Abstract: Modern cellular wireless communications providers strive to keep their network and subscribers secure through various means. The identity of the subscriber may be obfuscated through the use of a temporary identifier for most network transactions including signaling events, voice calls, SMS messages and data sessions. A subscriber's unique identity may only be transmitted over the air in an encrypted form. Similarly, the content of voice calls, SMS messages and data sessions may also be encrypted when transmitted over the air and even when transferred over internal network interfaces. However, the use of encryption presents significant challenges for law enforcement communities when court ordered lawful intercept is required to monitor and locate subscribers utilizing the wireless networks for illegal and/or terrorist purposes. A technique to aid in the determination of a subscriber's unique wireless identity and the decryption of encrypted signals would be very useful for lawful intercept.

Abstract: Apparatus to determine the position of a user terminal, the apparatus having corresponding methods and computer-readable media, comprise: a receiver to receive at the user terminal an American Television Standards Committee Mobile/Handheld (ATSC-M/H) broadcast signal from a ATSC-M/H transmitter; and a pseudorange module to determine a pseudorange between the receiver and the ATSC-M/H transmitter based on the ATSC-M/H) broadcast signal; wherein the position module determines the position of the user terminal based on the pseudorange and a location of the ATSC-M/H transmitter.

Abstract: A network-based wireless location system (WLS) is configured to locate mobile devices, or user equipment (UE), wirelessly communicating with a relay node (RN). The RN is wirelessly backhauled to a serving donor enhanced NodeB (donor eNB), and the RN has eNB functionality to communicate with the UE and has UE functionality to communicate data from the UE with the donor eNB. The WLS carries out a method including receiving uplink transmissions from the RN, using the uplink transmissions from the RN to compute a location estimate for the RN, and determining a location estimate for the UE based on the location estimate for the RN.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for processing readily available radio network, timing and power information about cellular networks and typical measurements made by the mobile device and network. A probabilistic method is disclosed that uses both time (i.e., range) and power differences with known downlink transmitter antenna characteristics to locate mobiles with accuracy better than cell-ID with ranging, with high capacity, and without the need for field calibration.

Abstract: Collection and analysis of network transaction information which includes the mobile device's usage, location, movements coupled with data from non-wireless network sources allow for the automation of analysis for the detection of smuggling or other criminal behaviors and tasking of high-accuracy location surveillance.

Abstract: A location sentry system is provided for use within a mobile device. The sentry system can be configured to detect unauthorized attempts to locate mobile devices by monitoring messages passed between the mobile device and the wireless network and/or messages passed between components of the mobile device, and determining that one or more of the messages is/are indicative of an attempt to locate the mobile device. In response to a determination that an unauthorized attempt has been detected, the location sentry can be configured to take one or more actions. For example, the location sentry system could prevent location information from being sent back to the wireless network and/or the location sentry system could cause incorrect information to be sent to the wireless network.

Abstract: In an overlay, network-based, Wireless Location System, LMUs typically co-located with BTSs, are used to collect uplink radio signaling for use in TOA, TDOA and/or AoA positioning methods. In a UMTS, the dual nature of the uplink allows for identification of the correct uplink signal even in the presence of co-channel interference from other UMTS mobile devices.

Abstract: A method for combining a plurality of individual location measurements, for use in a wireless location system, includes the following steps. A quality metric for a single location estimate is computed along with individual quality metrics and individual weightings for each individual location measurement. In addition, weighting operations incorporating a quality metric for a single location are performed, and the measurement weights are adjusted based on information about co-location groups; and a decision metric and common bias accounting for multiple reference measurements are computed.

Abstract: In an overlay, network-based Wireless Location System, Location Measurement Units (LMUs) are used to collect radio signaling both in the forward and reverse channels for use in TDOA and/or AoA positioning methods. Information broadcast from the radio network and by global satellite navigation system constellations can be received by the LMUs and used to reduce the difficulty of initial system configuration and reconfiguration due to radio network changes.

Abstract: By combining imaging systems with wireless location functionality, a subject's videometric signature can be linked to a public identity, thus enabling continuous surveillance outside or between the coverage area of video surveillance networks. In addition to extending the surveillance coverage area, the combination of computerized video surveillance with wireless location determination may also allow for identification of mobile device users via the existing mobile equipment and user identifiers used in the wireless network.

Abstract: In an overlay, network-based, wireless location system, LMUs typically co-located with BTSs are used to collect radio signaling both in the forward and reverse channels for use in TDOA and/or AOA positioning methods. Information broadcast from the radio network and by global satellite navigation system constellations can be received by the LMU and used to reduce the difficulty of initial system configuration and reconfiguration due to radio network changes.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for processing readily available radio network, timing and power information about cellular networks and typical measurements made by the mobile device and network. A probabilistic method is disclosed that uses both time (i.e., range) and power differences with known downlink transmitter antenna characteristics to locate mobiles with accuracy better than cell-ID with ranging, with high capacity, and without the need for field calibration.

