Abstract: The invention provides a fully enclosed and modular, integrated radome communications tower capable of being helicoptered into remote locations and installed without the need for heavy equipment. The communications tower includes a radome shell that fully encloses and supports a lightweight antenna mounting system, with the shell and mounting system attached to a base to form an integrated tower. The tower can be preassembled as modular components or as a complete unit. To deliver the tower to its site of installation, it can be flown into place either modularly or as a complete unit.

Abstract: Multiple location finding equipment (LFE) inputs are used to enhance location information made available to wireless location-based applications. A wireless network utilizes a mobile switching center to route communications between wireless stations, a network platform, and a variety of LFE systems. A Location Finding System (LFS), resident on the network platform, receives location information from the LFEs and provides location information to wireless location based applications. In this regard, the LFS can receive input information at varying time intervals of varying accuracies and in various formats, and can provide standardized outputs to the applications, for example, depending on the needs of the applications. Multiple inputs may also be co-processed for enhanced accuracy. A specification can be used to ensure that location information at least meets certain minimum criteria, such as geographical accuracy, allowable age, acceptable response time, and confidence.

Abstract: Multiple location finding equipment (LFE) inputs are used to enhance location information made available to wireless location-based applications. A wireless network utilizes a mobile switching center to route communications between wireless stations, a network platform, and a variety of LFE systems. A Location Finding System (LFS), resident on the network platform, receives location information from the LFEs and provides location information to wireless location based applications. In this regard, the LFS can receive input information at varying time intervals of varying accuracies and in various formats, and can provide standardized outputs to the applications, for example, depending on the needs of the applications. Multiple inputs may also be co-processed for enhanced accuracy. A specification can be used to ensure that location information at least meets certain minimum criteria, such as geographical accuracy, allowable age, acceptable response time, and confidence.

Abstract: A method of providing location-based services for a mobile unit operating in a wireless network including network structures. The method includes receiving an identifier associated with the mobile unit. The method also includes monitoring a location of the mobile unit using the identifier and a network-assisted location finding system to identify a crossing of a service zone boundary by the mobile unit. The service zone boundary is defined by reference to at least one of the network structures. The service zone boundary also corresponds to a geographic zone boundary. The method further includes transmitting service information to a system user in response to the crossing of the service zone boundary.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method for determining whether a location associated with a wireless station, such as a cellular telephone, is located within an area of interest. The area of interest is defined using quadtree representation of an area that includes the area of interest and identifying nodes within the quadtree that represent the area of interest. By iterative comparison of the location associated with the wireless station to the locations associated with a node at each level of the quadtree, a determination can be made as to whether or not the location associated with the wireless station is within the area of interest.

Abstract: A method of providing location-based services for a mobile unit operating in a wireless network including network structures. The method includes receiving an identifier associated with the mobile unit. The method also includes monitoring a location of the mobile unit using the identifier and a network-assisted location finding system to identify a crossing of a service zone boundary by the mobile unit. The service zone boundary is defined by reference to at least one of the network structures. The service zone boundary also corresponds to a geographic zone boundary. The method further includes transmitting service information to a system user in response to the crossing of the service zone boundary.

Abstract: A system and method for managing the provisioning of location information on a mobile communications unit (e.g., a cellular phone) is disclosed. When a request for location information on a particular mobile communications unit is received, the general location of the mobile communications unit may be determined. This general location information may then be used to determine if any position determination equipment site would be able to provide the desired location information. Therefore, a request for location information on a given mobile communications unit is not invoked to a particular position determination equipment site until it has been first determined that the position determination equipment site would in fact be able to provide the desired location information.

Abstract: The inventive system relates to applications for providing graphical display information regarding mobile resources. In the illustrated embodiment, the system (100) provides graphical location information regarding one or more mobile resources (110, 120 and/or 130). The graphical location information is provided via a display (147) associated with a client platform (140). The display includes mapping information and mobile resource marker information transmitted from a server (170) to the client platform (140) via the Internet (180). The mapping information and marker information are provided in separate message sets thereby providing certain processing advantages.

