IP Library Granted Patent US 12,262,280
Granted Patent B2
US 12,262,280 · App. 17/391,988 · Granted Mar 25, 2025

Validating and using map data for positioning

Inventors: Neha Nagori (San Jose, CA); Han Zhang (Beijing, CN); Himanshu Shah (Milpitas, CA); Abdelmonaem Lakhzouri (Fremont, CA); William Morrison (San Francisco, CA)
Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
H04W4/027H04W4/029
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,262,280
App. No.
17/391,988
Granted
Mar 25, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method being for facilitating positioning determination of a UE includes: obtaining motion information indicative of motion of the UE; obtaining positioning information based on positioning signals received by the UE; determining a validity status of map data based on whether the positioning information, the motion of the UE, and the map data, that include locations of physical environmental features, are consistent, wherein the validity status is determined to be valid in response to the positioning information, the motion of the UE, and the map data being consistent; and determining at least one of a position estimate for the UE, or a direction of motion of the UE, based on the map data and based on the validity status being valid.

Claims (75)

1. A user equipment (UE) comprising:

a receiver configured to receive positioning signals;

a sensor configured to provide sensor output data;

a memory; and

a processor communicatively coupled to the receiver, the sensor, and the memory, wherein the processor is configured to:

obtain positioning information based on the positioning signals;

obtain motion of the UE based on the sensor output data;

obtain available map data that includes locations of physical environmental features;

select at least a portion of the available map data based on the motion of the UE;

determine a validity status of the portion of the available map data based on whether the positioning information, the motion of the UE, and the portion of the available map data are consistent, wherein the processor is configured to determine the validity status of the portion of the available map data as valid in response to the positioning information, the motion of the UE, and the portion of the available map data being consistent, and as invalid otherwise; and

determine at least one of a position estimate for the UE and a direction of motion of the UE constrained by the portion of the available map data based on the validity status of the portion of the available map data being valid and without being constrained by the portion of the available map data based on the validity status of the portion of the available map data being invalid.

2. The UE of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to determine, based on the portion of the available map data, based on the validity status of the portion of the available map data being valid, and based on one or more first respective positioning signal measurements, a first portion of positioning information to use to determine the at least one of the position estimate for the UE or the direction of motion of the UE.

3. The UE of claim 2 , wherein the first portion of positioning information includes at least one of a pseudorange or a Doppler measurement.

4. The UE of claim 2 , wherein to determine the at least one of the position estimate for the UE or the direction of motion of the UE the processor is configured to disregard a second portion of the positioning information, based on one or more second respective positioning signal measurements, that has a corresponding cross-track component above a threshold value.

5. The UE of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to determine the at least one of the position estimate for the UE or the direction of motion of the UE based on the map data only if the validity status of the portion of the available map data is valid.

6. The UE of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to change the validity status of the portion of the available map data, from valid to invalid or from invalid to valid as appropriate, in response to determining that a consistency of the positioning information, the portion of the available map data, and the motion of the UE changed.

7. The UE of claim 1 , wherein to determine whether the positioning information, the motion of the UE, and the portion of the available map data are consistent the processor is configured to:

determine the portion of the available map data based on the positioning information; and

determine whether the motion of the UE is consistent with a subset of the physical environmental features corresponding to the portion of the available map data.

8. The UE of claim 7 , wherein to determine whether the motion of the UE is consistent with the subset of the physical environmental features corresponding to the portion of the available map data the processor is configured to determine whether the motion of the UE is less than a threshold amount of motion in a particular direction, the threshold amount of motion being based on the physical environmental features corresponding to the portion of the available map data.

9. The UE of claim 7 , wherein to determine whether the motion of the UE is consistent with the subset of the physical environmental features corresponding to the portion of the available map data the processor is configured to determine whether the motion of the UE indicates at least one of that the UE has exited a UE-acceptable area, that the UE has entered a UE-unacceptable area, that the UE is following a UE-acceptable trajectory, or that the UE has deviated from the UE-acceptable trajectory.

10. A user equipment (UE) comprising:

means for sensing motion of the UE and producing output data indicative of the motion of the UE;

means for obtaining positioning information based on positioning signals received by the UE;

means for obtaining motion of the UE based on the sensor output data;

means for obtaining available map data that includes locations of physical environmental features;

means for selecting at least a portion of the available map data based on the motion of the UE;

validity status means for determining a validity status of the portion of the available map data based on whether the positioning information, the motion of the UE, and the portion of the available map data are consistent, wherein the validity status means are for determining the validity status of the portion of the available map data as valid in response to the positioning information, the motion of the UE, and the portion of the available map data being consistent, and as invalid otherwise; and

first determining means for determining at least one of a position estimate for the UE and a direction of motion of the UE constrained by the portion of the available map data based on the validity status of the portion of the available map data being valid and without being constrained by the portion of the available map data based on the validity status of the portion of the available map data being invalid.

11. The UE of claim 10 , wherein the first determining means comprise means for determining, based on the portion of the available map data, based on the validity status of the portion of the available map data being valid, and based on one or more first respective positioning signal measurements, a first portion of the positioning information to use to determine the at least one of the position estimate for the UE or the direction of motion of the UE.

