Mobile-initiated location measurement

• US 20070270133A1
• Filed: 05/19/2006
• Published: 11/22/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IDPA Holdings Incorporated (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: IDPA Holdings Incorporated (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hampel, Karl Georg, MacDonald, William Michael, Poosala, Viswanath
• Granted Patent: US 8,565,715 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/414.200
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/222 using geographical location information, e.g. messages transmitted or received in proximity of a certain spot or area
• 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 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/18 Information format or content conversion, e.g. adaptation by the network of the transmitted or received information for the purpose of wireless delivery to users or terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/20 Services signaling; Auxiliary data signalling, i.e. transmitting data via a non-traffic channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data

Abstract

Location-based services are provided in a communication system comprising at least a portion of at least one wireless network. In one aspect of the invention, profile information is obtained for users associated with respective mobile user devices, and location information is obtained for the mobile user devices. At least one message is controllably delivered to a given one of the mobile user devices based on the location information and the profile information. The location information is obtained for respective ones of the mobile user devices responsive to location determinations initiated by those devices.

Claims

1. A method of providing location-based services, the method comprising the steps of:

obtaining profile information for users associated with respective mobile user devices associated with a wireless network;

obtaining location information for said mobile user devices; and

controlling delivery of at least one message to a given one of the mobile user devices based on the location information and the profile information;

wherein the location information is obtained for respective ones of said mobile user devices responsive to location determinations initiated by those devices.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein a given one of the mobile user devices autonomously determines its associated location information.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein a given one of the mobile user devices determines its associated location information based on assist information transmitted to that mobile user device over a broadcast channel of the wireless network.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the broadcast channel comprises a paging channel of the wireless network.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein a given one of the mobile user devices initiates a corresponding location determination responsive to an indication that its location is likely to have changed by more than a designated amount relative to a previous location determination for that mobile user device.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein a given one of the mobile user devices initiates a corresponding location determination when that mobile user device is in an otherwise idle state.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein a given one of the mobile user devices periodically initiates corresponding location determinations in accordance with an established rate.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein a given one of the mobile user devices initiates a corresponding location determination by sending a traffic channel setup request to a switching element of the wireless network.

9. An article of manufacture comprising a computer-readable medium storing one or more software programs which when executed by at least one processing device implement the method of claim 1.

10. An apparatus for use in providing location-based services, the apparatus comprising:

a location-based services system comprising at least one processing device having a processor coupled to a memory;

wherein the location-based services system is adapted to obtain profile information for users associated with respective mobile user devices associated with a wireless network, and to obtain location information for said mobile user devices;

wherein the location-based services system is further adapted to control delivery of at least one message to a given one of the mobile user devices based on the location information and the profile information; and

wherein the location information is obtained for respective ones of said mobile user devices responsive to location determinations initiated by those devices.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the location-based services system is external to the wireless network.

12. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the location-based services system is implemented using a layered architecture comprising at least an application support layer, an application enabling layer, a location-based service enabling layer and a network connectivity layer.

13. A mobile user device associated with a wireless network, the mobile user device being configured to receive at least one message that is controllably delivered to the mobile user device based on a combination of (i) location information of the mobile user device and (ii) profile information of an associated user;

wherein the location information is obtained for the mobile user device responsive to a location determination initiated by that device.

14. The mobile user device of claim 13 wherein the mobile user device is configured to autonomously determine its associated location information.

15. The mobile user device of claim 13 wherein the mobile user device is configured to determine its associated location information based on assist information transmitted to that mobile user device over a broadcast channel of the wireless network.

16. The mobile user device of claim 15 wherein the broadcast channel comprises a paging channel of the wireless network.

17. The mobile user device of claim 13 wherein the mobile user device is configured to initiate a corresponding location determination responsive to an indication that its location is likely to have changed by more than a designated amount relative to a previous location determination for that mobile user device.

18. The mobile user device of claim 13 wherein the mobile user device is configured to initiate a corresponding location determination when that mobile user device is in an otherwise idle state.

19. The mobile user device of claim 13 wherein the mobile user device is configured to periodically initiate location determinations in accordance with an established rate.

20. The mobile user device of claim 13 wherein the at least one message is delivered under the control of a location-based services system.