System and method for invoking applications based on a location of a mobile station

• US 20060142024A1
• Filed: 12/29/2004
• Published: 06/29/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: United States Cellular Corporation (Telephone & Data Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: United States Cellular Corporation (Telephone & Data Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Saxena, Narothum, Irizarry, Michael, Thalanany, Sebastian
• Granted Patent: US 7,519,050 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.100
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• 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 60/04 using triggered events
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/04 Registration at HLR or HSS [Home Subscriber Server]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/08 Mobility data transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/00 Wireless network protocols or protocol adaptations to wireless operation

Abstract

The present invention reduces latencies in a wireless network while decreasing bandwidth usage in the wireless network for mobile stations. The wireless network monitors the current access network identifier for a mobile station. Upon detecting a change in current access network identifier due to movement of the mobile station, the wireless network generates and transmits one or more messages containing the changed current access network identifier. The messages are subsequently processed and a portion of the wireless system registrar database corresponding to the mobile station is updated to reflect the change in current access network identifier. Based upon the change in the location of the mobile station, the wireless network invokes or ends corresponding location-based options.

Claims

1. A method for tracking a mobile station, the method comprising:

receiving, by an access layer element of a wireless network, a current access network identifier from the mobile station;

comparing the current access network identifier with a previous access network identifier;

generating a current access network message including the current access network identifier when the current access network identifier is different from the previous access network identifier;

transmitting the current access network message from the access layer element to an application layer element of the wireless network; and

updating a current access network identifier portion of a registrar database in the application layer element based upon the current access network message.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1, the method further comprising:

receiving a list including location-based options;

wherein the current access network message further includes the list including location-based options;

comparing the current access network identifier portion of the registrar database with the list including location-based options; and

invoking a location-based option corresponding to the current access network identifier.

3. A method in accordance with claim 2, wherein the invoked location-based option resides on at least one of an access layer element and an application layer element.

4. A method in accordance with claim 2, wherein the list including location-based options is received from an access layer element.

5. A method in accordance with claim 2, wherein the list including location-based options includes one or more options selected from the group consisting of a weather alert application, a traffic alert application, a connection access option, and a multi-media service.

6. A method in accordance with claim 2, the method further comprising ending a location-based option that does not correspond to the current access network identifier.

7. A method, performed by a computer associated with a packet data serving node, for tracking a mobile station, the method comprising:

receiving, at the computer, a current access network identifier from the mobile station;

comparing the current access network identifier with a previous access network identifier;

generating a current access network bearer trigger message including the current access network identifier when the current access network identifier is different from the previous access network identifier; and

transmitting the current access network bearer trigger message from the packet data serving node to a cellular serving system, the cellular serving system adapted to update a current access network identifier portion of a registrar database based upon the current access network bearer trigger message.

8. A method in accordance with claim 7, further comprising:

receiving a list including location-based options;

wherein the current access network bearer trigger message further includes the list including location-based options.

9. A method in accordance with claim 8, wherein the list including location-based options is received from an authentication, authorizing, and accounting proxy server.

10. A method in accordance with claim 8, wherein the list including location-based options includes one or more options selected from the group consisting of a weather alert application, a traffic alert application, a connection access option, and a multi-media service.

11. A packet data serving node for tracking a mobile station, the packet data serving node comprising:

a receiver for receiving a current access network identifier from the mobile station;

a processor for comparing the current access network identifier with a previous access network identifier;

a message generator for generating a current access network bearer trigger message including the current access network identifier when the current access network identifier is different from the previous access network identifier; and

a transmitter for transmitting the current access network bearer trigger message to a cellular serving system, the cellular serving system adapted to update a current access network identifier portion of a registrar database based upon the current access network bearer trigger message.

12. A packet data serving node in accordance with claim 11,

wherein the receiver is adapted to receive a list including location-based options;

wherein the message generator is adapted to generate the current access network bearer trigger message to include the list including location-based options.

13. A packet data serving node in accordance with claim 12, wherein the receiver is adapted to receive the list including location-based options from an authentication, authorizing, and accounting proxy server.

14. A packet data serving node in accordance with claim 12, wherein the list including location-based options includes one or more options selected from the group consisting of a weather alert application, a traffic alert application, a connection access option, and a multi-media service.

15. A wireless network for tracking a mobile station, the wireless network comprising:

a first receiver for receiving a current access network identifier from the mobile station;

a first processor for comparing the current access network identifier with a previous access network identifier;

a message generator for generating a current access network message including the current access network identifier when the current access network identifier is different from the previous access network identifier;

a first transmitter for transmitting the current access network message;

a second receiver for receiving the current access network message; and

a second processor for updating a current access network identifier portion of a registrar database based upon the current access network message.

16. A wireless network in accordance with claim 15,

wherein the first receiver is adapted to receive a list including location-based options;

wherein the current access network message further includes the list including location-based options;

wherein the second processor is adapted to compare the current access network identifier portion of the registrar database with the list including location-based options; and

wherein the second processor is adapted to invoke a location-based option corresponding to the current access network identifier.

17. A wireless network in accordance with claim 16, wherein the invoked location-based option resides on at least one element selected from the group consisting of the mobile station, a base station, a packet control function, a packet data serving node, and a cellular serving system.

18. A wireless network in accordance with claim 16, wherein the list including location-based options is received from an authentication, authorizing, and accounting proxy server.

19. A wireless network in accordance with claim 16, wherein the list including location-based options includes one or more options selected from the group consisting of a weather alert application, a traffic alert application, a connection access option, and a multi-media service.

20. A wireless network in accordance with claim 16,

wherein the second processor is adapted to end a location-based option that does not correspond to the current access network identifier.

21. A computer recording medium, including computer executable code capable of being run on a computer associated with a packet data serving node, for tracking a mobile station, the computer recording medium comprising:

computer executable code for receiving a current access network identifier from the mobile station;

computer executable code for comparing the current access network identifier with a previous access network identifier;

computer executable code for generating a current access network bearer trigger message including the current access network identifier when the current access network identifier is different from the previous access network identifier; and

computer executable code for transmitting the current access network bearer trigger message from the packet data serving node to a cellular serving system, the cellular serving system adapted to update a current access network identifier portion of a registrar database based upon the current access network bearer trigger message.

22. A computer recording medium in accordance with claim 21, the computer recording medium further comprising:

computer executable code for receiving a list including location-based options;

wherein the current access network bearer trigger message further includes the list including location-based options.

23. A computer recording medium in accordance with claim 22, wherein the list including location-based options is received from an authentication, authorizing, and accounting proxy server.

24. A computer recording medium in accordance with claim 22, wherein the list including location-based options includes one or more options selected from the list consisting of a weather alert application, a traffic alert application, a connection access option, and a multi-media service.