Location-based services in a femtocell network

• US 9,877,195 B2
• Filed: 05/19/2016
• Issued: 01/23/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Huber, Kurt Donald, Mansfield, William Gordon, Flynn, Judson John
• Primary Examiner(s): Siddiqui, Kashif
• Application Number:
  US15/159,755
• Publication Number:
  US 20160269871A1
• Time in Patent Office: 614 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2614 HVAC, heating, ventillation, climate control
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/1235 with control of digital rights management [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/322 Aspects of commerce using mobile devices [M-devices]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3223 Realising banking transactions through M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/387 Payment using discounts or coupons relating to marketing G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/405 Establishing or using transaction specific rules
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0222 During e-commerce, i.e. online transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0261 based on user location
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/001 Interfacing with vending machines using mobile or wearable devices
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3822 specially adapted for use in vehicles H04B1/3827 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/80 Wireless network architectures or network communication protocols for wireless network security H04W12/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0803 Configuration setting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0048 Allocation of pilot signals, i.e. of signals known to the receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/04 for providing a confidential data exchange among entities communicating through data packet networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0853 using an additional device, e.g. smartcard, SIM or a different communication terminal cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving additional secure or trusted devices H04L9/3234
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0876 : based on the identity of the terminal or configuration, e.g. MAC address, hardware or software configuration or device fingerprint
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/101 : Access control lists [ACL]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 : Entity profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/108 : when the policy decisions are valid for a limited amount of time
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/73 : Validating charges
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 : Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/082 : using revocation of authorisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/088 : using filters or firewalls
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 : Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 : using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/027 : using movement velocity, acceleration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 : Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 : Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/14 : Short messaging services, e.g. short message services [SMS] or unstructured supplementary service data [USSD]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 : Accounting or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/40 : for vehicles, e.g. vehicle-to-pedestrians [V2P]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/02 : Communication route or path selection, e.g. power-based or shortest path routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/02 : Access restriction performed under specific conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/04 : based on user or terminal location or mobility data, e.g. moving direction, speed
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/08 : Access restriction or access information delivery, e.g. discovery data delivery signalling during connection H04W76/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 : Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/20 : Selecting an access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/006 : with additional information processing, e.g. for direction or speed determination
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/02 : Arrangements for increasing efficiency of notification or paging channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/20 : Transfer of user or subscriber data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/22 : Processing or transfer of terminal data, e.g. status or physical capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/045 : using private Base Stations, e.g. femto Base Stations, home Node B
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 : Terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 : adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 : Access point devices

Abstract

Traffic and signaling are routed between a set of networked femto access points (APs) and location-based services are enabled. A femto AP in the set of femto APs is functionally linked to a routing platform that manages traffic and signaling, and is functionally connected to a controller component that relays at least part of data and control to a femto network platform. The femto network platform allows access to one or more external networks. Routing platform can exchange signaling with one or more femto APs to enable, at least in part, location-based services based at least in part on identifier(s) for a femto AP, access privileges, or time-of-flight measurements that assess propagation timing between a mobile device and a femto AP. Routing platform can supply timing configuration to enable predetermined spatial resolution of location estimates. Location estimates can be recorded and conveyed to a consumer layer.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, facilitate performance of operations, comprising;

receiving propagation data representative of a propagation of signals transmitted between femto access point devices and a wireless device that is located within a coverage area of the femto access point devices, wherein the femto access point devices are communicatively coupled via a routing device, wherein the wireless device comprises a radio frequency identification tag, and wherein the receiving the propagation data comprises receiving the propagation data based on information received from the radio frequency identification tag; and

based on the propagation data, facilitating a service based on a location of the wireless device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the signals comprise pilot signals and the operations further comprise:

based on a transmission of the pilot signals from the femto access point devices to the wireless device, determining the propagation data.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the wireless device is coupled to a vehicle.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the wireless device is a navigation device of the vehicle.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise:

based on the propagation data, determining location data indicative of a location estimate of the wireless device.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the determining the location data comprises determining the location data in response to determining that a user equipment associated with the wireless device has entered the coverage area.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the operations further comprise:

directing the location data to the user equipment via a text message.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the operations further comprise:

directing the location data to the user equipment in response to receiving request data indicative of a request for the location estimate from the user equipment.

9. A method, comprising:

determining, by a routing device comprising a processor, propagation data indicative of a propagation of signals transmitted between femto access point devices and a wireless device that is located within a coverage area of the femto access point devices, wherein the femto access point devices are communicatively coupled via the routing device, wherein the wireless device comprises a radio frequency identification tag, and wherein the determining the propagation data comprises determining the propagation data based on information received from the radio frequency identification tag; and

employing, by the routing device, the propagation data for initiating a location-based service associated with the wireless device, wherein the location-based service comprises a service based on a location of the wireless device.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

based on the propagation data, determining, by the routing device, location data associated with the location of the wireless device.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the determining the location data comprises determining the location data in response to determining that a user equipment associated with the wireless device is located within the coverage area.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

facilitating, by the routing device, a transmission of the location data to the user equipment.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the facilitating comprises facilitating the transmission via a text message.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the determining the location data comprises determining the location data in response to receiving, from a user equipment associated with the wireless device, request data indicative of a request for the location.

15. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium comprising executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, facilitate performance of operations, comprising:

determining propagation data associated with a propagation of signals that are transmitted between femto access point devices and a wireless device that is located within a coverage area of the femto access point devices, wherein the femto access point devices are communicatively coupled via a routing device, wherein the wireless device comprises a radio frequency identification tag, and wherein the determining the propagation data comprises determining the propagation data based on information received from the radio frequency identification tag; and

based on the propagation data, facilitating a service associated with the wireless device that performs an instruction based on a location of the wireless device.

16. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the wireless device is coupled to a vehicle.

17. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the wireless device is part of a navigation system of the vehicle.

18. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise:

based on the propagation data, determining location data indicative of a location estimate of the wireless device.

19. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the determining the location data comprises determining the location data in response to determining that a user equipment associated with the wireless device has entered the coverage area.

20. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 19, wherein the operations further comprise:

directing the location data to the user equipment via a text message.