Service provision in a communication system

• US 9,107,031 B2
• Filed: 03/12/2001
• Issued: 08/11/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Muhonen, Ahti, Staack, Jens-Peter, Rantalainen, Timo, Kll, Jan
• Primary Examiner(s): Daniel, Jr., Willie J
• Application Number:
  US10/221,618
• Publication Number:
  US 20030186710A1
• Time in Patent Office: 5,265 Days
• Field of Search: 4554561-4566, 4554141-4142, 455/404.2
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method and system for providing information about stations of a communication system, and more particularly information of stations (1) that are located within a defined area (5). A search can be triggered in a location information service for information concerning wireless stations within the defined area. At least one such access entity (20, 21, 23, 24) of the communication system is selected that covers partially or entirely the defined area. A location information request is subsequently generated and broadcast in the selected access entities. A response including information concerning wireless stations within the defined area is generated and signalled to the location information service. According to another aspect the system is adapted to provide services for those stations only that have been determined to be located within the defined area.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

selecting a plurality of access entities of a cellular communication system that cover at least a portion of a predefined area, wherein the predefined area is not dependent on the coverage of the plurality of access entities;

transmitting a request for location information in at least one access entity, the request comprising a definition of the predefined area;

receiving the request in at least one station within the at least one access entity after the request is transmitted to a radio access network, the request including a request identity number;

determining whether a location of the at least one station is within the predefined area; and

signalling information that associates with the location of the at least one station, wherein the information includes the request identity number and the cellular communication system comprises the plurality of access entities,

wherein the determining whether the location of the at least one station is within the predefined area is performed within the at least one station; and

wherein information is signaled about only the at least one station that is determined to be within the predefined area, and the plurality of access entities include one or more cells of the cellular communication system and each of the cells is associated with a base station.

2. A system, comprising:

a controller configured to select a plurality of access entities that cover at least a portion of a predefined area, the predefined area is not dependent on a coverage of the plurality of access entities;

a transmitter configured to transmit a location information request in at least one access entity, the location information request comprising a definition of the predefined area, the location information request includes an indication of the type of request;

a determining unit configured to determine information in response to the location information request, the information concerning whether one or more of the stations within the at least one access entity are within the predefined area; and

a signalling unit configured to signal the determined information, wherein a communication system is configured to provide wireless communication services for stations by the plurality of access entities, wherein the determining unit and the signalling unit are within the one or more of the stations, and wherein information is signaled about those stations only that are determined to be within the predefined area, and the plurality of access entities include one or more cells of the communication system and each of the cells is associated with a base station.

3. A system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the location information request is received at a station within the selected access entity and at least part of the response information is determined by the station.

4. A system as claimed in claim 2, comprising at least one broadcasting node that is adapted to generate a broadcast message based on information of the at least one access entity selected based on the predefined area.

5. A system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the system is adapted to map the predefined area to coordinates and/or ranges of base stations of the access entities.

6. A system as claimed in claim 2, wherein one or more of the access entities are selected based on information contained in a service environment entity of the communication system.

7. An apparatus, comprising:

a controller configured to select a plurality of access entities that cover at least a portion of a predefined area, the predefined area is not dependent on a coverage of the plurality of access entities;

a generator configured to generate a request for location information to be transmitted in at least one access entity, the request including a request identity number;

wherein the request is signaled from the apparatus to at least one other apparatus of a communications system configured to trigger a procedure to obtain information concerning stations within the at least one access entity, the request comprising a definition of the predetermined area and the information comprising whether the stations are within the predefined area,

wherein a location service is implemented within the communications system comprising access and providing wireless communication services for stations,

wherein the stations are configured to determined whether they are within the predefined area, and

wherein information is signaled about those stations only that are determined to be within the predefined area, and the plurality of access entities include one or more cells of the communication system and each of the cells is associated with a base station.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the location information comprises information of an address of the location service.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the controller is further configured to select the plurality of access entities by mapping the predefined area to coordinates and/or estimated ranges of base stations of the plurality of access entities.

10. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the controller is further configured to select the plurality of access entities in response to a request from a client.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the request from the client defines the predefined area.

12. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the predefined area comprises at least one of a name of the predefined area, coordinates of the predefined area, longitude and latitude coordinates of the predefined area, a range from a particular location, and a shape of the predefined area.

13. An apparatus, comprising:

a receiver configured to receive a location information request that has been transmitted in at least a portion of a predefined area by an access entity of a communication system, the predefined area is not dependent on a coverage of the access entity;

at least one processor configured to process location information provided by a location measurement unit, configured to determine whether the apparatus is within the predefined area using the location information and information in the location information request, and configured to generate a response to the location information request based on the determination; and

a transmitter configured to transmit the response to a node of the communication system,

wherein the location information request includes a request identity number and information defining the predefined area; and

wherein information is signaled about stations only that are determined to be within the predefined area, and the access entity includes one or more cells of the communication system and each of the cells is associated with a base station, respectively.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the location information comprises information of an address of a location information service.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the predefined area comprises at least one of a name of the predefined area, coordinates of the predefined area, longitude and latitude coordinates of the predefined area, a range from a particular location, and a shape of the predefined area.

16. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the location information request comprises coordinates of the predefined area and/or the request identity number.

17. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the location information request comprises information for identifying the request.

18. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the location information request comprises a system information broadcast channel message.

19. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the response comprises at least one of a request identity number, an address of a location information service, and coordinates of the predefined area.

20. A method, comprising:

selecting a plurality of access entities that cover at least a portion of a predefined area; and

transmitting a request for location information in at least one access entity to at least one other apparatus of a communications system configured to trigger a procedure to obtain information concerning stations within the at least one access entity, the request comprising a definition of the predefined area and an identity number, and the location information comprising whether the stations are within the predefined area,

wherein a location service is implemented within the communication system comprising access entities and providing wireless communication services for stations,

wherein the stations are configured to determine whether they are within the predefined area, and the predefined area is not dependent on a coverage of the plurality of access entities, and

wherein information is signaled about those stations only that are determined to be within the predefined area, and the plurality of access entities include one or more cells of the communication system and each of the cells is associated with a base station.

21. A method as claimed in claim 20, wherein the transmitting the request for the location information comprises broadcasting in the at least one access entity.

22. A method as claimed in claim 20, wherein the selecting the plurality of access entities comprises selecting so that a predefined level of coverage of the predefined area is obtained, and the plurality of access entities include one or more cells of the communications system and each of the cells is associated with a base station.

23. A method as claimed in claim 20, wherein the predefined area is defined by at least one of the name of the predefined area;

coordinates of the area;

longitude and latitude of the area;

range from a particular location;

or shape of the area.

24. A method as claimed in claim 20, wherein a wireless station within the access entity receives a broadcast request for location information and in response to the request at least a part of information concerning the location of the wireless station is determined at the wireless station.

25. A method as claimed in claim 20, wherein an access network of the communication system signals information concerning the stations within the determined at least one access entity to a location information service via at least one controller node of the communication system.

26. A method as claimed in claim 20, wherein the transmitting the location information request comprises broadcasting a short message service message in the selected access entities.

27. A method as claimed in claim 20, wherein the location information request comprises a system information message that is broadcast on control channels of the selected access entities.

28. A method as claimed in claim 20, wherein the selecting comprises selecting at least one access entity based on an association between the predefined area and the at least one access entity.

29. A method as claimed in claim 20, further comprising:

determining those stations within the at least one access entity that are located within the predefined area before a provision of the location information.

30. A method as claimed in claim 20, wherein a location information request without any request specific information triggers a location procedure in a station receiving the request.

31. A method as claimed in claim 20, wherein an apparatus in the communication system verifies that a station that responded to the request is within the predefined area.

32. A method, comprising:

receiving a location information request that has been transmitted in at least a portion of a predefined area by an access entity of the communication system, the predefined area is not dependent on a coverage of the access entity;

processing location information provided by a location measurement unit, configured to determine whether an apparatus is within the predefined area using the location information and the information in the location information request;

generating a response to the location request based on the determination; and

transmitting the response to a node of the communication system,

wherein the location information request comprises information defining the predefined area, and the location information request includes quality of service parameters and information for identifying the request; and

wherein information is signaled about only any station determined to be within the predefined area, and the access entity includes one or more cells of the communication system and each of the cells is associated with a base station.

33. A method as claimed in claim 32, wherein the receiving comprises receiving the location information request signalled from an element that associates with the access entity to a location information service.

34. A method as claimed in claim 33, wherein the location information request includes quality of service parameters and information of an address of the location information service, and wherein the response is routed to the location information service based on the address information.

35. A method as claimed in claim 32, further comprising:

providing a service to the at least one station, based on the at least station being located within the predefined area,

wherein the location information request comprises information of the predefined area.

36. A method as claimed in claim 32, wherein the location information request is handled by one or more broadcasting centers based on a determined at least one access entity.

37. A method as claimed in claim 36, wherein the determination of the at least one access entity comprises mapping the predefined area to coordinates and/or estimated ranges of base stations of the access entities.

38. A method as claimed in claim 36, wherein the determination of the access entities is triggered by a request from a client.

39. A method as claimed in claim 38, wherein the request from the client defines the predefined area.

40. A method as claimed in claim 32, wherein the location information request comprises coordinates of the predefined area and/or a request identity number.

41. A method as claimed in claim 40, wherein a response to the request comprises at least one of the request identity number;

an address of the location information service;

or co-ordinates of the predefined area.

42. A method as claimed in claim 32, wherein additional information is included in the location information request, the additional information specifying at least one of the request or limiting the number of stations that are to be reported to a location information service as response to the request.