Providing location information for wireless devices using name service

• US 7,603,114 B2
• Filed: 10/14/2003
• Issued: 10/13/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Carlson, Steven I., Billera, Anthony F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Appiah; Charles N.
• Assistant Examiner(s): HOLLIDAY, JAIME MICHELE
• Application Number:
  US10/685,614
• Publication Number:
  US 20050079879A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,191 Days
• Field of Search: 455/414.4, 455/433, 455/456, 455/456.5, 455/457, 455/461, 455/569.1, 455/456.6, 455/517, 455/518, 455/519, 455/414.2, 455/415, 455/456.1, 37920712-20715
• US Class Current: 455/415
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/57 Arrangements for indicating or recording the number of the calling subscriber at the called subscriber's set at the operator set in a manual exchange H04M5/20
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/30 Determination of the location of a subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42042 Notifying the called party of information on the calling party details within substation equipment H04M1/57, signalling details H04Q3/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/10 between location register and external networks

Abstract

A caller number is provided to a network element that associates name information with the caller number. The network element receives location information for the caller and provides the location information and name information as a response to being provided the caller number.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

a mobile switching center providing a caller number to a Line Information Database that associates name information with the caller number to initiate a request;

the Line Information Database receiving location information for the caller from a Gateway Mobile Location Center, which comprises information about the location of a plurality of wireless devices that interact with a network;

the Line Information Database abbreviating the location information in the response;

the Line Information Database replacing at least a portion of the name information with the abbreviated location information to create amalgamated name and location information; and

the Line Information Database providing the amalgamated location information and name information to the mobile switching center as a response to being provided the caller number.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

the Line Information Database replacing the location information and name information according to settings for the caller.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

the Line Information Database replacing the location information and name information according to settings for a called party.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

the Line Information Database locating a Friend Finder ID associated with the caller, and providing the Friend Finder ID to the GMLC.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

the caller number provided to the network as part of a Caller Name Address Presentation (CNAP) service.

6. A wireless device comprising:

logic that, when applied to a processor, results in extracting abbreviated location information from amalgamated name and location information received for a caller from a Line Information Database, and retrieving the detailed location information for the caller corresponding to the abbreviated location information;

wherein said amalgamated name and information comprises at least a portion of the abbreviated location information and at least a portion of the name information and wherein the Line Information Database associates name information with the caller number received from a mobile switching center and receives location information for the caller from a Gateway Mobile Location Center.

7. The wireless device of claim 6, further comprising:

logic that, when applied to the processor, results in locating a street address corresponding to the abbreviated location information.

8. The wireless device of claim 6, further comprising:

logic that, when applied to the processor, results in locating and displaying a location on a map corresponding to the abbreviated location information.

9. The wireless device of claim 6, further comprising:

logic that, when applied to the processor, results in locating detailed location information configured by a user of the wireless device to correspond to the abbreviated location information.

10. The wireless device of claim 6, further comprising:

a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) comprising the detailed location information.

11. A network element comprising:

a processor;

at least one port;

a Gateway Mobile Location Center, which comprises information about the location of a plurality of wireless devices that interact with a network; and

logic on a Line Information Database that results in servicing at least one request for caller name information by associating a caller number received via the at least one port with caller name information, and obtaining location information for the caller via the at least one port, and providing an amalgamation of a portion of the name information and the location information to a mobile switching center via the at least one port in response to the at least one request for caller name information,

wherein the Line Information Database associates name information with the caller number and receives location information for the caller from the Gateway Mobile Location Center.

12. The network element of claim 11, further comprising:

logic on the Line Information Database that obtains settings for the caller via the at least one port and applies the settings to determine how to amalgamate the name information and location information.

13. The network element of claim 11, further comprising:

logic on the Line Information Database that abbreviates the location information before amalgamating the location information along with the name information.

14. The network element of claim 11, further comprising:

logic on the Line Information Database that provides Calling Name Address Presentation including the amalgamated name information and location information.

15. The network element of claim 11, further comprising:

logic on the Line Information Database that locates a Friend Finder ID corresponding to the caller, and provides the Friend Finder ID via the at least one port to the GMLC.