Method And System For Femtocell Positioning Using Low Earth Orbit Satellite Signals

Abstract

Methods and systems for femtocell positioning using low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite signals may comprise receiving an initial position of a wireless communication device (WCD) as entered by as user, service provider, or manufacturer, wherein the WCD comprises a LEO satellite signal receiver path (Rx). The WCD may be operable to provide wireless communication services to other WCDs. LEO signals may be received for determining a position of the WCD, which may be compared to a threshold radius defined by the initial position. The communication services may be enabled when the measured position is within the threshold radius. The WCD may comprise a femtocell device, a WiFi access point, or may provide cellular telephone service to the other WCDs. The position of the WCD may be measured upon powering up of the WCD, on a periodic basis, and/or when one or more motion sensors in the WCD detect motion.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A method for communication, the method comprising:
 in a communication device comprising a low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite signal receiver path and a medium Earth orbit (MEO) path, said communication device being operable to provide communication services to other communication devices:
 receiving LEO RF satellite signals utilizing said LEO satellite signal receiver path when MEO signals received by said MEO path are below a threshold needed for positioning purposes; 
 measuring a position of said communication device based on said received LEO RF satellite signals; 
 comparing said measured position of said communication device to a threshold radius defined by a stored initial position; and 
 enabling said communication services to said other communication devices when said measured position is within said threshold radius. 
   
     
     
         22 . The method according to  claim 21 , comprising requesting reentry of said stored initial position when said measured position is outside of said threshold radius. 
     
     
         23 . The method according to  claim 21 , comprising disabling said communication device when said measured position of said communication device falls outside of said threshold radius more than a predetermined number of times. 
     
     
         24 . The method according to  claim 21 , wherein said communication device comprises one or more of: a femtocell device or a wireless local area network (WLAN) access point. 
     
     
         25 . The method according to  claim 21 , wherein said stored initial position is entered by one of: a user, a service provider, or a manufacturer of said communication device. 
     
     
         26 . The method according to  claim 21 , wherein said stored initial position is entered by one or more of: manually entering coordinates, clicking on a map, and entering an address. 
     
     
         27 . The method according to  claim 21 , wherein said communication device provides cellular telephone service to said other communication devices. 
     
     
         28 . The method according to  claim 21 , comprising measuring said position of said communication device upon powering up of said communication device. 
     
     
         29 . The method according to  claim 21 , comprising measuring said position of said communication device on a periodic basis. 
     
     
         30 . The method according to  claim 21 , comprising measuring said position of said communication device when one or more motion sensors in said communication device detect motion. 
     
     
         31 . The method according to  claim 21 , wherein said communication device is controlled by a reduced instruction set computing (RISC) central processing unit (CPU). 
     
     
         32 . A system for communication, the system comprising:
 one or more circuits for use in a communication device comprising a low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite signal receiver path and a medium Earth orbit (MEO) path, said one or more circuits being operable to provide communication services to other communication devices, and said one or more circuits being operable to:
 receive LEO RF satellite signals utilizing said LEO satellite signal receiver path when MEO signals received by said MEO path are below a threshold needed for positioning purposes; 
 measure a position of said communication device based on said received LEO RF satellite signals; 
 compare said measured position of said communication device to a threshold radius defined by a stored initial position; and 
 enable said communication services to said other communication devices when said measured position is within said threshold radius. 
   
     
     
         33 . The system according to  claim 32 , wherein said one or more circuits are operable to request reentry of said stored initial position when said measured position is outside of said threshold radius. 
     
     
         34 . The system according to  claim 32 , wherein said one or more circuits are operable to disable said communication device when said measured position of said communication. 
     
     
         35 . The system according to  claim 32 , wherein said communication device comprises one or more of: a femtocell device or a wireless local area network (WLAN) access point. 
     
     
         36 . The system according to  claim 32 , wherein said stored initial position is entered by one of: a user, a service provider, or a manufacturer of said communication device. 
     
     
         37 . The system according to  claim 32 , wherein said stored initial position is entered by one or more of: manually entering coordinates, clicking on a map, and entering an address 
     
     
         38 . The system according to  claim 32 , wherein said communication device provides cellular telephone service to said other communication devices. 
     
     
         39 . The system according to  claim 32 , wherein said one or more circuits are operable to measure said position of said communication device upon powering up of said communication device and/or on a periodic basis. 
     
     
         40 . The system according to  claim 32 , wherein said one or more circuits are operable to measure said position of said communication device when one or more motion sensors in said communication device detect motion. 
     
     
         41 . The system according to  claim 32 , wherein said communication device is controlled by a reduced instruction set computing (RISC) central processing unit (CPU). 
     
     
         42 . A system for wireless communication, the system comprising:
 one or more circuits for use in a femtocell device comprising a low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite signal receiver path and a medium Earth orbit (MEO) path, said one or more circuits being operable to provide wireless communication services to other communication devices, and said one or more circuits being operable to:
 receive LEO RF satellite signals utilizing said LEO satellite signal receiver path when MEO signals received by said MEO path are below a threshold needed for positioning purposes; 
 measure a position of said femtocell device based on said received LEO RF satellite signals; 
 compare said measured position of said femtocell device to a threshold radius defined by a stored initial position; and 
 enable said wireless communication services to said other communication devices when said measured position is within said threshold radius.