Method and apparatus for subscriber unit location updating

• US 6,134,446 A
• Filed: 12/10/1997
• Issued: 10/17/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Sasuta, Michael D., Shaughnessy, Mark L., Urs, Kamala D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Eisenzopf, Reinhard J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kincaid, Lester G.
• Application Number:
  US08/988,154
• Time in Patent Office: 1,042 Days
• Field of Search: 455/432, 455/433, 455/435, 455/456, 455/515, 455/525, 455/67.1, 455/550, 455/551, 455/552, 455/422, 455/434, 455/517
• US Class Current: 455/456.5
• 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 60/00 Affiliation to network, e.g. registration; Terminating affiliation with the network, e.g. de-registration
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/04 using triggered events
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data

Abstract

A mobility processor (34) provides location update parameters to a subscriber unit (SU1-4). The location update parameters indicate conditions upon which the subscriber unit is to provide its location information to the mobility processor. From the location information, the mobility processor determines whether the subscriber unit has provided the location information in a manner that is consistent with the location update parameters. If the mobility processor determines that the subscriber unit did not provide the location information in a manner that is consistent with the location update parameters, the mobility processor generates a new set of location update parameters which are provided to the subscriber unit.

Claims

1. In a communication system that includes a plurality of communication areas, a mobility processor and at least one communication device within the plurality of communication areas, a method comprising the steps of:

(a) selecting, by the communication device, one or more desired services;

(b) providing, from the mobility processor to the communication device, location update parameters identifying a condition when the communication device is to provide location information to the mobility processor, the condition being based at least in part on the desired services of the communication device; and

(c) providing the location information, from the communication device to the mobility processor, based on the location update parameters.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the condition is further based on a location of the communication device within a communication area of the plurality of communication areas, and service capabilities of the communication area.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

(d) sending, from the communication device to the mobility processor, a message indicating a change in status in one or more of;

the desired services of the communication device, the location of the communication device and the service capabilities of the communication area;

(e) determining, by the mobility processor, whether the change in status warrants a change in location update parameters; and

(f) in response to a positive determination in step (e) providing, by the mobility processor to the communication device, new location update parameters identifying a second condition when the communication device is to provide location information to the mobility processor, the second condition being based on the change in status.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising providing, by the communication device, location information of the communication device based on the new location update parameters.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein the condition is at least one of:

a periodic interval, the communication device moving into another communication area of the plurality of communication areas, the communication device moving from one set of communication areas to another set of communication areas, and the communication device changing the desired services.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising, within step (c), providing the location information by a plurality of subscriber units, wherein each of the plurality of subscriber units provides the location information based on group location update parameters.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of providing the location update parameters is accomplished upon registration of communication device with the communication system.

8. A method for a subscriber unit to provide location information, the method comprises the steps of:

a) receiving, from time to time, location update parameters, wherein the location update parameters are based on desired services of the subscriber unit, location of the subscriber unit being within a communication area of a plurality of communication areas, and service capabilities of the communication area;

b) interpreting the location update parameters to ascertain at least one condition for providing the location information;

c) monitoring for the at least one condition to occur; and

d) when the at least one condition occurs, generating the location information.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprises, within step (b), interpreting the at least one condition to be at least one of:

expiration of a periodic interval, movement into another communication area of the plurality of communication areas, movement from one set of communication areas to another set of communication areas, and a change of the desired services.

10. In a communication system that includes a plurality of communication areas, a method for a mobility processor to process subscriber unit location updating, the method comprising the steps of:

a) providing location update parameters to a subscriber unit, the location update parameters identifying a condition when the subscriber unit is to provide location information to the mobility processor, the condition being based on location of the subscriber unit within a communication area of the plurality of communication areas, desired services of the subscriber unit, and service capabilities of the communication area;

b) receiving location information of the subscriber unit in a manner determined by the location update parameters; and

c) receiving a message indicating a change in status in one or more of the location of the subscriber unit, the desired services of the subscriber unit, and service capabilities of the communication area,

(1) determining whether the change in status warrants a change in location update parameters; and

(2) in response to a positive determination in step (1) generating new location update parameters identifying a second condition when the communication device is to provide location information to the mobility processor, the second condition being based on the change in status.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising providing the new location update parameters to the subscriber unit.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein, within step (c), the mobility processor receives a message indicating a change in status of the location of the subscriber unit, the message indicating the subscriber unit to be in another communication area of the plurality of communication areas, the another communication area having different service capabilities, with respect to the desired services, than the communication area.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein, within step (c), the mobility processor receives a message indicating a change in status of the service capabilities of the communication area.

