Intelligent location tracking based on predictive modelling

• US 8,391,883 B2
• Filed: 09/19/2007
• Issued: 03/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nokia Solutions and Networks GmbH & Co. KG (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Siemens Networks GmbH & Company KG (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Agarwal, Salil, Mallikarjunappa, Niranjana, Sangam, Praveen
• Primary Examiner(s): MILLER, BRANDON J
• Application Number:
  US12/311,343
• Publication Number:
  US 20100062789A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,994 Days
• Field of Search: 4554561-4566, 455418-420, 455/414.1, 455/457, 455/422.1
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/04 using triggered events
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

Tracking a mobile station, MS, (108) of a telecommunications network including a LCS client (102), Location services client, for a GMLC, Gateway Mobile Location Center, (104). The GMLC (104) checking a prediction database to find a predicted location area of the MS. If the prediction data is valid then location estimation procedure will not be started, the GMLC (104) requesting an MSC 106 to forward the location update information to the GMLC (104) for the MS (108). In case an location area update is done before an end of a prediction period and the MS (108) moves out of the predicted area then an location estimation procedure will be started for the MS (108).

Claims

1. A method for tracking a mobile station of a telecommunications network, comprising the steps of:

checking prediction data in a prediction database to find a predicted location area of the mobile station;

if the prediction data indicates a location of the mobile station that is valid, not triggering a first location estimation procedure, and if the prediction data indicates a location of the mobile station that is not valid, triggering the first location estimation procedure by requesting a mobile switching center to forward location area update information to a gateway mobile location center for the mobile station; and

in the event that a location area update is received before the end of a prediction period which indicates that the mobile station has moved out of the predicted location area, triggering a second location estimation procedure for the mobile station subsequent to the first location estimation procedure, to track the mobile station while it is outside the predicted location area.

2. The method of claim 1 characterized in that, periodically executing the foregoing steps and returning a location estimate of the mobile station to a location services client.

3. The method of claim 1 characterized in that in the event that the mobile station re-enters the predicted location area in the prediction period the location estimation procedure will be stopped.

4. The method of claim 1 characterized in that checking prediction data in a prediction database to find a predicted location area of the mobile station is carried out by the gateway mobile location center.

5. The method of claim 1 characterized in that requesting a mobile switching center to forward location area update information to the gateway mobile location center for the mobile station is carried out by the gateway mobile location center.

6. A telecommunications network for tracking a mobile station comprising a gateway mobile services center, a prediction database, and a mobile switching center, the gateway mobile services center configured for:

checking prediction data in the prediction database to find a predicted location area of the mobile station; and

requesting the mobile switching center to forward location area update information to a gateway mobile location center for the mobile station, and

the network configured for not triggering a first location estimation procedure if the prediction data indicates a location of the mobile station that is valid, and if the prediction data indicates a location of the mobile station that is not valid, triggering the first location estimation procedure by requesting the mobile switching center to forward location area update information to the gateway mobile location center for the mobile station; and

triggering a second location estimation procedure for the mobile station subsequent to the first location estimation procedure in the event that a location area update is received before the end of a prediction period which indicates that the mobile station has moved out of the predicted location area.

7. A network node for controlling tracking of a mobile station, the network node configured for:

checking prediction data in a prediction database to find a predicted location area of the mobile station;

requesting a mobile switching center to forward location area update information to the network node for the mobile station;

not triggering a first location estimation procedure if the prediction data indicates a location of the mobile station that is valid, and if the prediction data indicates a location of the mobile station that is not valid, triggering the first location estimation procedure by requesting the mobile switching center to forward location area update information to the gateway mobile location center for the mobile station; and

triggering a second location estimation procedure for the mobile station subsequent to the first location estimation procedure, in the event that a location area update is received before the end of a prediction period which indicates that the mobile station has moved out of the predicted location area.

8. The network node of claim 7 characterized in that it comprises a gateway mobile location center.

9. The network node of claim 7 characterized in that it comprises an intelligent network node.

10. The network node of claim 7 characterized in that it comprises the prediction database.

11. The network node of claim 7 characterized in that it checks prediction data in the prediction database which is located in a home location register.

12. A prediction database for containing checkable prediction data to enable a network node to control the tracking mode of a mobile station, the prediction database configured for:

allowing the network node to check the prediction data to find a predicted location area of the mobile station, the network node being adapted to not trigger a first location estimation procedure if the prediction data indicates a location of the mobile station that is valid, and being adapted to trigger the first location estimation procedure by requesting a mobile switching center to forward location area update information to the network node for the mobile station if the prediction data indicates a location of the mobile station that is not valid, and

in the event that a location area update is received before the end of a prediction period which indicates that the mobile station has moved out of the predicted location area, the network node is adapted to trigger a second location estimation procedure for the mobile station subsequent to the first location estimation procedure, to track the mobile station while it is outside the predicted location area.