Telecommunications – Radiotelephone system – Zoned or cellular telephone system
Reexamination Certificate
2001-03-01
2004-06-29
Vuong, Quochien B. (Department: 2685)
Telecommunications
Radiotelephone system
Zoned or cellular telephone system
C455S404200, C342S357490
Reexamination Certificate
active
06757545
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention generally relates to the use of location finding equipment (LFE) or position determination equipment (PDE) in relation to a mobile communications system (e.g., a wireless network) and, more particularly, to managing the provisioning of location information on mobile communications units.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Wireless communications networks generally allow for voice and/or data communication between wireless stations, e.g., wireless telephones (analog, digital cellular and PCS), pagers or data terminals that communicate using RF signals. In recent years, a number of location-based service systems have been implemented or proposed for wireless networks. Such systems generally involve determining location information for a wireless station and processing the location information to provide an output desired for a particular application.
Examples of such existing or proposed applications include emergency or “911” applications, location dependent call billing, cell-to-cell handoff and vehicle tracking. In 911 applications, the location of a wireless station is determined when the station is used to place an emergency call. The location is then transmitted to a local emergency dispatcher to assist in responding to the call. In typical location dependent call billing applications, the location of a wireless station is determined, for example, upon placing or receiving a call. This location is then transmitted to a billing system that determines an appropriate billing value based on the location of the wireless station. In handoff applications, wireless location is determined in order to coordinate handoff of call handling between network cells. Vehicle tracking applications are used, for example, to track the location of stolen vehicles. In this regard, the location of a car phone or the like in a stolen vehicle can be transmitted to the appropriate authorities to assist in recovering the vehicle.
From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that location-based service systems involve location finding equipment (LFE) and location-related applications. To some extent, the LFEs and applications have developed independently. In this regard, a number of types of LFEs exist and/or are in development. These include so-called angle of arrival (AOA) time difference of arrival (TDOA), handset global positioning system (GPS) and the use of cell/sector location. The types of equipment employed and the nature of the information received from such equipment vary in a number of ways. First, some of these equipment types, like GPS, are wireless station-based whereas others are “ground-based,” usually infrastructure-based. Some can determine a wireless station's location at any time via a polling process, some require that the station be transmitting on the reverse traffic channel (voice channel), and others can only determine location at call origination, termination, and perhaps registration. Moreover, the accuracy with which location can be determined varies significantly from case to case. Accordingly, the outputs from the various LFE's vary in a number of ways including data format, accuracy and timeliness.
The nature of the information desired for particular applications also varies. For example, for certain applications such as 911, accuracy and timeliness are important. For the applications such as vehicle tracking, continuous or frequent monitoring independent of call placement is a significant consideration. For other applications, such as call billing, location determination at call initiation and call termination or during handoff is generally sufficient.
Heretofore, developers have generally attempted to match available LFEs to particular applications in order to obtain the location information required by the application. This has not always resulted in the best use of available LFE resources for particular applications. Moreover, applications designed to work with a particular LFE can be disabled when information from that LFE is unavailable, e.g., due to limited coverage areas, malfunctions or local conditions interfering with a particular LFE modality. In addition, the conventional query and response mode of operation between applications and the associated LFEs has resulted in the use by applications of LFE dependent data formats, LFE limited data contents, and single LFE input location determinations.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention generally relates to managing the provisioning of location information on a mobile communications unit. A first aspect of the present invention is embodied in a method for providing location information on a mobile communications unit (e.g., wireless telephones, pagers, data terminals) of a mobile communications system (e.g., a wireless communications network). The method generally includes the step of determining at least the general location of a particular mobile communications unit. This information is then used to determine if any of a plurality of position determination equipment sites may be utilized to provide location information on this particular mobile communications unit.
Various refinements exist of the features noted in relation to the subject first aspect of the present invention. Further features may also be incorporated in the subject first aspect of the present invention as well. These refinements and additional features may exist individually or in any combination. The mobile communications system may include a plurality of cells. Each of these cells may encompass a certain geographical area. Typically when the mobile communications unit is being powered or is in an “on” condition, one or more signals will be exchanged on some basis (e.g., intermittently, periodically) between the mobile communications unit and the cell site equipment (e.g., one or more of a transmitter, receiver, transceiver, or antenna(s)) of the cell in which the mobile communications unit is then physically located. It may be possible for the mobile communications unit to be in this type of communication with multiple cells. Therefore, determining which cell(s) the mobile communications unit is currently communicating with in the above-noted manner may be used to define the general location of the mobile communications unit in accordance with the subject first aspect. That is, the “general location” of the mobile communications unit in accordance with the first aspect may correspond with the area of each of the cells which are in communication with the mobile communications unit in the above-noted manner. Where a cell includes a plurality of cell sectors, this same general technique may be utilized to determine which cell sector(s) is in communication with the mobile communications unit in the above-noted manner.
Another way of conceptualizing the “general location” associated with the subject first aspect is that it encompasses a first area. Knowledge of the geographical description of this first area may be used as a basis for determining which position determination equipment site, if any, includes a coverage area which at least overlaps with this first area.
The determination of which position determination equipment site, if any, would be able to provide location information on a mobile communications unit in accordance with the subject first aspect may entail consulting a database or other appropriate data storage structure having information on these position determination equipment sites. Various types of information may be stored on each position determination equipment site within this database. There will typically be an identifier of sorts which is unique to each particular position determination equipment site, and this information will typically be stored in the noted database. All other information relating to a particular position determination equipment site will then typically be stored in relation to or in association with its corresponding identifier.
Additional information which facilitates the determination of whether a position determination equipment site
Fitch James A.
Nowak Steven P.
Marsh & Fischmann & Breyfogle LLP
Vuong Quochien B.
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