Network autonomous wireless location system

• US 8,213,957 B2
• Filed: 04/22/2009
• Issued: 07/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Skyhook Holding, Inc. (Liberty Broadband Corp.)
• Original Assignee: TruePosition Incorporated
• Inventors: Bull, Jeffrey F., Ward, Matthew L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gonzalez, Amancio
• Application Number:
  US12/428,325
• Publication Number:
  US 20100273504A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,168 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456.1, 455/414.1, 455/436, 455/450, 370/328, 370/338, 370/331
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/46 the supplementary measurement being of a radio-wave signal type
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0249 Determining position using measurements made by a non-stationary device other than the device whose position is being determined
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 2203/16 for telephony
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 3/65 using deceptive jamming or spoofing, e.g. transmission of false signals for premature triggering of RCIED, for forced connection or disconnection to/from a network or for generation of dummy target signal

Abstract

A Network Autonomous Wireless Location System (NAWLS) is designed to allow for precise location of a mobile device (e.g., a cell phone) without interconnection to, and with minimal disruption of, the local wireless communications network. Using distributed radio network monitors (RNM) and a managed network emulator (NE); mobile devices are sampled, acquired or captured. Once triggered by the RNM or NE, an untethered wireless location system (U-WLS) is used to calculate a precise location. The U-WLS; comprising mobile receiver sites, each capable of self location, exchanging information with other components of the NAWLS, and receiving or exchanging signals from the mobile device; utilizes various network-based and handset-based wireless location techniques dependent on the deployed options. In addition, the NAWLS includes data links interconnecting the U-WLS, NE and RNM.

Claims

1. A network autonomous wireless location system (NAWLS) configured to locate a mobile device having a wireless communications transceiver for communicating with a wireless communications network (WCN), comprising:

a) a radio network monitor (RNM) configured to passively monitor two or more radio air interfaces;

b) a network emulator (NE) configured to emulate one or more WCN, said one or more WCN possessing one or more radio air interfaces; and

c) an untethered wireless location system (U-WLS), said U-WLS comprising a plurality of mobile receiver sites, wherein each of said mobile receiver sites includes a receiver configured to receive uplink radio signals from said mobile device, and means for determining a precise location and velocity for the mobile receiver site, said U-WLS configured to determine a precise location and velocity of the mobile device from radio signal information received by said plurality of mobile receiver sites;

wherein said U-WLS is connected to the NE via a digital data link, and wherein said U-WLS is configured to use said digital data link to inform the NE that a location has been completed, that additional power is needed to locate the mobile device, that an inter-RAT (radio access technology) handoff is needed, and/or that allocation to a traffic channel is needed.

9. A system as recited in any one of claims 1, 2, 4, 5 and 7, wherein said precise location includes a longitude, latitude and altitude.

10. A system as recited in any one of claims 1, 2, 4, 5 and 7, wherein each of the means for determining a precise location and velocity of the mobile receiver site comprises a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) receiver configured to receive GNSS signals.

11. A system as recited in any one of claims 1, 2, 4, 5 and 7, wherein said mobile receiver sites further comprise antennae and receivers configured to receive global navigation satellite system (GNSS) signals for the purpose of time synchronization.

12. A system as recited in any one of claims 1, 2, 4, 5 and 7, wherein said mobile receiver sites further comprise antennae and receivers configured to receive global navigation satellite system (GNSS) signals for the purpose of frequency synchronization.

13. A system as recited in any one of claims 1, 2, 4, 5 and 7, said mobile receiver sites further comprise antennae and receivers configured to receive global navigation satellite system (GNSS) signals for the purpose of determining the location of the mobile receiver site.

14. A system as recited in any one of claims 1, 2, 4, 5 and 7, wherein each of the means for determining a precise location and velocity of the mobile receiver site comprises a radio receiver configured to receive terrestrial radio broadcast timing signals.

15. A system as recited in any one of claims 1, 2, 4, 5 and 7, wherein said mobile receiver sites further comprise antennae and receivers configured to receive radio broadcast timing signals for the purpose of time synchronization.

16. A system as recited in any one of claims 1, 2, 4, 5 and 7, wherein said mobile receiver sites further comprise antennae and receivers configured to receive radio broadcast timing signals for the purpose of frequency synchronization.

17. A system as recited in any one of claims 1, 2, 4, 5 and 7, wherein said mobile receiver sites further comprise antennae and receivers configured to receive radio broadcast timing signals for the purpose of determining the location of the mobile receiver site.

