Devices, systems and methods for SMS-based location querying

• US 8,391,893 B2
• Filed: 12/11/2009
• Issued: 03/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: McNamara, Justin Michael Anthony, Davis, John Potts III, Rector, Jay Daryl
• Primary Examiner(s): Afshar, Kamran
• Assistant Examiner(s): SHAHEED, KHALID W
• Application Number:
  US12/636,029
• Publication Number:
  US 20110143774A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,180 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456.2, 455/466, 455/550.1, 455/456.1, 455/457, 455/456.5, 455/456.6
• US Class Current: 455/456.2
• 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 4/14 Short messaging services, e.g. short message services [SMS] or unstructured supplementary service data [USSD]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/20 Services signaling; Auxiliary data signalling, i.e. transmitting data via a non-traffic channel

Abstract

The disclosure provides devices, systems, and methods for determining a position of a mobile communication device by communicating with the device via a Short Messaging System (SMS). A location query is submitted to an SMS center, which formats a first SMS message for delivery to the device. The first SMS message is delivered to a designated SMS port on the device. A location logic on the device receives the SMS via the SMS port, extracts the location query, and attempts to calculate a location from received satellite signals. The calculated location is submitted back to the SMS server, either to be forwarded to the location server, or to a network element or device that submitted the location query to the SMS center in the first place. Assistance data may additionally be delivered to the mobile communication device via the SMS port.

Claims

1. A mobile communication device, comprising:

a processor;

a memory in communication with the processor;

a transceiver in communication with the processor;

a GPS receiver in communication with the processor; and

a location logic on the memory, wherein the location logic is executed by the processor to perform operations including;

receiving a first short message service (SMS) message from a network via the transceiver,

extracting a location query from the first SMS message,

receiving assistance data from the network via a second SMS message,

retrieving a GPS signal from a GPS satellite based on the assistance data,

calculating a location for the mobile communication device, and

transmitting the location to the network via a third SMS message.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the first SMS message is received from an SMS center in communication with a Location Server on the network, based upon a determination that the mobile communication device is unable to receive a user plane location query.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the location logic is executed by the processor to address the second SMS message to a network element that generated the location query.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the location logic is executed by the processor to designate an SMS port for receiving the first SMS message having the location query.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the location logic is further executed by the processor to transmit an assistance query to the network via a fourth SMS message.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein the assistance query includes at least one of a time of day, a Mobile Network Code (MNC), a Mobile Country Code (MNC), a Location Area Code (LAC), and a Cell ID.

7. The device of claim 5, wherein the assistance data includes at least one of a base transceiver station coordinate set, and GPS ephemeris data.

8. A system, comprising:

a mobile communication device having a GPS receiver; and

a location logic on the mobile communication device that, when executed by a processor on the mobile communication device, enables the processor to perform operations including;

receiving a first SMS message from a SMS center at a specified SMS port on the mobile communication device, the SMS center being in communication with the mobile communication device across a network,

extracting a location query from the first SMS message,

receiving assistance data from a location server via a second SMS message, the location server being in communication with the SMS center,

retrieving a GPS signal from the GPS satellite based on the assistance data,

calculating a location for the mobile communication device, and

transmitting the location to the network via a third SMS message.

9. The system of claim 8, further comprising:

a network element that generates the location query and transmits the location query to the location server; and

a server logic on the location server that is executed by the location server to perform operations including receiving the location query, determining that the mobile communication device is unable to receive a user-plane location query, and forwarding the location query to the SMS center.

10. The system of claim 9, further comprising SMS logic on the SMS center that is executed by the SMS center to perform operations including:

receiving the third SMS message from the mobile communication device,

extracting the location from the third SMS message, and

transmitting the location to the location server,

wherein the server logic forwards the location to the network element.

11. The system of claim 9, further comprising SMS logic on the SMS center that is executed by the SMS center to perform operations including:

receiving the third SMS message from the mobile communication device, and

forwarding the third SMS message to the network element.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the location logic is further executed by the processor to perform operations including transmitting an assistance query to the network via a fourth SMS message.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the assistance query includes at least one of a time of day, a Mobile Network Code (MNC), a Mobile Country Code (MNC), a Location Area Code (LAC), and a Cell ID.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the assistance data includes at least one of a base transceiver station coordinate set, and GPS ephemeris data.

15. A method, comprising:

utilizing a mobile device including at least a processor and a location logic that is executed by the processor for receiving a first Short Message Service (SMS) message from a network;

utilizing the processor for extracting a location query from the first SMS message, the location query being generated by a third-party network element;

utilizing the processor for receiving assistance data from a location server via a second SMS message,

utilizing the processor for retrieving a GPS signal from a GPS satellite based on the assistance data;

utilizing the processor for calculating a location for the mobile communication device; and

utilizing the processor for transmitting the location to the network via a third SMS message.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

determining that the mobile communication device is unable to receive a User Plane Location Query.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

addressing the third SMS message to the third-party network element that generated the location query.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising designating an SMS port on the mobile communication device for receiving the first SMS message having the location query.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising transmitting an assistance query to the network via a fourth SMS message.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the assistance query includes at least one of a time of day, an MNC, an MCC, an LAC, and a Cell ID;

and wherein the assistance data includes at least one of a base transceiver station coordinate set, and GPS ephemeris data.