Local area network assisted positioning

Abstract

A method for assisting in locating a position of a mobile wireless device includes: obtaining location information of an approximate location of the mobile wireless device; generating an almanac of base stations based at least in part on proximity of locations of the base stations to the approximate location of the mobile wireless device, the almanac of base stations comprising at least one cooperative terrestrial base station that can communicate with the mobile wireless device in at least one mode and at least one uncooperative terrestrial base station capable of bi-directional communications and configured to prevent data and voice communications with the mobile wireless device, the at least one uncooperative terrestrial base station being configured to acknowledge a message received from the mobile wireless device; and providing the almanac of base stations to the mobile wireless device.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for assisting in locating a position of a mobile wireless device, the method comprising:
 obtaining location information of an approximate location of the mobile wireless device;   generating an almanac of base stations based at least in part on proximity of locations of the base stations to the approximate location of the mobile wireless device, the almanac of base stations comprising at least one cooperative terrestrial base station that can communicate with the mobile wireless device in at least one mode and at least one uncooperative terrestrial base station capable of bi-directional communications and configured to prevent data and voice communications with the mobile wireless device, the at least one uncooperative terrestrial base station being configured to acknowledge a message received from the mobile wireless device; and   providing the almanac of base stations to the mobile wireless device.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the location information comprises:
 coordinates of the approximate location of the mobile wireless device;   coordinates of a location of a cooperative terrestrial base station in communication with the mobile wireless device;   a distance relative to a location of a cooperative terrestrial base station in communication with the mobile wireless device; or   a list of base stations seen by the mobile wireless device; or   a combination thereof.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the almanac of base stations includes a first set of base stations that are in communication range of the approximate location for the mobile wireless device and a second set of base stations disposed outside of, but in proximity to, the communication range of the approximate location for the mobile wireless device. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving, from the mobile wireless device, new location information collected by the mobile wireless device and comprising location information for at least one uncooperative terrestrial base station not already included in the almanac of base stations; and   updating the almanac of base stations using the new location information received from the mobile wireless device.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one uncooperative terrestrial base station includes an uncooperative WiFi terrestrial base station. 
     
     
         6 . A system for assisting in locating a position of a mobile wireless device, the system comprising:
 means for obtaining location information of an approximate location of the mobile wireless device;   means for generating an almanac of base stations based at least in part on proximity of locations of the base stations to the approximate location of the mobile wireless device, the almanac of base stations comprising at least one cooperative terrestrial base station that can communicate with the mobile wireless device in at least one mode and at least one uncooperative terrestrial base station capable of bi-directional communications and configured to prevent data and voice communications with the mobile wireless device, the at least one uncooperative terrestrial base station being configured to acknowledge a message received from the mobile wireless device; and   means for providing the almanac of base stations to the mobile wireless device.   
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the location information comprises:
 coordinates of the approximate location of the mobile wireless device;   coordinates of a location of a cooperative terrestrial base station in communication with the mobile wireless device;   a distance relative to a location of a cooperative terrestrial base station in communication with the mobile wireless device; or   a list of base stations seen by the mobile wireless device; or   a combination thereof.   
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the almanac of base stations includes a first set of base stations that are in communication range of the approximate location for the mobile wireless device and a second set of base stations disposed outside of, but in proximity to, the communication range of the approximate location for the mobile wireless device. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 means for receiving, from the mobile wireless device, new location information collected by the mobile wireless device and comprising location information for at least one uncooperative terrestrial base station not already included in the almanac of base stations; and   means for updating the almanac of base stations using the new location information received from the mobile wireless device.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one uncooperative terrestrial base station includes an uncooperative WiFi terrestrial base station. 
     
     
         11 . A computer system comprising:
 a network interface; and   a processor configured to:
 obtain location information of an approximate location of the mobile wireless device; 
 generate an almanac of base stations based at least in part on proximity of locations of the base stations to the approximate location of the mobile wireless device, the almanac of base stations comprising at least one cooperative terrestrial base station that can communicate with the mobile wireless device in at least one mode and at least one uncooperative terrestrial base station capable of bi-directional communications and configured to prevent data and voice communications with the mobile wireless device, the at least one uncooperative terrestrial base station being configured to acknowledge a message received from the mobile wireless device; and 
 provide the almanac of base stations to the mobile wireless device. 
   
     
     
         12 . The computer system of  claim 11 , wherein the location information comprises:
 coordinates of the approximate location of the mobile wireless device;   coordinates of a location of a cooperative terrestrial base station in communication with the mobile wireless device;   a distance relative to a location of a cooperative terrestrial base station in communication with the mobile wireless device; or   a list of base stations seen by the mobile wireless device; or   a combination thereof.   
     
     
         13 . The computer system of  claim 11 , wherein the almanac of base stations includes a first set of base stations that are in communication range of the approximate location for the mobile wireless device and a second set of base stations disposed outside of, but in proximity to, the communication range of the approximate location for the mobile wireless device. 
     
     
         14 . The computer system of  claim 11 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 receive, from the mobile wireless device, new location information collected by the mobile wireless device and comprising location information for at least one uncooperative terrestrial base station not already included in the almanac of base stations; and   update the almanac of base stations using the new location information received from the mobile wireless device.   
     
     
         15 . The computer system of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one uncooperative terrestrial base station includes an uncooperative WiFi terrestrial base station. 
     
     
         16 . A tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium, having stored thereon computer-readable instructions for assisting in locating a position of a mobile wireless device, comprising instructions configured to cause a computer to:
 obtain location information of an approximate location of the mobile wireless device;   generate an almanac of base stations based at least in part on proximity of locations of the base stations to the approximate location of the mobile wireless device, the almanac of base stations comprising at least one cooperative terrestrial base station that can communicate with the mobile wireless device in at least one mode and at least one uncooperative terrestrial base station capable of bi-directional communications and configured to prevent data and voice communications with the mobile wireless device, the at least one uncooperative terrestrial base station being configured to acknowledge a message received from the mobile wireless device; and   provide the almanac of base stations to the mobile wireless device.   
     
     
         17 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 16 , wherein the location information comprises:
 coordinates of the approximate location of the mobile wireless device;   coordinates of a location of a cooperative terrestrial base station in communication with the mobile wireless device;   a distance relative to a location of a cooperative terrestrial base station in communication with the mobile wireless device; or   a list of base stations seen by the mobile wireless device; or   a combination thereof.   
     
     
         18 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 16 , wherein the almanac of base stations includes a first set of base stations that are in communication range of the approximate location for the mobile wireless device and a second set of base stations disposed outside of, but in proximity to, the communication range of the approximate location for the mobile wireless device. 
     
     
         19 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 16 , further comprising instructions configured to cause the computer to:
 receive, from the mobile wireless device, new location information collected by the mobile wireless device and comprising location information for at least one uncooperative terrestrial base station not already included in the almanac of base stations; and   update the almanac of base stations using the new location information received from the mobile wireless device.   
     
     
         20 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 16 , wherein the at least one uncooperative terrestrial base station includes an uncooperative WiFi terrestrial base station.