CN1152262C - Communications locatization system - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method and a device for positioning a mobile wireless communication transceiver in a cellular phone or a honeycomb type communication system. The method uses a simplified system to passively monitor signals transmitted by a transceiver, and two receiving base stations can determine arrival time marks of the signals of the remote transceiver; then, the time mark information and the subsidiary position sensitive information are combined to determine the possible position of the transceiver. The present invention has special adaptability for road transport. Because the present invention is helpful to enhance emergency service and roadside aid in response to call aid, the traffic flow can be monitored passively.

Description

The system and the method thereof of location mobile radio telecommunications transceiver

Technical field

The present invention relates to determine geographic position, to make things convenient for emergency service response, roadside help, traffic monitoring or other to be suitable for or by the service of positional information support as the mobile radio telecommunications transmitter of a radio honeycomb communication system part.

Background technology

At present, cell phone system provides rapid use radiotelephone communication.Cell phone moves in the simulation system of frequency division multiple access (FDMA) usually.Comprise the digital technology of time division multiple access (TDMA) (TDMA) or CDMA (CDMA), bigger capacity is provided, and allow more a plurality of people to use cell phone service simultaneously.In addition, the communication system of " cellular " as PCS Personal Communications System (PCS), can further increase the personnel's number that uses cordless communication network.

Cell phone or cellular communication system are systems that has the fixed base stations network, fixed base stations service local zone (i.e. " unit "), the local zone is numerous mobile transmitter/receivers (" transceiver ") parts, and promptly cell phone provides the integrated communication service.This type of communication network attempt with from each transceiver communication of base station, wherein the base station provides optimal communication.Best base station is common, but inevitable, is near the base station of mobile transceiver.For the optimal communication support is provided, network does not need accurately to locate the geographic position of mobile transceiver, but more needs to determine to use which base station.

The existing communication network that is used for cell phone or cellular communication system can not accurately determine the position of mobile transmitter to be the major defect in the emergency service.For example, the public safety official in Los Angeles estimates that at present, 1/4th utilize the personnel of cellular calls emergency numbers (" 9-1-1 "), do not know their position, and they point out, surpasses 60% traffic disaster in the U.S. and occurs on the country road.Because the uncertain delay that causes in position, having increased the weight of provides emergency service the intrinsic long response time in grass roots.

For many years, people have just solved the orientation problem of mobile wireless transceiver in many ways, but do not comprise cell phone or cellular communication system.Do not find and be applied to feasible, simple, the low cost solution of monitoring mobile phone on a large scale.The practical difficulty of realizing the mobile wireless transceiver location of any kind is, is used for determining the transceiver of mobile transceiver position or the required modification cost of communication network (infrastructure).If had, also seldom use any appointed transceiving machine to ask emergent or roadside help.Therefore, transceiver supplier and communication network operator do not have any economic motivation, increase the complicacy (and cost) of transceiver or a large amount of expensive infrastructure are installed to lack the service of seldom using of governmental mandates to support these.Even short-term is not made money, emergent help and the value of roadside helping service is undoubtedly to providing and strengthening individual and public security has value.Utilize mobile communication system to improve increasing incident of violence incidence and, be honorable policy goals, and might be that subscriber, Virtual network operator and the general public are realized huge benefits relevant personal security's ever-increasing concern.Yet, recognize that above-mentioned target is so important, so valuable, thus need an infrastructure practicality, cheap, so that the citizen that unique definite request or report want help, communicate by letter with them and for responding the position that the assistant provides them.

Exist in the technology of accurately locating someone position in the application except that emergent or roadside help are provided.For example, satellite-based GPS (GPS) is used for the special receiver of the wireless gps signal of satellite broadcasting, can determine to receive the position in the place of gps signal.Yet, use GPS to obtain the position of communication transceiver, need mobile transceiver to comprise a GPS receiver.And the GPS receiver is expensive.Even can reduce its cost, still need to make GPS receiver and existing and following mobile transceiver to combine by large-scale production.Consider and seldom use this service that the tremendous amount of the mobile transceiver that has used at U.S. home and overseas of station-keeping ability is seemingly very high with the such scheme cost related especially as required.

Also there is the technology of determining the position of mobile communication transceiver machine by its wireless transmit of PASSIVE SURVEILLANCE.Yet in the simplest method, wireless location does not consider because the distortion in the apparent position that multipath interference (multipath treatment technology) causes.The multipath treatment technology relates to the radio signal of the object reflection such as automobile, buildings, hillside.If do not consider above-mentioned influence, the apparent position of transceiver is with distortion.For shortwave, radio communication, multipath propagation is very general, and this is because smaller object can reflect a large amount of transmitting, and is particularly more general in the city with many buildingss that can reflected signal.Therefore, distortion potential, that caused by multipath is a problem in the apparent position of mobile transceiver, must be in the passive positioning transmitting set head it off help or the application of roadside helping such as providing emergent so that support.

