Mobile location estimation based on differences of signal attenuations for GSM systems

Radio location by time advance for GSM systems had been published. However, the resolution of time advance in GSM systems is too coarse to locate a mobile´s position. The paper proposes a mobile location estimation based on the differences of downlink signal attenuations. This provides a possible mobile location method if the relationship between distance and signal attenuation is determined. Then, the mobile location can be estimated from those possible locations. The error of the proposed method is much smaller than the error of the cell-ID method in the practical microcell system. The greatest advantage of this method is the non-necessity of a known and accurate path loss model and the reduction of the shadowing effect.