Enhanced PDE selection
First Claim
1. A method for use in providing location information regarding mobile units in a mobile communications system, said method comprising the steps of:
- receiving a request for location information for a first Mobile unit, said request identifying said first mobile unit and further including at least a first specification regarding a quality of said requested location information;
correlating said first specification with at least one attribute stored in a PDE site database;
based on said correlating step, selecting at least one location information source capable of providing responsive location information for said first mobile unit;
obtaining said responsive location information from said selected location information source, wherein said responsive information at least substantially conforms to said first specification regarding said quality of said requested location information; and
providing said responsive location information to a selected location based on said request.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for managing the selection of location information sources (e.g., position determining equipment sites) to provide location information for a mobile communications unit (e.g., a cellular phone) are disclosed. Embedded within a request for location information on a particular mobile communications unit are one or more specifications regarding the quality of the requested location information. Such specifications is used to determine if any location information sources are able to provide the location information with the desired location information quality. Upon locating a location information source capable of providing the requested location information, the source is invoked to the particular location information source. Once the location information is provided by the location information source it is provided to the requesting party.
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Citations
42 Claims
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1. A method for use in providing location information regarding mobile units in a mobile communications system, said method comprising the steps of:
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receiving a request for location information for a first Mobile unit, said request identifying said first mobile unit and further including at least a first specification regarding a quality of said requested location information; correlating said first specification with at least one attribute stored in a PDE site database; based on said correlating step, selecting at least one location information source capable of providing responsive location information for said first mobile unit; obtaining said responsive location information from said selected location information source, wherein said responsive information at least substantially conforms to said first specification regarding said quality of said requested location information; and providing said responsive location information to a selected location based on said request. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method for use in providing location information regarding mobile units in a mobile communications system, said method comprising:
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receiving a request for location information for a first Mobile unit, said request identifying said first mobile unit and further including at least a first specification regarding a quality of said requested location information; receiving a first indication of the general location of said first mobile unit; based on said first specification and said first indication of the general location, selecting at least one location information source in a proximity of said mobile unit capable of providing responsive location information for said first mobile unit; obtaining said responsive location information from said selected location information source, wherein said responsive information at least substantially conforms to said first specification regarding said quality of said requested location information; and providing said responsive location information to a selected location based on said request. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21)
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22. A method for use in providing location information regarding mobile units in a mobile communications system, said method comprising the steps:
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receiving a request for requested location information for a first mobile unit; obtaining information regarding a general location of said first mobile communication unit; based on said general location of said first mobile unit, identifying at least first and second sources operable to provide responsive location information regarding said first mobile unit in said general location; selecting one of said first and second sources to provide said responsive location information; obtaining said responsive location information from said selected location information source; and providing said responsive location information to a selected location based on said request. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A method for use in providing location information regarding mobile units in a mobile communications system, said method comprising the steps:
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establishing an interface allowing an application to provide requests for location information regarding a first mobile unit from a location platform, said interface defining a number of information fields that may be included in said requests; receiving a first request for location information at said platform via said interface, wherein said first request includes at least one specification regarding a quality of said requested location information, said specification being included in one of said information fields; comparing said specification to at least one attribute contained in a PDE database; based on said comparing step, obtaining responsive location information regarding said first mobile unit; and providing said responsive location information to a selected location based on said request. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. An apparatus for providing location information regarding mobile units in a mobile communications system, said apparatus comprising:
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a processing system in communication with a plurality of location information sources associated with said mobile communications system and at least one application for implementing at least one function based on mobile unit location; portal logic, supported by said processing system, for receiving location information requests regarding at least a first mobile unit, wherein said portal logic is operable to receive a first location request containing one or more specifications regarding a quality of said location information; selection logic, supported by said processing system, for identifying and selecting at least one of said location information sources operable to provide responsive location information based on a correlation between a PDE database and said one or more specifications; retrieval logic, supported by said processing system, for obtaining said responsive location information from said selected location information source; and said portal logic further operable to provide said responsive location information to a location based on said first request. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
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Specification