System and method for geographically locating a cellular phone

• US 9,155,060 B2
• Filed: 02/03/2011
• Issued: 10/06/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Inrix Incorporated
• Original Assignee: INRX Gloabal Services Limited
• Inventors: Feldman, Israel, Meltzer, Yochay, Lavee, Uri, Eshpar, Allon
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu, Michael T
• Application Number:
  US13/020,427
• Publication Number:
  US 20110159875A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,706 Days
• Field of Search: 455/440, 455/421, 455/446, 455/424, 455/442
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/14 Reselecting a network or an air interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/32 by location or mobility data, e.g. speed data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

According to an embodiment of the invention, there is disclosed a method for geographically locating a cellular phone. The method comprises: determining an effective cell-area for each of a first cell and a second cell in a cellular network; and determining a handover area within which the cellular phone is likely to be located when control of the cellular phone is transferred from the first cell to the second cell; wherein the determination of the handover area and the effective cell-area for each of the first cell and the second cell are made based on a topological relationship between the first cell and the second cell. Further related apparatus embodiments are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A method of geographically locating a cellular phone, the method comprising:

determining that a handover of the cellular phone from a first cell to a second cell has occurred;

determining a geographical area in which the handover from the first cell to the second cell occurred by;

modeling at least a portion of a cell reception area of the first cell and the second cell;

defining a handover area comprising overlapping portions of the first and second cell areas; and

concluding that when the handover occurred the cellular phone was located in the handover area;

wherein modeling the at least a portion of the cell reception area of the first cell and the second cell comprises using a pre-defined shape as an initial model of at least a portion of the cell reception area of at least one of the first cell and the second cell.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether to extend the cell reception area based on predetermined criteria.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the predetermined criteria comprise criteria based on a relative orientation of the first cell and the second cell.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein the predetermined criteria comprise criteria based on relative positions of the first cell and the second cell.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the pre-defined shape comprises a sector.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the pre-defined shape comprises a ring-sector.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein defining the handover area comprises forming a polygon representing the handover area.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein defining the handover area comprises forming a penumbra area shape around a line of equal intensity of reception between the first cell and the second cell.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the penumbra area shape comprises a polygon.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the penumbra area shape comprises a rectangle.

11. An apparatus for geographically locating a cellular phone, the apparatus comprising:

means for determining that a handover of the cellular phone from a first cell to a second cell has occurred;

means for determining a geographical area in which the handover from the first cell to the second cell occurred, wherein the means for determining the area comprises;

an effective cell-area module for modeling at least a portion of a cell reception area of the first cell and the second cell;

a handover area module for defining a handover area comprising overlapping portions of the first and second cell areas; and

means for concluding that when that the handover occurred the cellular phone was located in the handover area;

wherein the effective cell-area module comprises means for modeling the at least a portion of the cell reception area of the first cell and the second cell using a pre-defined shape as an initial model of at least a portion of the cell reception area of at least one of the first cell and the second cell.

12. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the effective cell-area module comprises means for determining whether to extend the cell reception area based on predetermined criteria.

13. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the predetermined criteria comprise criteria based on a relative orientation of the first cell and the second cell.

14. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the predetermined criteria comprise criteria based on relative positions of the first cell and the second cell.

15. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the pre-defined shape comprises a sector.

16. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the pre-defined shape comprises a ring-sector.

17. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the handover area module comprises means for forming a polygon representing the handover area.

18. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the handover area module comprises means for forming a penumbra area shape around a line of equal intensity of reception between the first cell and the second cell.

19. The apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the penumbra area shape comprises a polygon.

20. The apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the penumbra area shape comprises a rectangle.