SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DETERMINING DEVICE LOCATION IN AN IP-BASED WIRELESS TELECOMMUNICATIONS NETWORK

• US 20090177730A1
• Filed: 10/20/2006
• Published: 07/09/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: T-Mobile USA, Inc. (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: T-Mobile USA, Inc. (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Jin, Zhengyi, Annamalai, Magesh
• Granted Patent: US 8,364,746 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/202
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]
• 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 76/50 for emergency connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/04 Network layer protocols, e.g. mobile IP [Internet Protocol]

Abstract

A system and method determines a geographic position of a mobile device in communication with an IP-based wireless telecommunications network. A wireless connection between the mobile device and the IP-based wireless telecommunications network is established when the mobile device registers with a network controller (NC) through an access point (AP). When a geographical position is needed for the mobile device (e.g., a 911 call), messages are exchanged between the NC and the SMLC, where the SMLC retrieves information from a database that is used to identify the geographic position of the mobile device. The database can store a variety of information related to mobile devices such as: last known position, IP address, MAC address, device or subscriber identifier, last CGI, etc. The geographical position is communicated back to the NC, which can then forward the position information to a switch for processing such as for 911 calls.

Claims

1. A system for determining a location associated with a mobile device in a IP-based wireless telecommunications network, the system comprising:

a network controller that is arranged to identify data associated with the mobile device;

a location database that is arranged in communication with the network controller, wherein the location database is arranged for indexing with the identified data associated with the mobile device;

a means for communicating a query from the network controller to the location database that includes the identified data associated with the mobile device; and

a means for communicating a reply from the location database to the network controller in response to the query, wherein the reply includes location information associated with the mobile device.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a serving mobile location center that is arranged to communicate with the network controller.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the serving mobile location center is arranged to communicate a positioning request message to the network controller, wherein the positioning request message includes a message type.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the network controller is arranged to communicate a positioning response message to the serving mobile location center, wherein the positioning response message identifies at least one of:

a message type, a network controller control channel description, a device identifier, a location estimate, a latitude estimate, a longitude estimate, an uncertainty rating associated with the location estimate, a last known position associated with the device identifier, a cell global identity value, or an access point identifier, wherein the access point identifier comprises at least one of;

a media access control (MAC) address or an internet protocol (IP) address associated with the access point.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein the network controller is arranged to communicate a reset message to the serving mobile location center when a positioning request message from the serving mobile location center is invalidated, wherein the reset message identifies at least one of:

a message type, a cell identifier, a network controller control channel description, a cause associated with the reset, or a location area code.

6. The system of claim 2, wherein the network controller is arranged to communicate a reject message to the serving mobile location center when a positioning request message from the serving mobile location center is invalidated, wherein the reject message identifies at least one of:

a message type, or a cause associated with the rejection.

7. The system of claim 2, wherein the network controller is arranged to communicate an abort message to the serving mobile location center, wherein the abort message identifies at least one of:

a message type, or a cause associated with the abort.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the location database comprises values associated with at least one of:

a location identifier associated with a known MAC address, a last known position associated with a device identifier for the mobile device, a serving area of an IP address associated with the access point, or an uncertainty rating associated with each of the above locations.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the location database is indexed according to at least one of:

a device identifier, a MAC address associated with an access point in the system, or an IP address associated with the access point.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the network controller is arranged to communicate a location request message to the location database, wherein the location request message from the network controller identifies at least one of:

a message type, an access point identifier associated with the mobile device or a device identifier for the mobile device, wherein the access point identifier comprises at least one of;

a MAC address or an IP address associated with the access point.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the network controller is arranged to communicate a database abort message to the location database, wherein the database abort message identifies at least one of:

a message type, or a cause associated with the database abort.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the location database is arranged to communicate a reply message to the network controller in response to a location request from the network controller, wherein the reply message identifies at least one of:

a message type, a location estimate, a latitude estimate, a longitude estimate, an uncertainty rating associated with the location estimate, a last known position associated with a device identifier for the mobile device, a cell global identity value, or an access point identifier, wherein the access point identifier comprises at least one of;

a MAC address or an IP address associated with the access point.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the location database is arranged to communicate a database abort message to the network controller, wherein the database abort message identifies at least one of:

a message type, or a cause associated with the database abort.

14. A network controller that is arranged in an IP-based wireless telecommunication network that includes facilities for a mobile device, the network controller comprising:

a means for receiving a request for a location determination, wherein the request for the location determination is associated with the mobile device;

a means for communicating a location query to a location database, wherein the location query is associated with the mobile device identified by the request for the location determination;

a means for receiving a location response from the location database;

a means for processing the location response from the location database to provide positioning response; and

a means for sending a reply to the request for the location determination with the positioning response.

15. The network controller of claim 14, wherein the request for the location determination is identified with the mobile device according to at least one of:

a device identifier, a cell global identity (cell global identity) value, or an access point (access point) identifier, wherein the access point identifier comprises at least one of;

a media access control (MAC) address or an internet protocol (IP) address associated with the access point.

16. The network controller of claim 14, wherein the location query to the location database identifies at least one of:

a device identifier, a cell global identity value, or an access point identifier, wherein the access point identifier comprises at least one of;

a MAC address or an IP address associated with the access point.

