System, method, and apparatus for delivery of location information about caller

• US 6,185,426 B1
• Filed: 11/20/1997
• Issued: 02/06/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Unwired Planet LLC (JP Morgan Chase & Co)
• Original Assignee: Ericsson, Inc. (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Inventors: Alperovich, Vladimir, Valentine, Eric
• Primary Examiner(s): TROST IV, WILLIAM GEORGE
• Application Number:
  US08/975,376
• Time in Patent Office: 1,174 Days
• Field of Search: 455/404, 455/414-415, 455/445, 455/456-457, 455/560, 455/566, 455/567, 379/127, 379/142, 379/93.23, 379/37, 379/45
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42348 Location-based services which utilize the location information of a target
• 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 8/08 Mobility data transfer

Abstract

A telecommunications system, and method for providing a called party with the location of the calling party. When a call is received by a switch serving the calling party, the location of the calling party is determined, which is then transmitted to the called party.

Claims

1. In a telecommunications system having a first terminal associated with a first end office and a second terminal associated with a second end office, a method for providing a subscriber at said second terminal with an approximate geographical landmark associated with said first terminal, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving a communication from said first terminal;

determining, at said first end office, said approximate geographical landmark associated with said first terminal;

concatenating said approximate geographical landmark with an identification associated with said first terminal;

inserting said concatenated identification and approximate geographical landmark into a calling name field; and

transmitting, by said first end office, said calling name field to said second terminal.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said determining step further comprises accessing, at said first switch, a geographical database, said geographical database comprising a plurality of said approximate geographical landmarks.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said transmitting step comprises the steps of:

inserting said approximate geographical landmark in an informational packet; and

transmitting said informational packet to said second switch.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said informational packet comprises an Initial Address Message.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said approximate geographical landmark comprises a political subdivision.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein said communication is wireless, said wireless communication being independent of location information.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein said communication is wireless, said wireless communication occurring at a base station associated with said first terminal.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein said determining further includes cross-referencing said approximate geographical landmark with said location of said first terminal within a geographical database.

9. A telecommunications system for transmitting an approximate geographical landmark to a called party, said telecommunications system comprising:

a first terminal having an approximate geographical landmark associated therewith;

a first end office, associated with said first terminal, said first end office determining said approximate geographical landmark associated with said first terminal;

packet building means for building an informational packet;

a concatenator for concatenating said approximate geographical landmark with an identification, said identification being associated with said first terminal, said concatenated geographical landmark and said identification being included in a calling name field; and

a second terminal, said approximate geographical landmark being forwarded by said first end office to said second terminal.

10. The system of claim 9, further comprising:

a database operably coupled with said first switch, said database comprising a plurality of approximate geographical landmarks; and

wherein said first switch further comprises an input/output port for accessing said database.

11. The system of claim 9 wherein said first switch further comprises:

said packet building means for inserting said approximate geographical landmark into said informational packet; and

a transmitter for transmitting said informational packet to said second switch.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein said packet comprises an Initial Address Message.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein said approximate geographical landmark comprises a political subdivision.

14. The telecommunications system according to claim 9, further comprising:

a base station, associated with said first terminal, for receiving a wireless communication independent of location information from said first terminal.

15. The telecommunications system according to claim 9, wherein said first end office determines said approximate geographical landmark associated with said first terminal by cross-referencing said approximate geographical landmark with said location of said terminal within a geographical database.

16. A telecommunications system for notifying a called party of an approximate geographical landmark of a calling party, said telecommunications system comprising:

a base station, identifying a location of said calling party, for receiving a communication of said calling party;

a first end office associated with said calling party, said first end office receiving said location of said calling party;

a geographical database connected to said first end office, said geographical database having approximate geographical landmark information associated with said location of said calling party, wherein said geographical database receives said location of said calling party and cross-references said approximate geographical landmark information;

racket building means for building an informational packet;

a concatenator for concatenating said approximate geographical landmark with an identification, said identification being associated with said first terminal, said concatenated geographical landmark and said identification being included in a calling name field; and

a transmission means for transmitting said approximate geographical landmark information to said called party.

17. The telecommunications system of claim 16, further comprising:

a database for storing said location of said calling party; and

a second end office for receiving said approximate geographical landmark information transmitted to said called party.

18. The telecommunications system of claim 16, wherein said approximate geographical landmark information includes political subdivision information.

19. The telecommunications system of claim 16, wherein said location information includes a cell where said calling party is presently located.

20. A method within a telecommunications system for notifying a called party of an approximate geographical landmark of a calling party, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving a communication from said calling party at a base station, said base station identifying a location of said calling party;

receiving, at an end office associated with said calling party, said location of said calling party;

receiving said location of said calling party at a geographical database having approximate geographical landmark information associated with said location of said calling party;

cross-referencing said approximate geographical landmark information based upon said location of said calling party within said geographical database; and

concatenating said appropriate geographical landmark with an identification associated with said first terminal;

inserting said concatenated identification and approximate geographical landmark into a calling name field;

transmitting said approximate geographical landmark information to said called party.

21. The method according to claim 20, further comprising the step of:

transmitting said location of said calling party stored in a database to said end office associated with said calling party; and

transmitting said approximate geographical landmark information to an end office associated with said called party.

22. The method according to claim 20, wherein said approximate geographical landmark information includes political subdivision information.

23. The method according to claim 20, wherein said location of said calling party includes a cell where said calling party is presently located.