System and method for determining a base transceiver station location

• US 20060211431A1
• Filed: 03/15/2005
• Published: 09/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nextel Communications (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Nextel Communications (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Mansour, Nagi A., Chapman, Shane D.
• Granted Patent: US 7,751,833 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.200
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/16 for PBS [Private Base Station] arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

A system and method for determining the location of a base transceiver station (BTS) are provided. A personal BTS can determine its location using information transmitted by neighboring BTSs or from mobile station transmissions to neighboring BTSs. If the personal BTS cannot determine its location using information from neighboring BTSs or from mobile station transmissions, the personal BTS can contact a cellular network operator to request that a technician come out to verify the location.

Claims

1. A method for determining a location of a base station comprising the acts of:

determining that the location cannot be determined using received global positioning satellite (GPS) signals;

monitoring wireless communication signals; and

determining the location of the base station using the monitored wireless communication signals.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless communication signals comprise signals transmitted from base stations.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the location of the base station is determined using wireless communication signal received from at least three base stations.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the location of the base station is determined by triangulating GPS time and location information broadcast by the base stations.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein when the base station cannot determine its location from information in the wireless communication signals transmitted from the base station, the wireless communication signals further comprise signals transmitted by mobile stations, and the location of the base station is determined using information in the signals transmitted by the mobile stations.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein signals transmitted by the mobile stations comprise location update messages which include a GPS time and location.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the base station communicates with mobile stations using a code division multiple access (CDMA) scheme.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein when the location of the base station cannot be determined using the monitored wireless communication signals, the method comprises the act of:

transmitting a message to a cellular network operator requesting a technician to verify the location of the base station.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the base station communicates with a cellular macro network over a consumer'"'"'s Internet connection.

10. A method for determining a location of a base station comprising the acts of:

monitoring wireless communication signals transmitted by at least one other base station or at least one mobile station; and

determining the location of the base station using the monitored wireless communication signals, wherein the location is determined by triangulation using information in the monitored wireless communication signals.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the wireless communication signals are transmitted by the at least one other base station and the location of the base station is determined using global positioning satellite (GPS) time and location information broadcast from the at least one other base station.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the at least one other base station comprises at least three base stations.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the wireless communication signals are transmitted by at least one mobile station and the signals transmitted by the at least one mobile station comprises location update messages which include a global positioning satellite (GPS) time and location.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein when the location of the base station cannot be determined using the monitored wireless communication signals, the method comprises the act of:

transmitting a message to a cellular network operator requesting a technician to verify the location of the base station.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the base station communicates with a cellular macro network over a consumer'"'"'s Internet connection.

16. A base station comprising:

means for determining that a location of the base station cannot be determined using received global positioning satellite (GPS) signals;

means for monitoring wireless communication signals; and

means for determining the location of the base station using the monitored wireless communication signals.

17. The base station of claim 16, wherein the wireless communication signals comprise signals transmitted from other base stations.

18. The base station of claim 17, wherein the location of the base station is determined using wireless communication signals received from at least three other base stations.

19. The base station of claim 17, wherein when the base station cannot determine its location from information in the wireless communication signals transmitted from the other base stations, the wireless communication signals further comprise signals transmitted by mobile stations, and the location of the base station is determined using information in the signals transmitted by the mobile stations.

20. The base station of claim 16 comprising:

means for transmitting a message to a cellular network operator requesting a technician to verify the location of the base station when the location of the base station cannot be determined using the monitored wireless communication signals.

21. The base station of claim 16, wherein the base station communicates with a cellular macro network over a consumer'"'"'s Internet connection.

22. A base station comprising:

means for monitoring wireless communication signals transmitted by at least one other base station or at least one mobile station; and

means for determining the location of the base station using the monitored wireless communication signals, wherein the location is determined by triangulation using information in the monitored wireless communication signals.

23. The base station of claim 22, wherein the wireless communication signals are transmitted by the at least one other base station and the location of the base station is determined using global positioning satellite (GPS) time and location information broadcast from the at least one other base station.

24. The base station of claim 22, wherein the wireless communication signals are transmitted by at least one mobile station and the signals transmitted by the at least one mobile station comprises location update messages which include global positioning satellite (GPS) time and location.

25. The base station of claim 22 comprising:

means for transmitting a message to a cellular network operator requesting a technician to verify the location of the base station when the location of the base station cannot be determined using the monitored wireless communication signals.