Service provision in a communication system

• US 20030186710A1
• Filed: 01/22/2003
• Published: 10/02/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Muhonen, Ahti, Staack, Jens-Peter, Kåll, Jan, Rantalainen, Timo
• Granted Patent: US 9,107,031 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.5
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• 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 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method and system for providing information about stations of a communication system, and more particularly information of stations (1) that are located within a defined area (5). A search can be triggered in a location information service for information concerning wireless stations within the defined area. At least one such access entity (20, 21, 23, 24) of the communication system is selected that covers partially or entirely the defined area. A location information request is subsequently generated and broadcast in the selected access entities. A response including information concerning wireless stations within the defined area is generated and signalled to the location information service. According to another aspect the system is adapted to provide services for those stations only that have been determined to be located within the defined area.

Claims

1. A method for providing information of stations of a communication system consisting of a plurality of access entities, comprising:

selecting at least one access entity of the cellular communication system that covers at least a portion of a defined area;

transmitting a request for location information in said at least one access entity;

receiving the request in at least one station within said at least one access entity; and

signalling information that associates with the location of said at least one station.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said information associated with the location of the at least one station is signalled from an element that associates with the access entity to a location information service.

3. A method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the request for location information includes information of an address of the location information service and wherein the response is routed to the location information service based on the address information.

4. A method as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the request for location information includes information of the defined area.

5. A method as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein a location information request is broadcast in said at least one access entity.

6. A method as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the access entities are selected so that a predefined level of coverage of the defined area is obtained.

7. A method as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the location information request is handled by one or more broadcasting centres based on the determined at least one access entity.

8. A method as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the determination of the at least one access entity comprises mapping the defined area to co-ordinates and/or estimated ranges of base stations of the access entities.

9. A method as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the determination of the access entities is triggered by a request from a client.

10. A method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the request from the client defines the area.

11. A method as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the area is defined by means of one or more of the following:

the name of the defined area;

co-ordinates of the area;

longitude and latitude of the area;

range from a particular location;

shape of the area.

12. A method as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein a wireless station within the access entity receives a broadcast request for location information and in response to the request at least a part of information concerning the location of the wireless station is determined at the wireless station.

13. A method as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein an access network of the communication system signals information concerning the stations within the determined at least one access entity to a location information service via at least one controller node of the communication system.

14. A method as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the transmission of the request for location information comprises broadcasting of a short message service message in the selected access entities.

15. A method as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the request for location information comprises a system information message that is broadcast on control channels of the selected access entities.

16. A method as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the selection of said at least one access entity is based on association between the defined area and said at least one access entity.

17. A method as claimed in any preceding claim, comprising determination of those stations within said at least one access entity that are located within the defined area before the provision of the location information.

18. A method as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the location information request includes information for identifying the request.

19. A method as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the request for location information includes co-ordinates of the defined area and/or a request identity number.

20. A method as claimed in claim 19, wherein a response to the request includes one or several of the following:

the request identity number;

an address of the location information service;

co-ordinates of the defined area.

21. A method as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein a location information request without any request specific information triggers a location procedure in a station receiving the request.

22. A method as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein a node in the communication system verifies that a station that responded to the request is within the defined area.

23. A method as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein additional information is included in the request for location information, said additional information specifying the request and/or limiting the number of stations that are to be reported to a location information service as response to the request.

24. A method for providing services for a station of a communication system, comprising:

creating information that defines a geographical area and at least one service available in said area;

determining if the station is within said defined geographical area;

notifying said at-least one service that the station is located within said defined geographical area; and

based on said notification, enabling the station to use the at least one service.

25. A method as claimed in claim 24, wherein the station determines if it is located within the defined geographical area and subsequently generates and transmits a notification to an element of the communication system.

26. A method as claimed in claim 25, wherein the notification is transmitted to a controller of the communication system.

27. A method as claimed in claim 26, wherein the controller may accomplish one of the following tasks:

forward the notification to the provider of the at least one service;

modify the notification and subsequently forward the modified notification to the provider of the at least one service;

cancel the notification.

28. A method as claimed in any of claims 24 to 27, wherein the service is notified when the station is determined to have entered and/or left the defined area.

29. A method as claimed in any of claims 24 to 28, wherein information defining the geographical area is stored in a memory-unit of the station.

30. A method as claimed in any of claims 24 to 29, wherein said created information is broadcast within a selected area of the communication system.

31. A method as claimed in claim 30, wherein the information is broadcast to stations within the defined area and/or to stations which are likely to enter the defined area.

32. A method as claimed in any of claims 24 to 31, wherein the information contains at least one of:

identity and address of a service provider providing at the least one service;

at least one service definition;

an address for service related information;

additional information.

33. A method as claimed in any of claims 24 to 32, wherein enhanced communication services are enabled to the station based on the information associated with the defined geographical area.

34. A method as claimed in any of claims 24 to 33, wherein an access network provider provides the basic communication services for the station and a service provider identified by said information provides enhanced communication services for the station.

35. A method as claimed in any of claims 24 to 34, wherein different service providers provide services in different defined geographical areas.

36. A location system that associates with a communication system, said communication system providing wireless communication services for-stations by a plurality of access entities, the system comprising:

controller means for selecting at least one access entity that covers at least a portion of a defined geographical area;

means for transmitting a location information request in said at least one access entity;

means for determining information in response to the location information request, said information concerning one or more of the stations within said at least one access entity; and

means for signalling said determined information.

37. A location system as claimed in claim 36, wherein the location information request is received at a station within the selected access entity and at least part of said response information is determined by said station.

38. A location system as claimed in claim 36 or 37, wherein information is signalled about those stations only that are determined to be within the defined area.

39. A location system as claimed in any of claims 36 to 38, comprising at least one broadcasting node that is adapted to generate a broadcast message based on information of the at least one access entity selected based on the defined area.

40. A location system as claimed in any of claims 36 to 39, wherein the system is adapted to map the defined area to coordinates and/or ranges of base stations of the access entities.

41. A location system as claimed in any of claims 36 to 41, wherein one or more of the access entities are selected based on information contained in a service environment entity of the communication system.

42. An element for a location service, said location service being implemented within a communication system comprising access entities and providing wireless communication services for stations, the element comprising:

a controller for selecting at least one access entity that covers at least a portion of a defined geographical area; and

means for generating a request for location information to be broadcast in said at least one access entity, wherein the request is signalled from the element to at least one another element of the communications system for triggering a procedure for obtaining information concerning stations within said at least one access entity.

43. A mobile station for a communication system, comprising:

receiver means for receiving a location information request that has been broadcast in an access entity of the communication system;

a controller means for processing location information provided by a location measurement unit;

a controller means for generating a response to the location request based on the location information and information in the location information request; and

transmitter means for transmitting the response to an element of the communication system.

44. A communication system, comprising:

means for providing information that associates with a defined geographical area and at least one service available for stations in said area;

a controller for determining based on said information if a station is within said defined geographical area and for generating a notification indicative that the station is located within said defined geographical area and the at least one service available for the station; and

a service provision entity adapted to enable said at least one service for the station based on the notification.

45. A mobile station for a communication system, comprising:

receiver means for receiving information that associates with a defined geographical area and at least one service available within said area;

a controller means for determining if the mobile station is located with the defined geographical area based on information from location measurement means;

a controller means for generating a notification indicating that the mobile station is located within the defined geographical area and identifying said at least one service; and

transmitter means for transmitting the notification to an element of the communication system.