Abstract: In an LTE environment, the sensitivity of wireless location system receivers to narrowband transmissions, and the resolution of the receivers to wideband transmissions, may be improved by using tailored uplink transmission parameters, thereby increasing location accuracy and decreasing latency in developing a location. A first method for increasing TDOA performance allows LMU receivers to integrate TDOA and/or AOA measurements over longer periods of time, and thus achieve higher sensitivity. This method employs the Semi-Persistent-Scheduling (SPS) feature of the LTE communications system. A second method for increasing TDOA performance allows LMUs to collect signals over a broader bandwidth, and thus achieve higher resolution. This method uses the Sounding Reference Signal (SRS) feature of the LTE system.

Abstract: For Wireless Communications Networks (WCNs) that support soft handover, cooperator receiver selection for a TDOA, AOA, TDOA/AOA, or hybrid network-based or network-overlay Wireless Location System (WLS) must contend with one or more network base stations as a serving cell. When the active set contains more than one member, two techniques for determining a set of cooperating and demodulating receivers to use in the signal collection for location estimation is disclosed. In one embodiment, the active set members are constructively reduced to a single member that is used as a proxy serving cell. In another embodiment, the information contained in the active set membership is retained and a new set of demodulating and cooperator receivers are generated based on the entire membership of the active set.

Abstract: Methods and systems are employed by a wireless location system (WLS) for locating a wireless device operating in a geographic area served by a wireless communications system. An exemplary method includes monitoring a set of signaling links of the wireless communications system, and detecting at least one predefined signaling transaction occurring on at least one of the predefined signaling links. Then, in response to the detection of the at least one predefined network transaction, at least one predefined location service is triggered.

Abstract: A large volume of high accuracy location data is determined in many commercial wireless networks from location based services (LBS) and, in the United States, for E911. Uplink-Time-Difference-of-Arrival (UTDOA) and Assisted GPS (AGPS) are the predominant geolocation technologies providing these high accuracy locations. In the US alone over 10 million wireless subscribers are located every month because they dial the national emergency number “911” on their mobile phones. This rich set of location data provides an a priori distribution of the location of subscribers in the wireless network. All digital wireless communications networks have a mechanism for the subscribers to time synchronize their handsets to the network. This mechanism provides a band of ranges from the serving cell site to the handset. An a posteriori location estimate can be determined very quickly by considering the a priori distribution of callers in the range band that the current subscriber is in.

Abstract: A network-based wireless location system (WLS) is configured to locate mobile devices, or user equipment (UE), wirelessly communicating with a relay node (RN). The RN is wirelessly backhauled to a serving donor enhanced NodeB (donor eNB), and the RN has eNB functionality to communicate with the UE and has UE functionality to communicate data from the UE with the donor eNB. The WLS carries out a method including receiving uplink transmissions from the RN, using the uplink transmissions from the RN to compute a location estimate for the RN, and determining a location estimate for the UE based on the location estimate for the RN.

Abstract: In a network-based Wireless Location System (WLS), geographically distributed Location Measurement Units (LMUs) must be able to detect and use reverse channel (mobile to network) signals across multiple BTS coverage areas. By using Matched Replica correlation processing with the local and reference signals subdivided into discrete segments prior to correlation, the effects of mobile clock drift and Doppler shifts can be mitigated allowing for increased processing gain. By using historical network and real-time data about the radio signal and/or radio channel, the segmentation and computation scheme may be optimized to reduce latency and enhance capacity while maximizing location accuracy.

Abstract: A method for use in controlling a mobile device's access to one or more wireless communications networks (WCNs) with an overlaid wireless location system (WLS) includes monitoring a set of one or more predefined signaling links of at least one WCN, and detecting an event associated with the mobile device. Next, using a low-accuracy location function of the WLS, the system determines that the mobile device is within a defined area of interest and is potentially within a defined quiet zone. Next, using a high-accuracy location function of the WLS, the system determines a precise geographic location of the mobile device and based thereon confirms that the mobile device is within the quiet zone or at least within an area of ambiguity around the quiet zone. Finally, the mobile device's access to the wireless communications network is limited, e.g., according to a pre-defined rule established by the carrier.

Abstract: A method for combining a plurality of individual location measurements, for use in a wireless location system, includes the following steps. A quality metric for a single location estimate is computed along with individual quality metrics and individual weightings for each individual location measurement. In addition, weighting operations incorporating a quality metric for a single location are performed, and the measurement weights are adjusted based on information about co-location groups; and a decision metric and common bias accounting for multiple reference measurements are computed.