12. The UE of claim 11 , wherein the first portion of the positioning information includes at least one of a pseudorange or a Doppler measurement.

13. The UE of claim 11 , wherein the first determining means comprise means for disregarding a second portion of the positioning information, based on one or more second respective positioning signal measurements, that has a corresponding cross-track component above a threshold value.

14. The UE of claim 10 , wherein the first determining means include means for determining the at least one of the position estimate for the UE or the direction of motion of the UE based on the map data only if the validity status of the portion of the available map data is valid.

15. The UE of claim 10 , wherein the validity status means include means for changing the validity status of the portion of the available map data, from valid to invalid or from invalid to valid as appropriate, in response to determining that a consistency of the positioning information, the portion of the available map data, and the motion of the UE changed.

16. The UE of claim 10 , wherein the validity status means comprise:

second determining means for determining the portion of the available map data based on the positioning information; and

third determining means for determining whether the motion of the UE is consistent with a subset of the physical environmental features corresponding to the portion of the available map data.

17. The UE of claim 16 , wherein the third determining means comprise means for determining whether the motion of the UE is less than a threshold amount of motion in a particular direction, the threshold amount of motion being based on the physical environmental features corresponding to the portion of the available map data.

18. The UE of claim 16 , wherein the third determining means comprise means for determining whether the motion of the UE indicates at least one of that the UE has exited a UE-acceptable area, that the UE has entered a UE-unacceptable area, that the UE is following a UE-acceptable trajectory, or that the UE has deviated from the UE-acceptable trajectory.

19. A method, of determining position or motion, or both, of a user equipment (UE), the method comprising:

obtaining motion information indicative of motion of the UE;

obtaining positioning information based on positioning signals received by the UE;

obtaining motion of the UE based on the sensor output data;

obtaining available map data that includes locations of physical environmental features;

selecting at least a portion of the available map data based on the motion of the UE;

determining a validity status of the portion of the available map data based on whether the positioning information, the motion of the UE, and the portion of the available map data are consistent, wherein the validity status of the portion of the available map data is determined to be valid in response to the positioning information, the motion of the UE, and the portion of the available map data being consistent, and as invalid otherwise; and

determining at least one of a position estimate for the UE and a direction of motion of the UE constrained by the portion of the available map data based on the validity status of the portion of the available map data being valid and without being constrained by the portion of the available map data based on the validity status of the portion of the available map data being invalid.

20. The method of claim 19 , further comprising determining, based on the portion of the available map data, based on the validity status of the portion of the available map data being valid, and based on one or more first respective positioning signal measurements, a first portion of the positioning information to use to determine the at least one of the position estimate for the UE or the direction of motion of the UE.

21. The method of claim 20 , wherein the first portion of the positioning information includes at least one of a pseudorange or a Doppler measurement.

22. The method of claim 20 , wherein determining the at least one of the position estimate for the UE, or the direction of motion of the UE, comprises disregarding a second portion of the positioning information, based on one or more second respective positioning signal measurements, that has a corresponding cross-track component above a threshold value.

23. The method of claim 19 , wherein determining the at least one of the position estimate for the UE, or the direction of motion of the UE, is based on the portion of the available map data only if the validity status of the portion of the available map data is valid.

24. The method of claim 19 , further comprising changing the validity status of the portion of the available map data, from valid to invalid or from invalid to valid as appropriate, in response to determining that a consistency of the positioning information, the portion of the available map data, and the motion of the UE changed.

25. The method of claim 19 , wherein determining whether the positioning information, the motion of the UE, and the portion of the available map data are consistent comprises:

determining the portion of the available map data based on the positioning information; and

determining whether the motion of the UE is consistent with a subset of the physical environmental features corresponding to the portion of the available map data.

26. The method of claim 25 , wherein determining whether the motion of the UE is consistent with the subset of the physical environmental features corresponding to the portion of the available map data comprises determining whether the motion of the UE is less than a threshold amount of motion in a particular direction, the threshold amount of motion being based on the physical environmental features corresponding to the portion of the available map data.

27. The method of claim 25 , wherein determining whether the motion of the UE is consistent with the subset of the physical environmental features corresponding to the portion of the available map data comprises determining whether the motion of the UE indicates at least one of that the UE has exited a UE-acceptable area, that the UE has entered a UE-unacceptable area, that the UE is following a UE-acceptable trajectory, or that the UE has deviated from the UE-acceptable trajectory.

28. A non-transitory, processor-readable storage medium comprising processor-readable instructions configured to cause a processor of a user equipment (UE) to:

obtain motion data indicative of motion of the UE;

obtain positioning information based on positioning signals received by the UE;

obtain motion of the UE based on the sensor output data;

obtain available map data that includes locations of physical environmental features;

select at least a portion of the available map data based on the motion of the UE;

determine a validity status of the portion of the available map data based on whether the positioning information, the motion of the UE, and the portion of the available map data are consistent, wherein the instructions are configured to cause the processor to determine the validity status of the portion of the available map data as valid in response to the positioning information, the motion of the UE, and the portion of the available map data being consistent, and as invalid otherwise; and

determine at least one of a position estimate for the UE and a direction of motion of the UE constrained by the portion of the available map data based on the validity status of the portion of the available map data being valid and without being constrained by the portion of the available map data based on the validity status of the portion of the available map data being invalid.

