Method and system of determining a location of a dual-mode device

• US 8,195,190 B1
• Filed: 06/04/2008
• Issued: 06/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sprint Spectrum LLC (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Spectrum LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Hou, Jiongkuan
• Primary Examiner(s): Kincaid, Lester
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gu, Andy
• Application Number:
  US12/133,292
• Time in Patent Office: 1,462 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456.1
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

A method and system for determining a location of a wireless communication device (WCD) provisioned to operate in (a) a first access network that defines a first plurality of coverage areas and (b) a second access network that defines a second plurality of coverage areas. A location system may receive a request to determine a location of the WCD. In response, the location system may identify (a) a first coverage area of the first access network in which the WCD is located and (b) a second coverage area of the second access network in which the WCD is located. Thereafter, the location system may determine an overlapping area between the first coverage area and the second coverage area. In turn, the location system may determine an indication of the overlapping area'"'"'s location, which the location system may define as a low precision indication of the WCD'"'"'s location.

Claims

1. A method for determining a location of a wireless communication device (WCD), wherein the WCD is provisioned to operate in (a) a first access network that defines a first plurality of coverage areas and (b) a second access network that defines a second plurality of coverage areas, the method comprising:

a dual-mode location system receiving, from a requesting entity, a first request seeking a high-precision indication of a location of the WCD;

in response to receiving the first request, the dual-mode location system sending, to a first location system coupled to the first access network, a second request seeking the high-precision indication of the location of the WCD;

as a result of sending the second request, the dual-mode location system receiving from the first location system an indication of a first coverage area of the first access network in which the WCD is located;

the dual-mode location system identifying that the first location system failed to determine the high precision indication of the location of the WCD;

the dual-mode location system sending, to a second location system coupled to the second access network, a third request seeking a low-precision indication of the location of the WCD;

as a result of sending the third request, the dual-mode location system receiving from the second location system an indication of a second coverage area of the second access network in which the WCD is located;

in response to the identifying, the dual-mode location system determining an overlapping area between the first coverage area and the second coverage area;

the dual-mode location system determining an indication of a location of the overlapping area;

the dual-mode location system defining the indication of the location of the overlapping area as an indication of the location of the WCD; and

the dual-mode location system sending the defined indication of the location of the WCD to the requesting entity.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

the dual-mode location system determining that the WCD is provisioned to operate in the first access network and the second access network, wherein the sending of the second request occurs in response to determining that the WCD is provisioned to operate in the first access network and the second access network.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the sending of the third request occurs in response to identifying that the first location system failed to determine the high precision indication of the location of the WCD.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first request seeking a high-precision indication of the location of the WCD comprises a request seeking an indication of a geographic position of the WCD.

5. The method of claim 1, where identifying that the first location system failed to determine the high precision indication of the location of the WCD comprises:

determining that the indication received from the first location system is not a high-precision indication.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the indication of the location of the overlapping area comprises an indication of a geographic location of a centroid of the overlapping area.

7. The method of claim 1, where the first access network comprises a Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) network, and wherein the second access network comprises a WiMAX network.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first plurality of coverage areas substantially overlaps the second plurality of coverage areas.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the determined overlapping area is smaller than both the first coverage area and the second coverage area.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the overlapping area between the first coverage area and the second coverage area comprises:

using the indication of the first coverage area to obtain parameters for the first coverage area;

using the indication of the second coverage area to obtain parameters for the second coverage area;

calculating the overlapping area based on the parameters for the first coverage area and the parameters for the second coverage area.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein:

using the indication of the first coverage area to obtain parameters for the first coverage area comprises using the indication of the first coverage area to obtain data for the first coverage area from a first base station almanac; and

using the indication of the second coverage area to obtain parameters for the second coverage area comprises using the indication of the second coverage area to obtain data for the second coverage area from a second base station almanac.

12. A dual-mode location system comprising:

a first communication interface coupled to a requesting entity via one or more networks;

a second communication interface coupled to a first location system and a second location system, wherein the first location system couples to a first access network that defines a first plurality of coverage areas, and wherein the second location system couples to a second access network that defines a second plurality of coverage areas;

a processor;

data storage; and

program instructions stored in the data storage and executable by the processor to cause the dual-mode location system to;

receive, from the requesting entity via the first communication interface, a first request seeking a high-precision indication of a location of the WCD, wherein the WCD is registered in the first access network and the second access network,

send to the first location system via the second communication interface a second request seeking the high-precision indication of the location of the WCD,

as a result of sending the second request, receive from the first location system via the second communication interface an indication of a first coverage area of the first access network in which the WCD is located,

identify that the first location system failed to determine the high precision indication of the location of the WCD,

send to the second location system via the second communication interface a request seeking a low-precision indication of the location of the WCD,

as a result of sending the third request, receive from the second location system via the second communication interface an indication of a second coverage area of the second access network in which the WCD is located,

in response to the identifying, determine an overlapping area between the first coverage area and the second coverage area,

determine an indication of a location of the overlapping area,

define the indication of the location of the overlapping area as an indication of a location of the WCD; and

send the defined indication of the location of the WCD to the requesting entity via the first communication interface.

13. The dual-mode location system of claim 12, further comprising:

a third communication interface coupled to a profile database; and

program instructions stored in the data storage and executable by the processor to cause the dual-mode location system to;

determine, based on data obtained from the profile database via third communication interface, that the WCD is registered in the first access network and the second access network.