IP Library Granted Patent US 10,470,157
Granted Patent B2
US 10,470,157 · App. 16/239,514 · Granted Nov 5, 2019

Base station identification based location quality data determination

Inventors: Sheldon Kent Meredith (Roswell, GA); William Cottrill (Canton, GA); Rick Tipton (Corryton, TN)
Assignee: AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY I, L.P.
H04W64/006G01S5/021G01S5/0252H04B7/0413H04B7/0417H04B7/061H04W16/14H04W16/18H04W16/24H04W16/28H04W16/30H04W48/12
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,470,157
App. No.
16/239,514
Granted
Nov 5, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

Determining a location quality based on base station identification is disclosed. The location quality can be based on an error attributed to a location determined based on historical data related to an identified base station. Application of supplemental data to the historical base station data can improve location quality by reducing the error. Supplemental data can comprise Voronoi data, geographic data, historical UE density data, historical UE timing advance data, or combinations thereof. Voronoi data can be associated with an area less than a service area of the base station. Geographic data can indicate areas where UEs are not likely to be located. UE density data can indicate probably UE locations. Timing advance data can indicate annular regions where a UE should be located. As such, the supplemental data can constrain a location determined for a UE and correspondingly can reduce error associated with the location.

Claims (28)

1. A system, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, facilitate performance of operations, comprising:

determining an edge location based on a shape defined by a combination of Voronoi data and exclusion area data, wherein the Voronoi data represents a portion of a Voronoi cell related to a base station device, and wherein the exclusion area data represents a portion of the Voronoi cell determined not to comprise a first user equipment; and

in response to a location inquiry, providing a location error value based on a base station location of the base station device and the edge location.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the exclusion area data is determined not to comprise the first user equipment based on a geographic feature associated with the Voronoi cell.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the geographic feature is a body of water.

4. The system of claim 2 , wherein the geographic feature is a terrestrial feature.

5. The system of claim 2 , wherein the geographic feature is a designated land use feature.

6. The system of claim 2 , wherein the geographic feature is determined from historical user equipment density data.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein a user equipment location of a second user equipment is based on an adjusted base station location that has been modified based on the base station location and the exclusion area data.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the edge location is a first edge location and wherein the determining the edge location results in the first edge location being closer to the base station location than a second edge location based on the Voronoi edge rather than the combination of the Voronoi data and the exclusion area data.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the determining the edge location comprises determining a root mean square of an average distance between the base station location and points on the shape defined by the combination of the Voronoi data and the exclusion area data.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the points on the shape defined by the combination of the Voronoi data and the exclusion area data are incrementally spaced along the edge of the shape.

11. The system of claim 9 , wherein the points on the shape defined by the combination of the Voronoi data and the exclusion area data are continuously spaced along the edge of the shape.

12. A method, comprising:

determining, by a system comprising a processor, an edge location based on Voronoi data and exclusion area data, wherein the Voronoi data represents a region of a Voronoi cell for a base station device, and wherein the exclusion area data represents a region of the Voronoi cell that does not provide wireless service to at least a threshold number of user equipments; and

in response to a request for user equipment location data, providing, by the system, access to a location error value determined from at least a base station location of the base station device and the edge location.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the exclusion area data is determined not to provide wireless service to at least the threshold number of user equipments based on identification of a geographic feature associated with the Voronoi cell.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the exclusion area data is determined not to provide wireless service to at least the threshold number of user equipments based on historical user equipment density data corresponding to the Voronoi cell.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein the providing the access to the user equipment location data comprises determining the location error value, and wherein the edge location is a first edge location that is closer to the base station location than a second edge location based on the Voronoi edge rather than a combination of the Voronoi data and the exclusion area data.

16. A non-transitory machine-readable medium, comprising executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, facilitate performance of operations, comprising:

determining an edge location based on Voronoi data and exclusion area data, wherein the Voronoi data represents a region of a Voronoi cell for a base station device, and wherein the exclusion area data represents a region of the Voronoi cell determined to satisfy a rule relating to supporting wireless communication for fewer than a defined number of user equipments; and

storing a location error value corresponding to the base station device at a data store, wherein the location error value is based on a base station location of the base station device and the edge location.

17. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 16 , wherein the exclusion area data is determined not to comprise a first user equipment based on a portion of a geographic feature associated with the Voronoi cell.

18. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 16 , wherein the determining the edge location comprises determining a root mean square of an average distance between the base station location and points on the shape defined by a combination of the Voronoi data and the exclusion area data.

19. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 18 , wherein the points on the shape defined by the combination of the Voronoi data and the exclusion area data are incrementally spaced along the edge of the shape.

20. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 18 , wherein the points on the shape defined by the combination of the Voronoi data and the exclusion area data are continuously spaced along the edge of the shape.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 3, 2019
From: MEREDITH, SHELDON KENT; COTTRILL, WILLIAM; TIPTON, RICK
To: AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY I, L.P.
Reel/Frame 047896/0907 →
Continuity (3)
Continuation 15923809 · Mar 16, 2018
Continuation 15372316 · Dec 7, 2016
Related Publication 20190141668A1 · May 9, 2019