Cellular telephone system that uses position of a mobile unit to make call management decisions
First Claim
1. A cellular communications system that includes one or more cell sites and an MTSO, said system comprising:
- A) locating means in a mobile unit of a cellular communications system for determining the exact geographic location of the mobile unit, said locating means including means using a satellite communication system for establishing an exact geographic location of said mobile unit and for emitting a position signal of said exact geographic location;
B) means in the MTSO for receiving the position signal transmitted by the mobile unit and using that position signal to establish the exact geographic location of the mobile unit vis evis cell sites in the cellular communications network; and
C) data storage and comparison means in the MTSO storing cell site location data giving a geographic location for each of the cell sites in the cellular communications network and effecting a comparison between said position signal and said cell site location data and selecting a chosen cell site for use by said mobile unit based on said comparison and establishing communication between said mobile unit and said chosen cell site based on the exact geographic location of the mobile unit.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A cellular telephone system includes a plurality of cell sites and a mobile telephone switching office. Call management, including selection of a cell site most appropriate for a call associated with a mobile unit, are made based on the geographic location of the mobile unit as opposed to the strength of the signal associated with the call. The geographic location of the mobile unit is precisely determined using a NAVSTAR global positioning system, or its equivalent. Each mobile unit includes a GPS receiver that receives information from a geostationary satellite to determine the precise location of the mobile unit. This position information is relayed to the cell site initially managing the mobile unit, and the mobile unit is handed off to a cell site that is most appropriate for the call. Initial selection of an entrance cell site is made based on signal strength, but further call management decisions are made based on location of the mobile unit.
652 Citations
15 Claims
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1. A cellular communications system that includes one or more cell sites and an MTSO, said system comprising:
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A) locating means in a mobile unit of a cellular communications system for determining the exact geographic location of the mobile unit, said locating means including means using a satellite communication system for establishing an exact geographic location of said mobile unit and for emitting a position signal of said exact geographic location; B) means in the MTSO for receiving the position signal transmitted by the mobile unit and using that position signal to establish the exact geographic location of the mobile unit vis evis cell sites in the cellular communications network; and C) data storage and comparison means in the MTSO storing cell site location data giving a geographic location for each of the cell sites in the cellular communications network and effecting a comparison between said position signal and said cell site location data and selecting a chosen cell site for use by said mobile unit based on said comparison and establishing communication between said mobile unit and said chosen cell site based on the exact geographic location of the mobile unit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A cellular communications system that includes one or more cell sites and an MTSO, said system comprising:
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A) locating means in a mobile unit in a cellular communications system for determining the exact geographic location of the mobile unit; and B) management means in the MTSO for making call management decisions based on the geographic location of the mobile unit, said management means including means for storing the geographic location of each cell site in the cellular communications system and for comparing the exact geographic location of the mobile unit to the geographic location of each cell site and for selecting a cell site for use by the mobile unit based on such
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11. A method of making call management decisions in a cellular telephone system having a plurality of cell sites at various geographic locations and an MTSO in which the geographic location of each cell site in the cellular telephone system has been stored, the method comprising steps of:
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A) establishing an exact geographic location for a mobile unit; B) matching the geographic location of the mobile unit to a cell site location, and selecting a cell site based on such matching; and C) using the selected cell site geographic matched to the mobile unit to handle calls associated with the mobile unit. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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Specification