17. The network controller of claim 14, wherein the location response from the location database identifies at least one of:

a message type, a location estimate, a latitude estimate, a longitude estimate, an uncertainty rating associated with the location estimate, a last known position associated with a device identifier, a cell global identity value, or an access point identifier, wherein the access point identifier comprises at least one of;

a MAC address or an IP address associated with the access point.

18. A serving mobile location center that is arranged in an IP-based wireless telecommunication network that includes facilities for a mobile device, the serving mobile location center comprising:

a means for receiving a perform location request (PLRQ) message from a network controller, wherein the PLRQ message is associated with the mobile device;

a means for communicating an IP-based wireless telecommunication network positioning request message to the network controller in response to the PLRQ message;

a means for receiving a positioning response message from the network controller after communicating the positioning request message;

a means for processing the positioning response message to determine a geographical position associated with the mobile device; and

a means for communicating a perform location response (PLRS) message to the network controller such that the network controller is operative to communicate the determined geographical position associated with the mobile device to a mobile switching center.

19. The serving mobile location center of claim 18, wherein the PLRQ message is identified with the mobile device according to at least one of:

a device identifier, a cell global identity value, or an access point identifier, wherein the access point identifier comprises at least one of;

a media access control (MAC) address or an internet protocol (IP) address associated with the access point.

20. The serving mobile location center of claim 18, wherein the positioning response message is arranged to identify at least one of:

a message type, a network controller control channel description, a device identifier, a location estimate, a latitude estimate, a longitude estimate, an uncertainty rating associated with the location estimate, a last known position associated with a device identifier, a cell global identity value, or an access point identifier, wherein the access point identifier comprises at least one of;

a MAC address or an IP address associated with the access point.

21. The serving mobile location center of claim 18, further comprising:

a means for processing a reset message from the network controller, wherein the reset message identifies at least one of;

a message type, a cell identifier, a network controller control channel description, a cause associated with the rejection, or a location area code.

22. The serving mobile location center of claim 18, further comprising a means for processing a reject message from the network controller, wherein the reject message identifies at least one of:

a message type, or a cause associated with the rejection.

23. The serving mobile location center of claim 18, further comprising a means for processing an abort message from the network controller, wherein the abort message identifies at least one of:

a message type, or a cause associated with the abort.

24. A method for determining a location associated with a mobile device in an IP-based wireless telecommunication network, the method comprising:

identifying data associated with the mobile device;

indexing with the data associated with the mobile device in a location database;

communicating a query from a network controller to the location database that includes the identified data associated with the mobile device; and

communicating a reply from the location database to the network controller in response to the query, wherein the reply includes location information associated with the mobile device.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising receiving a positioning request message at the network controller, wherein the positioning request message includes a message type.

26. The method of claim 24, further comprising communicating a positioning response message from the network controller to a serving mobile location center, wherein the positioning response message identifies at least one of:

a message type, a network controller control channel description, a device identifier, a location estimate, a latitude estimate, a longitude estimate, an uncertainty rating associated with the location estimate, a last known position associated with a device identifier, a cell global identity value, or an access point identifier, wherein the access point identifier comprises at least one of;

a media access control (MAC) address or an internet protocol (IP) address associated with the access point.

27. The method of claim 24, further comprising communicating a reset message from the network controller to a serving mobile location center when a positioning request message from the serving mobile location center is invalidated, wherein the reset message identifies at least one of:

a message type, a cell identifier, a network controller control channel description, a cause associated with the rejection, or a location area code.

28. The method of claim 24, further comprising communicating a reject message from the network controller to a serving mobile location center when a positioning request message from the serving mobile location center is invalidated, wherein the reject message identifies at least one of:

a message type, or a cause associated with the rejection.

29. The method of claim 24, further comprising communicating an abort message from the network controller to a serving mobile location center, wherein the abort message identifies at least one of:

a message type, or a cause associated with the abort.

30. The method of claim 24, wherein the location database comprises values associated with at least one of:

a location identifier associated with a known MAC address, a last known position associated with a device identifier, a serving area of an IP address associated with the access point, or an uncertainty rating associated with each of the above locations.

31. The method of claim 24, wherein indexing with the data associated with the mobile device further comprises indexing the location database according to at least one of:

a device identifier, a MAC address associated with an access point in the system, or an IP address associated with the access point.

32. The method of claim 24, further comprising communicating a location request message from the network controller to the location database, wherein the location request message from the network controller identifies at least one of:

a message type, an access point identifier associated with the mobile device, or a device identifier, wherein the access point identifier comprises at least one of;

a MAC address or an IP address associated with the access point.

33. The method of claim 24, further comprising communicating a database abort message from the network controller to the location database, wherein the database abort message identifies at least one of:

a message type, or a cause associated with the database abort.

34. The method of claim 24, further comprising communicating a reply message from the location database to the network controller in response to a location request from the network controller, wherein the reply message identifies at least one of:

a message type, a location estimate, a latitude estimate, a longitude estimate, an uncertainty rating associated with the location estimate, a last known position associated with a device identifier, a cell global identity value, or an access point identifier, wherein the access point identifier comprises at least one of;

a MAC address or an IP address associated with the access point.