When using signal analysis and source location process to improve potential distortion in the apparent position, the multipath propagation environment not necessarily hinders the location of transceiver.For example, people's such as Maloney U.S. Patent No. 4,728,959 has illustrated how to use the direction finding process by two or more receptions base station, wherein utilizes the arrival direction angle (DOA or AOA) that the direction finding process can measuring-signal.Utilize the PASSIVE SURVEILLANCE signal of communication of this patent description, determine that the position is a unsurpassed application, because it can determine the position of the mobile transceiver in the following network service area, wherein this network service area has the receiving station of at least two known location.This direction-finding method not only simply but also accurate, but need be positioned at the directional antenna of each receiving station.Equally, notice multipath influence, measure, can alleviate the demand of directional antenna, wherein utilize omnidirectional antenna and base service equipment when accurate, can obtain TDOA and measure by using step-out time (TDOA).Utilize the TDOA measurement to position, need be in the reception in three or more places, this is because a TDOA measurement only can be carried out in every pair of place, and each TDOA measures the hyperbolic curve (two dimension) of only determining a transmitter place.Even in the environment that influenced by multipath, the TDOA that has the receiving position of at least one tlv triple by analysis measures, and also can obtain transmitter site.Yet, need utilize time maintenance equipment to unite the necessity that receives common signal in three or more places, can increase the complicacy and the cost of TDOA method, and this has surpassed the scope that some cell phone or PCS company are current or take like a shot.

Usually, except that can obtaining from the signal characteristic that receives time mark and the directional data, can also obtain or other information that acquisition is relevant with the position of mobile wireless transceiver.For example, in that the roadside is emergent to help in the designed system in order to provide, we can suppose that the personnel that request help are being arranged in highway or near the vehicle of highway.For example, if he or she on the way, then, can verify this class hypothesis by asking this people to converse.This type of additional geography or topology information are called " satellite information " herein, and normally the dispatcher can adopt.By making up the satellite information that has time tag information from two (rather than three or more) base stations, be enough to determine the position range of mobile wireless transceiver, thus can dispatch emergency and roadside helping service.Only according to the observation feature of the wireless transmit that receives in two places, the transceiver locations of acquisition can meet the demands, thus need addition of base station information with obtain the position just become unnecessary.Yet, propose as yet so far to attempt to use this type of satellite information so that to need addition of base station to become unnecessary.

Supervision is positioned at mobile transceiver on the vehicle than only more manying advantage for response and request service provide support to have.An advantage is can be with high performance price ratio monitor traffic flow.It is unexpected that traffic events (" traffic congestion ") block highway, thereby to safety, environment and the economic deleterious effect that produces.Message traffic in the big city is a class satellite information, it can be combined with the observed information relevant with speed with the position and terrain information (as, road map), to represent which road P Passable, which road traffic congestion.Yet traffic flow information, emergency service and roadside help, and are not the main cause of setting up communication system, and therefore, communication system is current not to provide this type of service.Only can be under the minimum of infrastructure be added and can realize the time, for being provided, traffic flow information adds the cost of equipment to the communications infrastructure, communication common carrier is only reasonably.

At present, to for helping emergent and the roadside helps the office worker that the technology that the problem in the geographic position with enough accuracy exists provides the part comprehensive solution is provided.Yet this type systematic depends on the observed information that obtains according to two or more directive receptions, and the wireless transmit of three or more free mark receives, or from the navigation information of the irrelevant equipment of communication transceiver.Do not have system to attempt to combine with the satellite information that for example obtains from street map by with observed time tag information, to obtain positional information, wherein time tag information is only to receive according to a pair of radio communication to obtain.Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a kind of simple and effective way, position with certain mobile wireless transceiver in identification and the definite any wireless communication system, wireless communication system comprises existing or expectation, as is used for the system of PCS Personal Communications System (PCS), cell phone, special mobile radio (SMR) and PDA(Personal Digital Assistant) and so on.The objective of the invention is to observed information by obtaining according to the wireless transmit that receives, combine with the satellite information that obtains according to street map, user's description and other information sources, a kind of automatic positioning mark (ALI) and a kind of " numeral " sign (ANI) automatically are provided, that ALI and ANI can make things convenient for is internal and international, rural area and city emergency notice and personal security, and highway monitors.