18. A system as recited in any one of claims 1, 2, 4, 5 and 7, wherein said radio air interfaces comprise a first radio access network (RAN) technology and a second RAN technology.

19. A system as recited in any one of claims 1, 2, 4, 5 and 7, wherein said NE is configured to supply, on an individual mobile device basis, a second mobile uplink and downlink signaling paths to the mobile device, for use in cases where a traffic/data channel allocation is necessary to identify, locate or silence the mobile device.

20. A system as recited in any one of claims 1, 2, 4, 5 and 7, wherein said RNM comprises a set of receivers and is connected to the U-WLS via a digital data link allowing the RNM to task the U-WLS to locate the mobile device when said mobile device is involved in a radio transaction.

21. A system as recited in any one of claims 1, 2, 4, 5 and 7, wherein said radio air interfaces include first and second downlink beacons, wherein said first and second downlink beacons comprise broadcast control channel (BCCH) beacons.

22. A system as recited in claim 21, wherein said first downlink beacon comprises a first radio access network (RAN) technology and said second downlink beacon comprises a second RAN technology.

23. A system as recited in claim 22, wherein said first RAN technology comprises GSM and said second RAN technology comprises at least one of UMTS, LTE, WiMAX, and CDMA.

24. A system as recited in any one of claims 1, 2, 4, 5 and 7, wherein said radio air interfaces comprise a first radio access network (RAN) technology, a second RAN technology and an emulated radio air interface.

25. A system as recited in claim 24, wherein said emulated radio air interface comprises a first radio access network (RAN) technology and a second RAN technology.

26. A system as recited in any one of claims 1, 2, 4, 5 and 7, wherein said NE is configured to provide an independent wireless communications network, emulating both a radio access network (RAN) and a core network (CN).

27. A system as recited in claim 26, wherein said NE is further configured to provide an emulated downlink beacon.

28. A system as recited in claim 27, wherein said emulated downlink beacon is configured to actively acquire the mobile device.

29. A system as recited in any one of claims 1, 2, 4, 5 and 7, wherein said U-WLS provides at least one of the following location technologies to locate the mobile device using uplink transmissions from the mobile device:

Time-of-Arrival (TOA), uplink time-difference-of-arrival (U-TDOA), angle-of-arrival (AoA), and hybrid TDOA/AoA location technologies.

30. A system as recited in claim 29, wherein said U-WLS is further configured to provide location server functionality for handset-based location techniques.

31. A system as recited in claim 30, wherein said handset-based location techniques include at least one member of the following group:

Enhanced-Observed-Time-Difference (E-OTD), Observed-Time-Difference-of-Arrival (OTDOA), Assisted Global Navigation Satellite System (A-GNSS), and a hybrid technique including U-TDOA/A-GNSS.

32. A system as recited in claim 31, wherein said A-GNSS is the Navstar Global Positioning System.

33. A system as recited in any one of claims 1, 2, 4, 5 and 7, comprising an aerial component providing radio relay service between mobile cell sites.

34. A system as recited in claim 33, wherein said aerial component further provides airborne imaging.

35. A system as recited in claim 33, wherein said aerial component further serves as a mobile cell site platform providing extended coverage and three dimensional receiver diversity for location calculation.

36. A system as recited in claim 33, wherein said aerial component further serves as a mobile cell site platform providing extended coverage and three dimensional receiver diversity for location and velocity calculation.

37. A system as recited in any one of claims 1, 2, 4, 5 and 7, further comprising means for adjusting the transmission power of the NE to minimize interference while optimizing broadcast power.

38. A system as recited in claim 37, further comprising means for adjusting transmitted information.

39. A system as recited in claim 38, wherein the means for adjusting the transmitted information enables optimization of the rate of mobile device signal sampling by balancing sampling network capabilities while minimizing communication network impacts.

2. A network autonomous wireless location system (NAWLS) configured to locate a mobile device having a wireless communications transceiver for communicating with a wireless communications network (WCN), comprising:

a) a radio network monitor (RNM) configured to passively monitor two or more radio air interfaces;

b) a network emulator (NE) configured to emulate one or more WCN, said one or more WCN possessing one or more radio air interfaces; and

c) an untethered wireless location system (U-WLS), said U-WLS comprising a plurality of mobile receiver sites, wherein each of said mobile receiver sites includes a receiver configured to receive uplink radio signals from said mobile device, and means for determining a precise location and velocity for the mobile receiver site, said U-WLS configured to determine a precise location and velocity of the mobile device from radio signal information received by said plurality of mobile receiver sites;

wherein said NE is connected to the U-WLS via a digital data link, and wherein said NE is configured to use said digital data link to trigger and task the U-WLS to perform a location based on a Network Transaction trigger.

