Mobile communication system

• US 5,542,100 A
• Filed: 03/09/1995
• Issued: 07/30/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Hatakeyama, Izumi
• Primary Examiner(s): Eisenzopf, Reinhard J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): VO, NGUYEN THANH
• Application Number:
  US08/402,164
• Time in Patent Office: 509 Days
• Field of Search: 340/988, 340/989, 340/990, 340/993, 340/995, 340/991, 455/33.1, 455/33.2, 455/33.4, 455/53.1, 455/54.1, 455/54.2, 455/56.1, 455/67.1, 379/59, 379/60, 364/449, 364/460, 364/561, 342/457, 342/450, 342/357, 342/451, 342/452, 342/454, 342/453, 342/458, 342/463, 342/46, 342/126
• US Class Current: 455/404.2
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/14 Determining absolute distances from a plurality of spaced points of known location
• 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

Abstract

A cellular communication system includes a mobile station with a switch or button which, when actuated by the user, calls a predetermined party. In the case of an emergency, the user actuates this switch and automatically places a call to an emergency agency. The switch also actuates a system for automatically locating the mobile station by measuring distances from the mobile station to a plurality of fixed stations in the cellular communication system.

Claims

1. Mobile communication system comprising a mobile station, a plurality of fixed stations and a supervisory station for the fixed stations, comprising:

a switch attached to said mobile station;

a memory in said mobile station for storing information including information relating to a predetermined mobile station;

a transmitting circuit included in said mobile station for sending a demand signal, upon actuation of said switch, to said fixed stations to initiate predetermined operations of said fixed stations;

each of said fixed stations comprising circuitry for measuring a respective distance between said each fixed station in response to said demand signal by measuring a time required to receive a reply burst from said mobile station after transmitting a burst signal to said mobile station, said reply burst including said information relating to said predetermined mobile station, and circuitry for informing said supervisory station of a result of said respective distance measurement;

a circuit in said supervisory station for determining a present location of said mobile station in accordance with said results of said distance measurements received from said plurality of said fixed stations; and

wherein said supervisory station further comprises means for notifying said predetermined mobile station at a location remote from said mobile station of said present location of said mobile station.

2. Mobile communication system comprising a mobile station, a plurality of fixed stations and a supervisory station for the fixed stations, comprising:

a switch attached to said mobile station to be operated for sending a demand signal;

a memory for storing information, including information relating to a predetermined mobile station;

each of said fixed stations comprising circuitry for measuring a respective distance between said each fixed station and said mobile station in response to said demand signal by measuring a time required to receive a reply burst from said mobile station after transmitting a burst signal to said mobile station, said reply burst including said information relating to said predetermined mobile station and circuitry for informing said supervisory station of the result of said distance measurement;

a circuit in said supervisory station for determining a present location of said mobile station in accordance with said results of said distance measurements received from said plurality of said fixed stations; and

means for transmitting information regarding said present location of said mobile station to said predetermined mobile station.

3. The mobile communication system in accordance with claim 2, wherein said predetermined mobile station further includes a display portion which shows said information regarding said present location sent from said supervisory station.

4. A system for alerting a predetermined mobile station of a location of a mobile station, said system comprising:

a plurality of fixed stations;

a supervisory station;

wherein said mobile station comprises;

a switch;

a transmitting circuit for sending a demand signal to said plurality of fixed stations upon actuation of said switch;

a memory for storing information, including information relating to said predetermined mobile station;

wherein each of said fixed station comprises;

circuitry for measuring a respective distance between said mobile station and each of said fixed stations in response to said demand signal by measuring a time required to receive a reply burst from said mobile station after transmitting a burst signal to said mobile station, said reply burst including said information relating to said predetermined mobile station, and circuitry for informing said supervisory station of a result of said distance measurement in response to said demand signal;

wherein said supervisory station comprises;

circuitry for determining a present location of said mobile station in accordance with said results of said distance measurements received from said plurality of fixed stations; and

means for notifying said predetermined mobile station of said present location of said mobile station.

