System and method for location-based group services

• US 6,240,069 B1
• Filed: 06/16/1998
• Issued: 05/29/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ericsson, Inc. (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Original Assignee: Ericsson, Inc. (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Inventors: Ray, Dipankar, Alperovich, Vladimir
• Primary Examiner(s): Kizou, Hassan
• Assistant Examiner(s): MEHRA, INDER P
• Application Number:
  US09/097,903
• Time in Patent Office: 1,078 Days
• Field of Search: 370/260, 370/261, 370/262, 370/263, 370/264, 370/265, 370/270, 370/328, 370/329, 370/331, 379/158, 379/201, 379/202, 379/203, 379/204, 379/205, 379/206, 455/414, 455/422, 455/440, 455/433, 455/456, 455/461, 455/517, 455/518, 455/519
• US Class Current: 370/260
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/06 Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/08 User group management

Abstract

A telecommunications system and method is disclosed for defining location-based group services, which can be implemented within a Group Call Services (GCS) node associated with a cellular network. When a group call is initiated, the GCS can send a positioning request to a Mobile Location Center (MLC) to locate the group members within a specified area. The particular location can be defined by the group number or the location can be prompted by the GCS. For each group member, the position of a mobile terminal associated with that group member is determined and the call is set up only to those members which the meet the specified area criteria. If none can be located within the specified area, the area can be expanded at the callers request.

Claims

1. A telecommunications system for establishing a group call to at least one mobile terminal located within a specified area within a cellular network, said telecommunications system comprising:

a group call services node having a list of subscribers stored therein, said list of subscribers being associated with said group call, said at least one mobile terminal being associated with one of said subscribers on said list of subscribers, said group call services node receiving said group call and location information associated with said specified area;

a mobile location node connected to said group call services node, said mobile location node determining the location of said at least one mobile terminal and sending the location of said at least one mobile terminal to said group call services node, said group call services node comparing the location of said at least one mobile terminal with said location information; and

a mobile switching center in wireless communication with said at least one mobile terminal and connected to said group call services node, said mobile switching center connecting said group call between said group call services node and said at least one mobile terminal when the location of said at least one mobile terminal is substantially identical to said location information.

2. The telecommunications system of claim 1, wherein said group call services node receives said group call from a calling party, said calling party dialing a number associated with said list of subscribers to place said group call.

3. The telecommunications system of claim 2, wherein said location information is stored within said group call services node, said location information being associated with said number said calling party dials.

4. The telecommunications system of claim 2, wherein said group call services node prompts said calling party to enter a location code, said location code being associated with said location information.

5. The telecommunications system of claim 2, wherein said group call services node provides a list of locations to said calling party, said calling party sending a selected location from said list of locations to said group call services node, said selected location being associated with said location information.

6. The telecommunications system of claim 1, wherein said location information is selected from the group consisting of:

coordinates, a range of coordinates, a cellular location area, or a group-defined location area.

7. The telecommunications system of claim 1, wherein said group call services node sends a plurality of positioning requests to said mobile location node, each said positioning request being associated with one of said subscribers within said list of subscribers, said mobile location node determining the location of a plurality of mobile terminals, each said mobile terminal being associated with one said subscribers, said at least one mobile terminal being within said plurality of mobile terminals.

8. The telecommunications system of claim 7, wherein said group call services node determines a location-based group from said list of subscribers, said location-based group comprising said subscribers associated with mobile terminals located substantially within said specified area, said group call being established to each said mobile terminal associated with one of said subscribers within said location-based group.

9. The telecommunications system of claim 1, wherein said mobile location node determines the location of said at least one mobile terminal using positioning data obtained from said mobile switching center.

