LOCATION QUALITY OF SERVICE INDICATOR

1 . A mobile wireless device configured to provide a location quality of service indicator (QoSI).

2 . A mobile wireless device as recited in claim 1 , comprising:

a wireless communications subsystem;

a processor operatively coupled to said wireless communications subsystem;

a computer readable storage medium operatively coupled to said processor; and

a display operatively coupled to said processor.

3 . A mobile wireless device as recited in claim 2 , wherein said QoSI is indicative of the quality of a calculated location estimation for use by a location-based service.

4 . A mobile wireless device as recited in claim 3 , wherein said device is configured to display said QoSI before the location-based service is invoked.

5 . A mobile wireless device as recited in claim 3 , wherein said QoSI is indicative of the quality of a calculated location estimation for another device.

6 . A mobile wireless device as recited in claim 3 , wherein said QoSI is representative of predicted location accuracy.

7 . A mobile wireless device as recited in claim 3 , wherein said QoSI is representative of predicted location availability.

8 . A mobile wireless device as recited in claim 3 , wherein said QoSI is representative of predicted location latency.

9 . A mobile wireless device as recited in claim 3 , wherein said QoSI is representative of predicted location precision.

10 . A mobile wireless device as recited in claim 3 , wherein said QoSI is representative of predicted location yield.

11 . A mobile wireless device as recited in claim 3 , wherein said QoSI is visible.

12 . A mobile wireless device as recited in claim 3 , wherein said QoSI is audible.

13 . A mobile wireless device as recited in claim 3 , wherein said QoSI is tactile.

14 . A mobile wireless device as recited in claim 3 , wherein said QoSI is based, at least in part, upon a Cramer-Rao Lower Bound computation.

15 . A mobile wireless device as recited in claim 3 , wherein said QoSI is based, at least in part, upon a Geometric Dilution of Precision (GDOP) computation.

16 . A mobile wireless device as recited in claim 3 , wherein said QoSI is based, at least in part, upon a set of location technologies available for use in collecting data to be used in calculating said location estimation.

17 . A mobile wireless device as recited in claim 3 , wherein said device is configured to communicate said QoSI to a server.

18 . A mobile wireless device as recited in claim 17 , wherein said device is configured to communicate said QoSI to a location enabling server (LES).

19 . A mobile wireless device as recited in claim 3 , wherein said device is configured to communicate said QoSI to another mobile wireless device.

20 . A mobile wireless device as recited in claim 3 , wherein said device is configured to permit said QoSI to be used to select among location-based services (LBS) applications.

21 . A mobile wireless device as recited in claim 3 , wherein said device is configured to permit said QoSI to be used to select location applications available at the calculated QoSI.

22 . A mobile wireless device as recited in claim 3 , wherein said device is configured to deliver said QoSI to a location application with a service request, and to receive responses which are formatted for display based on the QoSI.

23 . A mobile wireless device as recited in claim 3 , wherein a series of multiple location estimates are employed to determine said QoSI.

24 . A mobile wireless device as recited in claim 3 , wherein proxy calculations are employed to determine said QoSI.

25 . A mobile wireless device as recited in claim 24 , wherein said proxy calculations are related to accuracy and precision.

26 . A mobile wireless device as recited in claim 25 , wherein said proxy calculations are based on at least one member of the following group: radio signal bandwidth, radio signal strength, packet delay, packet losses, variability, throughput, jitter, selective availability, and perceived noise level.

27 . A mobile wireless device as recited in claim 3 , wherein a historical map of calculated QoSI's and related location estimates are used in the determination of QoSI's for a given area.

28 . A mobile wireless device as recited in claim 3 , wherein said QoSI is developed periodically.

29 . A mobile wireless device as recited in claim 3 , wherein said QoSI is developed continuously.

30 . A mobile wireless device as recited in claim 3 , wherein said QoSI is determined using received signal information and information about available network-based location technologies.

