COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM AND COMMUNICATIONS METHOD

• US 20120058780A1
• Filed: 03/26/2010
• Published: 03/08/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: NTT Docomo Incorporated (Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation)
• Original Assignee: NTT Docomo Incorporated (Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation)
• Inventors: Suzuki, Toshihiro, Okajima, Ichiro, Kawakami, Hiroshi, Okamoto, Takeshi, Ochi, Daisuke, Honda, Yasuyuki, Yokoyama, Kengo, Jo, Manhee, Nagata, Tomohiro, Kobayashi, Motonari, Oyabu, Yuki, Terayama, Takeshi
• Application Number:
  US13/259,731
• Publication Number:
  US 20120058780A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• 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 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/20 Services signaling; Auxiliary data signalling, i.e. transmitting data via a non-traffic channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/08 Mobility data transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/18 Service support devices; Network management devices

Abstract

A communications system and a communications method that enable to collect location information without imposing a load on the network. In an RNC of a communications system, when a communication controlling module performs communication connection processing to a mobile station among a plurality of mobile stations, a positioning module measures the location of the mobile station and the communication controlling module transmits location information of the mobile station to an exchange when communication is connected with the mobile station. In the exchange, a communication controlling module receives the location information transmitted from the RNC and a storage module stores the received location information. Then, in response to a request from a management center, the exchange transmits the location information stored in the storage module.

Claims

1-14. -14. (canceled)

15. A communications system comprising:

a plurality of communication control apparatuses for controlling wireless connection to a plurality of mobile stations; and

a management apparatus for managing the communication control apparatus, wherein the communication control apparatus comprises;

a positioning unit that is configured to measure GAI (Geographical Area ID) including coordinate information as location of a mobile station, when communication is connected to the mobile station among the plurality of mobile stations; and

a transmitting unit at a communication control apparatus side that is configured to transmit signal that is transmitted when communication is connected to the mobile station, to the management apparatus, the signal being added with the GAI of the mobile station measured by the positioning unit, the management apparatus comprises;

a receiving unit that is configured to receive the signal including the GAI transmitted by the transmitting unit;

a storage unit that is configured to store the GAI included in the signal received by the receiving unit; and

a transmitting unit at a management apparatus side that is configured to transmit the GAI stored in the storage unit in response to a request from an external server or at a given timing.

16. The communications system according to claim 15, wherein the management apparatus is an exchange.

17. The communications system according to claim 15, wherein the management apparatus is a subscriber information management apparatus.

18. The communications system according to claim 15, wherein

the transmitting unit at the communication control apparatus side transmits the GAI by including the GAI of the mobile station in an initial UE message.

19. The communications system according to claim 15, wherein

the transmitting unit at the communication control apparatus side transmits the GAI during handover by including the GAI of the mobile station in a location report signal.

20. The communications system according to claim 15, wherein

the transmitting unit at the communication control apparatus side in the communication control apparatus transmits an ID for identifying the mobile station in association with the GAI to the management apparatus,

the receiving unit at the management apparatus receives the ID together with the GAI, the management apparatus further comprises:

a subscriber information storage unit that is configured to store subscriber information having the ID and a telephone number in association with each other; and

a converting unit that is configured to convert the ID received by the receiving unit to the telephone number based on the subscriber information stored in the subscriber information storage unit, and wherein

the storage unit stores the telephone number converted by the converting unit together with the GAL

21. The communications system according to claim 15, wherein

the subscriber information storage unit further stores a positioning time in an associated manner.

22. The communications system according to claim 15, wherein

the GAI is represented by coordinate information in a sector.

23. A communications method executed on a communications system including a plurality of communication control apparatuses for controlling wireless connection to a plurality of mobile stations, and a management apparatus for managing the communication control apparatus, wherein

the communication control apparatus comprises:

a positioning step of measuring GAI(Geographical Area ID) including coordinate information as location of a mobile station, when communication is connected to the mobile station of the plurality of mobile stations; and

a transmitting step at a communication control apparatus side of transmitting signal that is transmitted when communication is connected to the mobile station, to the management apparatus, the signal being added with the GAI of the mobile station measured by the positioning step, the management apparatus comprises;

a receiving step of receiving the signal including the GAI transmitted at the transmitting step;

a storage step of storing the GAI included in the signal received at the receiving step in storage unit; and

a transmitting step at a management apparatus side of transmitting the GAI stored in the storage unit in response to a request from an external server.