Other cell sites used as reference point to cull satellite ephemeris information for quick, accurate assisted locating satellite location determination
View Patent ↗A geometric shape (e.g., an inverted cone) is computed above a given ‘reference point’ defined from locations of cell sites OTHER than the cell site currently servicing a given wireless device, to provide a best-guess as to a near-future location of a mobile wireless device. Locating satellites (e.g., GPS) are culled into a preferred group and communicated to mobile devices within a particular region (e.g., serviced by a particular base station). The culled locating satellites may select visible locating satellites, or more preferably those locating satellites currently within a cone of space above the relevant base station, for communication by a mobile device within the service area of a base station. Thus, cell sites other than the one in use by the relevant wireless device may be specifically used to determine a reference point for culling the ephemeris information used to expedite Assisted GPS location determinations.
1. A method of culling a plurality of locating satellites into a sub-plurality for communication via a wireless base station, comprising:
defining a reference point based on a combined location of at least one other cell site not including a cell site currently servicing a relevant mobile device;
defining a geometric shaped area above the reference point, which is physically distant from said relevant mobile device;
culling said plurality of locating satellites to a culled group of locating satellites within said geometric shaped area above said reference point; and
passing an identity of said culled group of locating satellites to said relevant mobile device.
2. The method of culling a plurality of locating satellites into a sub-plurality for communication via a wireless base station according to claim 1 , wherein:
said combined location is an average location of at least two other cell sites not including said cell site currently servicing said relevant mobile device.
3. The method of culling a plurality of locating satellites into a sub-plurality for communication via a wireless base station according to claim 2 , wherein said average location comprises:
an average of latitudes of said at least two other cell sites; and
an average of longitudes of said at least two other cell sites.
4. The method of culling a plurality of locating satellites into a sub-plurality for communication via a wireless base station according to claim 3 , wherein:
said latitudes relate to a latitude of respective antennae associated with respective ones of said at least two other cell sites; and
said longitudes relate to a longitude of respective antennae associated with respective ones of said at least two other cell sites.
5. The method of culling a plurality of locating satellites into a sub-plurality for communication via a wireless base station according to claim 1 , wherein:
said combined location is a mean location of at least two other cell sites not including said cell site currently servicing said relevant mobile device.
6. The method of culling a plurality of locating satellites into a sub-plurality for communication via a wireless base station according to claim 5 , wherein said mean location comprises:
a mean of latitudes of said at least two other cell sites; and
a mean of longitudes of said at least two other cell sites.
7. The method of culling a plurality of locating satellites into a sub-plurality for communication via a wireless base station according to claim 6 , wherein:
said latitudes relate to a latitude of respective antennae associated with respective ones of said at least two other cell sites; and
said longitudes relate to a longitude of respective antennae associated with respective ones of said at least two other cell sites.
8. The method of culling a plurality of locating satellites into a sub-plurality for communication via a wireless base station according to claim 1 , wherein:
said geometric shaped area is an inverted cone.
9. The method of culling a plurality of locating satellites into a sub-plurality for communication via a wireless base station according to claim 8 , wherein:
said inverted cone is normal to Earth.
10. The method of culling a plurality of locating satellites into a sub-plurality for communication via a wireless base station according to claim 1 , wherein:
said reference point is derived from a wireless base station.
11. The method of culling a plurality of locating satellites into a sub-plurality for communication via a wireless base station according to claim 10 , wherein:
said reference point is derived from a surveyed location of a cellular cell site which may be a site of an antenna or a cluster of antenna.
12. The method of culling a plurality of locating satellites into a sub-plurality for communication via a wireless base station according to claim 1 , wherein:
said wireless base station is a cellular phone base station.
13. The method of culling a plurality of locating satellites into a sub-plurality for communication via a wireless base station according to claim 1 , wherein:
said culling is performed by said mobile device.
14. The method of culling a plurality of locating satellites into a sub-plurality for communication via a wireless base station according to claim 1 , wherein:
said culling is performed by said wireless base station with which said mobile device is in communication.
15. The method of culling a plurality of locating satellites into a sub-plurality for communication via a single base station according to claim 1 , wherein each of said plurality of locating satellites comprise:
a Global Positioning Satellite (GPS).
16. Apparatus for culling a plurality of locating satellites into a sub-plurality for communication via a wireless base station, comprising:
means for defining a reference point based on a combined location of at least one other cell site not including a cell site currently servicing a relevant mobile device;
means for defining a geometric shaped area above the reference point, which is physically distant from said relevant mobile device;
means for culling said plurality of locating satellites to a culled group of locating satellites within said geometric shaped area above said reference point; and
means for passing an identity of said culled group of locating satellites to said relevant mobile device.
17. The apparatus for culling a plurality of locating satellites into a sub-plurality for communication via a wireless base station according to claim 16 , wherein:
said combined location is an average location of at least two other cell sites not including said cell site currently servicing said relevant mobile device.
18. The method of culling a plurality of locating satellites into a sub-plurality for communication via a wireless base station according to claim 17 , wherein said average location comprises:
an average of latitudes of said at least two other cell sites; and
an average of longitudes of said at least two other cell sites.
19. The method of culling a plurality of locating satellites into a sub-plurality for communication via a wireless base station according to claim 18 , wherein:
said latitudes relate to a latitude of respective antennae associated with respective ones of said at least two other cell sites; and
said longitudes relate to a longitude of respective antennae associated with respective ones of said at least two other cell sites.
20. The apparatus for culling a plurality of locating satellites into a sub-plurality for communication via a wireless base station according to claim 16 , wherein:
said combined location is a mean location of at least two other cell sites not including said cell site currently servicing said relevant mobile device.
21. The method of culling a plurality of locating satellites into a sub-plurality for communication via a wireless base station according to claim 20 , wherein said mean location comprises:
a mean of latitudes of said at least two other cell sites; and
a mean of longitudes of said at least two other cell sites.
22. The apparatus for culling a plurality of locating satellites into a sub-plurality for communication via a wireless base station according to claim 21 , wherein:
said latitudes relate to a latitude of respective antennae associated with respective ones of said at least two other cell sites; and
said longitudes relate to a longitude of respective antennae associated with respective ones of said at least two other cell sites.
23. The apparatus for culling a plurality of locating satellites into a sub-plurality for communication via a wireless base station according to claim 16 , wherein:
said geometric shaped area is an inverted cone.
24. The apparatus for culling a plurality of locating satellites into a sub-plurality for communication via a wireless base station according to claim 23 , wherein:
said inverted cone is normal to Earth.
25. The apparatus for culling a plurality of locating satellites into a sub-plurality for communication via a wireless base station according to claim 16 , wherein:
said reference point is derived from a wireless base station.
26. The apparatus for culling a plurality of locating satellites into a sub-plurality for communication via a wireless base station according to claim 25 , wherein:
said reference point is derived from a surveyed location of a cellular cell site which may be a site of an antenna or a cluster of antenna.
27. The apparatus for culling a plurality of locating satellites into a sub-plurality for communication via a wireless base station according to claim 16 , wherein:
said wireless base station is a cellular phone base station.
28. The apparatus for culling a plurality of locating satellites into a sub-plurality for communication via a wireless base station according to claim 16 , wherein:
said means for culling is comprised by said mobile device.
29. The apparatus for culling a plurality of locating satellites into a sub-plurality for communication via a wireless base station according to claim 16 , wherein:
said means for culling is comprised by said wireless base station with which said mobile device is in communication.
30. The apparatus for culling a plurality of locating satellites into a sub-plurality for communication via a single base station according to claim 16 , wherein each of said plurality of locating satellites comprise:
a Global Positioning Satellite (GPS).