IP Library › Granted Patent US 12690009
Granted Patent B2
US 12690009 · App. 18/053,715 · Granted Jul 21, 2026

Elevation estimation for determining operating channels and transmission parameters

Inventors: Ahmed Owais Qureshi (San Jose, CA); Tevfik Yucek (San Jose, CA); Vincent Knowles Jones (Redwood City, CA); Matthew Tornquist (San Jose, CA); Zhiqun Liu (Foster City, CA)
Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
H04W64/006H04W52/28
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12690009
App. No.
18/053,715
Granted
Jul 21, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

This disclosure provides methods, components, devices and systems for wireless communications. Some aspects more specifically relate to elevation estimation for determining operating channels and transmission parameters. A wireless communication device, such as a cloud service, may receive geolocation information of an access point (AP). Additionally, or alternatively, the wireless communication device may receive air pressure and temperature information of the AP. Using the geolocation information and building datasets including locations and heights of buildings surrounding the AP, the wireless communication device may identify a highest building and based on its, height estimate an elevation of the AP. Based on the estimated building height and elevation, the wireless communication device may determine a set of transmission parameters for the AP and transmit an indication of the set to the AP.

Claims (73)

1 . A wireless communication device, comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory coupled with the at least one processor and storing instructions executable by the at least one processor to cause the wireless communication device to:

receive one or more messages including geolocation information of an access point, the geolocation information indicating a latitude and a longitude for the access point;

retrieve, from a database comprising a plurality of maximum building heights for a plurality of geographical areas, a maximum building height for a geographical area corresponding to the latitude and the longitude for the access point, the geographical area comprising a plurality of buildings;

estimate an elevation range for a possible elevation of the access point based at least in part on the maximum building height; and

transmit an indication of a set of one or more transmission parameters for the access point that are supported for the elevation range, the set of one or more transmission parameters comprising one or more of a transmit power, a channel, or a frequency.

2 . The wireless communication device of claim 1 , wherein the instructions are further executable by the at least one processor to cause the wireless communication device to:

transmit an indication of the geolocation information to the access point in response to receiving the one or more messages based at least in part on retrieving the geolocation information from a database.

3 . The wireless communication device of claim 1 , wherein the instructions are further executable by the at least one processor to cause the wireless communication device to:

transmit an indication of the elevation range for the possible elevation of the access point based at least in part on estimating the elevation range, the indication of the elevation range for the possible elevation of the access point comprising a set of elevations and an uncertainty associated with a respective elevation of the set of elevations.

4 . The wireless communication device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more messages include the geolocation information of the access point and the elevation range for the possible elevation of the access point.

5 . The wireless communication device of claim 1 , wherein the instructions are further executable by the at least one processor to cause the wireless communication device to:

process a set of building data to determine a data file of the database, the set of building data comprising at least a plurality of building locations and a plurality of building heights corresponding to the plurality of buildings within the geographical area.

6 . The wireless communication device of claim 5 , wherein the instructions to process the set of building data are executable by the at least one processor to cause the wireless communication device to:

determine the maximum building height corresponding to the plurality of buildings within the geographical area.

7 . The wireless communication device of claim 1 , wherein:

the elevation range spans from a ground level to the maximum building height; and

the maximum building height is for a set of buildings within a proximity of the access point in accordance with the geolocation information of the access point.

8 . The wireless communication device of claim 1 , wherein the instructions are further executable by the at least one processor to cause the wireless communication device to:

cache, at a least recently used (LRU) cache of the wireless communication device, the maximum building height for the geographical area based at least in part on retrieving, from the database, the maximum building height for the geographical area.

9 . An access point, comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory coupled with the at least one processor and storing instructions executable by the at least one processor to cause the access point to:

transmit one or more messages including geolocation information of the access point, the geolocation information indicating a latitude and a longitude for the access point; and

receive an indication of a set of one or more transmission parameters for the access point that are supported for an elevation range for a possible elevation of the access point from a wireless communication device based at least in part on a maximum building height for a geographical area corresponding to the latitude and the longitude for the access point, the geographical area comprising a plurality of buildings, and the set of one or more transmission parameters comprising one or more of a transmit power, a channel, or a frequency.

10 . The access point of claim 9 , wherein the instructions are further executable by the at least one processor to cause the access point to:

receive an indication of the geolocation information retrieved from a database from the wireless communication device in response to transmitting the one or more messages.

11 . The access point of claim 9 , wherein the instructions are further executable by the at least one processor to cause the access point to:

receive an indication of the elevation range for the possible elevation of the access point from the wireless communication device, the indication of the elevation range for the possible elevation of the access point comprising a set of elevations and an uncertainty associated with a respective elevation of the set of elevations.

