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AppleGranted patentNetworks & wirelessInterest 4/10

Apple patents method to improve phone location accuracy using timing data

Patent drawing
Patent drawing from the official filing.

Apple has been granted a patent for a network technique that helps smartphones determine their exact location more accurately. The system involves a network server calculating specific timing errors from cell towers and sending that data to the phone. The phone then uses this information to refine its position based on the time difference of signals received from different towers.

Why it mattersThis improves the precision of location services like maps and navigation, which is useful for anyone relying on accurate GPS or cellular positioning.

In the filing’s own words

A location management function (LMF) of a network provides timing errors to user equipment and/or base stations for positioning purposes. The LMF receives an indication of an effective timing error for a downlink time difference of arrival (DL-TDOA) positioning technique, wherein the effective timing error is associated with a set of base stations configured to transmit positioning reference signals for the DL-TDOA and provides the effective timing error to a user equipment (UE) performing operations related to the DL-TDOA.

What exactly they claim (claim 1)

1. One or more processors of a network component configured to perform operations comprising: receiving an indication of an effective timing error for a downlink time difference of arrival (DL-TDOA) positioning technique, wherein the effective timing error is associated with one or more base stations configured to transmit positioning reference signals for the DL-TDOA; providing the effective timing error to a user equipment (UE) performing operations related to the DL-TDOA; and generating, for transmission to the UE, an LTE Position Protocol (LPP) Provide Assistance Data message including an identifier associated with multiple transmission and reception points (TRPs) and the effective timing error, wherein the identifier associated with the multiple TRPs and the effective timing error is used for UE-based positioning techniques.

Facts

Company
Apple (Apple Inc.)
Official title
Positioning techniques for user equipment in a network
Patent number
US12764698B2
Application number
17754495
Filed
Apr 6, 2021
Granted
Oct 13, 2026
Inventors
12
Claims
16

Classified under

H04W 64/00 Electricity & electronicsG01S 5/0236 Physics & computingG01S 5/10 Physics & computing
Read the full filing (official PDF) ↗ Open in the Patent Tracker

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Summaries are simplified from the filing’s own abstract and first claim. A patent filing is not a product announcement.
Patent data and drawings: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Nebula is not affiliated with or endorsed by the USPTO.