Ericsson Gmbh

Erricson, Inc.

Stephen R Hayes

Maya Roel-Ng

Bagher Rouhollah Zadeh

Christopher Hugh Kingdon

Theodore Havinis

Roch H Glitho

The invention is, in one embodiment, a method of reporting the location of a mobile phone by locating a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver in a mobile communications network. The method first determines the location of the GPS receiver, processes data identifying the location, then synthesizes the location information into a Tele-type (TTY/TDD) compatible format and transmits the location. A TTY/TDD device at a receiving station will process the location data to identify the location of the mobile phone. In one aspect, the method is implemented through modular programming. The invention is also a mobile phone capable of transmitting location information gathered by a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver to a Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP). The mobile phone houses a transceiver, a GPS receiver, and a Tele-type (TTY/TDD) synthesizer in communication with the GPS receiver and the transceiver.

Manual reporting of location data in a mobile communications network

A telecommunications system and method is disclosed for implementing Location Override Key(s) (LOKs) within location services in order to determine whether certain checks on subscriber limitations and/or system default behavior are applicable or not for a particular location request. Each LOK can either have the value override or not override associated therewith, and each Location Application (LA) can be associated with a particular value of an LOK. In addition, an LOK can be accompanied by one or more additional parameters related to the particular LOK. For example, location services can provide LAs with a Privacy Override Key (POK), which can have a value of &ldquo;override&rdquo; or &ldquo;not override&rdquo;. If the POK is set to &ldquo;override&rdquo;, the privacy settings of the subscriber to be positioned shall be overridden for the particular positioning request in most cases only if the subscriber to be positioned is in the same Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN) as the Gateway Mobile Location Center (GMLC) that received the positioning request.

System and method for use of override keys for location services

A telecommunications system and method is disclosed for allowing a Gateway Mobile Positioning Center (GMPC) to route positioning requests to the Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN) where the subscriber is currently located without the need for storing the subscriber's serving Mobile Positioning Center (MPC) address in the Home Location Register (HLR). When an external Requesting Application (RA) wants to locate a particular Mobile Station (MS), the RA contacts the GMPC, and provides the directory number of the subscriber that needs to be located. The GMPC then sends a request for routing information, e.g., the address of the serving Mobile Switching Center (MSC), to the subscriber's HLR. The HLR then returns the routing information to the GMPC, which can then send the positioning request to the serving MSC, using the MSC address. The serving MSC can then route the positioning request to the serving Mobile Positioning Center.

System and method for routing positioning requests based on mobile

A telecommunications system and method is disclosed which performs authorization checks prior to allowing a location service to position a mobile terminal within a cellular network. The various checks involve ensuring that the requesting agency has authorization to request positioning of mobile terminals, determining whether positioning of mobile terminals is allowed within the cellular network that the mobile terminal is currently located in, verifying the authenticity of the identity of the mobile positioning center, ascertaining whether the mobile subscriber has allowed the requesting agency to position the mobile terminal, and confirming that all relevant criteria for positioning have been met by both the mobile subscriber and the requesting agency.

System and method for authorization of location services

A telecommunications system and method is disclosed for defining location services in a simplified manner based upon whether the positioning request is an interactive request or a batch mode request. In order to initiate a positioning request, a Location Application (LA) must first register with at least one Mobile Location Center (MLC), define the service parameters specific for that LA and receive a Location Application Identifier Number (LAIN). Thereafter, the LA can send either an interactive or batch mode positioning request along with the LAIN. An interactive positioning request is a request to position a specific subscriber or group of subscribers immediately, while a batch mode positioning request is a request to position a subscriber or group of subscribers when a particular event defined by the LA occurs. Advantageously, the definition of location services is decoupled from issues, such as the point of origin of the request, the identity of the subscriber to be positioned and authorization options.

System and method for defining location services

A telecommunications system and method is disclosed which utilizes a terminal-based browser, such as the Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) 'deck', within a Mobile Station (MS) to connect the MS to web-based location services and to a Mobile Positioning Center (MPC). Terminal based browsers, such as WAP 'deck', allow for the graphical presentation of the current location of the MS on a display on the MS and provide an interactive user dialog, which permits the mobile subscriber to determine the format of the graphical presentation of the current location of the MS.

