Cooperative Localization in a Hybrid WiMAX/WiFi System: A Future-Proof Framework

Abstract

Mobile and wireless communications are global phenomena of large social ­relevance. During the last decades we have observed a constant increase of mobile subscribers worldwide, where, thanks to globalization and huge demands, the costs have decreased so much that the mobile phone has become a device affordable by almost everybody. In particular, mobile and wireless communication systems have opened up new scenarios for developing countries, which have finally the possibility to have global access from remote areas at low costs, much lower than when deploying wired systems. At the same time, we have experienced a metamorphosis of the mobile phone with respect to the services it provides to its users and its social relevance; indeed, from being a device merely used for voice calls and SMSs, it is now used for exchanging e-mails, taking pictures, retrieving location-based information, etc. Practically, it has turned into an advanced social-networking tool, which is nowadays exploited for enlarging one’s social sphere. Along with this change of skin there have been increasing research and ­development efforts at a global scale for mobile phones and mobile and wireless communications, in general. At the present time, we are actually heading to the fourth generation (4G), where the main drivers are higher data rates and the convergence among the several technologies available today. In this chapter, we exploit the second track in order to develop a localization solution that will provide 4G and beyond users more advanced services, like indoor navigation and cooperative location-based services.