Method and mobile station for autonomously determining an angel of arrival (A0A) estimation
A method (900) and a mobile station (160) for autonomously determining an angle of arrival (AOA) estimation are described herein. The mobile station (160) may receive information associated with a plurality of sectors (200) from a base station (140) having a plurality of antennas. Each of the plurality of antennas may provide communication service to one of the plurality of sectors (200). The information associated with the plurality of sectors (200) may be an antenna pattern, a boresight, a downtilt, and a signal strength value associated with each of the plurality of antennas. Based on the information associated with the plurality of sectors (200), the mobile station (160) may determine an antenna gain difference, which in turn, is used to determine the angle of arrival (AOA) estimation.
The present disclosure relates to wireless communication systems, and more particularly, to a method and a mobile station for autonomously determining an angle of arrival (AOA) estimation.
BACKGROUNDMany location-based services today such as emergency service, mobile yellow pages, and navigation assistance require knowledge of the location of a mobile station prior to providing service and/or information to the mobile station. Typically, the location-based services may query for the location information of the mobile station from a base station subsystem (BSS) or a radio access network (RAN), which in turn, may directly determine the location information from the mobile station via an uplink (i.e., from the mobile station to a base station) amplitude difference-based angle of arrival estimation (AD-AOA). In particular, the base station may take signal strength measurements on at least two directional antennas to determine the bearing (i.e., AOA) from the base station to the mobile station. The difference in signal strength may represent the difference in horizontal pattern gain between the two directional antennas. By comparing the two horizontal patterns, an AOA may be obtained. Because the base station (and/or the base station controller) performs the signal measurements and determines the location of the mobile station (i.e., latitude/longitude or x, y), the mobile station may not provide its location autonomously.
One aspect of designing a wireless communication system is to optimize resources available to the wireless communication system. In particular, one method of improving the availability of resources is to reduce the number of messages exchanged between a location service provider, a mobile station, and the BSS or the RAN. However, as noted above, the mobile station is dependent on the BSS to determine its location. Therefore, a need exists for a mobile station to determine autonomously its angle of arrival (AOA).
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGSThis disclosure will describe several embodiments to illustrate its broad teachings. Reference is also made to the attached drawings.
A method and a mobile station for autonomously determining an angle of arrival (AOA) estimation are described. In a wireless communication system, a communication cell may include a plurality of sectors. The communication cell may be serviced by a base station having a plurality of antennas. Each of the plurality of antennas may provide communication services to one of the plurality of the sectors within the communication cell. A mobile station within the communication cell may automatically receive information associated with the plurality of sectors from the base station. The information associated with the plurality of sectors may include, but is not limited to, an antenna pattern, a boresight, a downtilt, and a signal strength value associated with each one of the plurality of antennas. The mobile station may receive the information associated with the plurality of sectors via a pilot signal strength measurement message or a measurement report message. Alternatively, the mobile station may request for the information associated with the plurality of sectors from the base station.
Based on the information associated with the plurality of sectors, the mobile station may determine an antenna gain difference. For example, the mobile station may calculate an effective radiated power (ERP) of a first downlink signal and a second downlink signal. The first downlink signal may be associated with a first antenna, and the second downlink signal may be associated with a second antenna. Based on the ERPs, the mobile station may calculate a signal difference between the first and second downlink signals, and normalize the first and second downlink signals. That is, the mobile station may compare the peak ERPs of the first and second downlink signals to determine the signal difference. Then, the mobile station may calibrate the peak ERPs to a given power level such as 0 dB. The mobile station may compare the ERPs between the normalized first and second downlink signals to determine the antenna gain difference. Based on the antenna gain difference, the mobile station may determine an angle of arrival (AOA) estimation within the mobile station. The AOA estimation may be a bearing that corresponds to the antenna gain difference. In particular, the AOA estimation may be a bearing along the stronger downlink signal of the first and second signals where the antenna gain difference matches the signal difference (i.e., the antenna gain difference and the signal difference are equal). For example, the first downlink signal may have a greater peak ERP than the second downlink signal. As a result, the mobile station determines the AOA estimation along first downlink signal where the antenna gain difference is equal to the signal difference.
