Method for determining the position of at least one subscriber terminal of a radio communications system, and a corresponding radio communications system

• US 20040096041A1
• Filed: 04/09/2003
• Published: 05/20/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Beckmann, Mark, Otte, Andreas, Eckert, Michael, Hans, Martin
• Application Number:
  US10/398,699
• Publication Number:
  US 20040096041A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/1.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/12 Reselecting a serving backbone network switching or routing node
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/00 Affiliation to network, e.g. registration; Terminating affiliation with the network, e.g. de-registration
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

The aim of the invention is to determine the position of at least one subscriber terminal (MP1) of a radio communications system (MCS). To this end, the invention provides that during and/or after a change in responsibility from a first radio network control unit (RNC1) to a second radio network control unit (RNC2), at least one interrogation signal (ME1), which had been originally directed toward the first radio network control unit (RNC1) in order to determine the position of the respective subscriber terminal (MP1) to be located, is relayed to the second radio network control unit (RNC2).

Claims

1. Method for determining the position of at least one subscriber terminal (MP1) of a mobile communications system (MCS) that has a number of base stations (BS1 to BS4) in associated radio cells (CE1 to CE4), whereby a first group of base stations (BS1, BS2) is controlled by at least a first radio network controller (RNC1) and a second group of base stations (BS3, BS4) by at least a second radio network controller (RNC2),

characterized in that

during and/or after a change of responsibility from the first radio network controller (RNC1) to the second radio network controller (RNC2) at least one interrogation signal (ME1), which had been originally directed toward the first radio network controller (RNC1) in order to determine the position of the relevant subscriber terminal (MP1) to be located, is relayed from the first radio network controller (RNC1) to the second radio network controller (RNC2).

2. Method according to claim 1

characterized in that

the interrogation signal for determining the position is made part of at least one transmission signal (SI1) with which the change of responsibility is triggered and/or performed.

3. Method according to claim 1

characterized in that

during or after the change of responsibility the interrogation signal for determining the position is forwarded as a separate transmission signal from the first radio network controller (RNC1) to the second radio network controller (RNC2).

4. Method according to one of the preceding claims

characterized in that

during and/or after the change of responsibility at least one information signal (SI1) containing the position determination data already available in the first radio network controller (RNC1) is transferred to the second radio network controller (RNC2).

5. Method according to claim 4

characterized in that

the data transferred in the information signal (SI1) is the time the position was determined, the type of position information and/or the accuracy of the position information.

6. Method according to one of the preceding claims

characterized in that

at least one interrogation signal (ME1) is forwarded in a GSM (global system for mobile communication), UMTS (universal mobile telecommunication system), GPRS (general packet radio service), and/or EDGE (enhanced data rates for GSM environments) mobile communications system, particularly a mobile radio system.

7. Method according to one of the preceding claims

characterized in that

a mobile phone, particularly a cell phone is used as the subscriber terminal.

8. Mobile communication system (MCS) with a number of base stations (BS1 to BS4) in associated radio cells (CE1 to CE4), whereby at least a first radio network controller (RNC1) is assigned to a first group of base stations (BS1, BS2) and at least a second radio network controller (RNC2) is assigned to a second group of base stations (BS3, BS4), in particular in accordance with one of the preceding claims,

characterized in that

resources are provided (RNC1, RNC2, MSC) by means of which, during and/or after a change of responsibility from the first radio network controller (RNC1) to the second radio network controller (RNC2), at least one interrogation signal (ME1), which had been originally directed toward the first radio network controller (RNC1) in order to determine the position of the relevant subscriber terminal (MP1) to be located, can be relayed from the first radio network controller (RNC1) to the second radio network controller (RNC2).