Abstract: A process (400) according to one implementation of the present invention is initiated by receiving (402) a service zone definition for a boundary crossing. The boundary crossings application further receives (404) a monitoring request. For example, a vehicle rental company may enter the MIN/ESN of all mobile units associated with vehicles that are to be monitored, the timeframes during which the vehicles are to be monitored and the specific zones or boundaries with respect to which vehicle movement is to be monitored. Movements of the mobile unit or units of interest can then be monitored by receiving and storing (406) current location information, retrieving (408) prior location information for the mobile unit or units, and using (410) the current and prior location information to determine whether a service zone boundary has been crossed during the intervening time interval.

Abstract: A system and method for managing the provisioning of location information on a mobile communications unit (e.g., a cellular phone) is disclosed. When a request for location information on a particular mobile communications unit is received, the general location of the mobile communications unit may be determined. This general location information may then be used to determine if any position determination equipment site would be able to provide the desired location information. Therefore, a request for location information on a given mobile communications unit is not invoked to a particular position determination equipment site until it has been first determined that the position determination equipment site would in fact be able to provide the desired location information.

Abstract: A method for dynamic location-based zone assignment for a wireless communication network is provided. The method utilizes the location of a user's wireless communication device relative to a number of network zones in the wireless communication network. The network zones and their respective coverage areas change from time-to-time. The method comprises receiving the location of the user's wireless communication device and accessing a geographical area definition of the user, wherein the geographical area definition includes at least one operating zone. The geographical area definition is translated to a current network area definition. The location of the user's wireless communication device is compared to the current network area definition in order to locate the user's wireless communication device relative to the operating zones. A record is then assigned based on which operating zone the user's wireless communication device is located.

Abstract: Multiple location finding equipment (LFE) inputs are used to enhance the location information made available to wireless location-based applications. In one implementation, the invention is implemented in a wireless network including an MSC (112) for use in routing communications to or from wireless stations (102), a network platform (114) associated with the MSC (112), and a variety of LFE systems (104, 106, 108 and 110). A Location Finding System (LFS) (116) in accordance with the present invention is resident on the platform (114). The LFS (116) receives location information from the LFEs (104, 106, 108 and 110) and provides location information to wireless location based applications (118). In this regard, the LFS (116) can receive input information at varying time intervals. of varying accuracies and in various formats, and can provide standardized outputs to the applications (118), for example, depending on the needs of the applications (118).

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method for determining whether a location associated with a wireless station, such as a cellular telephone, is located within an area of interest. The area of interest is defined using quadtree representation of an area that includes the area of interest and identifying nodes within the quadtree that represent the area of interest. By iterative comparison of the location associated with the wireless station to the locations associated with a node at each level of the quadtree, a determination can be made as to whether or not the location associated with the wireless station is within the area of interest.

Abstract: Multiple location finding equipment (LFE) inputs are used to enhance the location information made available to wireless location-based applications. In one implementation, the invention is implemented in a wireless network including an MSC (112) for use in routing communications to or from wireless stations (102), a network platform (114) associated with the MSC (112), and a variety of LFE systems (104, 106, 108 and 110). A Location Finding System (LFS) (116) in accordance with the present invention is resident on the platform (114). The LFS (116) receives location information from the LFEs (104, 106, 108 and 110) and provides location information to wireless location based applications (118). In this regard, the LFS (116) can receive input information at varying time intervals of varying accuracies and in various formats, and can provide standardized outputs to the applications (118), for example, depending on the needs of the applications (118).

Abstract: A method including the steps of receiving a mobile identification number identifying a mobile unit (36), performing a multilateration location measurement based on a nonperiodic signal received from the mobile unit (116), retrieving a location zone from a memory based on the mobile identification number (210), comparing the multilateration location measurement with the location zone, and generating a billing record for the mobile unit (214).

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method for determining whether a location associated with a wireless station, such as a cellular telephone, is located within an area of interest. The area of interest is defined using quadtree representation of an area that includes the area of interest and identifying nodes within the quadtree that represent the area of interest. By iterative comparison of the location associated with the wireless station to the locations associated with a node at each level of the quadtree, a determination can be made as to whether or not the location associated with the wireless station is within the area of interest.

Abstract: A method including the steps of receiving a mobile identification number identifying a mobile unit (36), performing a multilateration location measurement based on a nonperiodic signal received from the mobile unit (116), retrieving a location zone from a memory based on the mobile identification number (210), comparing the multilateration location measurement with the location zone, and generating a billing record for the mobile unit (214).