Terminal-based server for location tracking

• US 7,957,753 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2009
• Issued: 06/07/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Longhorn Automotive Group LLC (Alpha Alpha Intellectual Partners LLC)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Timiri, Shailender, Sather, Marc
• Primary Examiner(s): Rampuria; Sharad
• Application Number:
  US12/642,966
• Publication Number:
  US 20100093372A1
• Time in Patent Office: 533 Days
• Field of Search: 4554561-457, 4554141-4143, 455/404.1, 370352-356, 709203-206
• US Class Current: 455/456.3
• 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 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

A mobile terminal device that facilitates location services (LCS) in a cellular network. The system, as embodied in a mobile terminal device, comprises a mobile communications component that communicates wireless signals, and a location services component embodied in the mobile communication component to provide positioning information. A location request is received by the mobile terminal device and processed using the LCS server to activate trigger events. A location-tracking report is autonomously generated for each event and transmitted to the requesting client via MLP or the wireless network signaling protocol.

Claims

1. A system that facilitates provision of location services in a wireless communications network environment, comprising:

a mobile communications component included in a host mobile device configured to establish a communication session with a client mobile device, wherein the communication session conforms to an Open Mobile Alliance/location interoperability forum mobile location protocol; and

a location services component included in the host mobile device configured as a location services server for the client mobile device, wherein the location services component is further configured to generate a location report associated with a position or a location of the client mobile device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the mobile communications component is further configured to communicate with a core network associated with a wireless communications network environment, and wherein the core network is configured to provide at least one of voice services, data services, messaging services, teleservices, user applications, or supplemental services for the host mobile device.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the location services server included in the host mobile device configured substantially identically to a core network location services server extant on the core network as defined by third generation partnership project technical specification 23.271 or the third generation partnership project technical specification 22.071.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the mobile communications component is configured to receive a location request from the client mobile device by way of the communication session, wherein the location request is forwarded to the location services component.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the location services component is configured to deliver the location report to the mobile communications component, and wherein the mobile communications component is further configured to forward the location report to the client mobile device by way of the communication session.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the mobile communications is component configured to deliver at least a portion of the location report in a push manner, triggered independent of any location request from the client mobile device.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the mobile communications component is configured to deliver at least a portion of the location report in a pull manner in response to a location request from the client mobile device.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the location services component includes a terminal application programming interface configured to support at least a portion of mobile location protocol.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the terminal application programming interface is, or is included in, a web browser.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the location services component is configured to obtain relevant assistance data in connection with the location report for the client mobile device from a core network associated with a wireless communications network environment.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the location services component is configured to employ at least one of assisted global positioning satellite data, cell identification data, or Internet protocol address data in connection with generation of the location report.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the location services component is configured to activate at least one trigger included in a location request from the client mobile device.

13. A system that facilitates reception or presentation of location services in a wireless communications network environment, comprising:

a client communications component included in a client mobile device configured to establish a communication session with a host mobile device, wherein the communication session conforms to an Open Mobile Alliance/location interoperability forum mobile location protocol; and

a client application programming interface component included in the client mobile device configured as a location services client of an location services service included in the host mobile device, wherein the client application programming interface component configured to receive a location report from the client mobile device by way of the communication session.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the client communications component is further configured to communicate with a core network associated with a wireless communications network environment, and wherein the core network is configured to provide at least one of voice services, data services, messaging services, teleservices, user applications, or supplemental services for the client mobile device.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the client application programming interface component is configured to display or present information associated with the location report.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the client application programming interface component is, or is included in, a web browser.

17. A method for facilitating provision of location services in a wireless communications network environment, comprising:

interfacing a host mobile unit to a wireless communications network;

interfacing the host mobile unit to a client mobile unit by way of a communication session conforming to an Open Mobile Alliance/location interoperability forum mobile location protocol;

employing the host mobile unit to host a location services server; and

utilizing the location services server for constructing a location report associated with the client mobile unit.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising at least one of the following acts:

receiving a location request from the client mobile unit by way of the communication session;

transmitting the location report to the client mobile unit by way of the communication session;

operating the host mobile device substantially identically to a core network-extant location services server as defined by third generation partnership project technical specification (3GPP TS) 23.271 or 3GPP TS 22.071;

or

receiving at least one of voice services, data services, messaging services, teleservices, user applications services, or supplemental services in connection with an interface to the wireless communications network.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising at least one of the following acts:

utilizing a terminal application programming interface in the location services server;

operating the terminal application programming interface as a web browser;

employing at least one of assisted global positioning satellite data, wireless network cell ID data, or Internet protocol data for constructing the location report;

or

activating at least one trigger included in a location request from the client mobile unit.