Summary of the invention

Another object of the present invention is to comprise: a kind of system is provided, and wherein with the appendicular form of communicating by letter, cheapness provides position and sign, is used for the emergent and daily roadside of internal and international wireless enhancing 9-1-1 (E9-1-1) and helps notice; Estimate road surface speed, and the transit information such as traffic congestion and traffic characteristic is provided; Can relatively easily dispose and can provide aforementioned capabilities in the cheap system that builds; Provide one to have the system that can transmit configuration, therefore, can be used for monitoring fixed area temporarily, as the road construction zone, or the place of the specific activity such as athletic competition, meeting or concert; Process and combination of attributes are provided,, form the location and the tag system of not only cheap but also robust with appendicular form as communication system.

The invention provides a kind of device of position of the mobile radio telecommunications transceiver that is used for determining wireless communication system, this device comprises the sensing station of two known location, each sensing station has, reception is from the receiving antenna of the wireless signal of transceiver, one such as the clock mechanism based on the GPS receiver, to keep between a station standard lock in time, a signal characterization processing element, be used for determining that mobile wireless transceiver is transmitted into time of arrival (TOA) of certain components of the wireless signal at sensing station, other signal characteristics of a relevant mobile transceiver or the satellite information source of running environment, a multidimensional parameter correlation processing element, be used for determining the possible position of mobile transceiver according to TDOA and relevant satellite information, and the output unit of the possible position of an expression mobile transceiver.

The invention provides the simplified system of the signal that uses the emission of PASSIVE SURVEILLANCE mobile transceiver, to determine the position of mobile wireless transceiver in cell phone or the cellular communication system.In the present invention, have two synchronous between station processing that carry out known location reception base station, determining the TDOA track (that is two-dimentional hyperbolic curve) of mobile transceiver position.Then, this TDOA track and satellite information are combined, to determine the possible position of transceiver.The present invention is particularly suitable for the road surface transportation, and (9-1-1) service and roadside help because it can conveniently be met an urgent need, and it allows the PASSIVE SURVEILLANCE magnitude of traffic flow.Satellite information comprises the positional information that obtains according to other non-wireless position methods.This type of information can comprise the topology information of communication chart in the base station area, or other information such as the derive speed of transceiver (if the words that have), or from caller's personal communication or the information that obtains from the equipment that is positioned at the caller position.

The present invention does not need to determine the position by uniting from two or more equal hyperbolic curves of three or more base stations; Two base stations are just enough.This ability is particularly useful in the cdma communication network, wherein in cdma network, by dynamic power control, obtain the ability of enhancing, thereby less probably base station receives the emission of transceiver.However, the present invention does not stop the accuracy of using plural base station further to confirm the position, or in the position that does not have to determine under the situation of available satellite information mobile wireless transceiver.Can use the TOA/TDOA method from two positions, to determine the position,, need less infrastructure, and can reduce cost greatly in the more environment that can use the reception of two websites, providing emergent help to have advantage especially.The present invention is particularly useful for the magnitude of traffic flow that monitors grass roots, and in grass roots, seldom highway has the honeycomb facility of close highway, and extremely can not be at three or more positions lock-on signal.Therefore,, adopt the satellite information of route topology form, can represent better along the position of the mobile transceiver of observing TDOA track (hyperbolic curve) in grass roots.The present invention also is provided for the method and apparatus of the position of the mobile wireless transceiver in definite wireless communication system, the method and apparatus that is used for the TDOA track of definite mobile radio telecommunications transceiver, and the method and apparatus that is used for satellite information and TDOA track are combined the position of determining mobile wireless transceiver, wherein wireless communication system comprises the sensing station of two or more known location.

According to the present invention, a kind of system that is used for providing at wireless communication system the running environment location mobile radio telecommunications transceiver of service is provided, comprise: the first and second sensing stations of known location, each sensing station receives the radio signal from mobile transceiver; A time mark (timing) processing element, these parts are determined the time difference information that signal arrives according to the radio signal that receives at the first and second sensing stations; And a position processing element, these parts are determined the possible position of mobile transceiver according to the time difference information of satellite information and signal arrival, wherein satellite information is relevant with the position of mobile transceiver.

According to the present invention, a kind of method that is used at wireless communication system location mobile transceiver is provided, this wireless communication system comprises the first and second sensing stations, and this method may further comprise the steps: (a) receive the radio signal from mobile transceiver at the first and second sensing stations; (b) the visit satellite information relevant with the position of mobile transceiver; (c), determine the time difference information that signal arrives according to the radio signal that receives at the first and second sensing stations; And, determine the possible position of mobile transceiver (d) according to the time difference information and the satellite information of signal arrival.

