Location Determination For Calls Within A Femtocell

• US 20110053609A1
• Filed: 09/02/2009
• Published: 03/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Choi-Grogan, Yung
• Granted Patent: US 8,483,713 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.2
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0045 Transmission from base station to mobile station G01S5/009 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/025 using location based information parameters
• 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 84/045 using private Base Stations, e.g. femto Base Stations, home Node B

Abstract

When a call is placed within a femtocell area of coverage, the location of the femtocell is used as the location of the mobile device. The location of the femtocell is stored in the network, and if the call is placed through the femtocell, the location of the femtocell is used to determine the location of the mobile device.

Claims

1. A method for reporting a location of a call via a femtocell, the method comprising:

registering the location of the femtocell;

processing a call originating from a mobile device within the coverage area of the femtocell;

determining the location of the femtocell serving the mobile device;

reporting the location of the femtocell.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising determining the location of the mobile device and comparing the location of the mobile device with the location of the femtocell.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein if the compared difference between the location of the mobile device and the location of the femtocell exceeds a threshold, then reporting the location of the mobile device.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising determining a more specific location within a femtocell and wherein the reporting step includes reporting the more specific location.

5. A system for reporting location of a mobile device, comprising:

a cellular network;

a femtocell in communication with the cellular network, wherein the location of the fermtocell is stored in the network;

a server configured to;

query whether a femtocell is serving the mobile device;

based on the query, if the femtocell is serving the mobile device, reporting the location as the stored location of the femtocell, and if the femtocell is not serving the mobile device, determining the location of the mobile device and reporting the determined location.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the femtocell determines a more specific location, and if the query indicates that the femtocell is serving the mobile device, then reporting the more specific location.