Methodology

Obtaining The Position The methods of determining the position are Cell Of Origin (COO), Timing Advance (TA), Time of Arrival (TOA), Angle of Arrival (AOA) and Global Positioning System (GPS). The different methods to obtain a position, described below, can be divided into four categories, depending on where the information is gathered and calculated. - Networkbased - Network based, MS assisted - Network assisted, MS based - MSbased The first category relies solely on the network. It can derive the needed information without involving the handsets. COO and TA are in this category.

Network based, MS assisted methods are the most common. The important calculations are done within the network but some information is needed from the MS, such as receiving the signal from the MS to measure a time value. The network assisted, MS based methods are actually network based in spite of the label. They are mostly executed in the network, but the final calculations may be made in the MS. The difference between this and the network based, MS assisted methods could be where the method was initialised. E-OTD, for example, can be of both types. If its the subscriber himself who wants the result of the position, then the calculation can be done in the MS and presented on the display. But if its the system that tries to fix the position of a subscriber, then the calculation could be done within the network once needed information is obtained from the MS.

Cell Of Origin (COO) COO is the simplest and cheapest method to use since it requires no changes in handsets or network.The method uses the cell area in which the mobile station is registered. By identifying the cell-ID of serving cell, the corresponding Base Transceiver Station (BTS) can be found. The BTS has a fix position and known properties, such as signal strength, and an area around the BTS can be calculated in which the handset should be located to receive signals in this cell. This method is fairly inaccurate. The area calculated around the BTS is based on transmitted signal strength and known signal attenuation, which would give a radius around the BTS. Thus this method depends upon the network cell size, which can vary from 150m in an urban area up to 30,000m in a rural area.

Time Of Arrival (TOA)

TOA works by measuring signals sent from the MS to three or more BTSs. By sending a known signal the BTS can receive the signal and hand it over to a Location Measurement Unit (LMU). The LMU measures the time it took for the signal to travel between the MS and the BTS, the TOA value. These values can be used to calculate a circle around the BTS, since the propagation time of the radio wave is directly proportional to its traversed distance. Calculating where the circles from three different BTSs intersect will give the proximate location of the MS.

Time Of Arrival

Time Difference of Arrival (TDOA) TDOA is a variation of the TOA, and can be used if the time the signal was sent isnt known or not accurate. Instead of using absolute time measurements, as TOA, this method rather uses difference measurements. The LMU at the BTS marks the time when the signal arrived from the MS, d1. This value is compared against when the signal arrived to another BTS, d2. The difference between the two arrival times, d1-d2, is called the TDOA value. A curve is calculated along the line where the TDOA value is constant, a hyperbola. By using two pairs of BTSs, at least three BTSs, two hyperbolas can be calculated and an intersection found where the MS is located. As with TOA, this method can only be executed in the network and not possible to implement today.

Angle Of Arrival (AOA)

If the angle in which the signal from the MS arrives to the BTS can be measured, a line can be drawn from the BTS using this angle. By measuring the angle at two or more different BTSs an intersection of the lines can be calculated where the MS would be located.

An advantage of this method is that only two BTSs are required to find an intersection, which can be useful in remote and rural areas. The main disadvantage is the need of complex antennas to measure the angle.