The present invention has the following advantages, and need not the specialized equipment such as the GPS receiver is embedded in the mobile transceiver or with mobile transceiver to be integrated together, and just can determine the position of mobile wireless transceiver.In fact, the present invention can position all existing cell phones.The cost of deployment the present invention's positioning system is lower.Low start-up cost means can rapid deployment system, thereby the user can understand its benefit with lower expense as early as possible.

Description of drawings

Fig. 1 represents by utilizing the present invention to make the intrinsic link location information of step-out time (TDOA) information and highway network figure relevant, and the position of the cell phone transceiver that obtains.

Fig. 2 represents the zoomed-in view of the point of crossing of TDOA line shown in Figure 1 and highway interested.

Fig. 3 represents the functional module of system, and this system can combine TDOA and other characteristic signal information with the attached geography information that obtains from other sources, to obtain the position of the transceiver under the standard traffic operation.

Fig. 4 represents that the TDOA DATA REASONING and the point of crossing of the road that cell phone passed through that is using show, thereby can calculate its speed and estimate its moving direction.

Fig. 5 represents the configuration of the system of application drawing 3 described functions.

Embodiment

Fig. 1 represents how the present invention determines the position of mobile transceiver.Fig. 1 represents the satellite information of Virginia, USA Annandale part street map form, and the mobile wireless transceiver of form of cellular phones.Be equipped with cellular vehicle and be arranged in the zone that indicates numeral 1 along highway 2.A series of TDOA tracks 3 of different time are determined at the sensing station that use is positioned at position 10 and 11.

TDOA track 3 is superimposed upon on the expression this area street map topological data 20.Can obtain the vector quantization map datum in each city easily, for example, from the ETAK company that is positioned at California Menlo Park, from the Navigation Technologies company that is positioned at California Sunnyvale, obtain from the RoadnetTechnologies company that is positioned at Maryland Timonium or from the Census Bureau of the US Department of Commerce that is positioned at the Washington D.C..These maps are represented satellite information with the form of the topological structure of this area, and wherein mobile wireless transceiver moves in this area.The present invention attempts to use this type of satellite information, obtains TDOA track and satellite information so that control station (being arranged in the position 12 of Fig. 1) uses from two sensing stations, determines the position of the mobile wireless transceiver of operation in zone 1.

Fig. 2 represents the zoomed-in view of the band of position shown in Figure 11.TDOA track 3 is expressed as Parkwood Terrace and Marc Drive intersects.According to the arbitrary track in the TDOA track 3, can't determine which bar street mobile transceiver is positioned on.Yet any two TDOA tracks provide the corresponding TDOA of some geographic distance that covers with the mobile transceiver of zone in 1 to change.By the time that each TDOA track measured in record, make control system 12 can determine the approximate speed of passing through of the mobile transceiver in the zone 1.For the cell phone of communicating by letter, the higher speed of passing through, as 80km/hr (50mph), mean that this mobile transceiver is just on arterial highway 2, rather than on the residence street, wherein the road sign speed limit on the residence street is 40km/hr (25mph), is half of observed speed.Therefore, by using the satellite information of the average velocity distributions form of road shown in relevant road sign speed limit or Fig. 2, control station 12 can infer which bar street possible position zone 1 is placed on.

In above-mentioned example, unless this transceiver also moves with very high speed, as if then only according to the TDOA track, control station 12 can not determine that mobile transceiver is on arterial highway 2 or on the street.For the location of static transceiver, emergent (9-1-1) helps to need some other forms of satellite information.For example, the dispatcher who offers help can obtain additional information in the following manner, and whether the side that requests help of inquiry on main road, if not, then seeks other forms of descriptor, for example come street name or atural object is distinguished in less important street.If with geography information intrinsic in the above-mentioned request msg, the locating information in measuring with TDOA combines, and just can estimate the position of transceiver.

In addition, even do not move significant to other purposes such as the monitor traffic flow yet.According to common traffic characteristic, control station 12 can be supposed to initiate from arterial highway 2 from most of cellular calls in zone 1.Transceiver should be given prominence to the road sign of showing with this highway and limit corresponding ground velocity.If observe the characteristic velocity of this transceiver, be starkly lower than the speed under the normal road conditions around regional 1 or regional 1, then this information hint arterial highway 2 is congested unusually.If think to have an accident, can send the congested traffic of expression warning, and can dispatch emergency or other service vehicles to investigate congested cause.Above-mentioned functions does not need the additional information except that the time mark of different TDOA tracks and normal roadway characteristic knowledge, still, if any this type of information is arranged, always can increase above-mentioned functions.

