Apparatus, and Associated Method, for Estimating the Location of a GAN-Capable Mobile Station

• US 20080081620A1
• Filed: 10/03/2006
• Published: 04/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: Alcatel SA (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Aguilar, Mike, Lu, Jian J., Landais, Bruno
• Granted Patent: US 8,588,813 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/435.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/10 between location register and external networks

Abstract

Apparatus, and an associated method, for providing a location estimate of a GAN (Generic Access Network) mobile station. Data is collected pertaining to the location of the network at which the mobile station is connected in communication connectivity. The data is stored at a database that is subsequently accessible. And, pursuant to a call to a PSAP or pursuant to another location service provided by a location service center, appropriate data is retrieved and used pursuant to the location estimate.

Claims

1. Apparatus for facilitating identification of a location at which a GAN-capable (Generic Access Network-capable) mobile station, connected in communication connectivity with a GAN radio network, is positioned, said apparatus comprising:

a GAN database configured to at least first location data associated with a first network-element location at which the GAN-capable mobile station is connected in the communication connectivity; and

a location-request responder capable of accessing said GAN database, said location-request responder configured to provide a response to a location request requesting identification of the location at which the GAN-capable mobile station is positioned, the response representative of selected location data stored at said GAN database.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the radio network comprises an access point, wherein the GAN-capable mobile station is connected in the communication connectivity with the GAN network by way of the access point, and wherein the first location data contained at said GAN database comprises data identifying positioning of the access point.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the radio network comprises a cell global identification identifying a cell in which the GAN-capable mobile station is positionable, and wherein the first location data contained at said GAN database comprises data identifying positioning of the cell global identification.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the cell global identification comprises a Global System for Mobile communication, GSM, cell global identification.

5. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the radio network comprises an access point and wherein the cell global identification identifies the cell in which the access point is positioned.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the GAN-capable mobile station is associated with a subscriber home location and wherein the first location data contained at said GAN database comprises data identifying the subscriber home location.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the GAN-capable mobile station is associated with an Internet Protocol, IP, address and wherein the first location data contained at said GAN database comprises data identifying the IP address of the mobile station.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the at least the first location data contained at said GAN database comprises a plurality of location data and wherein aid location request responder selects the selected location data from the plurality of location data.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the selected location data selected by said location request responder is selected responsive to comparison of the at least the first location data with an accuracy factor.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the at least the first location data comprises at least one of:

an access point through which the GAN-capable mobile station communicates, a home address associated with the GAN-capable mobile station, a cell global identification of a cell associated with the GAN-capable mobile station, and an Internet Protocol address of the GAN-capable mobile station.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the radio network is coupled to a public safety access point, psap, and wherein the location request responsive to which said location request responder provides the response is originated by the psap.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the first location data stored at said GAN database is provisioned thereto pursuant to registration of the GAN-capable mobile station.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the radio network is coupled to a public safety access point, psap, to which a call originated by the GAN-capable mobile station is routed, the response provided by said location request responsive to origination of the call by the GAN-capable mobile station.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the radio network comprises a mobile switching center and wherein the request responsive to which said location request responder provides the response is made by the mobile switching center.

15. A method for facilitating identification of a location at which a GAN-capable mobile station, connected in communication connectivity with a radio network, is positioned, said method comprising the operations of:

storing at least first location data associated with a first network element location at which the GAN-capable mobile station is connected in the communication connectivity; and

responding to a location request that requests identification of the location at which the GAN-capable mobile station is positioned, with selected location data of the at least first location data stored during said operation of storing.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the at least first location data stored during said operation of storing comprises a plurality of location data.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising the operation, prior to said operation of responding, of selecting the selected location data amongst the plurality of location data stored during said operation of storing.

18. The method of claim 15 further comprising the operation of detecting the location request.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the location request is generated by a public service access point and wherein said operation of responding comprises providing the selected location data to the public service access point.

20. Apparatus for a radio network having a GAN portion and a WAN portion, said network apparatus for providing mobile-station location information to a public safety access point, said apparatus comprising:

a GAN database containing at least first location data associated with a first network-element location detected, within at least a selected time period, in mobile-station communication connectivity; and

a location request responder capable of accessing said GAN database, said location request responder configured to provide a response to a location request requesting location information of the mobile-station connectivity, the response representative of selected location data stored at said GAN database.