10. A method for establishing a group call to at least one mobile terminal located within a specified area within a cellular network, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving, by a group call services node, said group call and location information associated with said specified area, said group call services node having a list of subscribers stored therein, said list of subscribers being associated with said group call, said at least one mobile terminal being associated with one of said subscribers on said list of subscribers;

determining, by a mobile location node connected to said group call services node, the location of said at least one mobile terminal;

sending, by said mobile location node, the location of said at least one mobile terminal to said group call services node;

comparing, by said group call services node, the location of said at least one mobile terminal with said location information; and

connecting, by a mobile switching center in wireless communication with said at least one mobile terminal and connected to said group call services node, said group call between said group call services node and said at least one mobile terminal when the location of said at least one mobile terminal is substantially identical to said location information.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said step of receiving is performed by said group call services node receiving said group call from a calling party, and further comprising, before said step of receiving, the step of:

dialing, by said calling party, a number associated with said list of subscribers to place said group call.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said step of receiving said location information is performed by storing said location information within said group call services node, said location information being associated with said number said calling party dials.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein said step of receiving said location information is performed by said group call services node prompting said calling party to enter a location code, said location code being associated with said location information.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein said step of receiving said location information is performed by said group call services node providing a list of locations to said calling party, said calling party sending a selected location from said list of locations to said group call services node, said selected location being associated with said location information.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein said location information is selected from the group consisting of:

coordinates, a range of coordinates, a cellular location area, or a group-defined location area.

16. The method of claim 10, further comprising, before said step of determining, the step of:

sending, by said group call services node, a plurality of positioning requests to said mobile location node, each said positioning request being associated with one of said subscribers within said list of subscribers, said step of determining being performed by said mobile location node determining the location of a plurality of mobile terminals, each said mobile terminal being associated with one said subscribers, said at least one mobile terminal being within said plurality of mobile terminals.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising, before said step of connecting, the step of:

determining, by said group call services node, a location-based group from said list of subscribers, said location-based group comprising said subscribers associated with mobile terminals located substantially within said specified area, said group call being established to each said mobile terminal associated with one of said subscribers within said location-based group.

18. The method of claim 10, wherein said step of determining is performed by said mobile location node using positioning data obtained from said mobile switching center.

19. A group call services node for establishing a group call to at least one mobile terminal within a specified area within a cellular network, said group call services node comprising:

a database comprising a list of subscribers, said list of subscribers being associated with said group call, said at least one mobile terminal being associated with one of said subscribers on said list of subscribers;

receiving means for receiving said group call and location information associated with said specified area;

sending means for sending a positioning request to locate said at least one mobile terminal to a mobile location node connected to said group call services node, said mobile location node determining the location of said at least one mobile terminal and sending the location of said at least one mobile terminal to said group call services node; and

comparison means for comparing the location of said at least one mobile terminal with said location information, said group call services node establishing said group call to said at least one mobile terminal when the location of said at least one mobile terminal is substantially identical to said location information.

20. The group call services node of claim 19, wherein said receiving means receives said group call from a calling party, said calling party dialing a number associated with said list of subscribers to place said group call.

21. The group call services node of claim 20, wherein said location information is stored within a memory within said group call services node, said location information being associated with said number said calling party dials.

22. The group call services node of claim 20, wherein said receiving means receives a location code from said calling party, said location code being associated with said location information.

23. The group call services node of claim 20, wherein said receiving means receives a selected location from a list of locations provided to said calling party by said group call services node, said selected location being associated with said location information.

24. The group call services node of claim 19, wherein said location information is selected from the group consisting of:

coordinates, a range of coordinates, a cellular location area, or a group-defined location area.

25. The group call services node of claim 19, wherein said sending means sends a plurality of positioning requests to said mobile location node, each said positioning request being associated with one of said subscribers within said list of subscribers, said mobile location node determining the location of a plurality of mobile terminals, each said mobile terminal being associated with one said subscribers, said at least one mobile terminal being within said plurality of mobile terminals.

26. The group call services node of claim 25, further comprising determining means for determining a location-based group from said list of subscribers, said location-based group comprising said subscribers associated with mobile terminals located substantially within said specified area, said group call being established to each said mobile terminal associated with one of said subscribers within said location-based group.