Fig. 3 represents to carry out the block diagram of system of the present invention.Sensor subsystem 30 comprises the RF antenna 31 that is connected to signal characterization processing element 32.RF antenna 31 can be the existing communication antenna.Signal characterization processing element 32, sign is according to the time of the RF signal measurement of mark standard acquisition lock in time between the station such as the GPS receiver.The radiofrequency signal that produces when the passive reception of sensing system is normally used wireless communication system 34 is converted into the information that is used for following control system 35 then.This information comprises the time that processed component of signal arrives, the sign of expression of this component (if needs) and transceiver.This information can also comprise the observed feature relevant with the position, direction or its rate of change that arrives as the moving direction among the TDOA (relatively Doppler drift) or rate of change, signal intensity, signal and have response protocol and the closely-controlled transceiver communication systems of bandwidth signals bandwidth in the bilateral signal propagation time.By expanding the duration (being generalized time or " resident " time) of analyzing lock-on signal thereon, this processing can produce the measurement of TDOA (being relative Doppler drift) rate of change and TDOA itself.Can detect above-mentioned rate of change from the measuring process of expansion, this is because when from noticeable mobile wireless transceiver received signal, in the measuring process fixedly the standard of TDOA hypothesis will be invalid, and will produce the measurement of degeneration.The rate of change of TDOA is relevant with the vertical moving speed of the transceiver of communicating by letter.As the additional measurement of transceiver locations, the signal energy that characterization can be determined to receive (that is, the variance of bias free signal level or all side).Signal energy is represented (propagating valuation by the signal of discussing below) scope or distance from the receiving position to the mobile transceiver, the rate of change of signal energy or other energy changing characteristics not only can be represented the speed that moves radially of transceiver, and can also represent physical obstacle or multipath cause of failures, the multipath cause of failures is to propagate from the accompaniment signal in known area.Straightway bilateral signal propagation time and the twice from the reception place to the mobile transceiver position are directly proportional.All physical features of from the wireless signal that receives, measuring, the basis of formation localization process, wherein this measurement has known relation with the transceiver locations of conjecture with moving.

Collect Measuring Time and uncertain information from two sensing stations, be inserted into multidimensional parameter correlation processing element 36 then.Processing element 36 combines with time tag information and from other satellite informations of importing 32,37 or 38, to determine the position of vehicle.Phrase " satellite information " is applied to strengthen the observation feature of timestamp data, and comprises the information that obtains from the source of the wireless transmit that is different from mobile wireless transceiver.Satellite information comprises the relevant environmental information that mobile transceiver moves of thinking in this environment, configuration, terrain feature and border, signal propagation characteristic as road network, about weather with and signal propagated and the information of the influence of road traffic environment, also comprise oral account or other description of the position sensing information that highway number, road name, speed, near atural object or other are communicated by letter from mobile transceiver.Can obtain road and relief representation data there from above-mentioned appointed dealer, so that be the data in the Geographic Information System mapping database.Usually also can obtain to comprise in the expression database additional data of the road sign speed limit of road part from map datum manufacturer or Department of Transportation of state government.In addition, usually can be from the daily magnitude of traffic flow research of carrying out of state Department of Transportation, acquisition distributes as the typical rate of the traffic on the different kinds of roads part of the function in time, weather condition, week and season.On the other hand, can accumulate the data of this type of expression position and magnitude of traffic flow relationship characteristic from utilizing the present invention the traffic statistics information that clear and definite occasion is collected, recurrence is upgraded then, so that the increase along with the statistical precision of database obtains rapider, the more decision of robust.Relation between signal intensity (being energy) and the distance is a support information, when ancillary data is represented the signal propagation characteristic, can obtain this information in database.Standard relationship between intensity and the distance is, square being inversely proportional to of the signal intensity that receives (being energy) and scope.Yet, be in the multi-path environment (as cellular system) of short wave communication in general features, intensity two to six powers common and distance are inversely proportional to, and highly depend on direction and the weather condition that signal arrives.Therefore, use signal intensity to depend on as range indicator, the conversion of expression signal distance, i.e. signal propagation characteristic, the precision of satellite information database.For the approximate measurement of correlation of signal power with the ratio of estimated distance from the receiver to the mobile transceiver, signal is propagated to analyze and can be used RF and propagate static state or the dynamic projection of measuring.Can or obtain convenient above-mentioned signal from Applied Spectrum Research, the C.E.T. company that is positioned at Florida State Edgewater that is positioned at state of Colorado Boulder, the SoftWright that is positioned at Denver, state of Colorado city and propagate the computer software of projection from the H2A Communications that is positioned at Moscow, Idaho State city.Propagate to analyze and indiscriminately ad. as one wishes to consider the height of weather effect, ground surface or terrain and structure, buildings and interference or the ground unrest relevant with direction.

