System, method and apparatus to prepare base transceiver station for intra-cell asynchronous positioning handover

• US 6,351,644 B1
• Filed: 09/17/1999
• Issued: 02/26/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Unwired Planet LLC (JP Morgan Chase & Co)
• Original Assignee: Ericsson, Inc. (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Inventors: Hussain, Tahir, Zadeh, Bagher, Amirijoo, Shahrokh
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Lee
• Application Number:
  US09/398,666
• Time in Patent Office: 893 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456, 455/436, 455/517, 455/437, 455/438, 455/439, 455/440, 342/357.09, 342/357.1, 342/450, 342/457
• US Class Current: 455/456.5
• 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 74/00 Wireless channel access

Abstract

A system, method, and apparatus for determining a position of a mobile station in a mobile telecommunications network is disclosed. Speech interruptions during mobile station positioning are reduced or eliminated by controlling the number of access bursts transmitted by the mobile station. The number of access burst transmitted by the mobile station is controlled to a level commensurate with the degree of positioning accuracy required by the requesting application. The number of access bursts is calculated by the Mobile Location Center (MLC) and communicated to the Base Transceiver Station (BTS) via the Base Station Controller (BSC). After the requisite number of access bursts are received, the BTS transmits a signal to the mobile station, causing the mobile station to cease transmitting access bursts.

Claims

1. A method for determining the location of a mobile station in a wireless telecommunications system within a predetermined degree of precision, said method comprising the steps of:

commanding, from a first node in said wireless telecommunications system, the mobile station to commence transmitting access bursts;

receiving, by at least one second node in said wireless telecommunications system, a given number of access bursts from said mobile station, where said access bursts determine the location of said mobile station within said predetermined degree of precision; and

transmitting, from said first node, responsive to receiving said given number of access bursts, a cessation signal to the mobile station to cease transmitting said access bursts.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

determining a time period associated with said given number of access bursts.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein said step of transmitting further comprises the step of:

transmitting said cessation signal responsive to the expiration of said time period.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein said step of transmitting further comprises the step of:

transmitting the cessation signal from a base transceiver station.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein said step of transmitting further comprises the step of:

transmitting physical information to the mobile station, said physical information causing the mobile station to cease transmitting the access bursts.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein, in said step of commanding, said first node comprises a base station controller.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein, in said step of receiving, said at least one second node comprises at least one location measurement unit.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein said at least one second node comprises a plurality of location measurement units.

9. A mobile telecommunications network for determining a location associated with a mobile station within a predetermined degree of precision, said mobile telecommunications network comprising:

a mobile location center (MLC), for calculating a given number of access bursts to determine the location of said mobile station within said predetermined degree;

a base station controller for commanding said mobile station to commence transmitting said given number of access bursts;

a plurality of location measurement units (LMUs) for receiving said given number of access bursts; and

a base transceiver station for transmitting a cessation signal to said mobile station, causing said mobile station to cease transmitting said access bursts, responsive to said plurality of location measurement units receiving said given number of access bursts.

10. The mobile telecommunications network according to of claim 9, wherein said mobile location center determines a given time associated with said given number of access bursts.

11. The mobile telecommunications network of claim 9, wherein said base transceiver station transmits physical information responsive to said plurality of location measurement units receiving said given number of access bursts.

12. A base transceiver station in a wireless telecommunications system for determining a position for a mobile station, said base transceiver station comprising:

a receiver for receiving a signal indicating a given period of time, said given period of time corresponding to the time for receiving a given number of access bursts from said mobile station; and

a transmitter for transmitting a cessation signal to said mobile station after said given period of time expires, whereby the position of said mobile station is determined by said access bursts.

13. The base transceiver station according to claim 12, wherein said cessation signal comprises physical information.