TWO STAGE MOBILE DEVICE GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION DETERMINATION

• US 20130150085A1
• Filed: 02/05/2013
• Published: 06/13/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/2006
• 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 8,737,311 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.2
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/25 involving aiding data received from a cooperating element, e.g. assisted GPS
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/48 by combining or switching between position solutions derived from the satellite radio beacon positioning system and position solutions derived from a further system
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/2693 Centralised synchronisation, i.e. using external universal time reference, e.g. by using a global positioning system [GPS] or by distributing time reference over the wireline network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/00 Routing or path finding of packets in data switching networks routing or path finding in wireless networks H04W40/00
• 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 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/20 Services signaling; Auxiliary data signalling, i.e. transmitting data via a non-traffic channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/00 Affiliation to network, e.g. registration; Terminating affiliation with the network, e.g. de-registration
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/12 Setup of transport tunnels
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/04 adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

A system and method for mitigating the delay associated with using GPS technologies to determine the location of a mobile device. The system utilizes a two-stage location determination process. During the first stage, an estimated position of the mobile device is immediately provided based on the most accurate stored location information that is available to the system. If greater accuracy is still required, during the second stage a more accurate position of the mobile device is provided using GPS-based technologies.

Claims

1. A method in a computing system of determining a geographic location associated with a wireless mobile device accessing a data network, the method comprising:

receiving a request for a location of a wireless mobile device that is connected to the data network through an access point operating on unlicensed frequency spectrum,

wherein the request includes a location accuracy requirement;

determining an estimated location of the wireless mobile device by accessing stored location information;

providing the estimated location in a first response to the request for the location of the wireless mobile device; and

when the provided estimated location fails to meet the location accuracy requirement, then—

determining a GPS location of the wireless mobile device by using information derived from global positioning system (GPS) signals; and

providing the GPS location of the wireless mobile device in a second response to the request for the location of the wireless mobile device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the location accuracy requirement is a numerical value.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the location accuracy requirement is a relative measure.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

where the provided GPS location fails to meet the location accuracy requirement,

providing a message indicating that the requested location is not available.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the access point is identified by at least one of:

a media access control (MAC) address or an internet protocol (IP) address.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing the GPS location of the wireless mobile device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein information derived from the GPS signals is used by an Assisted GPS service to determine the GPS location of the wireless mobile device.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising routing a call from the wireless mobile device based on the estimated location.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the estimated location and the GPS location is identified by a latitude and longitude coordinate system.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the stored location with the highest uncertainty rating that satisfies the location accuracy requirement is provided.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving the location of the wireless mobile device; and

providing the received location of the wireless mobile device to a requesting location-based service.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the requesting location-based service is a commercial location-based service.

13. A system for determining a geographic location associated with a mobile device that is wirelessly accessing a data network, the system comprising:

a first location estimator configured to provide an estimated location of a mobile device that is accessing the data network via an access point operating on unlicensed frequency spectrum,

wherein the first location estimator is configured to determine the estimated location of the mobile device by accessing stored location information, and

wherein the first location estimator is configured to provide the estimated location in a first response to a request for a position of the mobile device; and

a second location estimator configured to provide a GPS location of the mobile device,

wherein the second location estimator is configured to initiate a communication with the mobile device that causes the mobile device to calculate its GPS location using information derived from global positioning system (GPS) signals and communicate the GPS location to the second location estimator,

wherein the second location estimator is configured to provide the GPS location in a second response to the request for the position of the mobile device, and

wherein the second location estimator is utilized when the provided estimated location fails to meet a location accuracy requirement.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the location accuracy requirement is a relative measure.

15. The system of claim 13, further comprising:

where the provided GPS location fails to meet the location accuracy requirement,

a messaging component configured to provide a message indicating that the requested position of the mobile device is not available.

16. The system of claim 13, further comprising:

a storage component configured to store the GPS location of the wireless mobile device.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the access point is identified by at least one of:

a media access control (MAC) address or an internet protocol (IP) address.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein information derived from the GPS signals is used by an Assisted GPS service to determine the GPS location of the wireless mobile device.

19. At least one tangible computer-readable medium storing instructions for determining a geographic location associated with a wireless mobile device accessing a data network, comprising:

receiving a request for a location of a wireless mobile device that is connected to the data network through an access point operating on unlicensed frequency spectrum;

determining an estimated location of the wireless mobile device by accessing stored location information;

providing the estimated location in a first response to the request for the location of the wireless mobile device; and

when the provided estimated location fails to meet a location accuracy requirement, then—

determining a GPS location of the wireless mobile device by using information derived from global positioning system (GPS) signals; and

providing the GPS location of the wireless mobile device in a second response to the request for the location of the wireless mobile device.

20. The at least one tangible computer-readable medium of claim 19, wherein the request includes the location accuracy requirement.