Can use the topographic condition knowledge on the approximate path of signal arrival, estimate the influence that it is propagated signal.In addition, the geographic entity such as hills, hydrosphere can limit the transceiver zone that back of living in bit selecting is put under known way.Therefore, also can use this type of topographic information, to strengthen efficient and the precision that the position is determined as satellite information.

In grass roots, estimate by TDOA information and topological map are mated (promptly, with the known geographic information of positional information and road or other characteristic matching of landform) the form satellite information combines, be enough in most of the cases monitor the magnitude of traffic flow, make things convenient for dispatch emergency vehicle and roadside to help simultaneously along backbone.The highway of grass roots is fewer, thereby the TDOA track at two sensing stations and the point of crossing of mobile wireless transceiver are enough to the possible position of unique identification mobile wireless transceiver.

As if in the urban district, we think and utilize time tag information and road traffic map information and itself to be not enough to the position of unique definite mobile wireless transceiver.In this case, may need additional information.The present invention's attempt is used satellite information in the position information process device 38 based on knowledge.Processor 38 can integrated information from additional source, represents as the knowledge of emergent help (9-1-1) hub operators of the apparent position of relevant mobile wireless transceiver or possible position and the geography of judgement.

The present invention also attempts to receive the supportive descriptor from wireless communication system.Can be used to satellite information, strengthen the information of from the RF signal that receives, extracting relevant with the position from wireless communication system shown in Figure 3 34.For example, RF antenna 33 can be near remote transceiver, i.e. cell phone, the base station of cell phone system.Wireless communication system 34 is tried hard to the communication of demodulation from remote transceiver.The descriptor that receives by wireless communication system can comprise knowledge of orientation, as the voice that the vehicle on from road sends the motorway names that mobile transceiver is just travelling is described on it to truth, voice can be described and be transformed to symbol logo, so that in the located in connection that has the TDOA measurement is handled, be used as satellite information.In the situation of (calling out as 9-1-1) that requests help, response operation person requires this people to insert call number and the position of calling to discern them usually.Do not know the caller of its position, can describe its environment by phone.Therefore, the present invention designs with helping the information of operator by utilizing this operator to draw fast, and the exact position is provided fast.By from caller's highway number or street name,, can provide caller's possible position fast by conjunction with this highway and estimated signals step-out time.When the caller did not know its highway that passes through, the operator who offers help can ask relevant travel speed and near the relatively information of outstanding atural object.All these type of information relevant with the position, and though be manual that obtain or or obtain by automatic analysis, all can be or automatically understand and release by graphical interaction, be converted to geographical form, to be included in the evaluation relevant with the signal characteristic that extracts.

By the people and graphical interaction between the station terminal that is used for automatically pointing to the figure sensing equipment of determining is housed, can help to import geographical knowledge or understand the operator or the mankind's information source.The map in the relevant highway zone by observing computer drives shows that the operator can use graphic input device to select apparent position, by the highway of caller's voice identifier, or based on the ellipse or the polygon of communication description.United States geographical prospecting professional paper 1395, exercise question " map projection-operation manuals ", the author is John P.Snyder, here quote as a reference, illustrated that position between the witness mark coordinate that the plane projection coordinate that uses in the geographical demonstration and navigation and position reference system use represents the mathematic(al) manipulation of changing.

On the other hand, the operator can provide the literal input of following information, i.e. motorway names, speed, atural object or the road junction of passing on or inferring, and these are that what can transmit perhaps is operation response person's inquiry.Then, carry out conversion, lteral data is converted to approximate positional information by utilizing the synthetic transform data storehouse of text point that comprises in the 9-1-1 database such as the address data storehouse of United Parcel Service map or public service response center.In AS is implemented, can be under the automatic control of phonetic synthesis, or by computing machine be integrated into the mutual of processor in vehicle or the user communication device, ask relevant information, and can pass through voice recognition processing, or be used to utilize the time mark of extraction and the immediate data interface that the features relevant measurement enters relevant treatment, come analyzing responding.

