System and method for determining a reference location of a mobile device
View Patent ↗A system and method for determining a reference location of a wireless device wherein a location request may be received for the wireless device where the location request fails to identify an approximate location for the wireless device. A reference location may be determined for the wireless device, the reference location selected from the group consisting of: an area defined as a function of at least one of a mobile country code, mobile network code, and/or a location area code; an area defined by a mapping of a provided Internet protocol address to a location; an area determined as a function of a position information element in the location request; a default area; and combinations thereof.
1. A method for determining a reference location of a wireless device, comprising the steps of:
(a) receiving a location request for the wireless device, the location request failing to identify an approximate location for the wireless device;
(b) receiving a position information element (“IE”) from the wireless device;
(c) mapping an Internet protocol (“IP”) address of a node serving the wireless device to an estimated area; and
(d) if the estimated area defined by the mapped IP address is within a second area defined as a function of at least one of a mobile country code (“MCC”), mobile network code (“MNC”), and an Area-Identification (“Area-ID”), or if the estimated area defined by the mapped IP address is available and no second area is defined as a function of at least one of an MCC, MNC, and Area-ID, determining a reference location for the wireless device as a function of a quality of the estimated area defined by the mapped IP address or a quality of the second area defined as a function of at least one of an MCC, MNC, and Area-ID.
2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of providing assistance data to the wireless device as a function of the determined reference location.
3. The method of claim 2 wherein the assistance data is provided as a function of one or more boundaries of the determined reference location.
4. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:
(e) providing the determined reference location to the wireless device; and
(f) determining a geographic location of the wireless device.
5. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:
(e) determining a second reference location for the wireless device as a function of the position IE if the estimated area defined by the mapped IP address is not within the second area defined as a function of at least one of an MCC, MNC, and Area-ID or if the area defined by the mapped IP address is not available and no second area is defined as a function of at least one of an MCC, MNC, and Area-ID.
6. The method of claim 5 further comprising the step of providing assistance data to the wireless device as a function of the determined second reference location.
7. The method of claim 6 further comprising the steps of:
(e) providing the determined second reference location to the wireless device; and
(f) determining a geographic location of the wireless device.
8. The method of claim 1 wherein the determined reference location is a polygon.
9. The method of claim 1 wherein the Area-ID is selected from the group consisting of: location area code (“LAC”) and Radio Network Controller-Identification (“RNC-ID”).
10. A method for determining a reference location of a wireless device comprising the steps of:
(a) receiving a location request for the wireless device, the location request failing to identify an approximate location for the wireless device;
(b) receiving a position information element (“IE”) from the wireless device;
(c) mapping an Internet protocol (“IP”) address of a node serving the wireless device to an estimated area; and
(d) if the estimated area defined by the mapped IP address is within a second area defined as a function of at least one of a mobile country code (“MCC”), mobile network code (“MNC”), and an Area-Identification (“Area-ID”) or if the estimated area defined by the mapped IP address is available and no second area is defined as a function of at least one of an MCC, MNC, and Area-ID, determining a reference location for the wireless device as a function of a quality of the estimated area defined by the mapped IP address.
11. The method of claim 10 further comprising the step of providing assistance data to the wireless device as a function of the determined reference location.
12. The method of claim 11 wherein the assistance data is provided as a function of one or more boundaries of the determined reference location.
13. The method of claim 10 further comprising the steps of:
(e) providing the determined reference location to the wireless device; and
(f) determining a geographic location of the wireless device.
14. The method of claim 10 further comprising the step of:
(e) determining a second reference location for the wireless device as a default area or as the second area defined as a function of at least one of an MCC, MNC, and Area-ID if the estimated area defined by the mapped IP address is not within the second area defined as a function of at least one of an MCC, MNC, and Area-ID or if the estimated area defined by the mapped IP address is not available and no second area is defined as a function of at least one of an MCC, MNC, and Area-ID.
15. The method of claim 14 further comprising the step of providing assistance data to the wireless device as a function of the determined second reference location.
16. The method of claim 15 further comprising the steps of:
(e) providing the determined second reference location to the wireless device; and
(f) determining a geographic location of the wireless device.
17. The method of claim 10 wherein the determined reference location is a polygon.
18. The method of claim 10 wherein the Area-ID is selected from the group consisting of: location area code (“LAC”) and Radio Network Controller-Identification (“RNC-ID”).
19. A system for determining a reference location of a wireless device comprising:
(a) a receiver for receiving a location request for a wireless device, the location request failing to identify an approximate location for the wireless device and having a position information element (“IE”);
(b) circuitry for mapping an Internet protocol (“IP”) address of a node serving the wireless device to an estimated area; and
(c) circuitry for determining a reference location for the wireless device as a function of a quality of an estimated area, the reference location selected from the group consisting of: an area defined as a function of at least one of a mobile country code (“MCC”), mobile network code (“MNC”), and an Area-Identification (“Area-ID”); an area defined by the mapped IP address; an area determined as a function of the received position IE; a default area; and combinations thereof.
20. The system of claim 19 further comprising a transmitter for transmitting assistance data to the wireless device as a function of the determined reference location.
21. The system of claim 19 wherein the Area-ID is selected from the group consisting of: location area code (“LAC”) and Radio Network Controller-Identification (“RNC-ID”).