12 . The access point of claim 9 , wherein the one or more messages include the geolocation information of the access point and the elevation range for the possible elevation of the access point.

13 . The access point of claim 9 , wherein:

the elevation range spans from a ground level to the maximum building height; and

the maximum building height for a set of buildings within a proximity of the access point in accordance with the geolocation information of the access point.

14 . A wireless communication device, comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory coupled with the at least one processor and storing instructions executable by the at least one processor to cause the wireless communication device to:

receive one or more messages including air pressure information and geolocation information of an access point;

retrieve, from a database comprising a plurality of maximum building heights for a plurality of geographical areas, a maximum building height for a geographical area corresponding to the geolocation information for the access point, the geographical area comprising a plurality of buildings;

estimate an elevation range for a possible elevation of the access point based at least in part on a height corresponding to the air pressure information and the maximum building height; and

transmit an indication of a set of one or more transmission parameters for the access point that are supported for the elevation range, the set of one or more transmission parameters comprising one or more of a transmit power, a channel, or a frequency.

15 . The wireless communication device of claim 14 , wherein the one or more messages further include temperature information of the access point, the height corresponding to the air pressure information, the maximum building height, and the temperature information.

16 . The wireless communication device of claim 14 , wherein the instructions are further executable by the at least one processor to cause the wireless communication device to:

determine reference air pressure information based at least in part on the geolocation information of the access point; and

determine the height based at least in part on the air pressure information, temperature information, and the reference air pressure information.

17 . The wireless communication device of claim 16 , wherein the instructions to determine the reference air pressure information are executable by the at least one processor to cause the wireless communication device to:

retrieve the reference air pressure information from a database based at least in part on the geolocation information.

18 . The wireless communication device of claim 16 , wherein the instructions to determine the reference air pressure information are executable by the at least one processor to cause the wireless communication device to:

determine the reference air pressure information using a relationship that is based at least in part on the temperature information, the geolocation information, and the elevation range.

19 . The wireless communication device of claim 14 , wherein the instructions are further executable by the at least one processor to cause the wireless communication device to:

transmit an indication of the elevation range for the possible elevation of the access point based at least in part on estimating the elevation range.

20 . The wireless communication device of claim 14 , wherein:

the elevation range spans from a ground level to the maximum building height; and

the maximum building height for a set of buildings within a proximity of the access point in accordance with the geolocation information of the access point.

21 . The wireless communication device of claim 14 , wherein the instructions are further executable by the at least one processor to cause the wireless communication device to:

cache, at a least recently used (LRU) cache of the wireless communication device, the maximum building height for the geographical area based at least in part on retrieving, from the database, the maximum building height for the geographical area.

22 . A method for wireless communication at a wireless communication device, comprising:

receiving one or more messages including geolocation information of an access point, the geolocation information indicating a latitude and a longitude for the access point;

retrieving, from a database comprising a plurality of maximum building heights for a plurality of geographical areas, a maximum building height for a geographical area corresponding to the latitude and the longitude for the access point, the geographical area comprising a plurality of buildings;

estimating an elevation range for a possible elevation of the access point based at least in part on the maximum building height; and

transmitting an indication of a set of one or more transmission parameters for the access point that are supported for the elevation range, the set of one or more transmission parameters comprising one or more of a transmit power, a channel, or a frequency.

23 . The method of claim 22 , further comprising:

transmitting an indication of the geolocation information to the access point in response to receiving the one or more messages based at least in part on retrieving the geolocation information from a database.

24 . The method of claim 22 , further comprising:

transmitting an indication of the elevation range for the possible elevation of the access point based at least in part on estimating the elevation range, the indication of the elevation range for the possible elevation of the access point comprising a set of elevations and an uncertainty associated with a respective elevation of the set of elevations.

25 . The method of claim 22 , wherein the one or more messages include the geolocation information of the access point and the elevation range for the possible elevation of the access point.

26 . The method of claim 22 , further comprising:

processing a set of building data to determine a data file of the database, the set of building data comprising at least a plurality of building locations and a plurality of building heights corresponding to the plurality of buildings within the geographical area.

27 . The method of claim 26 , wherein processing the set of building data comprises:

determining the maximum building height corresponding to the plurality of buildings within the geographical area.

28 . The method of claim 22 , wherein:

the elevation range spans from a ground level to the maximum building height; and

the maximum building height for a set of buildings within a proximity of the access point in accordance with the geolocation information of the access point.