Multidimensional parameter correlation processing element 36 combinations among Fig. 3 are described with position that generates mobile transceiver and the probability that moves from the different parameters information of input 32,37 and 38.The representation of knowledge of input information and uncertainty thereof can be taked various ways, as discrete attribute vector, the value of the specifically discrete attribute of Xiang Liang each element representation wherein, this value can be Boolean type, integer, floating-point or character type, and the special value of selecting will have subsidiary degree of confidence; Serial number parameter with relevant statistical error; And/or fuzzy logic parameter.Correlated process can be used numerous engines and uncertain management system, respectively is suitable for proper knowledge and represents, estimates that as maximum likelihood or least square Joint Probabilistic Data Association algorithm is used for the probability density function multiple-target system of continuous parameter; The uncertain management system of many hypothesis; The RBES that has many degree of confidence production rule, wherein production rule is asserted discrete logic and is combined with serial number information; The fuzzy logic engine; And cause and effect trust network.

As the example of relevant treatment, consider following situation, detect certain transceiver in the urban district along certain bar do not know highway information but near understanding the highway of some atural object move.Can find that the TDOA track that has subsidiary position degree of confidence section intersects with numerous roads, atural object, river and waters, for example, cover detection by scanning these objects and pixel subsequently, inquire the database of these objects then, to select the point of crossing after searching or near TDOA track and other objects, as near the atural object of TDOA track and road junction, the back object that selects of point of crossing.Represent that with proper knowledge mode catches the result of above-mentioned inquiry.Manage by uncertainty, application is according to cell position or other the priori scope of signal intensity more specifically, or according to the caller to the constraint that near the description of atural object obtains, select the possibility or the degree of confidence of object after can reducing some, and increase the possibility or the degree of confidence of other objects.

Fig. 4 represents how to use the information according to the continuous coverage acquisition of signal step-out time, calculates the speed and the direction of mobile wireless transceiver, and wherein mobile wireless transceiver 40 moves (representing interstate highway 495) southwards along the highway that restriction enters.Operator or processor are pointed out the point of crossing (map match) of TDOA track and particular link.Processor calculates the average velocity between the continuity point.From the rate of change of the step-out time of the signal of mobile transceiver 40, proportional with the speed component of transceiver, the TDOA track quadrature of this speed component of transceiver and receiver and mobile transceiver wherein.Utilize this component after seek projection on the tangential direction of TDOA track on the road and this road junction, can estimate corresponding speed and moving direction.On the other hand, by continuous observation step-out time, and estimate to contain with after seek the moving of rail mark point of crossing, can estimate moving parameter more accurately.By relevant, and the further estimation of the probability of the road of seeking after each estimating speed that can rationally occur, may estimate that more mobile transceiver is along it and the real road of row with the expression of suitable road network velocity distribution.

Be used for equipment of the present invention and can comprise common treatment equipment, as microprocessor work station based on Intel 80486 or Pentium central processing unit (CPU) or Motorola 68040 or PowerPC CPU.Correlation computations is stored in satellite information on the massage storage, that provide support with utilization, the time mark of determine measuring and other may features, transmission information and/or the human best of breed of estimating, wherein massage storage such as disk, CD ROM, magnetic bubble memory and such as common tape in workstation and the similar database server.For a large amount of various types of geodatas of fast access, should be by the Data Communications Channel of high-throughput, as adopt network between direct processor bus disk interface and ethernet processor, the mass memory unit of high utilization rate is connected to data processing equipment.

Fig. 5 represents to use realization of the present invention to use the mode of existing cellular phone network as wireless communication system monitor traffic flow.Its objective is and use mobile transceiver 40, to determine the magnitude of traffic flow along highway 51 as detector.Exemplary cellular telephone 40 emitting radio frequency signals, and by receiver 32 intercepting and capturing that are positioned at sensing station 10 and 11.Then, preferably with the information relevant and the signal characteristic of other observations with the time mark of signal capture, being transferred to control station or traffic control center's 53-transmission time mark and other characteristic informations should have higher right of priority than signal or other this type of basic datas of receiving, to drop to the information transmitted amount minimum.Handle TDOA and relevant information, on the monitor 54 of computing machine, show above information then, and other useful informations that obtain in view of the above, on highway 51, pass through speed as vehicle.

Principle of the present invention, preferred forms and mode of operation in above-mentioned instructions, have been set forth.It is that explanation is of the present invention that embodiment disclosed herein should be interpreted as, rather than limits it.Above-mentioned open be not the scope that is used for limiting equivalent constructions that those skilled in the art obtain by any way, but with in the past never the mode of the imagination expand the scope of equivalent constructions.Can make various changes or change to above-mentioned illustrative embodiment, and not deviate from the scope of the present invention and the essence of the statement of appended claims book.