A communication system in accordance with the present disclosure is described in terms of several preferred embodiments, and particularly, in terms of a wireless communication system operating in accordance with at least one of several standards. These standards include analog, digital or dual-mode communication system protocols such as, but not limited to, the Advanced Mobile Phone System (AMPS), the Narrowband Advanced Mobile Phone System (NAMPS), the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), the IS-55 Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) digital cellular system, the IS-95 Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) digital cellular system, the CDMA 2000 system, the Wideband CDMA (W-CDMA) system, the Personal Communications System (PCS), the Third Generation (3G) system, the Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) and variations and evolutions of these protocols.
A wireless communication system is a complex network of systems and elements. Typical systems and elements include (1) a radio link to mobile stations (e.g., a cellular telephone or a subscriber equipment used to access the wireless communication system), which is usually provided by at least one and typically several base stations, (2) communication links between the base stations, (3) a controller, typically one or more base station controllers or centralized base station controllers (BSC/CBSC), to control communication between and to manage the operation and interaction of the base stations, (4) a switching system, typically including a mobile switching center (MSC), to perform call processing within the system, and (5) a link to the land line, i.e., the public switch telephone network (PSTN) or the integrated services digital network (ISDN).
A base station subsystem (BSS) or a radio access network (RAN), which typically includes one or more base station controllers and a plurality of base stations, provides all of the radio-related functions. The base station controller provides all the control functions and physical links between the switching system and the base stations. The base station controller is also a high-capacity switch that provides functions such as handover, cell configuration, and control of radio frequency (RF) power levels in the base stations.
The base station handles the radio interface to the mobile station. The base station includes the radio equipment (transceivers, antennas, amplifiers, etc.) needed to service each communication cell in the system. A group of base stations may be controlled by a base station controller. Thus, the base station controller operates in conjunction with the base station as part of the base station subsystem to provide the mobile station with real-time voice, data, and multimedia services (e.g., a call).
Referring to
Each communication cells 150, 152, 154, and 156 may be divided into sectors to optimize communication resources. Referring to
Referring to
A basic flow for autonomously determining location of the mobile station 160 shown in
Upon receiving the information associated with the plurality of sectors, the mobile station 160 may determine a power parameter associated with each of the plurality of antennas. For example, the mobile station 160 may determine an effective radiated power (ERP) associated with each of a first sector 202 and a second sector 204 based on their respective signal strength values. Persons of ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate that the ERPs may be compensated for gain differences of the antennas and losses from cables and connectors coupled to the antennas.
Referring to
To reduce data storage, only a portion of the pattern 410 may need to be digitized. For example, the pattern 410 may be digitized from 90° through 0° to 270° as shown in
Because a typical antenna pattern is symmetrical about the 0°/180° axis, a top portion of the antenna pattern 310 may need to be stored. Referring for
Data store may be further reduced by storing a quadrant of the antenna pattern 310. Referring to
Based on the antenna patterns, the mobile station 160 may autonomously determine an angle of arrival (AOA) estimation by comparing ERPs between the antennas of at least two sectors in a communication cell. To illustrate the concept of determining an AOA estimation, downlink signals from antennas associated with the first sector 202 and the second sector 204 are shown in
To determine an antenna gain difference (AGD) for comparison with the signal difference, the mobile station 160 may normalize the downlink signals 802, 804 from the antennas associated with the first and second sectors 202, 204 (shown as 902 and 904, respectively, in
One possible implementation of the computer program executed by the mobile station 160 (e.g., via the processor 350) is illustrated in
Based on the information associated with the plurality of sectors, the mobile station 160 at step 1030 may determine an antenna gain difference. For example, the mobile station 160 may calculate an effective radiated power (ERP) of a first downlink signal and a second downlink signal, the first downlink signal being associated with a first antenna and the second downlink signal being associated with a second antenna. Based on the ERPs, the mobile station 160 may calculate a signal difference (e.g., a change in dB) between the first and second downlink signals. That is, the mobile station 160 may compare the peak ERPs of the first and second downlink signals. To determine the antenna gain difference, the mobile station 160 may normalize the first and second downlink signals and compare the ERPs between the normalized first and second downlink signals.
