Location information management system and method for mobile communications unit

• US 20020193121A1
• Filed: 03/01/2001
• Published: 12/19/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Unwired Planet LLC (JP Morgan Chase & Co)
• Original Assignee: Openwave Systems Incorporated (JP Morgan Chase & Co)
• Inventors: Fitch, James A., Nowak, Steven P.
• Granted Patent: US 6,757,545 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/50 for emergency connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data

Abstract

A system and method for managing the provisioning of location information on a mobile communications unit (e.g., a cellular phone) is disclosed. When a request for location information on a particular mobile communications unit is received, the general location of the mobile communications unit may be determined. This general location information may then be used to determine if any position determination equipment site would be able to provide the desired location information. Therefore, a request for location information on a given mobile communications unit is not invoked to a particular position determination equipment site until it has been first determined that the position determination equipment site would in fact be able to provide the desired location information.

Claims

1. A method for providing location information regarding a mobile communications unit of a mobile communications system, wherein a mobile communications unit location information management system utilizes a plurality of position determination equipment sites, wherein said method comprises the steps of:

executing a first determining step comprising determining at least a general location of a first said mobile communications unit;

executing a second determining step comprising determining if any of said plurality of position determination equipment sites are able to provide location information on said first said mobile communications unit based upon said general location from said executing a first determining step.

2. A method, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said mobile communications system further comprises a plurality of cells which each encompass a predetermined area, wherein said executing a first determining step comprises identifying said cell in which said first said mobile communications unit is physically located.

3. A method, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said mobile communications system further comprises a plurality of cells which each encompass a predetermined area, wherein each said cell comprises at least one sector which encompasses a predetermined area, and wherein said executing a first determining step comprises identifying said sector of said cell in which said first said mobile communications unit is physically located.

4. A method, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said executing a first determining step comprises consulting a mobile communications unit database, wherein a most recent known location of said first said mobile communications unit is stored in said mobile communications unit database, along with a time associated with said most recent known location for said first said mobile communications unit.

5. A method, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said executing a first determining step is executed other than through any of said plurality of position determination equipment sites.

6. A method, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said executing a second determining step comprises consulting a database in which information on said plurality of position determination equipment sites is stored.

7. A method, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

information on said plurality of position determination equipment sites is stored in a database, wherein said information comprises an identifier and a coverage area for each said position determination equipment site, and wherein said executing a second determining step comprises comparing said general location of said first said mobile communications unit with said coverage area of at least one of said position determination equipment sites that is included in said database.

8. A method, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

information on said plurality of position determination equipment sites is stored in a database, wherein said information comprises an identifier and a coverage area for each said position determination equipment site, and wherein said executing a second determining step comprises comparing said general location of said first said mobile communications unit with said coverage area of each said position determination equipment site that is included in said database.

9. A method, as claimed claim 1, further comprising the step(s) of:

invoking a request for said location information on said first said mobile communications unit to at least one of said position determination equipment sites identified by said executing a second determining step, wherein said invoking a request step is executed only if said at least one of said position determination equipment sites is first identified by said executing a second determining step.

10. A method, as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the step(s) of:

directing a request for said location information on said first said mobile communications unit toward a mobile communications unit location information management system.

11. A method, as claimed in claim 10, wherein:

said directing a request step comprises including at least one requirement regarding at least one aspect associated with said location information on said first said mobile communications unit.

12. A method, as claimed in claim 10, wherein:

said directing a request step comprises directing a time limit for providing said location information on said first said mobile communications unit.

13. A method, as claimed in claim 10, wherein:

said directing a request step comprises directing an acceptable level of uncertainty associated with said location information on said first said mobile communications unit.

14. A method, as claimed in claim 10, wherein:

said directing a request step comprises directing an acceptable cost for receiving said location information on said first said mobile communications unit.

15. A method, as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the step(s) of:

providing said location information on said first said mobile communications unit from at least one of said position determination equipment sites identified from said executing a second determining step.

16. A method, as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the step(s):

providing said location information on said first said mobile communications unit from each said position determination equipment site identified by said executing a second determining step.

17. A method, as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the step(s) of:

deriving said location information on said first said mobile communications unit using each said position determination equipment site identified from said executing a second determining step.

18. A method, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said executing a first determining step comprises identifying a cell in which said first said mobile communications unit is currently located, and wherein said executing a second determining step comprises retrieving all said position determination equipment sites that are currently associated with said cell in said location information management system.

19. A method for providing location information regarding a mobile communications unit of a mobile communications system, wherein said method comprises the steps of:

directing a first request for location information on a first said mobile communications unit of said mobile communications system, wherein said directing a first request step is toward a mobile communications unit location information management system;

directing a first response toward a first recipient that is associated with said first request and in response to said directing a first request step, wherein said first response is said location information and which is based upon at least one position determination equipment site, wherein said at least one position determination equipment site was first determined by said mobile communications unit location information management system to be able to provide said location information on said first said mobile communications unit before a request was sent from said mobile communications unit location information management system to said at least one position determination equipment site to provide said location information on said first said mobile communications unit.

20. A mobile communications unit location information management system, wherein said system provides location information on mobile communications units of a mobile communications system, wherein said mobile communications unit location information management system comprises:

a computer-readable storage medium, wherein said computer-readable storage medium comprises a first data structure, wherein said first data structure comprises a plurality of data entries, wherein each said data entry comprises first, second, and third data types, wherein said first data type is an identifier for a mobile communications unit position determination equipment site, wherein said second data type is at least associated with a physical location of said position determination equipment site, and wherein said third data type is a coverage area for said position determination equipment site.

21. Location information on a mobile communications unit, made by the process of:

executing a first determining step comprising determining at least a general location of a mobile communications unit;

executing a second determining step comprising determining if any of a plurality of position determination equipment sites are able to provide said location information on said first mobile communications unit based upon said general location from said executing a first determining step.