Method for localizing a mobile terminal in an area under radio coverage of a cellular communication network and of a localization point, corresponding mobile terminal, server and localization point

• US 7,295,846 B2
• Filed: 05/23/2003
• Issued: 11/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: IDPA Holdings Incorporated (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Alcatel SA (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Daigremont, Johann, Bazin, Claire
• Primary Examiner(s): Feild; Joseph
• Assistant Examiner(s): DOAN, PHUOC HUU
• Application Number:
  US10/443,889
• Publication Number:
  US 20030220105A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,635 Days
• Field of Search: 455/436, 455/41.2, 455/412.1, 455/422.1, 455/456.1, 455/552.1, 455/553.1, 455/404.02, 455/456.5, 370/331, 709/249, 342/357.1
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

A method for localizing a mobile terminal (13) in an area under radio coverage of a cellular communication network (12) and of a localization point (11). The method includes the steps of: transferring to the mobile terminal (13) a localization point identifier (LP-ID) of the localization point (111, . . . , 113), the mobile terminal (13) being under radio coverage of the localization point (111, . . . , 113); and transferring the localization point identifier (LP-IDs) via the cellular communication network (12) from the mobile terminal (13) to a server (123) connected to the cellular communication network (12).

Claims

1. A method for localizing a mobile terminal in an area under radio coverage of a cellular communication network and of a localization point belonging to a short-range non-cellular communication network, said mobile terminal comprising a first air interface to said short-range non cellular communication network and a second air interface to said cellular communication network, wherein said method comprises:

transferring a localization point identifier of said localization point to said mobile terminal over said first air interface when the presence of said mobile terminal has been detected at said localization point; and

transferring said localization point identifier from said mobile terminal over said second air interface to a server connected to said cellular communication network.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the method further comprises detecting, at a localization point, when said mobile terminal enters a zone of coverage of said localization point.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein said localization point identifier is encapsulated in an Unstructured Supplementary Service Data message for transmission from said mobile terminal to said cellular communication network over said second air interface.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the method further comprises matching, at said server, said localization point identifier with geographical information.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the method further comprises transmitting, from said server, said geographical information or said localization point identifier to an appropriate location based service server.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein said geographical information or said localization point identifier are passed between said server and said location based service server via an interface having a data structure with an attribute defining a string type data field which is reserved for said geographical information or for said localization point identifier.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein said cellular communication network is selected from the group consisting of GSM, GPRS, EDGE, and UMTS communication network.

8. A server connectable to a cellular communication network, said server compnsing:

means for receiving a localization point identifier identifying a localization point in a short-range non-cellular communication network, said localization point identifier being received from an air interface to said cellular radio communication network;

means for matching said localization point identifier with geographical information; and

means for transmitting said geographical information or said localization point identifier identifying a localization point in a short-range non-cellular communication network over a predefined interface to an appropriate location based service server.