Location-based Services (LBS) are among the most widely used services/applications on mobile devices today. In many locations, especially indoors, accuracy and availability can only be provided by a combination of location technologies.
Hybrid location technology will equip the phone with the ability to support a fusion of location technologies such as:
- A-GNSS—provides better than 5m accuracy in clear sky
- Wi-Fi—provides better accuracy indoors and dense urban environments
- Cellular positioning (OTDOA, Cell ID, Enhanced Cell ID)—works wherever there is cell coverage
- Integrated sensors (accelerometers, magnetometers, and barometers)—enables more accurate location when indoors
What to Test
The ability to address the complexity of multiple location technologies and protocols in the lab is critical to delivering the required performance for LBS. The following scenarios will need to be tested and validated to enable the use of hybrid location technologies in the wireless device:
- Handling of difficult and adversarial conditions
- Location accuracy, yield, Time-To-First-Fix (TTFF)
- “Fusion” of information from discrete GNSS, WiFi, cellular, sensors
- Protocols for communicating multi-location measurement data
- Accuracy, acquisition speed, sensitivity, dynamic range
Spirent Solutions
Spirent is the first to combine four different location technologies in a single test solution enabling repeatable and reliable hybrid location testing in the R&D lab.
- Hybrid Location Technology Solution (HLTS)—provides integration of Wi-Fi, A-GNSS, Micro Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) sensor and cellular positioning technologies in one system with an intuitive GUI, SimHybrid and two different test modes
