Localized network service

• US 9,380,427 B2
• Filed: 12/19/2012
• Issued: 06/28/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Jodlauk, Gordian, Djordjevic, Branko
• Primary Examiner(s): Karikari, Kwasi
• Application Number:
  US14/652,990
• Publication Number:
  US 20150341749A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,287 Days
• Field of Search: 455/414.2
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1845 broadcast or multicast in a specific location, e.g. geocast protocols for adapting network applications to user terminal location H04L67/52; services specially adapted for wireless communication networks making use of the location of users or terminals H04W4/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/189 in combination with wireless systems selective distribution or broadcast in wireless communication networks H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/16 Threshold monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/24 Cell structures
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/06 Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0446 Resources in time domain, e.g. slots or frames
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

A method for providing a network service to a plurality of mobile terminals inside a service area. The mobile terminals are arranged to communicate with a cellular communication network and the service area is a part of a geographical area that is covered by the cellular communication network. The method includes defining a grid with grid lines, where the grid covers the service area with one or more tiles framed by the grid lines. A determination is made whether there is at least one split tile that results from splitting the one or more tiles along closer grid lines and that does not overlap with the service area. The one or more tiles are split along the closer grid lines based on the determining, and the network service is provided in the split tiles that cover the service area.

Claims

1. A method for providing a network service to a plurality of mobile terminals inside a service area, the mobile terminals being arranged to communicate with a cellular communication network and the service area being a part of a geographical area that is covered by the cellular communication network, the method comprising the steps of:

defining a grid with grid lines, the grid covering the service area with one or more tiles framed by the grid lines;

determining whether there is at least one split tile that results from splitting the one or more tiles along closer grid lines and that does not overlap with the service area;

estimating savings in communication resources, generated by splitting the one or more tiles along a closer one of the grid lines, the communication resources relating to communicating crossing information, generating in response to one of the mobile terminals crossing one of the grid lines, and communicating payload messages;

splitting the one or more tiles along the closer grid lines based on a result of the determining and a result of the estimating; and

providing the network service in the split tiles that cover the service area.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising a step of estimating savings in communication resources, generated by splitting the one or more tiles along the closer grid lines, wherein the splitting is further based on a result of the estimating.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the estimating further considers a maximum value for the communication resources relating to communicating the crossing information based on a road layout inside the service area.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the estimating further considers a maximum value for the communication resources relating to communicating payload messages based on a number of mobile terminals inside the one or more tiles and/or service area.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the estimating further considers an evolving in time of the communication resources relating to communicating the crossing information and communicating the payload messages.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of joining split tiles and notifying mobile terminals of the split tiles that are joined.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the notifying is effected via a broadcast to the mobile terminals.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the communication resources relating to the broadcast are compared to a threshold, and wherein the broadcast is effected in time slots based on the comparison.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the service area is one of C-ITS application server service areas.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the grid fields and the split grid fields are grid fields of a geomessaging enabler.

11. A network entity for providing a network service to a plurality of mobile terminals inside a service area, the mobile terminals being arranged to communicate with a cellular communication network and the service area being a part of a geographical area that is covered by the cellular communication network, the network entity comprising a processor that is configured to:

define a grid with grid lines, the grid covering the service area with one or more tiles framed by the grid lines;

determine whether there is at least one split tile that results from splitting the one or more tiles along closer grid lines and that does not overlap with the service area;

estimate savings in communication resources, generated by splitting the one or more tiles along the closer grid lines;

split the one or more tiles along the closer grid lines based on the determination whether there is at least one split tile and based on a result of the estimating; and

provide the network service in the split tiles that cover the service area.

12. The network entity of claim 11, wherein the network entity is comprised within a network system in which a network service is provided to a plurality of mobile terminals.

13. The network entity of claim 11, wherein the estimating further considers a maximum value for the communication resources relating to communicating the crossing information based on a road layout inside the service area.

14. The network entity of claim 11, wherein the estimating further considers a maximum value for the communication resources relating to communicating payload messages based on a number of mobile terminals inside the one or more tiles and/or service area.

15. The network entity of claim 11, wherein the estimating further considers an evolving in time of the communication resources relating to communicating the crossing information and communicating the payload messages.

16. The network entity of claim 11, wherein the processor is further configured to join split tiles and notify mobile terminals of the split tiles that are joined.

17. The network entity of claim 11, wherein the notifying is effected via a broadcast to the mobile terminals.

18. The network entity of claim 11, wherein the service area is one of C-ITS application server service areas.

19. The network entity of claim 11, wherein the grid fields and the split grid fields are grid fields of a geomessaging enabler.

20. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable medium storing code, the code, when executed on a processor, instructing the processor to perform operations comprising:

providing a network service to a plurality of mobile terminals inside a service area, the mobile terminals being arranged to communicate with a cellular communication network and the service area being a part of a geographical area that is covered by the cellular communication network, the providing comprising;

defining a grid with grid lines, the grid covering the service area with one or more tiles framed by the grid lines;

determining whether there is at least one split tile that results from splitting the one or more tiles along closer grid lines and that does not overlap with the service area;

estimating savings in communication resources, generated by splitting the one or more tiles along a closer one of the grid lines, the communication resources relating to communicating crossing information, generating in response to one of the mobile terminals crossing one of the grid lines, and communicating payload messages;

splitting the one or more tiles along the closer grid lines based on a result of the determining and a result of the estimating; and

providing the network service in the split tiles that cover the service area.