System and method for locating a cellular communication device

• US 9,544,722 B2
• Filed: 02/03/2012
• Issued: 01/10/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Realcell Limited
• Original Assignee: Realcell Limited
• Inventors: Saunders, Simon, Timson, Anthony
• Primary Examiner(s): MEHRA, INDER P
• Application Number:
  US13/983,033
• Publication Number:
  US 20140287772A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,803 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456.1, 455/456.5, 455/404.2, 455/456.3, 455/456.4, 455/457, 455/435.1, 455/444, 455/446, 455/456.2, 370/254, 370/328, 370/338, 370/352
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/003 locating network equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/045 using private Base Stations, e.g. femto Base Stations, home Node B
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices

Abstract

There is discussed a location system for locating the position of a mobile communications device that communicates with a communication network using wireless signals. The location system includes a receiver which detects a wireless signal transmitted between the mobile communications device and a base station forming part of the communication network, and a processing means which processes the detected wireless signal to extract identification information for the mobile communications device. The extracted identification is stored in a data store in association with data indicative of the base station. The processing means and the data store are independent from the communication network, and therefore do not affect the operation of the mobile network.

Claims

1. A location system for locating the position of a mobile communications device, the mobile communications device being operable to communicate with a communication network using wireless signals, the location system comprising:

a receiver operable to detect a wireless signal transmitted between the mobile communications device and a base station forming part of the communication network, wherein said receiver comprises means for detecting the configuration of the base station, wherein the means for detecting is arranged to pre-configure said receiver to detect said wireless signal transmitted between said mobile communications device and said base station;

means for processing the detected wireless signal to extract identification information for the mobile communications device; and

means for storing said identification information in association with data indicative of the base station,

wherein said processing means and said storing means are configured so that no data is transferred between the processing means and a core network of the communication network and no data is transferred between the storing means and the core network of the communication network, whereby the location system is implementable without involvement of the operator of the communication network.

2. A location system according to claim 1, wherein the storing means is arranged to store the identification information in association with data indicative of the base station and a time stamp.

3. A location system according to claim 1, wherein the processing means is arranged to extract the identification information for the mobile communications device from a message sent by the mobile communications device in response to a message broadcast by the base station conveying a location code.

4. A location system according to claim 1, wherein the receiver is operable to detect wireless signals between a mobile communications device and a plurality of different base stations.

5. A location system according to claim 4, wherein said plurality of different base stations comprise base stations for more than one communication network.

6. A location system according to claim 4, wherein said processing means is operable to determine the base station associated with the wireless signal from a scrambling, channelization, separation or cell global identity code used for the wireless signal.

7. A location system according to claim 1, wherein the communications network includes a femtocell base station, and wherein the receiver is operable to detect a wireless signal transmitted between the mobile communications device and the femtocell base station.

8. A location system according to claim 7, wherein the receiver has a receiver antenna arranged to receive signals within a similar area to an antenna of the femtocell base station antenna.

9. A location system according to claim 7, wherein the femtocell base station has a closed list of mobile communication devices which are permitted to use telecommunication services provided by the femtocell base station, and

wherein the storing means is operable to store identification information corresponding to mobile communications devices not included in said closed list.

10. A location system according to claim 7, further comprising means for adjusting the coverage area of the femtocell base station.

11. A location system according to claim 10, wherein said adjusting means comprises means for partially surrounding the femtocell base station with at least partially absorbent material to reduce the coverage area.

12. A location system according to claim 10, wherein said adjusting means comprises means for reflecting the wireless signals from said femtocell base station into a restricted area.

13. A location system according to claim 10, wherein said adjusting means comprises a case for enclosing the femtocell base station, wherein the case comprises an aperture arranged to direct wireless signals from the femtocell base station to a restricted area.

14. A location system according to claim 1, wherein said receiver is operable to detect said wireless signal without establishing a link with said mobile communications device and said base station.

16. A location system according to claim 1 comprising a plurality of receivers, each receiver being operable to detect wireless signals between a mobile communication device and at least one femtocell base station,

wherein said processing means comprises means for processing the wireless signals detected by the plurality of receivers, and

wherein the storing means is arranged to store retrieved identification information, in association with data indicating the corresponding femtocell base station and timing information, in a database common to all the receivers.

15. A location system for locating the position of a mobile communications device, the mobile communications device being operable to communicate with a communication network using wireless signals, the location system comprising:

a receiver operable to detect a wireless signal transmitted between the mobile communications device and a base station forming part of the communication network;

means for processing the detected wireless signal to extract identification information for the mobile communications device; and

means for storing said identification information in association with data indicative of the base station;

wherein said processing means and said storing means are independent from the communication network;

further comprising a femtocell base station, and wherein the receiver is operable to detect a wireless signal transmitted between the mobile communications device and the femtocell base station;

further comprising means for adjusting the coverage area of the femtocell base station; and

wherein said adjusting means comprises;

a case for enclosing the femtocell base station, said case including a conducting probe for receiving wireless signals from and transmitting wireless signals to the femtocell base station; and

an antenna system connectable to said conducting probe from the outside of the case, wherein the antenna system is operable to provide a different coverage area to that of the femtocell base station.

17. A method of locating the position of a mobile communications device which communicates with a communication network using wireless signals, the method comprising:

detecting wireless signals transmitted between the mobile communications device and a base station and retrieving identification information for the mobile communications device conveyed by the wireless signals, wherein said detecting comprises detecting the configuration of the base station by pre-configuring a receiver to detect said wireless signals transmitted between said mobile communications device and said base station; and

storing said identification information in association with data indicative of a location associated with the base station in a database which is independent from the communication network;

such that no data is transferred between the database and a core network of the communication network, whereby the method is implementable without involvement of the operator of the communication network.

18. A method according to claim 17, wherein the base station is a femtocell base station and the method further comprising positioning the femtocell base station so that a location area boundary for the femtocell base station is in a desired position.

19. A method according to claim 18, wherein the femtocell base station has a closed list of mobile communication devices which are permitted to use telecommunication services provided by the femtocell base station, and

said storing comprises storing identification information corresponding to mobile communications devices not included in said closed list.

20. A method according to claim 18, wherein the femtocell base station broadcasts a wireless signal conveying a location code, and the identification information is retrieved from a wireless signal sent in response to said wireless signal conveying the location code.