Method, apparatus and computer program product for determining location of a mobile terminal

• US 20070155400A1
• Filed: 12/30/2005
• Published: 07/05/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Madsen, Jens
• Application Number:
  US11/322,916
• Publication Number:
  US 20070155400A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.100
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

A method of determining a location of a mobile terminal using a user identity module (UIM) includes issuing an instruction from the UIM to the mobile terminal instructing the mobile terminal to perform a positioning event and receiving position data from the mobile terminal responsive to the positioning event.

Claims

1. A method of determining a location of a mobile terminal using a user identity module (UIM), the method comprising:

issuing an instruction from the UIM to the mobile terminal instructing the mobile terminal to perform a positioning event; and

receiving position data at the UIM from the mobile terminal responsive to the positioning event.

2. A method according to claim 1 further comprising receiving a terminal response from the mobile terminal.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein the receiving the terminal response comprises at least one of:

receiving an error message; and

receiving a status of the positioning event.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein issuing an instruction comprises defining parameters for the positioning event.

5. A method according to claim 4, wherein defining parameters comprises at least one of:

specifying a number of fixes;

specifying a time between the fixes; and

requesting a selected quality of position.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein receiving the position data comprises at least one of:

receiving data including the location of the mobile terminal;

receiving data including time since the location of the mobile terminal was determined; and

receiving a status message including a reason for termination of the positioning event.

7. A method of determining a location of a mobile terminal, the method comprising:

receiving an instruction to perform a positioning event from a user identity module (UIM);

performing the positioning event; and

providing position data to the UIM, the position data being responsive to the positioning event.

8. A method according to claim 7, wherein receiving the instruction further comprises evaluating parameters for the positioning event.

9. A method according to claim 8, wherein evaluating parameters comprises at least one of:

evaluating a requested number of fixes;

evaluating a requested time between the fixes; and

evaluating a requested quality of position.

10. A method according to claim 7, further comprising responding to the instruction by providing at least one of:

requesting user permission to perform the positioning event; and

providing a status of the positioning event.

11. A method according to claim 7, wherein providing position data to the UIM comprises at least one of:

providing data including the location of the mobile terminal;

providing data including time since the location of the mobile terminal was determined; and

providing a status message including a reason for termination of the positioning event.

12. A method according to claim 7, wherein performing the positioning event comprises obtaining data including the location of the mobile terminal in response to the mobile terminal conducting a location session with a network.

13. A method according to claim 7, wherein performing the positioning event comprises obtaining data including the location of the mobile terminal independent of a network.

14. A computer program product for determining a location of a mobile terminal, the product comprising:

a storage medium, readable by a processing circuit, storing instructions for execution by the processing circuit for;

issuing an instruction from a user identity module (UIM) to the mobile terminal instructing the mobile terminal to perform a positioning event; and

receiving position data at the UIM from the mobile terminal responsive to the positioning event.

15. A computer program product according to claim 14, wherein issuing an instruction comprises defining parameters for the positioning event.

16. A computer program product according to claim 15, wherein the parameters comprise at least one of:

a specified number of fixes;

a specified time between the fixes; and

a selected quality of position.

17. A computer program product according to claim 14, wherein the position data comprises at least one of:

data including the location of the mobile terminal;

a time since the location of the mobile terminal was computed; and

a status message including a reason for termination of the positioning event.

18. A computer program product according to claim 14, wherein the processing circuit is disposed in the UIM.

19. A computer program product for determining a location of a mobile terminal, the product comprising:

a storage medium, readable by a processing circuit, storing instructions for execution by the processing circuit for;

receiving an instruction to perform a positioning event from a user identity module (UIM);

performing the positioning event; and

providing position data to the UIM responsive to the positioning event.

20. A computer program product according to claim 19, wherein receiving the instruction further comprises evaluating parameters for the positioning event.

21. A computer program product according to claim 20, wherein evaluating parameters comprises at least one of:

evaluating a requested number of fixes;

evaluating a requested time between the fixes; and

evaluating a requested quality of position.

22. A computer program product according to claim 19, wherein the position data comprises at least one of:

a determination of the location of the mobile terminal;

a time since the location of the mobile terminal was determined; and

a status message including a reason for termination of the positioning event.

23. A computer program product according to claim 19, wherein performing the positioning event comprises obtaining the position data in response to the mobile terminal conducting a location session with a network.

24. A computer program product according to claim 19, wherein performing the positioning event comprises obtaining the position data independent of a network.

25. A user identity module (UIM) for use with a mobile terminal, the UIM having a processor for determining a location of a mobile terminal, the processor configured to:

provide an instruction to the mobile terminal to perform a positioning event; and

receive a position data from the mobile terminal, the position data being responsive to the positioning event.

26. A UIM according to claim 25, wherein the instruction to the mobile terminal comprises parameters for the positioning event.

27. A UIM according to claim 26, wherein the parameters comprise at least one of:

a specified number of fixes;

a specified time between the fixes; and

a selected quality of position.

28. A UIM according to claim 25, wherein the position data comprises at least one of:

data including the location of the mobile terminal;

a time since the location of the mobile terminal was computed; and

a status message including a reason for termination of the positioning event.

29. A mobile terminal having a processor for determining a location of the mobile terminal, the processor configured to:

receive an instruction to perform a positioning event from a user identity module (UIM);

perform the positioning event; and

provide the position data to the UIM responsive to the positioning event.

30. A mobile terminal according to claim 29, wherein the instruction comprises a parameter for the positioning event.

31. A mobile terminal according to claim 30, wherein the parameter comprises at least one of:

a requested number of fixes;

a requested time between the fixes; and

a requested quality of position.

32. A mobile terminal according to claim 29, wherein the position data comprises at least one of:

a determination of the location of the mobile terminal;

a time since the location of the mobile terminal was determined; and

a status message including a reason for termination of the positioning event.

33. A mobile terminal according to claim 29, wherein the positioning event comprises obtaining the position data in response to the mobile terminal conducting a location session with a network.

34. A mobile terminal according to claim 29, wherein the positioning event comprises obtaining the position data independent of a network.