Claims (30)

1. one kind is used for providing the running environment of service to locate the system of mobile radio telecommunications transceiver at wireless communication system, comprising:

The first and second sensing stations of known location, each sensing station receives the radio signal from mobile transceiver;

A time mark processing element, these parts are determined the time difference information that signal arrives according to the radio signal that receives at the first and second sensing stations; And

A position processing element, these parts are determined the possible position of mobile transceiver according to the time difference information of satellite information and signal arrival, and wherein satellite information is relevant with the position of mobile transceiver.

2. the system of claim 1, wherein

The first sensing station comprises one first signal characterization processing element, and these parts are determined the very first time information with corresponding signal arrival of the time that receives radio signals at the first sensing station;

The second sensing station comprises secondary signal characterization parts, and these parts are determined second temporal information with corresponding signal arrival of the time that receives radio signals at the second sensing station; And

Described time mark processing element according to the very first time information of signal arrival and second temporal information of signal arrival, is determined the time difference information that signal arrives.

3. the system of claim 1, wherein satellite information comprises database information.

4. the system of claim 1, wherein satellite information comprises the signal propagation characteristic of the running environment of mobile transceiver.

5. the system of claim 1, wherein satellite information comprises that the user of wireless communication system describes.

6. the system of claim 1, wherein satellite information comprises the physical features of the radio signal of measurement, and does not comprise the signal time label information.

7. the system of claim 6, wherein the physical features of Ce Lianging comprises signal strength information.

8. the system of claim 6, wherein the physical features of Ce Lianging comprises the arrival direction from the signal of mobile transceiver.

9. the system of claim 1, wherein satellite information comprises the bilateral signal propagation time.

10. the system of claim 1, wherein satellite information comprise mobile transceiver running environment signal propagation characteristic, magnitude of traffic flow feature, wireless communication system user's description, topology information, standard routes information, cartographic information and convey a message at least one.

11. the system of claim 1, wherein the time mark processing element is determined the time difference information that a plurality of signals arrive.

12. the system of claim 11 also comprises the device that moves of determining mobile transceiver according to the time difference information of a plurality of signals arrival.

13. the system of claim 11 also comprises the device of determining the time difference rate of change information that signal arrives according to the time difference information of a plurality of signals arrival.

14. the system of claim 11 also comprises the device of determining the road monitor message according to the time difference information of a plurality of signals arrival.

15. the system of claim 1, wherein the possible position of mobile transceiver is used for the road supervision.

16. a method that is used at wireless communication system location mobile transceiver, this wireless communication system comprises the first and second sensing stations, and this method may further comprise the steps:

(a) in the radio signal of first and second sensing stations reception from mobile transceiver;

(b) the visit satellite information relevant with the position of mobile transceiver;

(c), determine the time difference information that signal arrives according to the radio signal that receives at the first and second sensing stations; And

(d), determine the possible position of mobile transceiver according to the time difference information and the satellite information of signal arrival.

17. the method for claim 16, wherein step (c) may further comprise the steps:

(i) definite very first time information that arrives with corresponding signal of the time that receives radio signals at the first sensing station;

(ii) determine second temporal information with corresponding signal arrival of the time that receives radio signals at the second sensing station; And

(iii), determine the time difference information that arrives according to the very first time information of signal arrival and second temporal information of signal arrival.

18. the method for claim 16, wherein satellite information comprises database information.

19. the method for claim 16, wherein satellite information comprises the signal propagation characteristic of the running environment of mobile transceiver.

20. the method for claim 16, wherein satellite information comprises that the user of wireless communication system describes.

21. the method for claim 16, wherein satellite information also comprises the physical features of the radio signal of measurement, and does not comprise the signal time label information.

22. the method for claim 21, wherein the physical features of Ce Lianging comprises signal strength information.

23. the method for claim 22, wherein the physical features of Ce Lianging comprises the arrival direction from the signal of mobile transceiver.

24. the method for claim 16, wherein satellite information comprises the bilateral signal propagation time.

25. the method for claim 16, wherein satellite information comprise mobile transceiver running environment signal propagation characteristic, magnitude of traffic flow feature, wireless communications method user's description, topology information, standard routes information, cartographic information and convey a message at least one.

26. the method for claim 16 also comprises the time difference information of determining that a plurality of signals arrive.

27. the method for claim 26 also comprises the step that moves of determining mobile transceiver according to the time difference information of a plurality of signals arrival.

28. the method for claim 26 also comprises the step of determining the time difference rate of change information that signal arrives according to the time difference information of a plurality of signals arrival.

29. the method for claim 26 also comprises the step of determining the road monitor message according to the time difference information of a plurality of signals arrival.

30. the method for claim 16 comprises that also the possible position that uses mobile transceiver carries out the step that road monitors.

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