3. A system as recited in claim 2, wherein said digital data link is further configured for use by the U-WLS and NE to employ on-board location technology resident on the mobile device.

4. A network autonomous wireless location system (NAWLS) configured to locate a mobile device having a wireless communications transceiver for communicating with a wireless communications network (WCN), comprising:

a) a radio network monitor (RNM) configured to passively monitor two or more radio air interfaces;

b) a network emulator (NE) configured to emulate one or more WCN, said one or more WCN possessing one or more radio air interfaces; and

c) an untethered wireless location system (U-WLS), said U-WLS comprising a plurality of mobile receiver sites, wherein each of said mobile receiver sites includes a receiver configured to receive uplink radio signals from said mobile device, and means for determining a precise location and velocity for the mobile receiver site, said U-WLS configured to determine a precise location and velocity of the mobile device from radio signal information received by said plurality of mobile receiver sites;

wherein said RNM comprises a passive software defined radio receiver configured to receive uplink and downlink transmissions from the mobile device, the radio access network (RAN) and the NE.

5. A network autonomous wireless location system (NAWLS) configured to locate a mobile device having a wireless communications transceiver for communicating with a wireless communications network (WCN), comprising:

a) a radio network monitor (RNM) configured to passively monitor two or more radio air interfaces;

b) a network emulator (NE) configured to emulate one or more WCN, said one or more WCN possessing one or more radio air interfaces; and

c) an untethered wireless location system (U-WLS), said U-WLS comprising a plurality of mobile receiver sites, wherein of each said mobile receiver sites includes a receiver configured to receive uplink radio signals from said mobile device, and means for determining a precise location and velocity for the mobile receiver site, said U-WLS configured to determine a precise location and velocity of the mobile device from radio signal information received by said plurality of mobile receiver sites;

wherein said NE comprises a set of transceivers and servers and is connected to the U-WLS via a digital data link allowing the NE to task the U-WLS to locate the mobile device when said mobile device is involved in a network transaction.

6. A system as recited in claim 5, wherein said digital data link includes a wireless connection, and wherein said network transaction includes messaging for at least one member of the following group:

Mobile Origination, Mobile Termination, Location Update, Cell Change Command, AnyTimelnterrogation, SMS Origination, SMS Termination, Periodic Registration, and Identity Request.

7. A network autonomous wireless location system (NAWLS) configured to locate a mobile device having a wireless communications transceiver for communicating with a wireless communications network (WCN), comprising:

a) a radio network monitor (RNM) configured to passively monitor two or more radio air interfaces;

b) a network emulator (NE) configured to emulate one or more WCN, said one or more WCN possessing one or more radio air interfaces; and

c) an untethered wireless location system (U-WLS), said U-WLS comprising a plurality of mobile receiver sites, wherein each of said mobile receiver sites includes a receiver configured to receive uplink radio signals from said mobile device, and means for determining a precise location and velocity for the mobile receiver site, said U-WLS configured to determine a precise location and velocity of the mobile device from radio signal information received by said plurality of mobile receiver sites;

wherein said RNM is connected to said NE via a digital data link allowing the RNM to inform the NE of broadcast control channel (BCCH) frequency, power levels and informational content.

8. A system as recited in claim 7, wherein said RNM is further configured to monitor NE-emulated downlink beacons and second mobile uplink and downlink signals to detect interference and to cause the NE to reduce a broadcast radio power level and to reduce power levels of emulated uplink and downlink signals.

40. A method for locating a mobile device having a wireless communications transceiver for communicating with a local wireless communications network including a radio access network (RAN) and a core network (CN), comprising:

using a network autonomous wireless location system (NAWLS) to collect mobile-specific information, including temporary and permanent identifiers, via radio messaging without using a wired connection to the local wireless communications network; and

locating said mobile device using uplink signals transmitted by said mobile device;

wherein said NAWLS comprises a network of interconnected network emulators (NEs) configured for capturing a GSM mobile from an operating commercial GSM network by emulating said network, determining the distance that the captured GSM mobile is from a first NE via the timing advance (TA) parameter, handing over the captured GSM mobile to a second NE, determining the distance that the captured GSM mobile is from the second NE via the TA parameter, handing over the captured GSM mobile to a third NE, determining the distance that the captured GSM mobile is from the third NE via the TA parameter, and determining the location of the captured mobile with a time-of-arrival (TOA) geolocation technique.

