Method and apparatus for performing position-based call processing in a

Abstract

The mobile telephone system employs a fleet of satellites and a set of gateway ground stations arranged around the globe for handling communications to and from mobile communication units such as mobile telephones. Signals are transmitted between a subscriber unit and the nearest gateway via one or more of the satellites. The gateway system is configured to process telephone call connection requests from a mobile subscriber unit based upon the location of the subscriber unit. The system parses telephone numbers received from the subscriber unit based upon the parsing scheme of the locality in which the subscriber unit is located at the time the telephone call is placed. The system also identifies any emergency services numbers called, such as 911, and directs such calls to the nearest emergency services center to the current location of the subscriber unit. In another implementation, the system is configured to perform lawful intercept of telephone calls to or from a mobile subscriber unit based upon the location of the subscriber unit. The system determines whether law enforcement agencies have requested that telephone communications to or from a particular subscriber unit be intercepted and determines whether, based on the current location of the subscriber unit, the telephone communications can be permissibly intercepted. Thus, if the jurisdiction of a law enforcement agency to intercept a call is restricted to certain geographical areas, such a particular country, state or county, the system determines whether the subscriber unit is within that geographical area before performing the requested intercept.