Tracking lost and stolen mobile devices using location technologies and equipment identifiers

• US 7,446,655 B2
• Filed: 09/30/2004
• Issued: 11/04/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Jha, Anjali, Krasner, Norman
• Primary Examiner(s): Bugg; George A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tang; Son M
• Application Number:
  US10/956,409
• Publication Number:
  US 20050280557A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,496 Days
• Field of Search: 340/539.1, 340/539.11, 340/539.16, 340/539.32, 340/825.36, 340/825.49
• US Class Current: 340/539.13
• 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 8/22 Processing or transfer of terminal data, e.g. status or physical capabilities

Abstract

A system for geographically locating and tracking mobile stations within a mobile communication network. The system includes an equipment identity register (EIR) comprising equipment identifiers, such as internal mobile equipment identities (IMEIs), subscriber identity modules (SIMs), or some combination thereof, that are each uniquely associated with mobile stations operable within the network. Each IMEI may be used to identify a particular status of an associated mobile station. A mobile switching center (MSC) or an external location services (LCS) client may be configured to identify a targeted mobile station based upon its status (for example, lost, stolen, malfunctioning, and the like). A serving mobile location center (SMLC) responsively provides position location information for the targeted mobile station.

Claims

1. A system to geographically locate mobile stations within a mobile communication network, each of said mobile stations having a unique equipment identifier, the system comprising:

an equipment database comprising equipment identifiers, each equipment identifier uniquely associated with a particular mobile station, each of said equipment identifiers further associated with an equipment status;

a control unit adapted to;

(1) monitor information indicative of unique equipment identifiers of a plurality of mobile stations operating within the mobile communication network, (2) compare the information indicative of the unique equipment identifiers for each of the plurality of active mobile stations with equipment identifiers included in the equipment database to identify a tamper event associated with a targeted mobile station, (3) in response indentifying the tamper event modify said equipment status associated therewith to a status indicating position information is desired, and (4) initiate a position location operation for the targeted mobile station in response to the status indicating position information is desired;

a location determination entity adapted to provide position location information for said targeted mobile station in response to initiation of the position location operation, the position location information identifying at least an estimated current geographical location of said targeted mobile station; and

a location services (LCS) client interfacing with said control unit and in communication with said location determination entity, wherein said location determination entity is adapted to provide said position location information for said targeted mobile station to said LCS client in real-time or near real-time to allow said LCS to track said targeted mobile station over a period of time.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein said status indicating position information is desired comprises a status indicating that the unique equipment identifier is included on a black list, said black list comprising a plurality of unique equipment identifiers corresponding to mobile units that are at least one of lost, defective, stolen, and malfunctioning.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein said position location information comprises a velocity of said targeted mobile station.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein said mobile communication network comprises a code division multiple access (CDMA) network, said equipment database comprises an equipment identity register (EIR), said control unit comprises a mobile switching center (MSC), said location determination entity comprises a position determining entity (PDE), and said equipment identifiers comprise electronic serial numbers (ESNs).

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein said mobile communication network comprises, a code division multiple access (CDMA) network, said equipment database comprises an equipment identity register (EIR), said control unit comprises a mobile switching center (MSC), said location determination entity comprises a position determining entity (PDE), and said equipment identifiers comprise a Mobile Equipment Identity (MEID).

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein said mobile communication network comprises a global system for mobile communications (GSM) network, said equipment database comprises an equipment identity register (EIR), said control unit comprises a mobile switching center (MSC), said location determination entity comprises a service mobile location center (SMLC), and said equipment identifiers comprise international mobile equipment identifiers (IMEIs).

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein said location determination entity responsively provides said position location information using at least one position location determination method selected from the group consisting of timing advance (TA), time of arrival (TOA), angle of arrival (AOA), observed time difference (OTD), time difference of arrival (TDOA), enhanced observed time difference (EOTD), observed time difference of arrival (OTDOA), global positioning system (GPS), assisted global positioning system (AGPS), geographical proximity detection, cell sector, mixed cell sector, and ranging via signal strength.

8. The system according to claim 1, further comprising:

an interface to a centralized database comprising equipment identifiers each uniquely associated with mobile stations associated with a plurality of mobile communication networks, said equipment identifiers of said centralized database identifying a particular status of associated mobile stations operating within said plurality of mobile communication networks, wherein;

said equipment database is periodically updated with equipment. identifiers in said centralized database.

9. A system for targeting mobile stations and geographically locating targeted mobile stations within the mobile communication network, said system comprising:

means for obtaining unique equipment identifiers from a plurality of individual mobile stations operating within a mobile communication network;

an equipment database that includes equipment identification information, said equipment database including a plurality of equipment identifiers each uniquely associated with a mobile station and an equipment status associated with each of said equipment identifiers;

a control unit for associating each of said obtained equipment identifiers with equipment identifiers and equipment status in said database, said control unit targeting mobile stations that have an equipment status that is black listed, said control unit further targeting mobile stations determined to have a tamper event associated therewith, said control unit being further adapted to initiate a position location operation for each said targeted mobile station;

a location determination entity for determining position location information for said targeted mobile stations in response to said control unit initiating said position location operation, the position location information identifying at least an estimated current geographical location of said targeted mobile station; and

a location services (LCS) client interfacing with said control unit and in communication with said location determination entity, said location determination entity being adapted to provide said position location information for said targeted mobile station to said LCS client in real-time or near real-time to allow said LCS to track said targeted mobile station over a period of time.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein said black list is defined by an equipment status that is at least one of lost, defective, stolen, and malfunctioning.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein said control unit also targets mobile stations that have an equipment status that is grey listed.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the unique equipment identifiers comprise at least one of an IMEI, an ESN, and a MEID.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein said position location information further comprises a velocity of said targeted mobile station.

14. The system of claim 9, further comprising an interface to a centralized database comprising equipment identifiers each uniquely associated with mobile stations associated with a plurality of mobile communication networks, said equipment identifiers of said centralized database identifying a particular status of associated mobile stations operating within said plurality of mobile communication networks, wherein said equipment database is periodically updated with equipment identifiers in said centralized database.