Advanced triggers for location-based service applications in a wireless location system

• US 9,288,628 B2
• Filed: 07/02/2014
• Issued: 03/15/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/08/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Skyhook Holding, Inc. (Liberty Broadband Corp.)
• Original Assignee: TruePosition Incorporated
• Inventors: Anderson, Robert J., Bull, Jeffrey F., Czarnecki, Paul Matthew, Ginter, Thomas Stephen, Ward, Matthew L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Vuong, Quochien B
• Application Number:
  US14/322,623
• Publication Number:
  US 20140342689A1
• Time in Patent Office: 622 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456.1, 455/456.5, 455/456.6, 455/560, 455/561, 455/422, 342/350, 342/458, 342/463
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0205 Details
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/025 using location based information parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• 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 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/003 locating network equipment

Abstract

Methods and systems are employed by a wireless location system (WLS) for locating a wireless device operating in a geographic area served by a wireless communications system. An exemplary method includes monitoring a set of signaling links of the wireless communications system, and detecting at least one predefined signaling transaction occurring on at least one of the predefined signaling links. Then, in response to the detection of the at least one predefined network transaction, at least one predefined location service is triggered.

Claims

1. A method for use in a wireless location system (WLS) that estimates the geographic location of a mobile station (MS), comprising:

passively monitoring communications between at least one base transceiver station (BTS) and at least one base station controller (BSC) of a wireless communications system, wherein the step of passively monitoring comprises monitoring communications such that the operation of said MS and said wireless communications system are unaffected by said monitoring;

extracting MS information from the monitored communications, wherein the extracted MS information comprises at least one of;

a mobile station identification (MSID), a called number dialed by the user of the MS, and contents of messages sent to the MS or from the MS;

using the extracted MS information to trigger location processing; and

initiating at least one predefined location service;

wherein said at least one predefined location service comprises at least one of;

(1) the use of plural location measuring units (LMUs) and one or more of;

an uplink time difference of arrival (TDOA) algorithm, an uplink angle of arrival (AoA) algorithm, or hybrid TDOA and AoA algorithms; and

(2) the use of a radio network monitor (RNM) and at least one of a cell global identity (CGI)-based location method or a cell global identity plus timing advance (CGI+TA) location method for determining the geographic location of said MS.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said method is performed by said WLS, and said WLS is overlaid on said wireless communications system.

3. A system for use in a wireless location system (WLS) that estimates the geographic location of a mobile station (MS), comprising:

means for passively monitoring communications between at least one base transceiver station (BTS) and at least one base station controller (BSC) of a wireless communications system;

means for extracting MS information from the monitored communications, wherein the extracted MS information comprises at least one of;

a mobile station identification (MSID), a called number dialed by the user of the MS, or contents of messages sent to the MS or from the MS;

means for using the extracted MS information to trigger location processing; and

a mechanism for initiating at least one predefined location service, wherein said at least one predefined location service comprises at least one of;

(1) the use of plural location measuring units (LMUs) and one or more of;

an uplink time difference of arrival (TDOA) algorithm, an uplink angle of arrival (AoA) algorithm, or hybrid TDOA and AoA algorithms; and

(2) the use of a radio network monitor (RNM) and at least one of a cell global identity (CGI)-based location method or a cell global identity plus timing advance (CGI+TA) location method for determining the geographic location of said MS.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the means for passively monitoring comprises means for monitoring communications such that the operation of said MS and said wireless communications system are unaffected by said monitoring.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein said WLS is overlaid on said wireless communications system.