58. A method as recited in any one of claims 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56 and 57, wherein said NAWLS is operated to minimize disruption of the local wireless communications network by monitoring the local wireless communications network and NE and adjusting NE transmissions and parameters as needed.

59. A method as recited in any one of claims 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56 and 57, wherein the NAWLS is used to generate ad hoc geo-fenced areas.

60. A method as recited in any one of claims 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56 and 57, further comprising generating ad hoc quiet zones where subscriber service is limited or denied.

41. A method for locating a mobile device having a wireless communications transceiver for communicating with a local wireless communications network including a radio access network (RAN) and a core network (CN), comprising:

using a network autonomous wireless location system (NAWLS) to collect mobile-specific information, including temporary and permanent identifiers, via radio messaging without using a wired connection to the local wireless communications network; and

locating said mobile device using uplink signals transmitted by said mobile device;

wherein said NAWLS comprises a network of interconnected network emulators (NEs) configured for capturing a UMTS mobile from an operating GSM network by emulating said network, determining the distance that the captured UMTS mobile is from a first NE via the Round Trip Time (RTT) parameter modified by a Rx-Tx time from the captured UMTS mobile, determining the distance that the captured UMTS mobile is from a second NE from another RTT parameter when the captured UMTS mobile is in soft handover or is handed over to a second NE, determining the distance that the captured UMTS mobile is from a third NE from another RTT parameter when the captured mobile is in soft handover or is handed over to the third NE, and determining the location of the captured UMTS mobile with a time-of-arrival (TOA) geolocation technique.

42. A method for locating a mobile device having a wireless communications transceiver for communicating with a local wireless communications network including a radio access network (RAN) and a core network (CN), comprising:

using a network autonomous wireless location system (NAWLS) to collect mobile-specific information, including temporary and permanent identifiers, via radio messaging without using a wired connection to the local wireless communications network; and

locating said mobile device using uplink signals transmitted by said mobile device;

wherein said NAWLS includes an untethered wireless location system (U-WLS) comprising a set of geographically distributed receivers and mobile location servers coupled with one or more network emulator (NE) transceivers, and said U-WLS is employed to determine the identity and location of mobile GSM and multi-mode mobile devices without physical connection to the local wireless communications network.

43. A method for locating a mobile device having a wireless communications transceiver for communicating with a local wireless communications network including a radio access network (RAN) and a core network (CN), comprising:

using a network autonomous wireless location system (NAWLS) to collect mobile-specific information, including temporary and permanent identifiers, via radio messaging without using a wired connection to the local wireless communications network; and

locating said mobile device using uplink signals transmitted by said mobile device; and

further comprising capturing a GSM mobile phone from an operating commercial GSM wireless network by emulating said network, causing a successful Location Update and providing false paging channel and neighbor cell information while determining the location of said GSM mobile phone by geolocating on a Location Update control channel transmission of said mobile phone.

44. A method for locating a mobile device having a wireless communications transceiver for communicating with a local wireless communications network including a radio access network (RAN) and a core network (CN), comprising:

using a network autonomous wireless location system (NAWLS) to collect mobile-specific information, including temporary and permanent identifiers, via radio messaging without using a wired connection to the local wireless communications network; and

locating said mobile device using uplink signals transmitted by said mobile device; and

further comprising acquiring a GSM mobile phone from an operating commercial GSM wireless network by emulating said network and determining the location, speed and heading of said GSM mobile phone by geolocating on a Location Update control channel transmission of said mobile phone.

45. A method for locating a mobile device having a wireless communications transceiver for communicating with a local wireless communications network including a radio access network (RAN) and a core network (CN), comprising:

using a network autonomous wireless location system (NAWLS) to collect mobile-specific information, including temporary and permanent identifiers, via radio messaging without using a wired connection to the local wireless communications network; and

locating said mobile device using uplink signals transmitted by said mobile device; and

further comprising acquiring a GSM mobile phone from an operating commercial GSM wireless network by emulating said network and determining the identity, TMSI, IMSI and IMEI, of said mobile phone through the use of an Identity Request (Iden₁₃Reg) message.

