System and Method To Obtain Calibration Data Using Estimation Techniques

Abstract

A system and method of determining calibration data at non-calibrated location points is disclosed. A mobile station may be geo-located at most locations, if not all locations, within communication range of one or more serving and/or neighboring base stations of a mobile network. Calibration data may be collected and stored in memory via a data collection procedure. Known calibration data for locations proximate to the mobile station may be necessary when attempting to geo-locate the mobile station. A geographical region may be calibrated via a standard calibration data collection procedure, however, various obstacles, such as, buildings, mountains, ponds etc. may inevitably create deficiencies in the calibration data for one or more areas of the region. Certain techniques may be applied to estimate the calibration data of areas that have not been properly calibrated.

1 . A method of determining calibration data of a candidate location in a non-calibrated sub-region of a calibrated geographical region the method comprising:
 determining the candidate location in the non-calibrated sub-region to obtain calibration data;   obtaining calibration data by a calibration data collection device for the calibrated geographical region within communication range of the candidate location;   determining a function to represent at least a portion of the calibration data of the calibrated geographical region; and   estimating the calibration data at the candidate location based on the function.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the function represents a power level of one or more signals received from at least one neighboring base station. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the function represents a power level of one or more signals received from at least three neighboring base stations. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the function represents timing information of one or more signals received from at least one neighboring base stations. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the function is used to perform an extrapolation function to estimate the candidate location. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the function represents a varying power level of one or more signals received from at least one neighboring base station over a distance beginning at a first location adjacent to the candidate location and within the calibrated geographical region, and ending at a second location different from the first location and also within the calibrated geographical region. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the distance between the first and second location passes into the non-calibrated region. 
     
     
         8 . A method of determining calibration data of a candidate location in a non-calibrated sub-region of a calibrated geographical region the method comprising:
 determining the candidate location in the non-calibrated sub-region to estimate calibration data;   determining a varying power function of signal power received from at least one neighboring base station to represent calibration data of at least a portion of the calibrated geographical region adjacent to the non-calibrated sub-region; and   estimating the calibration data at the candidate location based on the function.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the varying power function represents the signal power level over a distance, and where the signal power level decreases as the distance away from the neighboring base station increases. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the varying power function represents the signal power level over a distance along a vehicle accessible road. 
     
     
         11 . A method of determining calibration data of a candidate location in a non-calibrated sub-region of a calibrated geographic region, the method comprising:
 determining the candidate location in the non-calibrated sub-region to estimate calibration data;   determining a varying power function of signal powers received from a plurality of neighboring base stations to represent calibration data of at least a portion of the calibrated geographical region adjacent to the non-calibrated sub-region;   determining at least one lowest signal power level of the plurality of signal power levels received;   omitting the signal power of the base station that transmitted the lowest signal power level from the varying power function; and   estimating the calibration data at the candidate location based on the function.   
     
     
         12 . A method of determining calibration data of a candidate location in a non-calibrated sub-region in of a calibrated geographic region, the method comprising:
 determining the candidate location in the non-calibrated sub-region to estimate calibration data;   obtaining calibration data by a calibration data collection device for the calibrated geographical region within communication range of the candidate location;   determining a first function to represent at least a first portion of the calibration data of the calibrated geographical region;   determining a second function to represent at least a second portion of the calibration data of the calibrated geographical region, where the second portion is different from the first portion; and   estimating the calibration data at the candidate location based on the first and second functions.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the first function represents a first signal power level over a first distance along a first vehicle accessible road, and the second function represents a second signal power level over a second distance along a second vehicle accessible road. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the first and second functions are used to perform an interpolation function to estimate the calibration data of the candidate location. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein at least one of the first and second functions are used to perform an extrapolation function to estimate the calibration of candidate location. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the first and second roads intersect at a point contiguous with the candidate location. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the first portion of calibration data is Timing Advance. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the second portion is Timing Advance. 
     
     
         19 . A calibration data collection and measurement system comprising:
 a calibration data collection device to collect and store calibration data within a first portion of a geographical region;   a computing device to locate a candidate location within a non-calibrated portion of the geographical region, to select a previously calibrated geographical region within communication range of the candidate location, to determine a function to represent at least a portion of the calibration data of the calibrated geographical region, and to estimate the calibration data at the candidate location based on the function.   
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein the calibration data collection device is attached to a motor vehicle.