Abstract: A method, apparatus, and/or system for locating mobile devices may use location information received from a mobile device to be located. Such information may include GPS-related information and/or path length information with respect to one or more signals transmitted by network elements. Such information may be augmented by information provided by one or more network elements, which information may include path length measurements based on signals transmitted from the mobile device.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for locating a mobile communications device such as a cell phone includes apparatus for communicating with base stations and apparatus for communicating with satellites. Signals received from satellites and the base stations are combined to provide the necessary information to calculate the location of the mobile communications device.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for locating a mobile communications device such as a cell phone includes apparatus for communicating with base stations and apparatus for communicating with satellites. Signals received from satellites and the base stations are combined to provide the necessary information to calculate the location of the mobile communications device.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for locating a mobile communications device such as a cell phone includes apparatus for communicating with base stations and apparatus for communicating with satellites. Signals received from satellites and the base stations are combined to provide the necessary information to calculate the location of the mobile communications device.

Abstract: The present invention is a more accurate system for estimating the location of a mobile-telephone without significantly increasing the interference level for other mobile-telephones in the same or neighboring cells. In one embodiment, the present invention uses a plurality of location terminals deployed throughout a cell to increase the chances of detecting line-of-sight signals and the signal-to-noise ratio at the location terminals. In this embodiment, a wireless communication network transmits receive information to the plurality of location terminals instructing each of the location terminals to receive a signal from a particular mobile-telephone. Specifically, the location terminal is instructed to monitor a specific communication channel during a specific time interval.

Abstract: The geolocation of a wireless terminal is determined by performing a time/frequency analysis on incoming signals received at a plurality of locations, where each incoming signal includes at least one multipath component of a signal transmitted by the wireless terminal during, for example, regular communications. The time/frequency analysis involves the analysis of the frequency components of the transmitted signal at given instants in time to identify the time-of-arrival of the multipath components of the incoming signal. The time-of-arrival identified for the line-of-sight component of the incoming signal at a plurality of locations can then be processed to determine the geolocation of the wireless terminal.

Abstract: The time-of-arrival of the line-of-sight component of a received, or incoming, signal is determined by performing a time/frequency analysis of the incoming signal. The term time/frequency analysis refers to an analysis of the frequency components (i.e. the frequency make-up) of the incoming signal at given instants in time. For example, one form of time/frequency analysis according to the present invention is to compare the frequency make-up of the received signal to the frequency make-up of the transmitted signal. Those points in time in which the frequency make-up of the received signal matches the frequency make-up of the transmitted signal are the instants in time at which a multipath component of the transmitted signal is received. In such a time/frequency analysis, the first-identified component, in time, is assumed to be the line-of-sight component of the transmitted signal.

Abstract: The time-of-arrival of the line-of-sight component of a received, or incoming, signal is determined by performing a time/frequency analysis of the incoming signal. The term time/frequency analysis refers to an analysis of the frequency components (i.e. the frequency make-up) of the incoming signal at given instants in time. For example, one form of time/frequency analysis according to the present invention is to compare the frequency make-up of the received signal to the frequency make-up of the transmitted signal. Those points in time in which the frequency make-up of the received signal matches the frequency make-up of the transmitted signal are the instants in time at which a multipath component of the transmitted signal is received. In such a time/frequency analysis, the first-identified component, in time, is assumed to be the line-of-sight component of the transmitted signal.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for “adjusting” an identified or measured time-of-arrival of the first-arriving component of an incoming to more accurately reflect the time-of-arrival of the line-of-sight component of the incoming signal by reducing the so-called time-shift due to multipathing. In accordance with the principles of the present invention, the adjustment to the identified time-of-arrival of the first-arriving component is based on at least one parameter of an RF model that characterizes the scattering hostility of the RF environment in which the incoming signal traveled. The resultant adjusted time-of-arrival reflects the time at which the line-of-sight component of the incoming signal would have arrived if the RF environment were scatter-free.

Abstract: The present invention provides an RF model that characterizes the scattering hostility in an RF environment through a set of parameters. The parameters essentially provide a description of the amount of multipath that an RF signal would incur if it were to travel in the RF environment. Thus, such an RF model can be used to predict the amount of signal degradation that a given RF signal would experience when transmitted from any point in the RF environment. As a result, the RF model can be used to determine whether a given RF signal, if transmitted from a given point in an RF environment, could be received by a receiver located at another point in the RF environment. Advantageously, the RF model can characterize the scattering hostility in an RF environment without being programmed with volumes of environmental information.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for designing a communication system where user call demand is estimated based on spatial and temporal distributions. Base stations and cell grids are then designed to accommodate the estimated user call demand, while user mobility demand is estimated based on spatial and temporal distributions developed for geographic subregions with self-similar mobility patterns. An MSC network is then designed to service both the base stations and cell grids, and the estimated user mobility demand.

Abstract: The present invention is a method for accurately estimating a location of a mobile-telephone using forward link power control. In one embodiment, the present invention comprises the steps of transmitting first, second and third signals from first, second and third base stations during first, second and third time intervals; decreasing the power level of the first base station during at least portions of the second and third time intervals; receiving a mobile-telephone signal having receive information indicating times-of-arrivals of the first, second and third signals at the mobile-telephone; and estimating a location of the mobile-telephone using the receive information and known locations of the first, second and third base stations. Advantageously, this embodiment of the present invention actually decreases the interference level contribution of the first base station, and requires little change to the network side of existing wireless communication standards and no change to the mobile-telephone side.