46. A method for locating a mobile device having a wireless communications transceiver for communicating with a local wireless communications network including a radio access network (RAN) and a core network (CN), comprising:

using a network autonomous wireless location system (NAWLS) to collect mobile-specific information, including temporary and permanent identifiers, via radio messaging without using a wired connection to the local wireless communications network; and

locating said mobile device using uplink signals transmitted by said mobile device; and

further comprising denying wireless service to a GSM mobile phone from an operating commercial GSM wireless network by emulating said network, capturing said mobile phone, determining the identity of said mobile phone, and assigning said mobile phone to a silent traffic channel.

47. A method for locating a mobile device having a wireless communications transceiver for communicating with a local wireless communications network including a radio access network (RAN) and a core network (CN), comprising:

using a network autonomous wireless location system (NAWLS) to collect mobile-specific information, including temporary and permanent identifiers, via radio messaging without using a wired connection to the local wireless communications network; and

locating said mobile device using uplink signals transmitted by said mobile device; and

further comprising denying wireless service to a GSM mobile phone from an operating commercial GSM wireless network by emulating said network, capturing said mobile phone, determining the location of said mobile phone, determining that the mobile phone is in a defined cold zone geographic area, and putting said mobile phone on a silent traffic channel.

48. A method for locating a mobile device having a wireless communications transceiver for communicating with a local wireless communications network including a radio access network (RAN) and a core network (CN), comprising:

using a network autonomous wireless location system (NAWLS) to collect mobile-specific information, including temporary and permanent identifiers, via radio messaging without using a wired connection to the local wireless communications network; and

locating said mobile device using uplink signals transmitted by said mobile device; and

further comprising determining whether to deny wireless service to a GSM mobile phone from an operating commercial GSM wireless network by emulating said network, capturing said mobile phone, determining the location of said mobile phone, verifying said mobile phone is located in a cold zone, determining the identity of said mobile phone, checking to see if the identifying information of said mobile phone is on an allowed list and putting said mobile phone on a silent traffic channel if the identifying information of said mobile phone is not on an allowed list.

49. A method for locating a mobile device having a wireless communications transceiver for communicating with a local wireless communications network including a radio access network (RAN) and a core network (CN), comprising:

using a network autonomous wireless location system (NAWLS) to collect mobile-specific information, including temporary and permanent identifiers, via radio messaging without using a wired connection to the local wireless communications network; and

locating said mobile device using uplink signals transmitted by said mobile device; and

further comprising locating a GSM mobile phone on a traffic channel (TCH) serviced by an operating commercial GSM wireless network, without direct physical connection to said GSM network by emulating said network, capturing said mobile phone, assigning said mobile phone to a silent traffic channel, and determining the location of said mobile phone on the traffic channel with time-of-arrival (TOA), power-of-arrival (POA), uplink-time-difference-of-arrival (U-TDOA), angle-of-arrival (AoA), enhanced Cell-ID (ECID), power-difference-of-arrival (PDOA), cell/sector ID with timing advance (CGI+TA), or any combination thereof.

50. A method for locating a mobile device having a wireless communications transceiver for communicating with a local wireless communications network including a radio access network (RAN) and a core network (CN), comprising:

using a network autonomous wireless location system (NAWLS) to collect mobile-specific information, including temporary and permanent identifiers, via radio messaging without using a wired connection to the local wireless communications network; and

locating said mobile device using uplink signals transmitted by said mobile device; and

further comprising locating a GSM mobile phone operating on a GSM network, wherein said mobile phone comprises a GPS or AGPS receiver, by emulating said GSM network, capturing said mobile phone, assigning said mobile phone to a silent traffic channel, and requesting the position of said mobile phone from the internal GPS or AGPS receiver of said mobile phone.

51. A method for locating a mobile device having a wireless communications transceiver for communicating with a local wireless communications network including a radio access network (RAN) and a core network (CN), comprising:

using a network autonomous wireless location system (NAWLS) to collect mobile-specific information, including temporary and permanent identifiers, via radio messaging without using a wired connection to the local wireless communications network; and

locating said mobile device using uplink signals transmitted by said mobile device; and

further comprising determining the location of a mobile phone operating on a commercial UMTS network without a direct physical connection to said network by emulating said network and determining the location of said mobile phone by geolocating on a Location Update control channel transmission of said mobile phone.

