Method and system for determining the location of an unlicensed mobile access subscriber

• US 20050181805A1
• Filed: 03/31/2005
• Published: 08/18/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonus Networks Incorporated (Ribbon Communications, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Kineto Wireless Incorporated (Ribbon Communications, Inc.)
• Inventors: Gallagher, Michael D.
• Granted Patent: US 7,369,859 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.100
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/16 for PBS [Private Base Station] arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/14 Reselecting a network or an air interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/1446 wherein at least one of the networks is unlicensed
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/38 by fixed network equipment
• 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 60/00 Affiliation to network, e.g. registration; Terminating affiliation with the network, e.g. de-registration
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/50 for emergency connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/045 using private Base Stations, e.g. femto Base Stations, home Node B
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

A method and system for locating an unlicensed mobile access (UMA) subscriber. The method enables a user of a mobile station comprising a hand-set or the like that supports voice and data access via both licensed and unlicensed radio spectrums to be located. Accordingly, services requiring location information, such as 911 services, may be accessed when operating the mobile station under both UMA and licensed wireless network (e.g., cellular) sessions.

Claims

1. A method for locating an unlicensed mobile access (UMA) subscriber, comprising:

establishing, using a mobile station (MS) supporting both UMA and licensed wireless network sessions, a first UMA session with a UMA service provider;

identifying an access point (AP) used to provide an unlicensed wireless link to host the first UMA session;

determining if location information is available for the AP; and

if it is not,

employing a licensed wireless network-based location service to identify the location of the MS.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing location information for the MS obtained via the licensed wireless network-based location service as a location for the AP, said location information made accessible to the UMA service provider.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

establishing a second UMA session with the UMA service provider using the same AP as the first UMA session;

forwarding information identifying the AP to the UMA service provider;

retrieving the location for the AP; and

employing the location of the AP as the location of the UMA subscriber.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the AP is connected to a UMA network controller (UMC) operated by the UMA service provider, and the method further comprises:

sending a location service request from the UMC to a gateway mobile location center (GMLC).

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the location service request message comprises a Location Inter-operability Forum Mobile Location Protocol (LIF MLP) message.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending a URR Register message including the MAC address of the AP and the IMSI for the MS from the MS to the UNC;

determining the location of the AP; and

returning a URR register ACKnowledgement message to the MS to register the MS with the UMA service.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein location of the MS is determined by employing at least one of Assisted GPS (AGPS), Angle of Arrival (AOA), Enhanced Observed Time Difference (E-OD), Cell Identity plus Timing Advance (Cell ID+TA), and Time Difference of Arrival (TDOA) location techniques.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the access point comprises an IEEE 802.11-based AP that hosts an IEEE 802.11-based wireless local area network (WLAN).

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the access point comprises an Bluetooth AP that hosts a Bluetooth personal local area network (PLAN).

10. A system comprising:

an unlicensed mobile access (UMA) network controller (UNC) operable to communicate with a telecommunications network and communicably coupled to one or more unlicensed wireless base stations comprising wireless access points (AP) that support communication with one or more mobile stations (MS) via unlicensed wireless links, each MS configured to support both UMA sessions and licensed wireless network sessions; and

a service provisioning server, communicably coupled to the UNC, to store data corresponding to UMA subscriber services provided by an operator of the UNC,

wherein the UNC is operable to perform operations to support the UMA subscriber services, including;

establishing a first UMA session for an MS;

identifying an AP used to provide an unlicensed wireless link used to host the first UMA session;

determining if location information is available for the AP via the service provisioning server; and

if it is not,

submitting a location service request to a licensed wireless network-based location service to identify the location of the MS; and

storing location information returned by the licensed wireless network-based location service identifying the location of the MS as the location of the AP.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the UNC is operable to provide a location identifier to a public safety access point when the MS initiates an emergency services call during a UMA session.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the location service request comprises a Location Inter-operability Forum Mobile Location Protocol (LIF MLP) message.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the UNC is communicably coupled to a GSM network, and the UNC is configured to provide the functions of a GSM base station controller.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the UNC is communicably coupled to a mobile service center for the GSM network via an A-interface.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the UNC is communicably coupled to a Serving GPRS (General Packet Radio Service) Support Node (SGSN) for the GSM network via a Gb-interface.

16. The system of claim 10, further comprising an MS configured to support both UMA sessions and licensed wireless network sessions.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the MS is configured to communicate with the AP via an IEEE 802.11-based unlicensed wireless link.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the MS is configured to communicate with the AP via a Bluetooth-based unlicensed wireless link.

19. The system of claim 10, wherein the UNC is further operable to:

establish a second UMA session with an MS via the same AP used to access the first UMA session; and

determining the location of a subscriber using the MS by retrieving a location record for the AP from the service provisioning server.