least two different applications being executable on the mobile terminal, the mobile terminal being configured to wirelessly transmit information to and wirelessly receive information from a mobile communication network, the mobile terminal being further configured to use positioning data from a plurality of positioning methods including at least a GPS method and a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) positioning method;   at least one processor; and   at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code being configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the mobile terminal at least to:   receive positioning data associated with at least two of the plurality of positioning methods,   centrally manage, in association with the at least two different applications, the received positioning data associated with the plurality of positioning methods,   process a request for positioning data from at least one of the at least two different applications, wherein the request for positioning data comprises an indication of the quality of the positioning data requested by the at least one of the at least two different applications,   combine positioning data associated with the plurality of positioning methods to form combined positioning data having at least the quality of the positioning data requested by the at least one of the at least two different applications, and   make available the combined positioning data to at least one application of the at least two different applications.   
     
     
         2 . The mobile terminal of  claim 1 , wherein the mobile terminal is further caused to make the received positioning data available to at least two of the at least two different applications, wherein the received positioning data is associated with at least fulfilling a request from at least one of the at least two different applications. 
     
     
         3 . The mobile terminal of  claim 1 , wherein the mobile terminal is further caused to make the combined positioning data which fulfilled the request from at least one of the at least two different applications also available to at least one other different application on the mobile terminal. 
     
     
         4 . The mobile terminal of  claim 3 , wherein the combined positioning data fulfills a request for positioning data received from at least one of the at least two different applications, wherein the mobile terminal is further caused to make the combined positioning data available to fulfill another request for positioning data received from the at least one other different application on the mobile terminal. 
     
     
         5 . The mobile terminal claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the mobile terminal is further caused to:
 define a period of validity for the combined positioning data, and   store the combined positioning data, wherein the stored combined positioning data is made available to the plurality of different applications within the defined period of validity.   
     
     
         6 . The mobile terminal of  claim 1 , wherein the mobile terminal is further caused to:
 determine if positioning data stored at the mobile terminal meets one or more conditions associated with requirements for positioning data used by at least one of the at least two different applications, and if not,   perform a combining of stored positioning data to form the combined positioning data, and   store the combined positioning data, whereby the stored combined positioning data is made available to the at least two different applications, wherein the one or more conditions include one or more parameters indicative of a quality of the positioning data.   
     
     
         7 . The mobile terminal of  claim 1 , wherein the mobile terminal is further caused to:
 determine if stored positioning data meets one or more conditions associated with positioning data used by at least one of the at least two different applications,   and if not, select at least one of the plurality of positioning methods based on the one or more conditions to provide positioning data for combining with stored positioning data provided by at least one other one of the plurality of positioning methods,   perform a combining of the positioning data associated with the at least one selected one of the plurality of positioning methods and the stored positioning data associated with the at least one other one of the plurality of positioning methods to form the combined positioning data, and   store the combined positioning data, wherein the stored combined positioning data is made available to the at least two different applications, wherein the one or more conditions include one or more parameters indicative of a quality of the positioning data.   
     
     
         8 . The mobile terminal of  claim 1 , wherein the mobile terminal is further caused to:
 select, responsive to the at least one, associated with one or more conditions, of the at least two different applications requesting positioning data, at least one of the plurality of positioning methods to provide the positioning data,   receive the positioning data from the selected at least one positioning method, and   combine the received positioning data with positioning data from at least one other one of the plurality of positioning methods to form the combined positioning data associated with the one or more conditions,   wherein the one or more conditions include one or more parameters indicative of the quality of the requested positioning data.   
     
     
         9 . The mobile terminal of  claim 1 , wherein the mobile terminal is further caused to:
 receive a request from one of the at least two different applications for positioning data associated with one or more conditions,   select, responsive to receiving said request, at least one of the plurality of positioning methods to provide positioning data,   receive positioning data from the selected at least one positioning method,   combine the received positioning data with positioning data provided by at least one other one of the plurality of positioning methods to form the combined positioning data associated with the one or more conditions associated with the requested positioning data, and   fulfill the request.   
     
     
         10 . The mobile terminal of  claim 1 , wherein the mobile terminal is further caused to:
 receive a request from one of the at least two different applications for positioning data associated with one or more conditions,   select, responsive to receiving the request, at least one of the plurality of positioning methods to provide positioning data,   receive positioning data provided by the selected at least one positioning method,   combine the received positioning data with positioning data provided by at least one other one of the plurality of positioning methods to form the combined positioning data associated with the one or more conditions associated with the requested positioning data, and   fulfill the request,   wherein said one or more conditions include one or more parameters indicative of a quality of the requested positioning data.   
     
