Telecommunications system

• US 20040180669A1
• Filed: 11/06/2002
• Published: 09/16/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Kall, Jan
• Granted Patent: US 7,076,257 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• 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 8/14 between corresponding nodes

Abstract

A telecommunications system and a method for use in a telecommunications system is disclosed. The system comprises at least one station, means for determining the location of said station in said system, and means for providing information on said location of said station to a location service client The system is also provided with means for defining in dependence on information relating to the client, the accuracy of the location information to be provided to the client. Different accuracy classes

Claims

1. A telecommunications system comprising:

at least one station;

means for determining the location of said station;

means for providing information on said location of said station to a location service client; and

means for defining in dependence on information relating to the client, the accuracy of the location information to be provided to the client.

2. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein a plurality of different classes of location accuracy are provided.

3. A system as claimed in claim 2, wherein said classes are on a logarithmic scale.

4. A system as claimed in claim 3, wherein said scale is a log 10 scale.

5. A system as claimed in claim 4, wherein said classes includes at least one of the following classes:

1 m-100 m

100 m -1 km

1 km-10 km

10 km-100 km

6. A system as claimed in claim 5, where at least one class is divided into two or more subclasses.

7. A system as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein a user of the at least one station is arranged to define the accuracy with which the location information is provided to the client.

8. A system as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein a plurality of clients are present of at least two different types, the accuracy of the location information provided to the client being dependent on the type of the client.

9. A system as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the accuracy with which the information is provided is dependent on the type of service provided by the client.

10. A system as claimed in claim 2 or any claim appended thereto, wherein one class defines that no information is to be provided.

11. A system as claimed in claim 2 or any claim appended thereto, wherein one class is provided for the case where no location information is available.

12. A system as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the costs associated with a service or function of the client is dependent on the accuracy of the location information.

13. A system as claimed in claim 12, wherein the costs are associated with the station.

14. A system as claimed in claim 13, wherein the costs are associated with the user or subscriber of the station.

15. A system as claimed in claim 12, wherein the costs are associated with the client.

16. A system as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein one of a plurality of different location methods is selected to determine the location of the station in dependence of the accuracy required for the location information.

17. A system as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein said station is a mobile station.

18. A system as claimed in claims 1 to 16, wherein said station is a terminal of a fixed wireline communication systems.

19. A system as claimed in any of claims 1 to 16, wherein said station is a terminal of a satellite communication system.

20. A system as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein a location service node is provided along with at least one client, said location service node being arranged to provided location information with the required accuracy to the client.

21. A method for use in a telecommunications system comprising the steps of:

determining the location of a station in said system;

providing information on said location of said station to a location service client; and

defining the accuracy of the location information to be provided to the client in dependence on information relating to the client.