Method and apparatus for enhanced 911 location using power control in a wireless system

• US 8,174,445 B2
• Filed: 12/02/2005
• Issued: 05/08/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Sollenberger, Nelson Ray, Winters, Jack Harriman
• Primary Examiner(s): Phan, Dao
• Application Number:
  US11/293,412
• Publication Number:
  US 20060084447A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,349 Days
• Field of Search: 342/386, 342/387, 342/419, 342/450, 342/457
• US Class Current: 342/387
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2205/06 Emergency
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/019 Energy consumption
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/02 using radio waves using satellite radio beacon systems for determining position G01S19/00
• 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 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/283 Power depending on the position of the mobile
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/367 Power values between minimum and maximum limits, e.g. dynamic range
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/50 at the moment of starting communication in a multiple access environment
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/50 for emergency connections
• 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

Abstract

Methods of selecting a transmitter power for a mobile telephone include receiving a telephone number and transmitting a control message associated with selection of a transmitter power if the telephone number meets a predetermined criterion. For example, if the telephone number is an emergency service number or number associated with a navigation assistance service, the control message is transmitted.

Claims

1. A method of selecting a transmitter power for a mobile telephone, comprising:

receiving a telephone number; and

a mobile telephone system transmitting a control message, in response to the received telephone number meeting a predetermined criterion, wherein the control message is associated with selection of a transmitter power for the mobile telephone.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the received telephone number is a dialed number from the mobile telephone.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the received telephone number is a MIN.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the received telephone number is a called number.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitter control message is associated with an increased transmitter power.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitter control message is associated with a decreased transmitter power.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined criterion is that the received telephone number is an emergency services number.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined criterion is that the received telephone number is 911.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined criterion is that the received telephone number is a navigation assistance number.

10. A method of selecting a transmitter power for a mobile telephone operating in a mobile phone system, comprising:

receiving a telephone number;

the mobile phone system selecting a transmitter power for the mobile telephone based on the received telephone number; and

transmitting a control message, in response to the telephone number meeting a predetermined criterion, wherein the control message is associated with selection of a transmitter power for the mobile telephone.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the received telephone number is a dialed number from the mobile telephone.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the received telephone number is a mobile identification number.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the received telephone number is a called number.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the transmitter control message is associated with an increased transmitter power.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the transmitter control message is associated with a decreased transmitter power.

18. The method of claim 10, wherein the predetermined criterion is that the received telephone number is an emergency services number.

19. The method of claim 10, wherein the predetermined criterion is that the received telephone number is 911.

20. The method of claim 10, wherein the predetermined criterion is that the received telephone number is a navigation assistance number.

11. A method of selecting a transmitter power for a mobile telephone operating in a mobile phone system, comprising:

receiving a telephone number;

the mobile phone system selecting a transmitter power for the mobile telephone based on the received telephone number, wherein the received telephone number is a mobile identification number (MIN) from the mobile telephone, and the transmitter power is selected by querying a user profile database with the MIN to determine whether to invoke a transmitter control function.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising invoking the transmitter control function based on the query.