     
         11 . The mobile terminal of  claim 1 , wherein the combined positioning data is made available by storing the combined positioning data, wherein the mobile terminal is further caused to:
 select, responsive to the at least one of the at least two different applications requesting positioning data associated with one or more conditions, at least two positioning methods, each of the at least two positioning methods providing positioning data for combining to form the combined positioning data conforming with the one or more conditions associated with the requested positioning data,   wherein the at least two positioning methods provide positioning data consecutively, wherein the consecutively provided positioning data is combined to conform with the one or more conditions associated with the at least one requesting application.   
     
     
         12 . The mobile terminal of  claim 1 , wherein the mobile terminal is further caused to:
 select, responsive to receiving a request from at least one of the at least two different applications for positioning data associated with one or more conditions, at least two positioning methods, each of the at least two positioning methods providing positioning data for combining to form the combined positioning data, the formed combined positioning data complying with the one or more conditions associated with the requested positioning data.   
     
     
         13 . The mobile terminal of  claim 1 , wherein the mobile terminal is further caused to:
 select, responsive to receiving a request from at least one of the at least two different applications for positioning data associated with one or more conditions, at least two positioning methods, each of the at least two positioning methods providing positioning data for combining to form the combined positioning data, the formed combined positioning data complying with the one or more conditions associated with the requested positioning data, wherein a time stamp is associated with each request for positioning data.   
     
     
         14 . The mobile terminal of  claim 1 , wherein the mobile terminal is further caused to:
 store the combined positioning data, wherein the stored combined positioning data is made available to the at least two different applications,   wherein a period of validity is defined for the stored combined positioning data to be made available to the at least two different applications.   
     
     
         15 . The mobile terminal of  claim 1 , wherein the combined positioning data is made available by storing the combined positioning data, and wherein the mobile terminal is further caused to:
 select, responsive to one of the at least two different applications requesting positioning data associated with one or more conditions, at least two positioning methods, each of the at least two positioning methods providing positioning data for combining to form the combined positioning data conforming with the one or more conditions associated with the requested positioning data,   wherein the selected at least two positioning methods provide positioning data consecutively,   wherein the consecutively provided positioning data is combined to conform with the one or more conditions associated with the requesting application,   wherein a period of validity is defined for the combined positioning data and the combined positioning data is made unavailable when the period of validity expires.   
     
     
         16 . The mobile terminal of  claim 1 , wherein the mobile terminal is further caused to:
 select, responsive a request from at least one of the at least two different applications for positioning data associated with one or more conditions, at least two positioning methods, each of the at least two positioning methods providing positioning data associated with combining to form the combined positioning data, the formed combined positioning data complying with the one or more conditions associated with the requested positioning data,   wherein a period of validity is defined for the combined positioning data and the centrally managed combined positioning data is made unavailable when the period of validity expires.   
     
     
         17 . The mobile terminal of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the plurality of positioning methods include at least two methods selected from: the GPS positioning method, the WLAN positioning method, an enhanced observed time difference positioning method, a Bluetooth service positioning method, or a combination thereof, and   wherein the mobile terminal automatically registers which of the positioning methods are available for use.   
     
     
         18 . The mobile terminal of  claim 1 ,
 wherein said mobile terminal is configured to implement at least one of the plurality of positioning methods.   
     
     
         19 . The mobile terminal of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the mobile terminal is configured to manage at least one positioning method that is implemented external to the mobile terminal.   
     
     
         20 . The mobile terminal of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the mobile terminal is configured to register a connection of a positioning method implemented external to the mobile terminal.   
     
     
         21 . The mobile terminal of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the mobile terminal is a mobile terminal of a mobile communications network.   
     
     
         22 . The mobile terminal of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the mobile terminal is configured to manage interactions between the at least two different application programs and the plurality of positioning methods.   
     
     
         23 . The mobile terminal of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the mobile terminal is configured to receive a request for positioning data from at least one of the at least two different applications.   
     
     
         24 . The mobile terminal of  claim 26 ,
 wherein the mobile terminal is configured to receive an indication of a quality requirement for the positioning data set by at least one of the at least two different applications.   
     
     
         25 . The mobile terminal of  claim 27 ,
 wherein the mobile terminal is configured to select a positioning method by at least one of the at least two different applications which provides positioning data that fulfills the quality of the requested positioning.   
     
     
         26 . The mobile terminal of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the mobile terminal is configured to maintain a record of the positioning methods available to be utilized by the at least two different applications.   
     
     
         27 . The mobile terminal of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the mobile terminal is configured to monitor an operating condition of plurality of positioning methods.   
     
     
         28 . The mobile terminal of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the mobile terminal is configured to receive at least one condition for selection of a positioning method from at least one of the at least two different applications.   
     
     
         29 . The mobile terminal of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the mobile terminal is configured to receive a condition for selecting a positioning method from a user of the mobile terminal.   
     
     
         30 . The mobile terminal of  claim 29 ,
 wherein the condition for selection of a positioning method comprises one of the following: an order of preference relating to selection of a positioning method, a quality of positioning data or a combination thereof.