Systems and method for provisioning location determination systems

• US 8,761,719 B1
• Filed: 01/30/2008
• Issued: 06/24/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: T-Mobile Innovations LLC (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Hines, Thomas Edward III, Meyers, Larry S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Batista, Marcos
• Assistant Examiner(s): DONADO, FRANK E
• Application Number:
  US12/022,841
• Time in Patent Office: 2,337 Days
• US Class Current: 455/404.2
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0236 Assistance data, e.g. base station almanac
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/20 Services signaling; Auxiliary data signalling, i.e. transmitting data via a non-traffic channel
• 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 64/003 locating network equipment

Abstract

New location information that is different from the old location information being used by location determination system is received by a provisioning system. A location change metric is determined from the old and new location information. The location determination system is provisioned by the provisioning system with the new location information if the location change metric meets certain criteria.

Claims

1. A method of provisioning a location determination system having a first database which is initially provisioned with a first location information, wherein the first database comprises location information that complies with a regulatory scheme and the regulatory scheme comprises requirements for location information supplied to an emergency service provider, comprising:

receiving a second location information that is different from the first location information being used by the location determination system, wherein the first location information and the second location information comprise information related to a location of a base station;

determining a location change metric based upon the first location information and the second location information;

provisioning a second database of the location determination system with the second location information if the location change metric meets a criteria, wherein the second database comprises at least one entry of location information that does not comply with the regulatory scheme;

receiving a location information request;

determining a source of the location information request; and

selecting either the first location information or the second location information to service the location information request based on the source of the location information request, wherein the first location information is selected when the source comprises an emergency service provider.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the location change metric corresponds to a distance between locations represented by the first location information and the second location information.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the source comprises the emergency service provider when the location information request is associated with a key for a call to emergency services.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the second location information results from a measurement made by a mobile device.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the second location information corresponds to a point in a cell phone sector.

6. A provisioning system, comprising:

a first information transfer link that receives first location information and second location information wherein the first location information is different from the second location information, the second location information is used by a location determining system, and the first location information and the second location information comprise information related to a location of a base station;

a location change metric determining system that determines a location change metric based upon the first location information and the second location information;

a second information transfer link that communicates the second location information to the location determining system if the location change metric meets a criteria; and

wherein the location determining system receives a location information request, determines a source of the location information request, and selects either the first location information or the second location information to service the location information request based on the source of the location information request, wherein the first location information is provisioned to a first database comprising location information that complies with a regulatory scheme comprising requirements for location information supplied to an emergency service provider, the second location information is provisioned to a second database comprises at least one entry of location information that does not comply with the regulatory scheme, and the first location information is selected when the source comprises the emergency service provider.

7. The provisioning system of claim 6 wherein the location change metric corresponds to a distance between locations represented by the first location information and the second location information.

8. The provisioning system of claim 6 wherein the source comprises the emergency service provider when the location information request is associated with a key for a call to emergency services.

9. The provisioning system of claim 6 wherein the second location information results from a measurement made by a mobile device.

10. A non-transitory computer readable medium encoded with computer instructions which when executed cause a computer to perform method steps for provisioning a location determination system which is initially provisioned with a first location information, comprising:

receiving a second location information that is different from the first location information being used by the location determination system, wherein the first location information and the second location information comprise information related to a location of a base station;

determining a location change metric based upon the first location information and the second location information;

provisioning the location determination system with the second location information if the location change metric meets a criteria; and

wherein the location determining system receives a location information request, determines a source of the location information request, and selects either the first location information or the second location information to service the location information request based on the source of the location information request, wherein the first location information is provisioned to a first database comprising location information that complies with a regulatory scheme comprising requirements for location information supplied to an emergency service provider, the second location information is provisioned to a second database comprises at least one entry of location information that does not comply with the regulatory scheme and the first location information is selected when the source comprises the emergency service provider.

11. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein the location change metric corresponds to a distance between locations represented by the first location information and the second location information.

12. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein the source comprises the emergency service provider when the location information request is associated with a key for a call to emergency services.

13. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 10 wherein the second location information results from a measurement made by a mobile device.

14. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 10 wherein the second location information corresponds to a point in a cell phone sector.