System and method for positioning a mobile terminal using a terminal

A telecommunications system and method is disclosed for allowing an application requesting positioning of a mobile terminal to indicate the quality of positioning information desired, e.g., timeliness, accuracy, etc. In addition, prior to performing the positioning, the cellular network can determine whether the quality of service requested can be achieved, and if so, return the positioning information along with a message indicating that the quality of service requested was achieved. However, if the quality of service requested cannot be achieved, a failure message is sent to the requesting application and the positioning is not performed.

System and method for implementing positioning quality of service

A telecommunications system and method is disclosed for allowing a cellular network to determine the optimum positioning method, having knowledge of all available network-based and terminal-based positioning methods. This can be accomplished by the Mobile Station (MS) sending to the Mobile Switching Center/Visitor Location Register (MSC/VLR) a list of terminal-based positioning methods that the MS is capable of performing. This list can, in turn, be forwarded to the Mobile Positioning Center (MPC) for determination of the optimum positioning method. For example, in a GSM network, the MS CLASSMARK information, which is sent to the MSC/VLR when the MS registers with the MSC/VLR, can be extended to include the MS's positioning capabilities.

System and method for informing network of terminal-based positioning

A telecommunications system and method is disclosed for determining the address of both the home and serving Mobile Positioning Centers (MPCs). Each Mobile Switching Center/Visitor Location Register (MSC/VLR) and Home Location Register (HLR) within a Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN) will be provided with the MPC address that is valid for its PLMN. When a Mobile Station (MS) roams into a new (serving) PLMN, a Location Update is performed by the serving MSC/VLR to the Home Location Register (HLR). The MPC address for the serving MSC/VLR will be included in every location update operation to the HLR, which can then store this serving MPC address in the subscriber's HLR record. Furthermore, the home MPC address, valid for the PLMN of the HLR, is included in every subscriber data transfer operation from the HLR to the serving MSC/VLR, which can then store this home MPC address, in the subscriber's VLR record.

System and method for mobile terminal positioning

A telecommunications system and method is disclosed which avoids unwanted feature interactions while positioning a mobile station that was in idle mode when the positioning request was received by the network. When the serving MSC/VLR receives a request to collect positioning measurements for a mobile station that is in idle mode, the serving MSC/VLR will set an indicator associated with the subscriber to 'busy for connection management due to positioning'. This flag will allow the MSC/VLR to make a distinction between a positioning connection and the normal mark of 'busy for connection management'. Thereafter, when a mobile terminating call arrives to the MSC/VLR for a subscriber that is marked as 'busy for connection management due to positioning', the MSC/VLR can place the incoming call in a queue until the positioning measurements are taken and the subscriber being positioned is put back in idle mode.

Positioning busy indicator and queuing mechanism

A telecommunications switch serving a roaming mobile station transports the resulting billing records by setting up a communication link with an administrative billing center connected to a Signaling System No. 7 (SS7) telecommunications network by utilizing Transaction Capabilities Application Part (TCAP) signals. Once the connection is established between the telecommunication switch and the administrative billing center, Data Message handler (DMH) formatted data are stored into the SS7 TCAP Invoke signal by the telecommunication switch and transported to the administrative billing center via the SS7 telecommunications network.

Transport mechanism for accounting messages within a telecommunications

A telecommunications switch serving a roaming mobile station transports the resulting billing records by setting up a communication link with an administrative billing center connected to a Signaling System No. 7 (SS7) telecommunications network by utilizing Signal Connection Control Point (SCCP) signals. Once the connection is established between the telecommunication switch and the administrative billing center, Data Message Handler (DMH) formatted data are stored into a Data Form 2 (DT2) SCCP signal by the telecommunication switch and transported to the administrative billing center via the SS7 telecommunications network.

Growing community of inventors

Carrollton, TX, United States of America

Stephen R Hayes