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Geo-fencing in a wireless location system

  • US 8,320,931 B2
  • Filed: 08/08/2005
  • Issued: 11/27/2012
  • Est. Priority Date: 01/08/1999
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. A system for use in or by a wireless communications system, comprising:

  • a links monitoring system (LMS) for monitoring one or more signaling links of the wireless communications system;

    a mechanism for defining a geo-fenced area by setting a common Location Area Code (LAC) in a broadcast control channel (BCCH) of a plurality of cells or sectors that cover an area to be geo-fenced, thereby enabling detection of a mobile device'"'"'s entry into and exit out of the geo-fenced area by causing at least one of an automatic, mobile device initiated, location update transaction, a handover transaction, and a Network Measurement Report (NMR) transaction; and

    a mechanism for detecting that a mobile device has performed any of the following acts with respect to the geo-fenced area;

    (1) entered said geo-fenced area, (2) exited said geo-fenced area, and (3) come within a predefined degree of proximity near said geo-fenced area;

    wherein the system is configured to define a static geo-fenced area by setting a common LAC in a plurality of cells or sectors that cover a specified area to be geo-fenced, whereby entry into and exit out of the geo-fenced area is detectable even if the mobile device is idle before the entry and exit;

    wherein the system is configured to use a process for detecting an idle mobile device, the process comprising;

    setting a LAC in a BCCH of selected cells so as to define the geo-fenced area;

    setting triggers for cell global identities (CGIs) in the geo-fenced area and for any location update transactions;

    in response to an idle mobile device entering the geo-fenced area, detecting the LAC broadcast in the BCCH, initiating a location update transaction, detecting the location update transaction, and collecting data concerning mobile identity, CGI, and radio frequency (RF) channel; and

    delivering the data to a location application;

    wherein the system is configured to use a process for detecting a mobile device during handover, the process comprising;

    setting a LAC in a BCCH of selected cells;

    setting triggers for CGIs in the geo-fenced area and for any handover transactions; and

    detecting a mobile device'"'"'s presence in the geo-fenced area when the mobile device enters the proximity of the geo-fenced area and performs a handover to a CGI within the geo-fenced area; and

    wherein the system is configured to use a process for detecting a mobile device using proximity detection, the process comprising;

    setting a LAC in a BCCH of selected cells defining the geo-fenced area;

    setting triggers for CGIs in the geo-fenced area and for any NMR transactions; and

    in response to a mobile device on a call entering the proximity of the geo-fenced area, adding a CGI from the geo-fenced area to an NMR and detecting an NMR list containing a geo-fenced CGI.

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