52. A method for locating a mobile device having a wireless communications transceiver for communicating with a local wireless communications network including a radio access network (RAN) and a core network (CN), comprising:

using a network autonomous wireless location system (NAWLS) to collect mobile-specific information, including temporary and permanent identifiers, via radio messaging without using a wired connection to the local wireless communications network; and

locating said mobile device using uplink signals transmitted by said mobile device; and

further comprising determining the identity of a UMTS/GSM mobile phone operating on a UMTS/GSM network without physical connection to that network by emulating the UMTS/GSM network, capturing said mobile phone, commanding said mobile phone to move to the emulated UMTS/GSM network, and determining the mobile identity of said mobile phone with an Identity Request (Iden₁₃Req) command.

53. A method for locating a mobile device having a wireless communications transceiver for communicating with a local wireless communications network including a radio access network (RAN) and a core network (CN), comprising:

using a network autonomous wireless location system (NAWLS) to collect mobile-specific information, including temporary and permanent identifiers, via radio messaging without using a wired connection to the local wireless communications network; and

locating said mobile device using uplink signals transmitted by said mobile device; and

further comprising denying wireless service to a UMTS/GSM mobile phone from an operating commercial UMTS/GSM wireless network without a physical connection to any wireless network by emulating said UMTS/GSM network, capturing said mobile phone, commanding said mobile phone to move to the emulated UMTS/GSM network, determining the identity of said mobile phone, and assigning said mobile phone to a silent traffic channel.

54. A method for locating a mobile device having a wireless communications transceiver for communicating with a local wireless communications network including a radio access network (RAN) and a core network (CN), comprising:

using a network autonomous wireless location system (NAWLS) to collect mobile-specific information, including temporary and permanent identifiers, via radio messaging without using a wired connection to the local wireless communications network; and

locating said mobile device using uplink signals transmitted by said mobile device; and

further comprising determining the location of a mobile phone operating on a commercial UMTS or GSM network without a direct physical connection to said network by emulating said network and determining the location of said mobile phone by geolocating on a Location Update control channel transmission of said mobile phone, commanding the mobile phone to move to an emulated UMTS or GSM network, moving said mobile phone to a UMTS or GSM traffic channel and geolocating said mobile phone again.

55. A method for locating a mobile device having a wireless communications transceiver for communicating with a local wireless communications network including a radio access network (RAN) and a core network (CN), comprising:

using a network autonomous wireless location system (NAWLS) to collect mobile-specific information, including temporary and permanent identifiers, via radio messaging without using a wired connection to the local wireless communications network; and

locating said mobile device using uplink signals transmitted by said mobile device; and

further comprising locating a UMTS/GSM mobile phone operating on a UMTS network, wherein said mobile phone comprises a GPS or AGPS receiver, by emulating said UMTS network, capturing said mobile phone, commanding said mobile phone to move to an emulated UMTS network, assigning said mobile phone to a silent traffic channel, and requesting the position of said mobile phone from the internal GPS or AGPS receiver of said mobile phone.

56. A method for locating a mobile device having a wireless communications transceiver for communicating with a local wireless communications network including a radio access network (RAN) and a core network (CN), comprising:

using a network autonomous wireless location system (NAWLS) to collect mobile-specific information, including temporary and permanent identifiers, via radio messaging without using a wired connection to the local wireless communications network; and

locating said mobile device using uplink signals transmitted by said mobile device; and

further comprising receiving and demodulating uplink transmissions from wireless devices operating on GSM networks, both unencrypted and encrypted, and storing said transmissions to a high speed database for further analysis.

57. A method for locating a mobile device having a wireless communications transceiver for communicating with a local wireless communications network including a radio access network (RAN) and a core network (CN), comprising:

using a network autonomous wireless location system (NAWLS) to collect mobile-specific information, including temporary and permanent identifiers, via radio messaging without using a wired connection to the local wireless communications network; and

locating said mobile device using uplink signals transmitted by said mobile device; and

further comprising locating a GSM mobile phone on a traffic channel in a GSM network without any physical connection to said network by receiving and demodulating uplink and downlink transmissions from said mobile phone and said GSM network, storing said transmissions to a database, decrypting appropriate demodulated transmissions, and locating said mobile phone with decrypted information via time-of-arrival (TOA), power-of-arrival (POA), uplink-time-difference-of-arrival (U-TDOA), angle-of-arrival (AoA), enhanced Cell-ID (ECID), power-difference-of-arrival (PDOA), cell/sector ID with timing advance (CGI+TA), or any combination thereof.