29. The storage medium of claim 28 , further comprising instructions configured to cause the processor to determine, based on the portion of the available map data, based on the validity status of the portion of the available map data being valid, and based on one or more first respective positioning signal measurements, a first portion of the positioning information to use to determine the at least one of the position estimate for the UE or the direction of motion of the UE.

30. The storage medium of claim 29 , wherein the first portion of the positioning information includes at least one of a pseudorange or a Doppler measurement.

31. The storage medium of claim 29 , wherein the instructions configured to cause the processor to determine the at least one of the position estimate for the UE, or the direction of motion of the UE, comprise instructions configured to cause the processor to disregard a second portion of the positioning information, based on one or more second respective positioning signal measurements, that has a corresponding cross-track component above a threshold value.

32. The storage medium of claim 28 , wherein the instructions configured to cause the processor to determine the at least one of the position estimate for the UE, or the direction of motion of the UE, comprise instructions configured to cause the processor to determine the at least one of the position estimate for the UE, or the direction of motion of the UE, based on the map data only if the validity status of the portion of the available map data is valid.

33. The storage medium of claim 28 , wherein the instructions configured to cause the processor to determine the validity status of the portion of the available map data comprise instructions configured to cause the processor to change a status of the portion of the available map data, from valid to invalid or from invalid to valid as appropriate, in response to determining that a consistency of the positioning information, the portion of the available map data, and the motion of the UE changed.

34. The storage medium of claim 28 , wherein the instructions configured to cause the processor to determine whether the positioning information, the motion of the UE, and the portion of the available map data are consistent comprise instructions configured to cause the processor to:

determine the portion of the available map data based on the positioning in formation; and

determine whether the motion of the UE is consistent with a subset of the physical environmental features corresponding to the portion of the available map data.

35. The storage medium of claim 34 , wherein the instructions configured to cause the processor to determine whether the motion of the UE is consistent with the subset of the physical environmental features corresponding to the portion of the available map data comprise instructions configured to cause the processor to determine whether the motion of the UE is less than a threshold amount of motion in a particular direction, the threshold amount of motion being based on the physical environmental features corresponding to the portion of the available map data.

36. The storage medium of claim 34 , wherein the instructions configured to cause the processor to determine whether the motion of the UE is consistent with the subset of the physical environmental features corresponding to the portion of the available map data comprise instructions configured to cause the processor to determine whether the motion of the UE indicates at least one of that the UE has exited a UE-acceptable area, that the UE has entered a UE-unacceptable area, that the UE is following a UE-acceptable trajectory, or that the UE has deviated from the UE-acceptable trajectory.

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 16, 2025
From: NAGORI, NEHA; ZHANG, HAN; SHAH, HIMANSHU; LAKHZOURI, ABDELMONAEM; MORRISON, WILLIAM
To: QUALCOMM INCORPORATED
Reel/Frame 069900/0815 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 27, 2022
From: NAGORI, NEHA; ZHANG, HAN; SHAH, HIMANSHU; LAKHZOURI, ADELMONAEM; MORRISON, WILLIAM
To: QUALCOMM INCORPORATED
Reel/Frame 062214/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 17, 2022
From: NAGORI, NEHA; ZHANG, HAN; SHAH, HIMANSHU; LAKHZOURU, ADELMONAEM; MORRISON, WILLIAM
To: QUALCOMM INCORPORATED
Reel/Frame 061438/0116 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 63060948 · Aug 4, 2020
Related Publication 20220046383A1 · Feb 10, 2022
References Cited (9)
US 20150119076A1 · Cohen · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 20170064515A1 · Heikkila · 2017 [cited by examiner]
US 20170074965A1 · Lee · 2017 [cited by examiner]
US 20170293303A1 · Medagoda · 2017 [cited by examiner]
EP 3342192B1 · 2020 [cited by applicant]
International Search Report and Written Opinion—PCT/US2021/044248—ISA/EPO—May 25, 2022. [cited by applicant]
Lee Y-C., et al., “Urban Localization Method for Mobile Robots Based on Dead Reckoning Sensors, GPS, and Map Matching”, Systems, Man, and Cybernetics (SMC), 2011 IEEE International Conference on, IEEE, Oct. 9, 2011 (Oct… [cited by applicant]
Oguz-Ekim P., et al., “Proof of Concept Study Using DSRC, IMU and Map Fusion for Vehicle Localization in GNSS-Denied Environments”, 2016 IEEE 19th International Conference on Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITSC), I… [cited by applicant]
Partial International Search Report—PCT/US2021/044248—ISA/EPO—Dec. 13, 2021. [cited by applicant]