Method and system for locating a mobile subscriber terminal when roaming

• US 7,330,728 B1
• Filed: 06/25/2004
• Issued: 02/12/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2004
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sprint Spectrum LLC (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Spectrum LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Wilson, Scott, Burpee, Brent, Grindeland, Jesse, Moll, Keith
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran; CongVan
• Application Number:
  US10/877,580
• Time in Patent Office: 1,327 Days
• Field of Search: 455/414.2, 455/414.3, 4554561-4566, 455/457, 455/404.1, 455/404.2, 455/422.1, 455/432.1, 455/433, 342/357.01, 342/357.02, 342/357.06, 342/357.08
• US Class Current: 455/456.3
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• 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 and system for locating a mobile-subscriber terminal (MST) roaming in a serving network is provided. A location based service provider (LBSP) that is outside of the serving network receives from the serving system an MST-initiated request for providing location based services (LBSs) and an identifier of a first location system (LS1) that is associated with the serving network. Responsive to the MST-initiated request, the LBSP sends to a second location system (LS2) (i) a request for mobile positioning information (MPI) for the MST, and (ii) the identifier. Using the identifier, the LS2 addresses and sends the request for MPI to the LS1. Responsively, the LS1 sends to the LS2 the MPI. The LS2 then send the MPI to the LBSP, which in turn sends to the MST a reply to the MST-initiated request for LBSs.

Claims

1. A method for locating a mobile subscriber terminal that is roaming in a coverage area of a serving network, the method comprising:

a location based service provider that is outside of the serving network receiving from the serving network (i) a request for location based services and (ii) an identifier that is indicative of a first location system that is associated with the serving network, wherein the request for location based services is initiated by the mobile subscriber terminal, and the identifier is provided by the serving network;

responsive to the request for location based services, the location based service provider sending to a second location system (i) a request for mobile positioning information for the mobile subscriber terminal, and (ii) the identifier, wherein the second location system is associated with a subscriber system to which the mobile subscriber terminal subscribes;

the second location system sending the request for mobile positioning information to the first location system, wherein the request for mobile positioning information is directed to the first location system based on the identifier;

the second location system receiving the mobile positioning information from the first location system; and

the second location system sending the mobile positioning information to the location-based-service provider.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

the location based service provider sending to the serving network a reply to the request for location based services for transmission to the mobile subscriber terminal.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the location based service provider formulating the reply to the request for location based services based at least in part on a function of the mobile positioning information.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the serving network comprises a geographical-information system, and further comprising:

the location based service provider sending to the serving network a request for geospatial content associated with the mobile-position information; and

the location based service provider receiving the geospatial content from the serving network.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the location based service provider formulating the reply to the request for location based services based at least in part on a function of the geospatial content.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

the location based service provider sending a request for geospatial content associated with the mobile position information to a geographical-information system associated with the serving network; and

the location based service provider receiving the geospatial content from the geographical-information system.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the geographical-information system comprises a database that contains geospatial content that is limited to the coverage area the serving network.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the geographical-information system comprises a database that contains geospatial content that is limited to a given national boundary.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein permission information for the mobile subscriber terminal is maintained in a subscriber database, and further comprising the first location system requesting from the subscriber database permission to obtain mobile positioning information.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein permission information for the mobile subscriber terminal is maintained in a subscriber database, and further comprising the first location system requesting from the subscriber database permission to provide mobile positioning information.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein permission information for the mobile subscriber terminal is maintained in a subscriber database, and further comprising the second location system requesting from the subscriber database permission to obtain mobile positioning information.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein permission information for the mobile subscriber terminal is maintained in a subscriber database, and further comprising the second location system requesting from the subscriber database permission to provide mobile positioning information.

13. A method for providing locating a mobile subscriber terminal that is roaming in a coverage area of a serving network, the method comprising:

a location based service provider that is outside of the serving network receiving from the serving network (i) a request for location based services and (ii) an identifier that is indicative of a first mobile position center that is associated with the serving network, wherein the request for location based services is initiated by the mobile subscriber terminal, and the identifier is provided by the serving network;

responsive to the request for location based services, the location based service provider sending to a second mobile-position center (i) a request for mobile positioning information for the mobile subscriber terminal, and (ii) the identifier, wherein the second mobile-position center is associated with a subscriber system to which the mobile subscriber terminal subscribes;

the second mobile position center sending the request for mobile positioning information to the first mobile position center, wherein the request for mobile positioning information is directed to the first mobile position center based on the identifier;

the second mobile position center receiving the mobile positioning information from the first mobile position center;

the second mobile position center sending the mobile positioning information to the location-based-service provider; and

the second mobile position center receiving the mobile positioning information from the first mobile-position center.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising the location based service provider sending to the serving network a reply to the request for location based services for transmission to the mobile subscriber terminal.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising the location based service provider formulating the reply to the request for location based services based at least in part on a function of the mobile positioning information.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the serving network comprises a geographical-information system, and further comprising:

the location based service provider sending to the serving network a request for geospatial content associated with the mobile-position information; and

the location based service provider receiving the geospatial content from the serving network.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising the location based service provider formulating the reply to the request for location based services based at least in part on a function of the geospatial content.

18. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

the location based service provider sending a request for geospatial content associated with the mobile position information to a geographical-information system associated with the serving network; and

the location based service provider receiving the geospatial content from the geographical-information system.

19. The method of claim 14, further comprising the first mobile position center determining the mobile positioning information.

20. The method of claim 13, wherein the first location system further comprises a position-determining entity, wherein the position-determining entity receives navigational information from the mobile subscriber terminal and sends it to the first mobile-position center, and wherein the second mobile position center receives the mobile positioning information from the first mobile-position center.

21. The method of claim 15, wherein permission information for the mobile subscriber terminal is maintained in a subscriber database, and further comprising the second mobile position center requesting from the subscriber database permission to obtain mobile positioning information.

22. The method of claim 15, wherein permission information for the mobile subscriber terminal is maintained in a subscriber database, and further comprising the second mobile position center requesting from the subscriber database permission to provide mobile positioning information.

23. The method of claim 15, wherein permission information for the mobile subscriber terminal is maintained in a subscriber database, and further comprising the first mobile position center requesting from the subscriber database permission to obtain mobile positioning information.

24. The method of claim 15, wherein permission information for the mobile subscriber terminal is maintained in a subscriber database, and further comprising the first mobile position center requesting from the subscriber database permission to provide mobile positioning information.

25. The method of claim 20, wherein permission information for the mobile subscriber terminal is maintained in a subscriber database, and further comprising the position-determining entity requesting from the subscriber database permission to provide mobile positioning information.