Method and system for locating a mobile terminal

• US 20040137918A1
• Filed: 03/11/2003
• Published: 07/15/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Poikselka, Miikka, Varonen, Tomi
• Application Number:
  US10/384,628
• Publication Number:
  US 20040137918A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/10 between location register and external networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/18 Service support devices; Network management devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 Inter-networking arrangements

Abstract

A method and system locates a mobile terminal addressed in a location service request by an overlay identity. A location service client accesses a first subscriber database, thereby providing an overlay identity, in order to derive a cellular identity of said mobile terminal. The location service client then may use the cellular identity to request a location service from a location service server to enhance their functionality.

Claims

1. A method of locating a mobile terminal in a cellular network, said method comprising:

a) a location service client accessing a first subscriber database, thereby providing an overlay identity;

b) said first subscriber database in response returning a cellular identity of said mobile terminal;

c) said location service client using said cellular identity to request a location service from a location service server;

d) said location service server using said cellular identity to access the first or a second subscriber database;

e) said first or second subscriber database in response returning a routing information of said mobile terminal; and

f) said location service server initiating a location service of said cellular network based on said cellular identity and on said derived routing information.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the location service client is an IMS server and said overlay identity is an IMS identity.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the first subscriber database is a Home Subscriber Server.

4. A method according to claim 3, wherein said IMS server is a SIP application server and said IMS identity is a SIP URL.

5. A method according to claim 4, whereby said SIP application server accesses said Home Subscriber Server utilizing a Sh interface.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein said location service server is a Gateway Mobile Location Center.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein said location service is initiated by using a MAP-SEND-ROUTING-INFO-FOR-LCS service function.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein said cellular identity is an MSISDN or IMSI.

9. A method according to claim 1, wherein said routing information is an address of a network element, having a switching function in said cellular network.

10. A system for locating a mobile terminal in a cellular network, said system comprising:

a) a location service client having an overlay identity of said mobile terminal;

b) a first subscriber database storing a cellular identity of said mobile terminal, which first subscriber database is arranged to be accessible by said location service client and to derive a cellular identity of said mobile terminal based on the overlay identity provided by said location service client;

c) a location service server arranged to receive a location request of said location service client including said cellular identity of said mobile terminal, which location service server is arranged to use said cellular identity for an access to the first subscriber database or a second subscriber database in order to derive a routing information, and to initiate a location service of said cellular network based on said routing information and said cellular identity.

11. A system according to claim 10, wherein the first subscriber database is a Home Subscriber Server.

12. A system according to claim 10, wherein said location service client is part of an IMS and said overlay identity is an IMS identity.

13. A system according to claim 12, wherein said location service client is a SIP application server and said IMS identity is a SIP URL.

14. A system according to claim 13, wherein said first subscriber database comprises a HLR multimedia functionality part and an IP multimedia functionality part.

15. A system according to claim 14, wherein said cellular identity is stored in the IP multimedia functionality part of said first subscriber database.

16. A system according to claim 14, wherein an internal interface is arranged within said first subscriber database for utilizing pointers between both functionality parts.

17. A system according to claim 10, wherein said location service server is a Gateway Mobile Location Center.

18. A system according to claim 10, wherein said second subscriber database is a Home Subscriber Server or a Home Location Register of said cellular network.