31 . A mobile wireless device as recited in claim 3 , wherein said QoSI has the form of a bar graph.

32 . A mobile wireless device as recited in claim 3 , wherein said QoSI has the form of a radial graph.

33 . A mobile wireless device as recited in claim 3 , wherein said QoSI has the form of a multi-colored display.

34 . A mobile wireless device as recited in claim 3 , wherein said QoSI has the form of a QoSI element overlaid on a map display.

35 . A mobile wireless device as recited in claim 3 , wherein said QoSI comprises multiple QoSI elements corresponding to multiple location services.

36 . A mobile wireless device as recited in claim 3 , wherein the device further comprises a GPS receiver for self-locating, and wherein a periodic QoSI calculation is performed to update the QoSI while the device is idle.

37 . A mobile wireless device as recited in claim 3 , wherein a QoSI associated with a first location technique is employed to predict a QoSI for a second location technique.

38 . A mobile wireless device as recited in claim 3 , wherein the device is adapted to operate in a GSM wireless communications system.

39 . A mobile wireless device as recited in claim 3 , wherein the device is adapted to operate in a UMTS wireless communications system.

40 . A mobile wireless device as recited in claim 3 , wherein the GSM wireless communications system allows for multiple location techniques, including network-based and mobile-based techniques, and the QoSI displayed by the device is based upon the highest accuracy location technology available.

41 . A mobile wireless device as recited in claim 3 , wherein said QoSI further indicates the type of location technology used to provide said location estimation.

42 . A mobile wireless device as recited in claim 3 , wherein the device is further configured to generate an alarm when the QoSI indicates a quality of service below a pre-set threshold.

43 . A mobile wireless device as recited in claim 42 , wherein the device provides a mechanism for a user to set said threshold.

44 . A method for use by a mobile wireless device, comprising providing a location quality of service indicator (QoSI), wherein said QoSI is indicative of the quality of a calculated location estimation for use by a location-based service.

45 . A method as recited in claim 44 , wherein said device is configured to display said QoSI before the location-based service is invoked.

46 . A method as recited in claim 44 , wherein said QoSI is indicative of the quality of a calculated location estimation for another device.

47 . A method as recited in claim 44 , wherein said QoSI is representative of predicted location accuracy.

48 . A method as recited in claim 44 , wherein said QoSI is representative of predicted location availability.

49 . A method as recited in claim 44 , wherein said QoSI is representative of predicted location latency.

50 . A method as recited in claim 44 , wherein said QoSI is representative of predicted location precision.

51 . A method as recited in claim 44 , wherein said QoSI is representative of predicted location yield.

52 . A method as recited in claim 44 , wherein said QoSI is visible.

53 . A method as recited in claim 44 , wherein said QoSI is audible.

54 . A method as recited in claim 44 , wherein said QoSI is tactile.

55 . A method as recited in claim 44 , wherein said QoSI is based, at least in part, upon a Cramer-Rao Lower Bound computation.

56 . A method as recited in claim 44 , wherein said QoSI is based, at least in part, upon a Geometric Dilution of Precision (GDOP) computation.

57 . A method as recited in claim 44 , wherein said QoSI is based, at least in part, upon a set of location technologies available for use in collecting data to be used in calculating said location estimation.

58 . A method as recited in claim 44 , wherein said device is configured to communicate said QoSI to a server.

59 . A method as recited in claim 58 , wherein said device is configured to communicate said QoSI to a location enabling server (LES).

60 . A method as recited in claim 44 , wherein said device is configured to communicate said QoSI to another mobile wireless device.

61 . A method as recited in claim 44 , wherein said device is configured to permit said QoSI to be used to select among location-based services (LBS) applications.

62 . A method as recited in claim 44 , wherein said device is configured to permit said QoSI to be used to select location applications available at the calculated QoSI.

63 . A method as recited in claim 44 , wherein said device is configured to deliver said QoSI to a location application with a service request, and to receive responses which are formatted for display based on the QoSI.

