Method for finding the position of a communications device, and a communications device for carrying out the method

• US 6,462,706 B2
• Filed: 09/17/1999
• Issued: 10/08/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Mobile Phones UK Limited (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Decker, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Blum, Theodore M.
• Application Number:
  US09/399,290
• Publication Number:
  US 20020044088A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,117 Days
• Field of Search: 342/357.02, 342/357.09, 342/357.1, 342/357.13, 701/214
• US Class Current: 342/357.23
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

In order to find the position of a communications device, this communications device receives position data (2-7) together with associated position accuracies (8). In order to determine optimum positions (3, 5, 7), the communications device stores a number of such most recently received. position data items whose position accuracy (8) is better than a predetermined position accuracy. It is thus possible, for example in the event of an emergency, to find the location of the communications device more exactly, and define the rescue route more exactly.

Claims

1. Method for finding the position of a mobile communications device, which receives position data together with associated position accuracies and which, in order to determine optimum positions, stores a number of such most recently received position data items whose position accuracy is better than a predetermined position accuracy, wherein the predetermined position accuracy is increased in steps starting from an initial value.

2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that a respective one of the optimum positions is determined along in each case one predetermined journey distance.

3. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that a respective one of the optimum positions is determined in each case one predetermined time period.

4. Method according to claim 1 characterized in that, within the predetermined journey distance or the predetermined time period, the predetermined position accuracy is replaced by such a position accuracy from position data which are supplied later, which position accuracy is better than the predetermined position accuracy.

5. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the predetermined position accuracy is reset to a new initial value at the start of each predetermined journey distance or predetermined time period.

6. Method according to claim 4, characterized in that the initial value is changed.

7. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that, when required, the communications device transmits to a service provider at least those optimum positions which have been determined for predetermined journey distances or predetermined time periods which have been completed.

8. Method according to claim 7, characterized in that, in addition, that optimum position is transmitted to the service provider (16) which have been determined, when the requirement occurred, for a predetermined journey distance or predetermined time period which had not yet been completed.

9. Method according to claim 7, characterized in that, in addition, the most recently received position data when the requirement occurred are transmitted to the service provider.

10. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the communications device receives the position data together with the position accuracies from a radio navigation device.