Cellular telephone system that uses position of a mobile unit to make call management decisions
First Claim
1. A cellular communications system that includes one or more cell sites and an MTSO said system comprising:
- A) locating means in a cellular communications system for determining the exact geographic location of a mobile unit, said locating means including means using a satellite communication system for establishing an exact geographic location of said mobile unit and for emitting a position signal of said exact geographic location;
B) means in the MTSO for receiving the position signal and using that position signal to establish the exact geographic location of the mobile unit; and
C) data means in the MTSO responsive to said locating means for providing billing information for said mobile unit based on the exact geographic location of the mobile unit, said data means including tables containing billing charges and positional data and means for comparing the exact geographic location of said mobile unit to the tables and assessing charges to said mobile unit based on said exact geographic location and for generating a call record for billing purposes.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A cellular telephone system includes a plurality of cell sites and a mobile telephone switching office. Call management, including selection of a cell site most appropriate for a call associated with a mobile unit, are made based on the geographic location of the mobile unit as opposed to the strength of the signal associated with the call. The geographic location of the mobile unit is precisely determined using a NAVSTAR global positioning system, or its equivalent. Each mobile unit includes a GPS receiver that receives information from a geostationary satellite to determine the precise location of the mobile unit. This position information is relayed to the cell site initially managing the mobile unit, and the mobile unit is handed off to a cell site that is most appropriate for the call. Initial selection of an entrance cell site is made based on signal strength, but further call management decisions are made based on location of the mobile unit.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A cellular communications system that includes one or more cell sites and an MTSO said system comprising:
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A) locating means in a cellular communications system for determining the exact geographic location of a mobile unit, said locating means including means using a satellite communication system for establishing an exact geographic location of said mobile unit and for emitting a position signal of said exact geographic location; B) means in the MTSO for receiving the position signal and using that position signal to establish the exact geographic location of the mobile unit; and C) data means in the MTSO responsive to said locating means for providing billing information for said mobile unit based on the exact geographic location of the mobile unit, said data means including tables containing billing charges and positional data and means for comparing the exact geographic location of said mobile unit to the tables and assessing charges to said mobile unit based on said exact geographic location and for generating a call record for billing purposes. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A cellular communications system that includes one or more cell sites and an MTSO, said system comprising:
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locating means in a cellular communications system for determining the exact geographic co-ordinates of a mobile unit; and means for making billing-related call decisions based on the geographic co-ordinates of the mobile unit and including tables containing billing charges and positional data and means for comparing the exact geographic co-ordinates of said mobile unit to the tables and assessing charges to said mobile unit based on said exact geographic co-ordinates and for recording billing information.
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11. A method of generating bills and billing customers for calls Associated with mobile unit in a cellular telephone system having a plurality of cell sites at various geographic locations and an MTSO comprising:
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A) establishing exact geographic co-ordinates for a mobile unit; B) establishing billing-related records based on the exact geographic co-ordinates of said mobile unit; and C) using the billing-related records to bill customers for calls associated with the mobile unit. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A cellular communications system that includes one or more cell sites and an MTSO, said system comprising:
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A) locating means in a cellular communications system for determining the exact geographic co-ordinates of a mobile unit and emitting a position signal corresponding to said exact geographic co-ordinates; B) means for receiving the position signal and using that position signal to establish the exact geographic co-ordinates of the mobile unit; and C) data means responsive to said means for receiving the position signal for defining billing-related information for said mobile unit based on the exact geographic co-ordinates of the mobile unit, said data means including tables containing billing charges and positional data and means for comparing the exact geographic co-ordinates of said mobile unit to the tables and assessing charges to said mobile unit based on said exact geographic location and for generating a call record for billing purposes.
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17. A cellular communications set up comprising:
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A) a cellular communications system; B) a system boundary defining an authorized area for said cellular communications system; C) at least one intra-system cell site that provides service within said authorized area; D) an MTSO for said cellular communications system; E) a neighboring cellular carrier that provides service outside of said authorized area; F) at least one inter-system cell site that provides service outside of said authorized area, said at least one inter-system cell site being associated with said neighboring cellular carrier; G) said cellular communications system and said neighboring cellular carrier being subject to inter-system interference; H) locating means for determining the exact geographic location of a mobile unit, said locating means including means using a satellite communication system for establishing an exact geographic location of the mobile unit and for emitting a position signal of said exact geographic location; I) means for receiving said position signal and using that position signal to establish the exact geographic location of the mobile unit visa vis said at least one intra-system cell site in said cellular communications system; and J) data storage and comparison means in said MTSO responsive to said means for receiving the position signal and storing cell site geographic data for each intra-system cell site in said cellular communications system and effecting a comparison between said position signal and the cell site geographic data and selecting a chosen cell site that services the geographic location of the mobile unit for use by the mobile unit based on such comparison and accepting the call from said mobile unit if the chosen cell site provides service within said authorized area for reducing provision of cellular service by said cellular communications system outside of said authorized area and reducing interference between said cellular communications system and said neighboring cellular carrier. - View Dependent Claims (19)
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18. A cellular communications set up comprising:
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A) a system boundary defining an authorized area for a cellular communications system; B) at least one intra-system cell site that provides service within said authorized area; C) an MTSO for said cellular communications system; D) a neighboring cellular carrier providing service outside of said authorized area; E) at least one cell site for said neighboring cellular carrier that provides service outside of said authorized area, the at least one cell site for said neighboring cellular carrier being an inter-system cell site with respect to said cellular communications system; F) said cellular communications system and said neighboring cellular carrier being subject to inter-system interference; G) locating means for determining the exact geographic location of a mobile unit; and H) management means in said MTSO responsive to said locating means for making management decisions based on the geographic location of the mobile unit, said management means including means for storing geographic data for each intra-system cell site in the cellular communications system and for comparing the exact geographic location of the mobile unit to the geographic data and for selecting a chosen cell site that services the geographic location of the mobile unit for use by the mobile unit based on such comparison and using the chosen cell site if that chosen cell site is an intra-system cell site for reducing provision of cellular service by said cellular communications system outside of said authorized area and reducing interference between said cellular communications system and said neighboring cellular carrier. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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Specification