64 . A method as recited in claim 44 , wherein a series of multiple location estimates are employed to determine said QoSI.

65 . A method as recited in claim 44 , wherein proxy calculations are employed to determine said QoSI.

66 . A method as recited in claim 65 , wherein said proxy calculations are related to accuracy and precision.

67 . A method as recited in claim 66 , wherein said proxy calculations are based on at least one member of the following group: radio signal bandwidth, radio signal strength, packet delay, packet losses, variability, throughput, jitter, selective availability, and perceived noise level.

68 . A method as recited in claim 44 , wherein a historical map of calculated QoSI's and related location estimates are used in the determination of QoSI's for a given area.

69 . A method as recited in claim 44 , wherein said QoSI is developed periodically.

70 . A method as recited in claim 44 , wherein said QoSI is developed continuously.

71 . A method as recited in claim 44 , wherein said QoSI is determined using received signal information and information about available network-based location technologies.

72 . A method as recited in claim 44 , wherein said QoSI has the form of a bar graph.

73 . A method as recited in claim 44 , wherein said QoSI has the form of a radial graph.

74 . A method as recited in claim 44 , wherein said QoSI has the form of a multi-colored display.

75 . A method as recited in claim 44 , wherein said QoSI has the form of a QoSI element overlaid on a map display.

76 . A method as recited in claim 44 , wherein said QoSI comprises multiple QoSI elements corresponding to multiple location services.

77 . A method as recited in claim 44 , wherein the device further comprises a GPS receiver for self-locating, and wherein a periodic QoSI calculation is performed to update the QoSI while the device is idle.

78 . A method as recited in claim 44 , wherein a QoSI associated with a first location technique is employed to predict a QoSI for a second location technique.

79 . A method as recited in claim 44 , wherein the device is adapted to operate in a GSM wireless communications system.

80 . A method as recited in claim 44 , wherein the device is adapted to operate in a UMTS wireless communications system.

81 . A method as recited in claim 44 , wherein the GSM wireless communications system allows for multiple location techniques, including network-based and mobile-based techniques, and the QoSI displayed by the device is based upon the highest accuracy location technology available.

82 . A method as recited in claim 44 , wherein said QoSI further indicates the type of location technology used to provide said location estimation.

83 . A method as recited in claim 44 , wherein the device is further configured to generate an alarm when the QoSI indicates a quality of service below a pre-set threshold.

84 . A method as recited in claim 83 , wherein the device provides a mechanism for a user to set said threshold.

85 . A computer readable medium (CRM) comprising executable instructions for causing a mobile wireless device to perform a method, said method comprising providing a location quality of service indicator (QoSI), wherein said QoSI is indicative of the quality of a calculated location estimation for use by a location-based service.

86 . A computer readable medium as recited in claim 85 , wherein said method includes configuring the device to display said QoSI before the location-based service is invoked.

87 . A computer readable medium as recited in claim 85 , wherein said QoSI is indicative of the quality of a calculated location estimation for another device.

88 . A computer readable medium as recited in claim 85 , wherein said QoSI is representative of predicted location accuracy.

89 . A computer readable medium as recited in claim 85 , wherein said QoSI is representative of predicted location availability.

90 . A computer readable medium as recited in claim 85 , wherein said QoSI is representative of predicted location latency.

91 . A computer readable medium as recited in claim 85 , wherein said QoSI is representative of predicted location precision.

92 . A computer readable medium as recited in claim 85 , wherein said QoSI is representative of predicted location yield.

93 . A computer readable medium as recited in claim 85 , wherein said QoSI is visible.

94 . A computer readable medium as recited in claim 85 , wherein said QoSI is audible.

95 . A computer readable medium as recited in claim 85 , wherein said QoSI is tactile.

96 . A computer readable medium as recited in claim 85 , wherein said QoSI is based, at least in part, upon a Cramer-Rao Lower Bound computation.