5. A mobile station comprising:

a memory for storing information, including information relating to a predetermined mobile station;

a switch;

a transmitting circuit for sending a demand signal to a plurality of fixed stations upon actuation of said switch;

each of said fixed stations comprising measuring circuitry for measuring a respective distance between said mobile station and each said fixed station in response to said demand signal by measuring a time required to receive a reply burst from said mobile station after transmitting a burst signal to said mobile station, said reply burst including said information relating to said predetermined mobile station, and circuitry for transmitting said measured distance measurement to a supervisory station;

said supervisory station comprises;

circuitry for determining a present location of said mobile station in accordance with said distance measurements transmitted from said plurality of fixed stations; and

means for notifying said predetermined mobile station of said present location of said mobile station.

6. A system for alerting a predetermined mobile station of location of a mobile station, said system comprising:

a plurality of fixed stations;

a supervisory station;

wherein said mobile station comprises;

a switch;

a transmitting circuit for sending a demand signal to said plurality of fixed stations upon actuation of said switch;

a memory for storing information, including information relating to said predetermined mobile station;

wherein each of said fixed stations comprises;

circuitry for measuring a respective distance between said mobile station and said each fixed station in response to said demand signal by measuring a time required to receive a reply burst from said mobile station after transmitting a burst signal to said mobile station, said reply burst including said information relating to said predetermined mobile station; and

circuitry for transmitting said distance measurement to said supervisory station in response to said demand signal;

wherein said supervisory station comprises;

circuitry for determining a present location of said mobile station in accordance with said distance measurements transmitted from said plurality of fixed stations; and

means for notifying said predetermined mobile station of said present location of said mobile station.

7. A method of alerting a predetermined mobile station of a location of a mobile station in a mobile communication system, said mobile station having a control circuit and a memory circuit, said memory circuit including information relating to said predetermined mobile station, said system including a plurality of fixed stations, and a supervisory station having a database storing geographical information, said method comprising the steps of:

transmitting a demand signal from said mobile station;

receiving said demand signal in each of said plurality of fixed stations including one fixed station which is nearest to said mobile station;

transmitting a first reply burst including emergency instructions from said nearest fixed station to said mobile station and to said other fixed stations;

transmitting a second reply burst from said mobile station in response to said first reply burst, said second reply burst including said information relating to said predetermined mobile station;

measuring a distance between said mobile station and each of said plurality of fixed stations by measuring a time required for each fixed station to receive said second reply burst in response to said first reply burst from said mobile station;

notifying each of said plurality of fixed stations through said supervisory station of transmitting frequency information and identification code information stored in said memory circuit of said mobile station;

notifying said supervisory station of distance information comprising said measured distance between said mobile station and each of said plurality of fixed stations;

determining said location of said mobile station in said supervisory station from said distance information and said geographical information of said supervisory station database; and

providing said location to said predetermined mobile station.

8. A method of alerting a predetermined mobile station of a location of a mobile station in a mobile communication system, said mobile station having a control circuit and a memory circuit, said memory circuit including information relating to said predetermined mobile station, said system including a plurality of fixed stations, and a supervisory station for said fixed stations, said supervisory station having a database comprising geographical information, said method comprising the steps of:

activating a switch disposed in said mobile station;

recognizing said activated switch in said mobile station control circuit;

transmitting a first emergency call information from said mobile station;

receiving said first emergency call information in one of said plurality of fixed stations which is nearest to said mobile station;

recognizing said first emergency call information in said nearest fixed station;

transmitting a first reply burst including emergency instructions from said nearest fixed station to said mobile station;

transmitting a second reply burst including said information relating to said predetermined mobile station from said mobile station in response to said first reply burst, said second reply burst comprising second emergency call information;

storing said second emergency call information in said memory circuit;

measuring a distance between said mobile station and said nearest fixed station in said nearest fixed station by measuring a time required to receive said second reply burst in response to said first reply burst;

notifying each of said plurality of fixed stations through said supervisory station of transmitting frequency information and identification code information stored in said memory circuit of said mobile station;

placing each of said plurality of fixed stations in a condition to receive said second emergency call information;

measuring a distance between said mobile station and each of said plurality of fixed stations other than said nearest fixed station to provide third emergency call information;

notifying said supervisory station of said third emergency call information;

determining said location of said mobile station in said supervisory station from said third emergency call information and said geographical information of said supervisory station database; and

,

notifying said predetermined mobile station of said determined location.