Positioning with wireless local area networks and WLAN-aided global positioning systems

摘要

Accurate position capability can be quickly provided using a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN). When associated with a WLAN, a wireless device can quickly determine its relative and/or coordinate position based on information provided by an access point in the WLAN. Before a wireless device disassociates with the access point, the WLAN can periodically provide time, location, and decoded GPS data to the wireless device. In this manner, the wireless device can significantly reduce the time to acquire the necessary GPS satellite data (i.e. on the order of seconds instead of minutes) to determine its coordinate position.

主权项

1. A method including:
exchanging information between a first device and a second device in an ad hoc communication mode, wherein exchanged information includes last positions of the first and the second devices and update times associated with the last positions; and determining a new common position of the first and the second devices using the exchanged information, the first and the second devices having wireless networking capability.