14. The method of claim 10 wherein, within step (c), the mobility processor receives a message indicating a change in the desired services of the subscriber unit.

15. The method of claim 10 wherein, within step (c), the mobility processor receives a message indicating movement of the subscriber unit from one set of communication areas to another set of communication areas.

16. In a communication system that includes a plurality of communication areas, a method for subscriber unit location updating, the method comprising the steps of:

a) providing, by a mobility processor, location update parameters to a subscriber unit, wherein the location update parameters are based on location of the subscriber unit being within a communication area of the plurality of communication areas, desired services of the subscriber unit, and service capabilities of the communication area;

b) interpreting, by the subscriber unit, the location update parameters to ascertain at least one condition for providing the location information;

c) monitoring, by the subscriber unit, for the at least one condition to occur;

d) when the at least one condition occurs, providing, by the subscriber unit, the location information to the mobility processor; and

e) receiving, by the mobility processor, the location information of the subscriber unit.

17. A subscriber unit comprising:

a radio frequency transceiver;

a processing unit operably coupled to the radio frequency transceiver; and

a memory that is operably coupled to the processing unit, wherein the memory stores programming instructions that, when read by the processing unit, cause the processing unit to function as a receiver for receiving, from time to time, location update parameters, wherein the location parameters are based on desired services of the subscriber unit, location of the subscriber unit being within a communication area of a plurality of communication areas, and service capabilities of the communication area;

an interpreter for interpreting the location update parameters to ascertain at least one condition for providing the location information;

a monitor for monitoring when the at least one condition occurs; and

a circuit for generating the location information when the at least one condition has occurred.

18. The subscriber unit of claim 17 further comprises, within the memory, programming instructions that, when read by the processing unit, cause the processing unit to function as the interpreter interpreting the condition to be at least one of:

a periodic interval, movement into another communication area of the plurality of communication areas, movement from one set of communication areas to another set of communication areas, and changing of the desired services.

19. A mobility processor comprising:

an interface that receives location information from a subscriber unit and sends location update parameters to the subscriber unit,

a processing unit operably coupled to the interface; and

memory operably coupled to the processing unit, wherein the memory stores programming instructions that, when read by the processing unit, cause the processing unit to function as a generator for generating the location update parameters based on location of the subscriber unit within a communication area of a plurality of communication areas, desired services of the subscriber unit, and service capabilities of the communication area and, when the location information was received in a manner that is inconsistent with a manner corresponding to the location update parameters, generating second location update parameters.

20. The mobility processor of claim 19 further comprises, within the memory, programming instructions that, when read by the processing unit, cause the processing unit to function as a determiner that determines when the location information was received in the manner that is inconsistent with the manner corresponding to the location update parameters by determining when the location information indicates another communication area of the plurality of communication areas and the another communication areas has different service capabilities, with respect to the desired services, than the communication area.

21. The mobility processor of claim 19 further comprises, within the memory, programming instructions that, when read by the processing unit, cause the processing unit to function as a determiner that determines when the location information was received in the manner that is inconsistent with the manner corresponding to the location update parameters by determining when the service capabilities of the communication area have changed.

22. The mobility processor of claim 19 further comprises, within the memory, programming instructions that, when read by the processing unit, cause the processing unit to function as a determiner that determines when the location information was received in the manner that is inconsistent with the manner corresponding to the location update parameters by determining when the desired services have changed.

23. The mobility processor of claim 19 further comprises, within the memory, programming instructions that, when read by the processing unit, cause the processing unit to function as a determiner that determines when the location information was received in the manner that is inconsistent with the manner corresponding to the location update parameters by determining when the subscriber unit has moved from one set of communication areas to another set of communication areas.

24. The mobility processor of claim 19 further comprises, within the memory, programming instructions that, when read by the processing unit, cause the processing unit to function as the generator generating the second location update parameters to inform the subscriber unit not to provide the location information until the subscriber unit is located within a particular section of the communication system.