Location of basestation

• US 20080188243A1
• Filed: 05/08/2007
• Published: 08/07/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Ubiquisys Limited (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Giustina, Andrea, Hatala, Edward
• Application Number:
  US11/801,424
• Publication Number:
  US 20080188243A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.6
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0242 Determining the position of transmitters to be subsequently used in positioning G01S5/0289 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0061 of neighbour cell information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/04 based on user or terminal location or mobility data, e.g. moving direction, speed
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/00 Affiliation to network, e.g. registration; Terminating affiliation with the network, e.g. de-registration
• 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 64/003 locating network equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/045 using private Base Stations, e.g. femto Base Stations, home Node B
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices

Abstract

A basestation for a cellular communication system is intended for purchase and deployment by a customer, rather than by the network operator. After installation, the position of the basestation is determined by detecting signals transmitted by neighbouring basestations. By detecting a position relative to multiple neighbouring basestations, the location of the basestation can be determined to a sufficient degree of accuracy.

Claims

1. A method of determining a location of a basestation in a communications network, the method comprising:

detecting signals transmitted by a plurality of neighbouring basestations;

determining a location of said basestation relative to each of said plurality of neighbouring basestations; and

determining the location of the basestation based on said determined relative locations.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, comprising determining the location of said basestation relative to each of said plurality of neighbouring basestations based on the strengths of signals from said neighbouring basestations.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1, comprising determining the location of said basestation relative to each of said plurality of neighbouring basestations based on the timings of signals from said neighbouring basestations.

4. A method of preventing use of a SIM card in more than one basestation of a communications network, the method comprising:

associating a unique identifier of said SIM card with a unique identifier of a basestation; and

allowing operation of said basestation only when an allowed association exists between the SIM card and said basestation.

5. A method of determining a position of a mobile telecommunications device, the method comprising:

when the mobile communications device has a connection to a femtocell basestation in a mobile communications network, determining a location of the femtocell basestation; and

taking the location of the femtocell basestation as the position of a mobile telecommunications device.

6. A method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the step of determining the location of the femtocell basestation comprises:

determining the location of the femtocell basestation based on signals received from other basestations in said mobile communications network.

7. A method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the femtocell basestation has a connection to a packet data network at a known IP address, and the step of determining the location of the femtocell basestation comprises:

determining a physical address associated with the known IP address; and

determining the location of the femtocell basestation based on said physical address.

8. A method of determining whether a basestation in a communications network has changed position, the method comprising:

at a first time, detecting signals transmitted by a plurality of neighbouring basestations;

at a second time, detecting signals transmitted by a plurality of neighbouring basestations;

determining whether the basestation has changed position based on the detecting signals at the first time and at the second time.

9. A method as claimed in claim 8, wherein:

the step of detecting signals transmitted by the plurality of neighbouring basestations at the first time comprises identifying said neighbouring basestations at the first time;

the step of detecting signals transmitted by the plurality of neighbouring basestations at the second time comprises identifying said neighbouring basestations at the second time; and

the step of determining whether the basestation has changed position comprises determining whether the neighbouring basestations identified at the first time are substantially the same as the neighbouring basestations identified at the second time.

10. A method as claimed in claim 9, wherein said plurality of neighbouring basestations comprise basestations in a plurality of mobile networks.

11. A method of determining a location of a basestation in a communications network, the method comprising:

requesting that a mobile device connected to the basestation detect signals transmitted by a plurality of neighbouring basestations; and

determining the location of the basestation based on reported measurements of said signals.

12. A method as claimed in claim 11, comprising obtaining GSM measurements from at least one mobile device connected to the basestation.

13. A method of determining a location of a basestation in a communications network, the method comprising:

requesting that a mobile device connected to the basestation report its own location, as determined by a positioning system; and

determining the location of the basestation based on the reported location.