Sparsed U-TDOA wireless location networks

1. A computer-implemented, iterative method for designing a sparse wireless location system (WLS) from an initial network design stored on a non-transitory computer readable medium, wherein the sparse WLS is designed to be overlaid on a wireless communications system, comprising:

performing an intelligent WLS network design process to produce an initial network design;

accessing said initial network design from the non-transitory computer readable medium;

performing a preliminary network design analysis to determine that at least one of the following performance limiting factors affects said initial network design: downlink beacon discovery and uplink demodulation; and

modifying the initial network design based on the performance limiting factor determined as affecting said initial network design, wherein said modifying comprises the following:

(1) when the performance limiting factor is downlink beacon discovery, one or more of the following modifications is performed:

deploying at least one enhanced downlink antenna;

deploying downlink interference cancellation;

deploying base transceiver station (BTS) synchronization;

adding at least one location measuring unit (LMU) to the network design;

determining that an Abis monitoring system (AMS) is not deployed, and then deploying at least one downlink-only location measuring unit (LMU) at an identified site; and

determining that an Abis monitoring system (AMS) is deployed, and then enabling the use of Enhanced Beacon Synchronization (EBS) and AMS-derived beacon timing functions;

(2) when the performance limiting factor is uplink demodulation, one or more of the following modifications is performed:

determining that communications system demodulation data is enabled, and enabling a demodulated data feature;

determining that communications system demodulation data is not enabled, and determining that an Abis monitoring system (AMS) is not deployed and enabling a mid-amble only correction feature;

determining that communications system demodulation data is not enabled, and determining that an Abis monitoring system (AMS) is deployed and enabling an AMS-derived demodulated data feature;

adding at least one location measuring unit (LMU) to the network design;

adding at least one dedicated antenna facility to the network design; and

saving the modified network design on the non-transitory computer readable medium.

2. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein said WLS comprises an uplink time difference of arrival (U-TDOA) system including a plurality of geographically dispersed location measuring units (LMUs).

3. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein said WLS is overlaid on a GSM wireless communications system comprising a plurality of geographically dispersed base transceiver stations (BTSs).

4. A method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising identifying at least one cluster of co-synchronized cell sectors and performing an intelligent network design process to produce said initial network design.

5. A method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising modifying the initial network design by performing at least one of the following actions based on a determination that the performance limiting factor affecting the initial network design is accuracy:

increasing an integration time at one or more location measuring units (LMUs);

deploying a hybrid time difference of arrival (TDOA)/enhanced cell identification (ECID) location process in the WLS;

deploying a hybrid TDOA/angle of arrival (AoA) location process in the WLS; and

adding at least one LMU to the network design.

6. A method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising removing at least one location measuring unit (LMU) from the network design based on a determination that no performance limiting factor affects the initial network design.

7. A method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising the following step based on a determination that the performance limiting factor affecting the initial network design is downlink beacon discovery: deploying at least one enhanced downlink antenna.

8. A method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising the following step based on a determination that the performance limiting factor affecting the initial network design is downlink beacon discovery: deploying downlink interference cancellation.

9. A method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising the following step based on a determination that the performance limiting factor affecting the initial network design is downlink beacon discovery: deploying base transceiver station (BTS) synchronization.

10. A method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising the following step based on a determination that the performance limiting factor affecting the initial network design is downlink beacon discovery: adding at least one location measuring unit (LMU) to the network design.

11. A method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising the following step based on a determination that the performance limiting factor affecting the initial network design is downlink beacon discovery: determining that an Abis monitoring system (AMS) is not deployed, and then deploying at least one downlink-only location measuring unit (LMU) at an identified site.

12. A method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising the following step based on a determination that the performance limiting factor affecting the initial network design is downlink beacon discovery: determining that an Abis monitoring system (AMS) is deployed, and then enabling the use of Enhanced Beacon Synchronization (EBS) and AMS-derived beacon timing functions.

13. A method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising the following step based on a determination that the performance limiting factor affecting the initial network design is uplink demodulation: determining that communications system demodulation data is enabled, and enabling a demodulated data feature.

14. A method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising the following step based on a determination that the performance limiting factor affecting the initial network design is uplink demodulation: determining that communications system demodulation data is not enabled, and determining that an Abis monitoring system (AMS) is not deployed and enabling a mid-amble only correction feature.

