Wireless network location-based reference information

• US 7,899,473 B2
• Filed: 07/21/2003
• Issued: 03/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telecommunications de Levante SL (Liberty Global Plc)
• Original Assignee: TeleCommunication Systems Inc (Comtech Telecommunications Corporation)
• Inventors: Helme, Steve, Groen, Joel, Pohutsky, Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): SHEDRICK, CHARLES TERRELL
• Application Number:
  US10/623,156
• Publication Number:
  US 20050020287A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,780 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456.2, 455/404.2, 455/435, 455/456.1, 455/412, 455/445, 455/456.3, 455/456.4, 455/456.5, 455/456.6, 455/466
• US Class Current: 455/466
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/14 Short messaging services, e.g. short message services [SMS] or unstructured supplementary service data [USSD]

Abstract

The present invention provides a ‘411xx’ value added service to wireless users. The disclosed ‘411xx’ service allows a mobile user who may be unfamiliar with their current geographic location to nevertheless obtain quick, accurate, and current information relating to the geographic area, e.g., different services in their current location, stores, libraries, gas stations, etc., via a mobile terminated (MT) short message system (SMS) message. In addition to the traditional ‘4-1-1’ dialed digits, a mobile user would also dial a number (or numbers) representing a feature code for a particular service, e.g., nearby ATMs, or traffic information. Upon receiving a 411xx call, the MSC generates an ORREQ/TCAP trigger based on a translation of the requested service represented by the extra ‘xx’ digits. The 411xx call is terminated on the MSC after an audible whisper notice plays to the caller, e.g., “thank you for calling, your requested information will be sent momentarily”.

Claims

1. A method of providing location-based reference information in a wireless network, comprising:

receiving a request for location information from a subscriber device, said request for location information comprising dialed digits “

4-1-1”

suffixed by at least one auxiliary digit associated with said requested location information;

querying a location-based wireless service in response to said request for location information to automatically obtain a current location of said subscriber device;

retrieving said requested location information associated with said obtained current location and selected using said at least one auxiliary digit; and

transmitting said requested location information to said subscriber device.

2. The method of providing location-based reference information in a wireless network according to claim 1, wherein:

at least two auxiliary digits are suffixed to said end of said dialed digits “

4-1-1”

.

3. The method of providing location-based reference information in a wireless network according to claim 1, wherein:

said information telephone call is initiated with said dialed digits “

4-1-1”

.

4. The method of providing location-based reference information in a wireless network according to claim 1, wherein:

said current location of said subscriber device is obtained using wireless or cellular network signaling.

5. The method of providing location-based reference information in a wireless network according to claim 1, wherein:

said current location of said subscriber device is determined using an angle of arrival of a wireless signal from said subscriber.

6. The method of providing location-based reference information in a wireless network according to claim 1, wherein:

said current location of said subscriber device is determined using a network generated location based on a centroid of a cell site sector'"'"'s radio frequency (RF) polygon.

7. The method of providing location-based reference information in a wireless network according to claim 1, wherein:

said current location of said subscriber device is determined using a time difference of arrival of wireless signals from said subscriber.

8. The method of providing location-based reference information in a wireless network according to claim 1, wherein:

said current location of said subscriber device is determined using time of arrival of a wireless signal from said subscriber.

9. The method of providing location-based reference information in a wireless network according to claim 1, wherein:

said current location of said subscriber device is determined using a known location of a cell/sector servicing said subscriber.

10. A method of providing location-based reference information in a wireless network, comprising:

receiving, at a mobile switching center, a request for location information from a subscriber device, said request for location information comprising dialed digits “

4-1-1”

suffixed by at least one auxiliary digit associated with said requested location information;

querying a location-based wireless service in response to said request for location information to automatically obtain a current location of said subscriber device;

retrieving said requested location information associated with said obtained current location and selected using said at least one auxiliary digit; and

transmitting said requested location information to said subscriber device.

11. The method of providing location-based reference information in a wireless network according to claim 10, wherein:

at least two auxiliary digits are suffixed to said dialed digits “

4-1-1”

.

12. The method of providing location-based reference information in a wireless network according to claim 10, wherein:

said information telephone call is initiated with said dialed digits “

4-1-1”

.

13. The method of providing location-based reference information in a wireless network according to claim 10, wherein:

said current location of said subscriber device is obtained using wireless or cellular network signaling.

14. The method of providing location-based reference information in a wireless network according to claim 10, wherein:

said current location of said subscriber device is determined using an angle of arrival of a wireless signal from said subscriber.

15. The method of providing location-based reference information in a wireless network according to claim 10, wherein:

said current location of said subscriber device is determined using a time difference of arrival of wireless signals from said subscriber.

16. The method of providing location-based reference information in a wireless network according to claim 10, wherein:

said current location of said subscriber device is determined using time of arrival of a wireless signal from said subscriber.

17. The method of providing location-based reference information in a wireless network according to claim 10, wherein:

said current location of said subscriber device is determined using a known location of a cell/sector servicing said subscriber.

18. A system to provide location-based reference information in a wireless network, comprising:

a receiver to receive a request for location information from a subscriber device, said request for location information comprising dialed digits “

4-1-1”

suffixed by at least one auxiliary digit associated with said requested location information;

a location-based wireless service queried in response to said request for location information to automatically obtain a current location of said subscriber device;

a retriever to retrieve said requested location information associated with said obtained current location and selected using said at least one auxiliary digit; and

a transmitter to transmit said requested location information to said subscriber device.

19. The system to provide location-based reference information in a wireless network according to claim 18, wherein:

at least two auxiliary digits are suffixed to said dialed digits “

4-1-1”

.

20. The system to provide location-based reference information in a wireless network according to claim 18, wherein:

said information telephone call is initiated with said dialed digits “

4-1-1”

.

21. A system to provide location-based reference information in a wireless network, comprising:

a receiver integrated with a mobile switching center to receive a request for location information from a subscriber device, said request for location information comprising dialed digits “

4-1-1”

suffixed by at least one auxiliary digit associated with said requested location information;

a location-based wireless service queried in response to said request for location information to automatically obtain a current location of said subscriber device;

a retriever to retrieve said requested location information associated with said obtained current location and selected using said at least one auxiliary digit; and

a transmitter to transmit said requested location information to said subscriber device.

22. The system to provide location-based reference information in a wireless network according to claim 21, wherein:

at least two auxiliary digits are suffixed to said dialed digits “

4-1-1”

.

23. The system to provide location-based reference information in a wireless network according to claim 21, wherein:

said information telephone call is initiated with said dialed digits “

4-1-1”

.

24. A system to provide location-based reference information in a wireless network, comprising:

means for receiving a request for location information from a subscriber device, said request for location information comprising dialed digits “

4-1-1”

suffixed by at least one auxiliary digit associated with said requested location information;

means for querying a location-based wireless service in response to said request for location information to automatically obtain a current location of said subscriber device;

means for retrieving said requested location information associated with said obtained current location and selected using said at least one auxiliary digit; and

means for transmitting said requested location information to said subscriber device.

25. The system to provide location-based reference information in a wireless network according to claim 24, wherein:

at least two auxiliary digits are suffixed to said dialed digits “

4-1-1”

.

26. The system to provide location-based reference information in a wireless network according to claim 24, wherein:

said information telephone call is initiated with said dialed digits “

4-1-1”

.