System for determining network structure and positions of mobile devices in a wireless communication network

• US 20100041417A1
• Filed: 12/28/2006
• Published: 02/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Jonsson, Mattias, Lind, Hans
• Application Number:
  US12/521,286
• Publication Number:
  US 20100041417A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.100
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/39 the satellite radio beacon positioning system transmitting time-stamped messages, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System], GLONASS [Global Orbiting Navigation Satellite System] or GALILEO
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/14 Determining absolute distances from a plurality of spaced points of known location
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

The present invention relates to a solution for determining the location of a mobile communication device in a wireless communication network and for determining a network structure of the wireless communication network using a system of plurality of receivers acquiring radio signals from units in the communication network within a geographical area and triangulating the location of the units. The device may be arranged to trigger a re-establishment of connections between units in order to force communication control signal traffic which can be monitored.

Claims

1. A system for finding a the structure and geographical position of communication units in a wireless communication network, comprising

a receiver for acquiring radio signals from the wireless communication units;

and

a controller for collecting information related to acquired signals;

the receiver being arranged to acquire radio traffic information within the communication network and to send the acquired radio traffic information to the controller for further analysis in order to determine the network structure and geographical position of communication units.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the system is further arranged to pair mobile stations in communication with each other or with gateway units within the mobile communication network.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the system comprises a plurality of receivers in order to acquire signals for triangulation analysis.

4. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a transmitter arranged to send a signal triggering a re-establishment of connections between units in the wireless communication network.

5. The system according to claim 4, wherein the transmitter is arranged to operate independently of any network based permissions between communication units.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein the receiver is arranged to operate stand alone from any infrastructure communications network and is arranged to participate in a local communications network formed by the receiver and the controller.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein the receiver is arranged to acquire signals independent of service agreements of the communication units.

8. A detection device for finding a physical network structure of a wireless communication network, the detection device comprising

a receiver for acquiring radio signals from communication units within the network, a communication interface towards another detection device for receiving information about radio signal acquired by the another detection device, and

a processor arranged for executing triangulation processing of data based on acquired signals.

9. The device according to claim 8, further comprising a transmitter arranged to send a signal triggering a re-establishment of connections between units in the wireless communication network.

10. The device according to claim 9, wherein the signal causing re-establishment comprises a jamming signal and a protocol command signal.

11. The device according to claim 8, wherein the processor is further arranged to analyze communication traffic between units in communication between each other within the network.

12. The device according to claim 8, further comprising a radio interface for acting as a base station for the mobile units.

13. The device according to claim 8, further comprising a direction sensitive antenna.

14. A method for finding the network structure of, or location of units in a wireless communication network, the method comprising the steps of:

arranging a plurality of receivers for listening and identifying radio traffic in the wireless communication network;

obtaining communication traffic using the plurality of receivers;

acquiring obtained communication traffic in a control unit;

analysing the communication traffic in the control unit; and

triangulating locations for the units within the network.

15. The method according to claim 14, further comprising a step of forcing re-establishment of connections between the mobile stations and the communication network prior to acquiring communication traffic using the plurality of receivers.

16. The method according to claim 14, further comprising the step of determining mutual connections between units in the network.

17. The method according to claim 14, further comprising the step of determining locations as coordinates in a map as well as height information.

18. A communication unit for operation in a wireless communication network, comprising

a communication interface and

a processing unit arranged to transmit information stored in a memory about the communication unit to at least one stand alone position detection receiver.

19. The communication unit according to claim 18, wherein the information stored about the communication unit comprises at least one of ID of communication unit, ID of user, health information of the user, equipment related to the communication unit or the user, and status information of the user.