Tracking lost and stolen mobile devices using location technologies and equipment identifiers

• US 20050280557A1
• Filed: 09/30/2004
• Published: 12/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Krasner, Norman, Jha, Anjali
• Granted Patent: US 7,446,655 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/988
• 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 8/22 Processing or transfer of terminal data, e.g. status or physical capabilities

Abstract

A system for geographically locating and tracking mobile stations within a mobile communication network. The system includes an equipment identity register (EIR) comprising equipment identifiers, such as internal mobile equipment identities (IMEIs), subscriber identity modules (SIMs), or some combination thereof, that are each uniquely associated with mobile stations operable within the network. Each IMEI may be used to identify a particular status of an associated mobile station. A mobile switching center (MSC) or an external location services (LCS) client may be configured to identify a targeted mobile station based upon its status (for example, lost, stolen, malfunctioning, and the like). A serving mobile location center (SMLC) responsively provides position location information for the targeted mobile station.

Claims

1. A system for geographically locating a mobile station within a mobile communication network, comprising:

an equipment database comprising equipment identifiers each uniquely associated with mobile stations operable within said mobile communication network, said equipment identifiers identifying a particular status of an associated mobile station;

a control unit operable to identify a targeted mobile station based upon said status of said targeted mobile station, said status being selected from the group consisting of lost, stolen, defective, and malfunctioning; and

a location determination entity responsively providing position location information for said targeted mobile station identified by said control unit.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein said status identifies mobile stations that are forbidden to operate within said mobile communication network.

3. The system according to claim 1, further comprising:

an external location services (LCS) client interfacing with said control unit and in communication with said location determination entity, wherein said location determination entity provides said position location information for said targeted mobile station to said LCS client.

4. The system according to claim 3, wherein said position location information comprises a geographic location of said targeted mobile station.

5. The system according to claim 3, wherein said position location information comprises velocity of said targeted mobile station.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein said mobile communication network comprises a code division multiple access (CDMA) network, said equipment database comprises an equipment identity register (EIR), said control unit comprises a mobile switching center (MSC), said location determination entity comprises a position determining entity (PDE), and said equipment identifiers comprise electronic serial numbers (ESNs).

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein said mobile communication network comprises a code division multiple access (CDMA) network, said equipment database comprises an equipment identity register (EIR), said control unit comprises a mobile switching center (MSC), said location determination entity comprises a position determining entity (PDE), and said equipment identifiers comprise a Mobile Equipment Identity (MEID).

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein said mobile communication network comprises a global system for mobile communications (GSM) network, said equipment database comprises an equipment identity register (EIR), said control unit comprises a mobile switching center (MSC), said location determination entity comprises a service mobile location center (SMLC), and said equipment identifiers comprise international mobile equipment identifiers (IMEIs).

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein said location determination entity responsively provides said position location information using at least one position location determination method selected from the group consisting of timing advance (TA), time of arrival (TOA), angle of arrival (AOA), observed time difference (OTD), time difference of arrival (TDOA), enhanced observed time difference (EOTD), observed time difference of arrival (OTDOA), global positioning system (GPS), assisted global positioning system (AGPS), geographical proximity detection, cell sector, mixed cell sector, and ranging via signal strength.

10. The system according to claim 1, further comprising:

an interface to a centralized database comprising equipment identifiers each uniquely associated with mobile stations associated with a plurality of mobile communication networks, said equipment identifiers of said centralized database identifying a particular status of associated mobile stations operating within said plurality of mobile communication networks, wherein;

said equipment database is periodically updated with equipment identifiers in said centralized database.

11. A method for geographically locating a mobile station within a mobile communication network, said method comprising:

obtaining equipment identifiers that are each uniquely associated with individual mobile stations operable within said mobile communication network, wherein each of said equipment identifiers identify a particular status of an associated one of said individual mobile stations, said status being selected from the group consisting of lost, stolen, defective, and malfunctioning;

identifying targeted mobile stations that comprise equipment identifiers of a particular status; and

calculating position location information for said targeted mobile stations present within said mobile communication network.

12. The method according to claim 11, further comprising:

obtaining said equipment identifiers from said individual mobile stations during a period of time that said individual mobile stations are actively engaged in communications with said mobile communication network.

13. The method according to claim 11, further comprising:

obtaining said equipment identifiers from said individual mobile stations during a location registration process occurring whenever said individual mobile stations are activated or when said individual mobile stations enters a new location serviced by a different base station of said mobile communication network.

14. The method according to claim 11, further comprising:

obtaining said equipment identifiers from said individual mobile stations by paging said individual mobile station.

15. The method according to claim 11, further comprising:

obtaining said equipment identifiers from an equipment database.

16. The method according to claim 15, further comprising:

periodically updating said equipment database with equipment identifiers stored in a centralized database.

17. The method according to claim 11, further comprising:

identifying mobile stations that are currently present within said mobile communication network, wherein

said calculating is only performed on said mobile stations that have been identified as being currently present within said mobile communication network.

18. The method according to claim 11, further comprising:

storing said position location information in a database.

19. The method according to claim 11, further comprising:

communicating said position location information to a location services (LCS) client.

20. The method according to claim 11, wherein said status identifies mobile stations that are forbidden to operate within said mobile communication network.

21. The method according to claim 11, further comprising:

tracking said targeted mobile stations by repeatedly calculating said position location information for said targeted mobiles stations.

22. A system for geographically locating a mobile station within a mobile communication network, said system comprising:

means for obtaining equipment identifiers that are each uniquely associated with individual mobile stations operable within said mobile communication network;

means for identifying targeted mobile stations that have equipment identifiers of a particular status;

said status being selected from the group consisting of lost, stolen, defective, and malfunctioning and

means for calculating position location information for said targeted mobile stations present within said mobile communication network.