15. A method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising the following step based on a determination that the performance limiting factor affecting the initial network design is uplink demodulation: determining that communications system demodulation data is not enabled, and determining that an Abis monitoring system (AMS) is deployed and enabling an AMS-derived demodulated data feature.

16. A method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising the following step based on a determination that the performance limiting factor affecting the initial network design is uplink demodulation: adding at least one location measuring unit (LMU) to the network design.

17. A method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising the following step based on a determination that the performance limiting factor affecting the initial network design is uplink demodulation: adding at least one dedicated antenna facility to the network design.

18. A software tool stored on a non-transitory computer readable medium, comprising computer readable instructions for carrying out an iterative method for designing a sparse uplink time difference of arrival (U-TDOA) wireless location system (WLS) including a plurality of geographically dispersed location measuring units (LMUs), wherein said WLS is overlaid on a GSM wireless communications system comprising a plurality of geographically dispersed base transceiver stations (BTSs), said iterative method comprising:

accessing an initial network design from the non-transitory computer readable medium;

determining that at least one of the following performance limiting factors affects said initial network design: downlink beacon discovery, accuracy, and uplink demodulation; and

modifying the initial network design based on the performance limiting factor determined as affecting said initial network design, wherein said modifying comprises the following:

(1) when the performance limiting factor is accuracy, one or more of the following modifications is performed:

increasing an integration time at one or more location measuring units (LMUs);

deploying a hybrid time difference of arrival (TDOA)/enhanced cell identification (ECID) location process in the WLS;

deploying a hybrid TDOA/angle of arrival (AoA) location process in the WLS; and

adding at least one LMU to the network design;

(2) when the performance limiting factor is downlink beacon discovery, one or more of the following modifications is performed:

deploying at least one enhanced downlink antenna;

deploying downlink interference cancellation;

deploying base transceiver station (BTS) synchronization;

adding at least one location measuring unit (LMU) to the network design;

determining that an Abis monitoring system (AMS) is not deployed, and then deploying at least one downlink-only location measuring unit (LMU) at an identified site; and

determining that an Abis monitoring system (AMS) is deployed, and then enabling the use of Enhanced Beacon Synchronization (EBS) and AMS-derived beacon timing functions;

(3) when the performance limiting factor is uplink demodulation, one or more of the following modifications is performed:

determining that communications system demodulation data is enabled, and enabling a demodulated data feature;

determining that communications system demodulation data is not enabled, and determining that an Abis monitoring system (AMS) is not deployed and enabling a mid-amble only correction feature;

determining that communications system demodulation data is not enabled, and determining that an Abis monitoring system (AMS) is deployed and enabling an AMS-derived demodulated data feature;

adding at least one location measuring unit (LMU) to the network design;

adding at least one dedicated antenna facility to the network design; and

saving the modified network design on the non-transitory computer readable medium.

19. A software tool as recited in claim 18 , said iterative method further comprising identifying at least one cluster of co-synchronized cell sectors and producing the initial network design.

20. A software tool as recited in claim 18 , said iterative method further comprising modifying the initial network design by performing at least one of the following actions based on a determination that the performance limiting factor affecting the initial network design is accuracy:

increasing an integration time at one or more location measuring units (LMUs);

deploying a hybrid time difference of arrival (TDOA)/enhanced cell identification (ECID) location process in the WLS;

deploying a hybrid time TDOA/angle of arrival (AoA) location process in the WLS; and

adding at least one LMU to the network design.

21. A software tool as recited in claim 18 , said iterative method further comprising removing at least one location measuring unit (LMU) from the network design based on a determination that no performance limiting factor affects the initial network design.

22. A software tool as recited in claim 18 , said iterative method further comprising the following step based on a determination that the performance limiting factor affecting the initial network design is downlink beacon discovery: deploying at least one enhanced downlink antenna.

23. A software tool as recited in claim 18 , said iterative method further comprising the following step based on a determination that the performance limiting factor affecting the initial network design is downlink beacon discovery: deploying downlink interference cancellation.

24. A software tool as recited in claim 18 , said iterative method further comprising the following step based on a determination that the performance limiting factor affecting the initial network design is downlink beacon discovery: deploying base transceiver station (BTS) synchronization.

