System and method for locating a mobile phone

• US 20040160363A1
• Filed: 02/17/2003
• Published: 08/19/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Global Business Software Development Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Global Business Software Development Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Walter, John W., Powers, Michael W., Sorensen, Sam D., Behnke, Adam V., Williams, Chuck C.
• Granted Patent: US 6,859,172 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 342/430
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/04 Position of source determined by a plurality of spaced direction-finders
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

A system includes antenna control stations and a system interface. Each antenna control stations directs an orientation of an associated antenna to search for an identification signal associated with a mobile phone. The antenna control station communicates a detection response describing the orientation of the associated antenna. The system interface computes the location of the mobile phone based on the detection responses received from the antenna control stations.

Claims

1. A method for determining the location of a mobile phone, comprising:

receiving a location request including an identification signal associated with a mobile phone;

receiving one or more detection responses, each detection response including an orientation at which a directional antenna detects the identification signal; and

determining a location of the mobile phone based on the detection responses.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the detection response comprises an angular azimuth.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein:

one or more directional antennas comprises three directional antennas; and

determining a location comprises triangulating the location based on the location of each of the directional antennas and the orientation of each of the directional antennas.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the location request additionally includes an approximate location of the mobile phone, and further comprising:

identifying one or more directional antennas from a plurality of directional antennas;

calculating an initial orientation for each of the identified directional antennas based on the approximate location of the mobile phone; and

communicating to each of the identified directional antennas the initial orientation calculated for that particular identified directional antenna.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the location request identifies one of a plurality of mobile communication networks, and further comprising:

generating a location response including the location of the mobile phone; and

communicating the location response to the identified mobile communication network.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the location response comprises a latitude and a longitude associated with the mobile phone.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the location response comprises directions for driving from a predetermined location to the location of the mobile phone.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein:

receiving a location request comprises receiving a location request from a mobile communication system; and

determining a location comprises determining a location independent of the mobile communication system.

9. A method for determining the location of a mobile phone, comprising:

receiving a detection request identifying an identification signal associated with a mobile phone;

directing a directional antenna to detect the identification signal;

determining an orientation of the directional antenna when the identification signal is detected; and

communicating the orientation to a remote location for determining the location of the mobile phone.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising wherein detection parameters comprise an angular azimuth.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the detection request includes an initial orientation for the directional antenna, and further comprising:

setting an orientation of the directional antenna based on the initial orientation.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein directing a directional antenna comprises mechanically steering the directional antenna.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein directing a directional antenna comprises electronically steering the directional antenna.

14. A system for locating a mobile phone, comprising:

a plurality of antenna control stations, each antenna control station associated with an antenna and each antenna control station operable to;

direct an orientation of the associated antenna;

determine whether the associated antenna detects an identification signal associated with a mobile phone at the present orientation of the associated antenna; and

communicate a detection response describing the orientation of the associated antenna when the associated antenna detects the identification signal; and

a system interface, operable to compute the location of the mobile phone based on the detection responses received from the antenna control stations.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the detection response comprises an angular azimuth at which the associated antenna is able to detect the identification signal.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein in the system interface is operable to:

receive an approximate location of the mobile phone;

identify a number of antennas from a plurality of antennas based on the approximate location;

calculate an initial orientation for each of the identified antennas based on the approximate location; and

communicate the initial orientation for each of the identified antennas to the antenna control station associated with the particular identified antenna to be used to determine a starting orientation for the particular identified antenna.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the system interface is operable to:

receive location requests identifying an identification signal associated with the mobile phone from a plurality of mobile communication systems;

identify the mobile communication system that sent a particular location request; and

communicate the location of the mobile phone to the identified mobile communication system.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein computing the location comprises computing a latitude and a longitude.

19. The system of claim 14, wherein computing the location comprises generating directions for driving from a predetermined location to the location of the mobile phone.

20. The system of claim 14, wherein adjusting an orientation of the associated antenna comprises mechanically steering the associated antenna.

21. The system of claim 14, wherein adjusting an orientation of the associated antenna comprises electronically steering the associated antenna.

22. An apparatus for determining the location of a mobile phone, the apparatus comprising:

a system interface operable to;

receive a location request including an identification signal associated with a mobile phone;

receive one or more detection responses, each detection response including an orientation at which a directional antenna detects the identification signal; and

determine a location of the mobile phone based on the detection responses.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the detection response comprises an angular azimuth.

24. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein:

one or more directional antennas comprises three directional antennas; and

determining a location comprises triangulating the location based on the location of each of the directional antennas and the orientation of each of the directional antennas.

25. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the location request additionally includes an approximate location of the mobile phone, and system interface is further operable to:

identify one or more directional antennas from a plurality of directional antennas;

calculate an initial orientation for each of the identified directional antennas based on the approximate location of the mobile phone; and

communicate to each of the identified directional antennas the initial orientation calculated for that particular identified directional antenna.

26. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the location request identifies one of a plurality of mobile communication networks, and the system interface is further operable to:

generate a location response the location of the mobile phone; and

communicate the location response to the identified mobile communication network.

27. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the location response comprises a latitude and a longitude associated with the mobile phone.

28. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the location response comprises directions for driving from a predetermined location to the location of the mobile phone.

29. An apparatus for determining the location of a mobile phone, comprising:

an antenna control station operable to;

receive a detection request identifying an identification signal associated with a mobile phone;

direct a directional antenna to detect the identification signal;

determine an orientation of the directional antenna when the identification signal is detected; and

communicate the orientation to a system interface to be used in determining the location of the mobile phone.

30. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein detection parameters comprise an angular azimuth.

31. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the detection request includes an initial orientation for the directional antenna, and the antenna control station is further operable to:

set an orientation of the directional antenna based on the initial orientation.

32. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein directing a directional antenna comprises mechanically steering the directional antenna.

33. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein directing a directional antenna comprises electronically steering the directional antenna.