Location-dependent services in a mobile communication system

• US 6,351,647 B1
• Filed: 11/23/1998
• Issued: 02/26/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hanger Solutions, LLC (IP Investments Group LLC)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Telecommunications Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Gustafsson, Patrik
• Primary Examiner(s): Legree, Tracy
• Application Number:
  US09/101,041
• Time in Patent Office: 1,191 Days
• Field of Search: 455/414, 455/456, 455/466, 455/517, 455/550, 455/575, 455/432, 455/422, 455/403, 455/560, 455/561, 455/524, 455/525, 455/435, 455/434, 455/515
• US Class Current: 455/466
• 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

Abstract

A mobile communication system arranged to broadcast information containing the specific geographic location of a base station. The information is broadcast on a broadcast channel of the base station to an associated mobile station. A mobile station user desiring to activate an application may activate the application by transmitting a service request from the mobile station to a service request center. Prior to transmission of the service request, the information containing the specific geographic location of the base station is attached to the service request permitting the application to be carried out based upon the specific geographic location.

Claims

1. A method for providing location information for an application associated with a mobile communication system, the mobile communication system including at least one of a base station and a mobile station, the method comprising:

broadcasting a broadcast signal on a broadcast channel of the base station, the broadcast signal including location information identifying a specific geographic location of the base station;

receiving in the mobile station the broadcast signal including the specific geographic location of the base station; and

utilizing the specific geographic location information in the application, so that the location of the mobile station is determined on the basis of the specific geographic location and sent in a service request message to a service unit which selects a service required by the mobile station as a response to the location information included in the service request message and provides the selected service of the mobile station.

2. A method for providing location information for an application associated with a mobile communication system, the mobile communication system including at least one of a base station and a mobile station, the method comprising:

broadcasting a broadcast signal on a broadcast channel of the base station, the broadcast signal including location information identifying a specific geographic location of the base station;

receiving in the mobile station the specific broadcast signal including the specific geographic location of the base station; and

utilizing the specific geographic location information in the application, wherein the application is dependent on the specific geographic location, the utilizing comprising;

(i) providing a service request message containing the location information in the mobile station;

(ii) sending the service request message from the mobile station;

(iii) selecting a service required by the mobile station in a unit providing the service as a response to the location information included in the service request message; and

(iv) providing the selected service for the mobile station.

3. A method for providing location information for an application associated with a mobile communication system, the mobile communication system including at least one of a base station and a mobile station, the method comprising:

broadcasting a broadcast signal on a cell broadcast channel of the base station, the broadcast signal including location information identifying a specific geographic location of the base station;

receiving in the mobile station the specific broadcast signal including the specific geographic location of the base station; and

utilizing the specific geographic location information in the application, wherein the application is dependent on the specific geographic location, the utilizing comprising;

(i) providing a service request including the location information in the mobile station;

(ii) sending the service request from the mobile station,

(iii) selecting a service announcement required by the mobile station in a unit providing the service as a response to the location information included in the service request; and

sending the service announcement to the mobile station.

4. A method according to claim 3, wherein the providing further comprises:

picking the location information from a signal of the cell broadcast channel of the base station;

providing a service request in text format; and

attaching the picked location information to the provided service request.

5. A method according to claim 4, wherein the picking further comprises:

separating the location information from the received signal of the cell broadcast channel; and

storing the location information in the mobile station.

6. A method according to claim 3, wherein the sending a service request comprises sending the service request from the mobile station as a short message.

7. A method according to claim 3, wherein the sending a service request comprises sending the service request from the mobile station as a data transmission.

8. A mobile station comprising means for receiving a cell broadcast channel of a base station the mobile station further comprising means for picking location information identifying a specific geographic location from the cell broadcast channel of the base station and means for utilizing the location information in an application dependent on the geographic location so that the location of the mobile station is determined on the basis of the specific geographic location and sent in a service request message to a service unit which selects a service required by the mobile station as a response to the location information included in the service request message and provides the selected service for the mobile station.

9. A mobile station comprising:

means for receiving a cell broadcast channel of a base station;

means for picking location information identifying the geographic location from the cell broadcast of the base station;

means for utilizing the location information in an application dependent on the geographic location;

means for providing a service request in text format;

means for attaching the location information to the service request; and

means for sending the service request.

10. A mobile station according to claim 9, wherein the means for picking the location information from the cell broadcast comprises:

location information identification means for separating location from a received broadcast signal; and

at least memory location for storing the location information.

11. A mobile station according to claim 10, wherein the mobile station comprises:

at least one memory location for storing the location information automatically; and

at least one memory location for storing the location information permanently on the basis of the command given by the mobile subscriber.

12. A mobile station according to claim 9, wherein the means for attaching the location information to the service request comprise a computer or an intelligent part connected to the mobile station.

13. A mobile communication system including (i) a base station arranged to broadcast general information on a cell broadcast channel and (ii) a mobile station arranged to receive on the cell broadcast channel of the base station, wherein the mobile communication system comprises:

means for broadcasting information identifying a specific geographic location on the cell broadcast channel of the base station; and

means for utilizing this location information in an application dependent on the specific geographic location so that the location of the mobile station is determined on the basis of the specific geographic location and sent in a service request message to a service unit which selects a service required by the mobile station as a response to the location information included in the service request message and provides the selected service for the mobile station.

14. A mobile communication system comprising:

a base station arranged to broadcast general information on a cell broadcast channel, the general information including location information identifying the geographic location on the cell broadcast channel of the base station; and

a mobile station arranged to receive on a cell broadcast channel of the base station;

wherein the mobile station is further arranged to utilize the location information in an application dependent on the geographic location by providing a service request comprising location information of the mobile station, and transmitting the service request containing the attached location information from the mobile station to a unit providing the requested service; and

wherein the unit providing the requested service is arranged to transmit to the mobile station a service selected on the basis of the location information.

15. A mobile communication system according to claim 14, wherein the location information broadcast by the base station is responsive to being controlled by a cell broadcast centre.

16. A mobile communication system according to claim 14, wherein the service request is in the form of a short message.

17. A mobile communication system according to claim 14 or 15, wherein the service request is in the form of a data transmission.

18. A mobile station comprising:

means for receiving a cell broadcast channel of a base station;

means for picking location information identifying the geographic location from the cell broadcast of the base station;

means for utilizing the location information in an application dependent on the geographic location of the mobile station;

means for providing a service request containing the geographic location of the mobile station; and

means for sending the service request to a service unit on a network side in order to obtain a location-dependent service.