97 . A computer readable medium as recited in claim 85 , wherein said QoSI is based, at least in part, upon a Geometric Dilution of Precision (GDOP) computation.

98 . A computer readable medium as recited in claim 85 , wherein said QoSI is based, at least in part, upon a set of location technologies available for use in collecting data to be used in calculating said location estimation.

99 . A computer readable medium as recited in claim 85 , wherein said method includes configuring the device to communicate said QoSI to a server.

100 . A computer readable medium as recited in claim 99 , wherein said method includes configuring the device to communicate said QoSI to a location enabling server (LES).

101 . A computer readable medium as recited in claim 85 , wherein said method includes configuring the device to communicate said QoSI to another mobile wireless device.

102 . A computer readable medium as recited in claim 85 , wherein said method includes configuring the device to permit said QoSI to be used to select among location-based services (LBS) applications.

103 . A computer readable medium as recited in claim 85 , wherein said method includes configuring the device to permit said QoSI to be used to select location applications available at the calculated QoSI.

104 . A computer readable medium as recited in claim 85 , wherein said method includes configuring the device to deliver said QoSI to a location application with a service request, and to receive responses which are formatted for display based on the QoSI.

105 . A computer readable medium as recited in claim 85 , wherein a series of multiple location estimates are employed to determine said QoSI.

106 . A computer readable medium as recited in claim 85 , wherein proxy calculations are employed to determine said QoSI.

107 . A computer readable medium as recited in claim 106 , wherein said proxy calculations are related to accuracy and precision.

108 . A computer readable medium as recited in claim 107 , wherein said proxy calculations are based on at least one member of the following group: radio signal bandwidth, radio signal strength, packet delay, packet losses, variability, throughput, jitter, selective availability, and perceived noise level.

109 . A computer readable medium as recited in claim 85 , wherein a historical map of calculated QoSI's and related location estimates are used in the determination of QoSI's for a given area.

110 . A computer readable medium as recited in claim 85 , wherein said QoSI is developed periodically.

111 . A computer readable medium as recited in claim 85 , wherein said QoSI is developed continuously.

112 . A computer readable medium as recited in claim 85 , wherein said QoSI is determined using received signal information and information about available network-based location technologies.

113 . A computer readable medium as recited in claim 85 , wherein said QoSI has the form of a bar graph.

114 . A computer readable medium as recited in claim 85 , wherein said QoSI has the form of a radial graph.

115 . A computer readable medium as recited in claim 85 , wherein said QoSI has the form of a multi-colored display.

116 . A computer readable medium as recited in claim 85 , wherein said QoSI has the form of a QoSI element overlaid on a map display.

117 . A computer readable medium as recited in claim 85 , wherein said QoSI comprises multiple QoSI elements corresponding to multiple location services.

118 . A computer readable medium as recited in claim 85 , wherein the device further comprises a GPS receiver for self-locating, and wherein the method includes making a periodic QoSI calculation to update the QoSI while the device is idle.

119 . A computer readable medium as recited in claim 85 , wherein a QoSI associated with a first location technique is employed to predict a QoSI for a second location technique.

120 . A computer readable medium as recited in claim 85 , wherein the device is adapted to operate in a GSM wireless communications system.

121 . A computer readable medium as recited in claim 85 , wherein the device is adapted to operate in a UMTS wireless communications system.

122 . A computer readable medium as recited in claim 85 , wherein the GSM wireless communications system allows for multiple location techniques, including network-based and mobile-based techniques, and the method includes displaying said QoSI based upon the highest accuracy location technology available.

123 . A computer readable medium as recited in claim 85 , wherein said QoSI further indicates the type of location technology used to provide said location estimation.

124 . A computer readable medium as recited in claim 85 , wherein said method includes configuring the device to generate an alarm when the QoSI indicates a quality of service below a pre-set threshold.

125 . A computer readable medium as recited in claim 124 , wherein said method includes configuring the device to provide a mechanism for a user to set said threshold.