25. A software tool as recited in claim 18 , said iterative method further comprising the following step based on a determination that the performance limiting factor affecting the initial network design is downlink beacon discovery: adding at least one location measuring unit (LMU) to the network design.

26. A software tool as recited in claim 18 , said iterative method further comprising the following step based on a determination that the performance limiting factor affecting the initial network design is downlink beacon discovery: determining whether an Abis monitoring system (AMS) is deployed, and if not deploying at least one downlink-only location measuring unit (LMU) at an identified site.

27. A software tool as recited in claim 18 , said iterative method further comprising the following step based on a determination that the performance limiting factor affecting the initial network design is downlink beacon discovery: determining whether an Abis monitoring system (AMS) is deployed, and if so enabling the use of Enhanced Beacon Synchronization (EBS) and AMS-derived beacon timing functions.

28. A software tool as recited in claim 18 , said iterative method further comprising the following step based on a determination that the performance limiting factor affecting the initial network design is uplink demodulation: determining whether communications system demodulation data is enabled, and if so enabling a demodulated data feature.

29. A software tool as recited in claim 18 , said iterative method further comprising the following step based on a determination that the performance limiting factor affecting the initial network design is uplink demodulation: determining whether communications system demodulation data is enabled, and if not determining that an Abis monitoring system (AMS) is not deployed and enabling a mid-amble only correction feature.

30. A software tool as recited in claim 18 , said iterative method further comprising the following step based on a determination that the performance limiting factor affecting the initial network design is uplink demodulation: determining whether communications system demodulation data is enabled, and if not determining that an Abis monitoring system (AMS) is deployed and enabling an AMS-derived demodulated data feature.

31. A software tool as recited in claim 18 , said iterative method further comprising the following step based on a determination that the performance limiting factor affecting the initial network design is uplink demodulation: adding at least one location measuring unit (LMU) to the network design.

32. A software tool as recited in claim 18 , said iterative method further comprising the following step based on a determination that the performance limiting factor affecting the initial network design is uplink demodulation: adding at least one dedicated antenna facility to the network design.

33. An iterative method for designing a sparse wireless location system (WLS) based on an initial network design, wherein said WLS comprises an uplink time difference of arrival (U-TDOA) system including a plurality of geographically dispersed location measuring units (LMUs) and said WLS is overlaid on a GSM wireless communications system comprising a plurality of geographically dispersed base transceiver stations (BTSs), comprising:

(a) performing a preliminary network design analysis to determine that at least one of the following performance limiting factors affects said initial network design: downlink beacon discovery, accuracy, and uplink demodulation; and

(b) modifying the initial network design based on the performance limiting factor determined as affecting the initial network design, wherein said modifying comprises the following:

(1) when the performance limiting factor is accuracy, one or more of the following modifications is performed:

increasing an integration time at one or more location measuring units (LMUs);

deploying a hybrid time difference of arrival (TDOA)/enhanced cell identification (ECID) location process in the WLS;

deploying a hybrid TDOA/angle of arrival (AoA) location process in the WLS; and

adding at least one LMU to the network design;

(2) when the performance limiting factor is downlink beacon discovery, one or more of the following modifications is performed:

deploying at least one enhanced downlink antenna;

deploying downlink interference cancellation;

deploying base transceiver station (BTS) synchronization;

adding at least one location measuring unit (LMU) to the network design;

determining that an Abis monitoring system (AMS) is not deployed, and then deploying at least one downlink-only location measuring unit (LMU) at an identified site; and

determining that an Abis monitoring system (AMS) is deployed, and then enabling the use of Enhanced Beacon Synchronization (EBS) and AMS-derived beacon timing functions;

(3) when the performance limiting factor is uplink demodulation, one or more of the following modifications is performed:

determining that communications system demodulation data is enabled, and enabling a demodulated data feature;

determining that communications system demodulation data is not enabled, and determining that an Abis monitoring system (AMS) is not deployed and enabling a mid-amble only correction feature;

determining that communications system demodulation data is not enabled, and determining that an Abis monitoring system (AMS) is deployed and enabling an AMS-derived demodulated data feature;

adding at least one location measuring unit (LMU) to the network design; and

adding at least one dedicated antenna facility to the network design.