At step 1040, the mobile station 160 may determine an angle of arrival (AOA) estimation based on the antenna gain difference between the ERPs of the first and second downlink signals. The AOA estimation may be a bearing on the stronger downlink signal of the first and second downlink signals where the antenna gain difference between the first and second downlink signals corresponds to the signal difference. That is, the stronger downlink signal is the signal with a greater peak ERP before being normalized with the other signal. In
Although the embodiments disclosed herein are particularly well suited for use with a cellular telephone, persons of ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate that the teachings of this disclosure are in no way limited to cellular telephones. On the contrary, persons of ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate that the teachings of this disclosure can be employed with any wireless communication device such as, but not limited to, a pager and a personal digital assistant (PDA).
Many changes and modifications to the embodiments described herein could be made. The scope of some changes is discussed above. The scope of others will become apparent from the appended claims.
Claims
1. In a wireless communication system, wherein a communication cell includes a plurality of sectors, a method for autonomously determining an angle of arrival (AOA) estimation of a mobile station, the method comprising:
- receiving within the mobile station information associated with the plurality of sectors from a base station having a plurality of antennas, each of the plurality of antennas providing communication services to one of the plurality of sectors in the communication cell;
- determining an antenna gain difference based on the information associated with the plurality of sectors; and
- determining the angle of arrival (AOA) estimation within the mobile station based on the antenna gain difference.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of receiving within the mobile station information associated with the plurality of sectors from a base station having a plurality of antennas comprises receiving one of an antenna pattern, a boresight, a downtilt, and a signal strength value associated with an antenna corresponding to one of the plurality of sectors.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of receiving within the mobile station information associated with one of the plurality of sectors from a base station having a plurality of antennas comprises receiving information associated with one of the plurality of sectors within the mobile station via one of a pilot signal strength measurement message and a measurement report message.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of determining an antenna gain difference based on the information associated with the plurality of sectors comprises:
- calculating an effective radiated power (ERP) of each of a first downlink signal and a second downlink signal, the first downlink signal being associated with a first antenna and the second downlink signal being associated with a second antenna;
- calculating a signal difference between the first and second downlink signals based on the ERPs;
- normalizing the first and second downlink signals based on the ERPs; and
- determining the antenna gain difference between the first and second downlink signals based on the normalized first and second downlink signals and the signal difference.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of determining the angle of arrival (AOA) estimation within the mobile station based on the antenna gain difference comprises determining a bearing along a first downlink signal associated with a first antenna, the first downlink signal having a greater effective radiated power relative to a second downlink signal associated with a second antenna.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication system is one of a code division multiple access (CDMA) based communication system and a time division multiple access (TDMA) based communication system.
7. In a wireless communication system, wherein a communication cell includes a plurality of sectors, and wherein a mobile station configured to autonomously determine an angle of arrival (AOA) estimation, the mobile station comprising:
- a receiving unit configured to receive information associated with the plurality of sectors from a base station having a plurality of antennas, each of the plurality of antennas providing communication services to one of the plurality of sectors in the communication cell; and
- a controller operatively coupled to the receiving unit, the controller having a memory and a processor operatively coupled to the memory,
- the controller being programmed to the controller being programmed to determine an antenna gain difference based on the information associated with the plurality of sectors, and
- the controller being programmed to determine an angle of arrival (AOA) estimation based on the antenna gain difference.
8. The mobile station of claim 7, wherein the information associated with the plurality of sectors is information associated with one of an antenna pattern, a boresight, a downtilt, and a signal strength value of an antenna corresponding to one of the plurality of sectors.
9. The mobile station of claim 7, wherein the controller is configured to calculate an effective radiated power (ERP) of each of a first downlink signal and a second downlink signal, the first downlink signal being associated with a first antenna and the second downlink signal being associated with a second antenna,
- the controller is configured to calculate a signal difference between the first and second downlink signals based on the ERPs,
- the controller is configured to normalize the first and second downlink signals based on the ERPs, and
- the controller is configured to determine the antenna gain difference between the first and second downlink signals based on the normalized first and second downlink signals and the signal difference.
