System and method for using equipment identity information in providing location services to a wireless communication device

• US 7,319,876 B2
• Filed: 08/25/2003
• Issued: 01/15/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Jha, Anjali, Grilli, Francesco
• Primary Examiner(s): ZEWDU, MELESS NMN
• Application Number:
  US10/648,623
• Publication Number:
  US 20040138807A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,604 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456, 4554561-4566, 455/457, 455/461, 455/466, 455/558, 455514-519, 455/550.1, 455/554.2, 455/556.2, 455/2.01, 455/403, 455/404.2, 455410-411, 455/412.1, 455415-417, 455/422.1, 455423-425, 455/432.3, 455/435.1, 455433-434, 370/313, 370332-333, 370349-350, 709/203, 709/219, 709228-229, 340 51- 525, 340/5.65, 340/5.7, 340/5.74, 340 58- 586, 701200-217
• US Class Current: 455/456.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/18 Information format or content conversion, e.g. adaptation by the network of the transmitted or received information for the purpose of wireless delivery to users or terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/22 Processing or transfer of terminal data, e.g. status or physical capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/245 from a network towards a terminal

Abstract

A system, apparatus, and method provides location services to a mobile station by employing equipment identity information. In one aspect of the present inventive concept, a location server uses the equipment identity information of a mobile station in order to select the best protocol for LCS communication. In another aspect of the inventive concept, a mobile station uses the equipment identity information of a location server to select the best protocol to use for LCS communication. Advantageously, the equipment identity information can be used to correct manufacturing defects, fix design flaws and software bugs, track performance, optimize performance, or any combinations thereof. Information about features and defects relating to equipment identity information may be determined and stored for future use.

Claims

1. A location services apparatus for providing location services to a mobile station, comprising:

a) a CPU;

b) a memory coupled to the CPU, wherein the memory stores data comprising location services equipment identity information and a plurality of location services equipment identifiers; and

c) an equipment identity processor coupled to the CPU and to the memory, wherein the equipment identity processor is configured to receive a location services equipment identifier of the plurality, to receive information identifying an error related to a request for location services from a mobile station identified by the received location services equipment identifier, to retrieve information comprising a location services equipment identity corresponding to the identifier, and to store and retrieve data related to errors associated with the location services equipment identity, and wherein the equipment identity processor selectively generates location services control signals that control operation of the CPU responsive to the identified location services equipment identity.

2. The location services apparatus of claim 1 wherein the location services equipment identity information and the plurality of location services equipment identifiers are associated with and correspond to a mobile station.

3. The location services apparatus of claim 2 wherein the equipment identity processor stores the data related to errors by generating location services control signals causing the CPU to store the data related to errors in the memory.

4. The location services apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an equipment identity server, wherein the equipment identity server is configured to provide the data related to errors to the equipment identity processor.

5. The location services apparatus of claim 1 wherein the the data related to errors includes an error code associated with the mobile station.

6. The location services apparatus of claim 5 wherein the location services control signals compensate for an error associated with the error code.

7. A communication system for providing location services to a mobile station, the system comprising:

a) a base station system; and

b) a location server coupled with the base station system, wherein the location server is configured to receive a request for location services associated with the mobile station, to identify a mobile station type of the mobile station, to identify an error associated with the request for location services, to store and retrieve data relating to errors associated with the identified mobile station type, and to selectively generate location services control signals to control operation of the system to correct the identified error based at least in part on the retrieved data relating to errors associated with the identified mobile station type.

8. A method of providing location services to a mobile station, the method comprising the steps of:

a) receiving a request for location services to be provided to the mobile station;

b) identifying an error associated with the request;

c) retrieving data relating to errors associated with an identified mobile station type for the mobile station;

d) selectively generating location services control signals based at least in part on error identified in step b) and the retrieved data of step c); and

e) storing data on the generated location services control signals.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of storing data based at least in part on the identified error.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein the location services control signals compensate for an error associated with a bug.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein the location services control signals compensate for an error associated with an error code.

12. A communication system comprising:

a) a means for providing location services to a mobile station;

b) a means for identifying an error associated with a request to provide location services to the mobile station;

c) a means for storing and retrieving data relating to errors associated with an identified mobile station type for the mobile station; and

d) a means for controlling the means for providing location services to correct the identified error based at least in part on retrieved data relating to the errors associated with the identified mobile station type.

13. The communication system of claim 12, further comprising a means for identifying a mobile station to which location services are to be provided.

14. The communication system of claim 12, further comprising a means for storing data related to corrective action of step d).

15. A method of operating a location server, comprising the steps of:

a) receiving a request for location services associated with a mobile station;

b) identifying a mobile station type of the associated mobile station;

c) identifying an error related to the request; and

d) storing the identified mobile station type and the identified error.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein receiving a request for location services associated with a mobile station includes receiving a mobile station type identifier.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein receiving a request for location services associated with a mobile station includes receiving a mobile station manufacturer identifier and a mobile station model identifier as part of the request for location services.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein receiving a request for location services associated with a mobile station includes receiving a mobile station user identifier.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the mobile station user identifier may include an international mobile subscriber identity or an electronic serial number.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the mobile station user identifier may include an international mobile subscriber identity or an electronic serial number.

21. The method of claim 15 wherein identifying a mobile station type of the associated mobile station includes identifying the associated mobile station by manufacturer and model.

22. The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of retrieving data relating to errors associated with the identified mobile station type.

23. A method of operating a location server, comprising:

a) receiving a request for location services associated with a mobile station;

b) identifying a mobile station type of the associated mobile station;

c) determining whether an error related to the request for location services has occurred; and

d) storing and retrieving data relating to errors based on the identified mobile station type.

24. A method of operating a location server, comprising:

a) receiving a request for location services associated with a mobile station;

b) identifying a mobile station type of the associated mobile station;

c) determining an error has occurred related to the request for location services; and

d) storing and retrieving data associated with and corresponding to the error in a database of corrective actions.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising the step of providing location services using location services control signals based at least in part on data retrieved from the database of corrective actions.

26. A method of operating a location server, comprising:

a) receiving a plurality of requests for location services associated with a plurality of requesting mobile stations;

b) for at least some of the received requests, identifying a mobile station type of the associated mobile station;

c) identifying errors related to at least some of the received requests for location services; and

d) maintaining a database of corrective actions based at least in part on the identified errors and the identified mobile station type.

27. A method of operating a location server, comprising:

a) receiving a plurality of requests for location services associated with a plurality of requesting mobile stations;

b) for at least some of the requests for location services, identifying a mobile station type;

c) for at least some of the identified mobile station types, receiving information on errors associated with the at least some of the requests; and

d) storing and retrieving data associated with and corresponding to the errors based on the identified mobile station type.

28. A method of operating a communication system, comprising:

a) communicating with a plurality of mobile stations;

b) for at least some of the mobile stations, determining a corresponding mobile station type;

c) for at least some of the corresponding mobile station types, initiating a request for location services for the corresponding mobile stations;

d) identifying one or more errors associated with received requests for location services from at least a subset of the plurality of mobile stations; and

e) storing and retrieving data relating to the identified one or more errors based on at least one of the corresponding mobile station types.

29. The method of claim 28, further comprising

providing the requested location services.