Mobile object search system and mobile object search method for mobile service

• US 6,778,836 B2
• Filed: 10/16/1998
• Issued: 08/17/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Kawakami, Takaaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Urban, Edward F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chow, C.
• Application Number:
  US09/173,775
• Publication Number:
  US 20020065084A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,132 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456, 455/403, 455/410, 455/575, 455/411, 455/432, 455/435, 455/445, 455/461, 455/575.1, 455/422.1, 455/404.2, 455/421, 455/441, 455/443, 455/444, 455/458, 455/100, 455/101, 455/103, 455/456.1, 455/456.2, 455/432.1, 455/435.1, 455/456.3, 342/457, 342/465, 342/456, 342/463, 342/450, 342/454, 370/338, 370/256, 370/390, 370/395, 370/400, 370/407, 370/408, 370/95.2, 379/59, 379/60
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/04 using triggered events
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/02 Processing of mobility data, e.g. registration information at HLR [Home Location Register] or VLR [Visitor Location Register]; Transfer of mobility data, e.g. between HLR, VLR or external networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/10 between location register and external networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/18 Service support devices; Network management devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 Inter-networking arrangements

Abstract

The location of a mobile object can be specified which lies within a radio zone range to which the range of only one base station corresponds, and a mobile object search method therefor. The mobile object search system includes a database for which is provided a mobile object tracing indication to enable the continuous monitoring of the location of a mobile object which has issued a call when a request for location information concerning the mobile object is transmitted to a switchboard in a mobile service system; mobile object tracing means for registering a mobile object display in the data base; and mobile object location monitoring means for repeatedly monitoring the location of the mobile object, and for using a notification of a change in the location of the mobile object by a minimum control area unit which the mobile object communication network recognizes. The minimum control area unit is a radio zone for one base station.

Claims

1. In a mobile service network system having a location register and mobile switch center, under which a plurality of base stations are provided, a mobile station search system comprising:

a database storing a location registration area where a mobile station is located;

mobile station tracing means for setting a mobile station tracing indication in the database, when a request for information concerning a location at which the mobile station is located, is transmitted to the mobile switch center; and

location monitoring means for repeatedly monitoring a location of the mobile station regardless of a termination of a call connection for the mobile station in a minimum control radio zone of a fixed size provided for each of the plurality of base stations which is smaller than the location registration area and for notifying a change in the minimum control radio zone of the mobile station to respond to the request for location information, the minimum control radio zone being of a minimum area that the mobile service network system can recognize;

wherein said mobile station tracing means and said mobile station location monitoring means are provided in the location register, and

wherein said mobile station tracing means includes;

mobile station tracing start means for initiating a mobile station tracing process, and

mobile station tracing halting means for halting the tracing of the location of the mobile station.

2. The mobile station search system according to claim 1,

wherein said database storing said location registration area is included in said location register, and

wherein said mobile station location monitoring means includes a function means for issuing notifications that location registrations have been performed, and continuously notifying location changes, in accordance with said location registrations, between minimum control area units within said location registration area.

3. The mobile station search system according to claim 1,

wherein when said mobile station moves to a location registration area of another network, said mobile station tracing indication is transferred to mobile station tracing means of the other network so as to make a location monitoring means of the other network repeatedly monitor the moved mobile station in the other network.

4. A mobile station search method comprising the steps of:

transmitting, to a mobile switching center in a mobile service system having a location register, under which a plurality of base stations are provided, a request for information concerning a location of a mobile station from which a call authorized by said mobile service system has been issued;

setting, in a database, storing a location registration area where a mobile station is located, a mobile station tracing indication when a request for information concerning a location at which the mobile station is located is transmitted to the mobile switch center;

monitoring the location of the mobile station repeatedly regardless of a termination of the call from the mobile station in a minimum control radio zone of a fixed size provided for each of the plurality of base stations, which is smaller than the location registration area, the minimum control radio zone being of a minimum area that the mobile service network system can recognize; and

notifying a change in the minimum control radio zone of the mobile station to respond to the request for location information.

5. The mobile station search method according to claim 4, wherein said mobile object is controlled by said mobile service switching center so that power is at least supplied to a radio circuit in said mobile station.

6. A mobile station search method comprising the steps of:

transmitting, to a mobile switching center in a mobile service system, having a location register, under which a plurality of base stations are provided, a request for location information concerning a mobile station from which a call has been issued;

setting, in a database, storing a location registration area where a mobile station is located, a mobile station tracing indication when a request for information concerning a location at which the mobile station is located is transmitted to the mobile switching center;

monitoring the location of the mobile station repeatedly regardless of a termination of the call from the mobile station in a minimum control radio zone of a fixed size provided for each of the plurality of base stations, which is smaller than the location registration area, the minimum control radio zone being of a minimum area that the mobile service network system can recognize;

notifying a change in the minimum control radio zone of the mobile station to respond to the request for location information;

updating said database, based on said request for a search for said location information concerning said mobile station from which a call has been issued, by setting a mobile service switching center number in a location registration area wherein said mobile station is located and by establishing a fact that a radio zone is unknown;

forwarding a request for a mobile station location examination to a mobile service switching center which corresponds to said mobile service switching center number;

specifying, by paging, a radio zone in which said mobile station is located when a response is received to said request for said mobile station location examination;

outputting said specified radio zone as location information; and

updating said database by setting said specified radio zone in said database.

7. The mobile station search method according to claim 6, further comprising the steps of:

starting a timer after said location information is updated; and

issuing another request for a search for location information concerning said mobile station when said timer count equals a predetermined value.

8. A mobile station search method comprising the steps of:

transmitting, to a mobile service switching center in a mobile service system, having a location register and a mobile switch center under which a plurality of base stations are provided, a request for information concerning a location of a mobile station from which a call has been issued;

setting, in a database storing a location registration area where a mobile station is located, a mobile station tracing indication when a request for information concerning a location at which the mobile station is located is transmitted to the mobile switch center;

monitoring the location of the mobile station repeatedly regardless of a termination of the call from the mobile station in a minimum control radio zone of a fixed size provided for each of the plurality of base stations, which is smaller than the location registration area, the minimum control radio zone being of a minimum area that the mobile service network system can recognize;

notifying a change in the location of the mobile station to respond to the request for location information;

wherein a radio zone, in which said mobile station, as a target of said tracing indication is present, is periodically monitored, and changes in said location of said mobile station are sequentially reported to said mobile service switching center, and

wherein a change in the movement of said mobile station in said radio zone is periodically monitored, and when said radio zone is changed, the change in the movement of the mobile station is reported to said mobile service switching center, and wherein a radio zone in which said mobile station is currently present is compared with a radio zone in which said mobile station was previously present, and when a plurality of mismatches are detected, a change in said radio zone is reported to said mobile service switching center.