Geo-fencing in a wireless location system
First Claim
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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Accused Products
Abstract
Method and systems are employed by a wireless location system (WLS) for locating a wireless device operating in a geographic area served by a wireless communications system. An exemplary method includes defining a geo-fenced area. The method then includes monitoring a set of predefined signaling links of the wireless communications system, and detecting that a mobile device has performed any of the following acts with respect to the geo-fenced area: (1) entered the geo-fenced area, (2) exited the geo-fenced area, and (3) come within a predefined degree of proximity near the geo-fenced area. A high-accuracy location function may then be triggered in order to determine the geographic location of the mobile device.
244 Citations
46 Claims
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1. A system for use in or by a wireless communications system, comprising:
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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. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46)
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Specification