Method and Device for Providing the Location of a Mobile Station

• US 20090082032A1
• Filed: 12/05/2006
• Published: 03/26/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke KPN NV
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke KPN NV
• Inventors: Selgert, Franklin
• Granted Patent: US 8,190,171 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.100
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/02 Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/10 between location register and external networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 Inter-networking arrangements

Abstract

The present invention provides a solution for providing the location of a mobile device connected to a cellular network to another network. A mobile device receives information about the location of the base stations in its neighborhood. Based on the identity of the base station the device is connected to the device can determine its location and provide that to the other network.

Claims

1. Method for providing the location of a mobile device in a first cellular communication network to a second cellular communication network, based on the location of the base station of said first network to which said mobile device is currently connected, comprising the steps of:

said first network providing location information with regard to at least one of the base stations of said first network to said mobile device;

said first network providing the identity of the base station to which said mobile device is currently connected to said mobile device;

said mobile device determining the location of the base station to which said mobile device is currently connected;

said mobile device providing location information of the base station to which said mobile device is connected to said second network.

2. Method according to claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

said first network encrypting said location information with regard to said at least one base station of said first network prior to providing said location information with regard to said at least one base station of said first network to said mobile device;

said mobile device providing said encrypted location information of the base station to which said mobile device is currently connected to said second network;

said first network providing the information necessary to decrypt said encrypted location information to said second network;

said second network decrypting said encrypted location information of the base station to which said mobile device is currently connected.

3. Method according to claim 1 whereby said location information with regard to at least one of the base stations of said first network provided to the mobile device is updated regularly while the mobile device is moving within said first network.

4. Method according to claim 1 whereby the location information with regard to at least one of the base stations of said first network comprises the Cell-ID of the base station and the x, y coordinates indicating said location.

5. Method according to claim 1 whereby the location information of the base station to which said mobile device is connected also comprises the value of the Timing Advance (TA) or the Observed Time Difference (OTD).

6. Method according to claim 1 whereby the location information of the base station to which said mobile device is connected is provided to the second network in a standard update location procedure.

7. Mobile device for providing its location in a first cellular communication network to a second cellular communication network, based on the location of the base station of said first network to which said mobile device is currently connected, the device comprising:

means for receiving and storing location information with regard to at least one of the base stations of said first network;

means for receiving from said first network the identity of the base station to which said mobile device is currently connected;

means for determining the location of the base station to which said mobile device is currently connected;

means for providing location information of the base station to which said mobile device is connected to said second network.

8. Device according to claim 7 whereby said location information with regard to at least one of the base stations of said first network provided is updated regularly while said device is moving within the first network.

9. Device according to claim 7 whereby the location information with regard to at least one of the base stations of said first network comprises the Cell-ID of the base station and the x, y coordinates indicating said location.

10. Device according to claim 7 whereby the location information of the base station to which said device is connected also comprises the value of the Timing Advance (TA) or the Observed Time Difference (OTD).