10. The mobile station of claim 7, wherein the angle of arrival (AOA) estimation is a bearing along a first downlink signal associated with a first antenna, the first downlink signal having a greater effective radiated power relative to a second downlink signal associated with a second antenna.
11. The mobile station of claim 7 is operable in accordance with one of a code division multiple access (CDMA) based communication protocol, and a time division multiple access (TDMA) based communication protocol.
12. In a wireless communication system, wherein a communication cell includes a plurality of sectors, and wherein a processor operates in accordance with a computer program embodied on a computer-readable medium for autonomously determining an angle of arrival (AOA) estimation of a mobile station, the computer program comprising:
- a first routine that directs the processor to receive within the mobile station information associated with the plurality of sectors from a base station having a plurality of antennas, each of the plurality of antennas providing communication services to one of the plurality of sectors in the communication cell;
- a second routine that directs the processor to determine an antenna gain difference based on the information associated with the plurality of sectors; and
- a third routine that directs the processor to determine an angle of arrival (AOA) estimation within the mobile station based on the antenna gain difference.
13. The computer program of claim 12, wherein the first routine comprises a routine that directs the processor to receive one of an antenna pattern, a boresight, a downtilt, and a signal strength value associated with an antenna corresponding to one of the plurality of sectors.
14. The computer program of claim 12, wherein the first routine comprises a routine that directs the processor to receive within the mobile station information associated with the plurality of sectors from a base station via one of a pilot signal strength measurement message and a measurement report message.
15. The computer program of claim 12, wherein the second routine comprises:
- a routine that directs the processor to calculate an effective radiated power (ERP) of a first downlink signal and a second downlink signal, the first downlink signal being associated with a first antenna and the second downlink signal being associated with a second antenna;
- a routine that directs the processor to calculate a signal difference between the first and second downlink signals based on the ERPs;
- a routine that directs the processor to normalize the first and second downlink signals based on the ERPs; and
- a routine that directs the processor to determine the antenna gain difference between the first and second downlink signals based on the normalized first and second downlink signals and the signal difference.
16. The computer program of claim 12, wherein the third routine comprises a routine that directs the processor to determine a bearing along a first downlink signal associated with a first antenna, the first downlink signal having a greater effective radiated power relative to a second downlink signal associated with a second antenna.
17. The computer program of claim 12, wherein the medium is one of paper, a programmable gate array, application specific integrated circuit, erasable programmable read only memory, read only memory, random access memory, magnetic media, and optical media.
18. The computer program of claim 12 is operable in accordance with one of a code division multiple access (CDMA) based communication protocol, and a time division multiple access (TDMA) based communication protocol.
19. In a wireless communication system, wherein a communication cell includes a plurality of sectors, a mobile station for autonomously determining an angle of arrival (AOA) estimation, the mobile station comprising:
- a means for receiving within the mobile station information associated with the plurality of sectors from a base station having a plurality of antennas, each of the plurality of antennas providing communication service to one of the plurality of sectors in the communication cell;
- a means for determining an antenna gain difference based on the information associated with the plurality of sectors; and
- a means for determining an angle of arrival (AOA) estimation within the mobile station based on the antenna gain difference.
20. The mobile station of claim 19, wherein the means for determining an antenna gain difference based on the information associated with the plurality of sectors comprises:
- a means for calculating an effective radiated power (ERP) of each of a first downlink signal and a second downlink signal, the first downlink signal being associated with a first antenna and the second downlink signal being associated with a second antenna;
- a means for calculating a signal difference between the first and second downlink signals based on the ERPs;
- a means for normalizing the first and second downlink signals based on the ERPs; and
- a means for determining the antenna gain difference between the first and second downlink signals based on the normalized first and second downlink signals and the signal difference.
21. (canceled)
Type: Application
Filed: Sep 6, 2005
Publication Date: Feb 2, 2006
Inventors: Stanley Benes (Round Lake Beach, IL), Lawrence Downing (Hoffman Estates, IL), Gerald Gutowski (Chicago, IL)
Application Number: 11/220,320
International Classification: H04Q 7/20 (20060101);