At System Equipment (i.e., Base Station) Patents (Class 455/456.5)
  • Publication number: 20130115974
    Abstract: A mobile terminal is allowed to automatically reproduce contents by a user-desired device based on its own position and orientation. A method for controlling contents reproduction in a mobile terminal includes acquiring at least one of position and orientation of the mobile terminal, selecting one of a plurality of external devices based on the acquired at least one of the position and the orientation, the plurality of external devices being capable of reproducing contents at different positions, respectively, and transmitting a signal to the selected one external device for controlling the selected one external device to reproduce the contents.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2012
    Publication date: May 9, 2013
    Inventors: Seokhee LEE, Mikyung KIM, Hyoungrae KIM, Sungmok SHIN, Myonggu LEE, Sangho CHOI, Seongpyo HONG, Sanghyuk OH
  • Patent number: 8437771
    Abstract: A user of a wireless device logs onto the computer system via the wireless device, a land based telephone, a computer, or other communication means via the Internet, land based telephone lines, or other communication devices. The user identifies himself or herself by the logging on process and then communicates with the computer system by inputting certain information into computer screens. Parents will have certain controls available to them to either preselect what their children will have access to at a subsequent log on or will be able to prevent their children from having access to certain material. After the user logs on to the system, the user will be able to determine what communications he or she will receive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2013
    Inventor: Thomas E. Coverstone
  • Patent number: 8437769
    Abstract: A mobile station transmits a message by transmitting an access probe that includes the message preceded by a preamble. The mobile station selects the length of the preamble from among a first preamble length and a second preamble length. The second preamble length is greater than the first preamble length. The mobile station makes the selection based, at least in part, on the distance between the mobile station and the mobile station's primary base transceiver station (BTS). If the distance is greater than a threshold distance, the mobile station selects the second preamble length. If the distance is less than the threshold distance, the mobile station selects the first preamble length, provided that an idle handoff to a neighboring BTS that is more than the threshold distance away is unlikely.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2013
    Assignee: Sprint Spectrum L.P.
    Inventors: Debasish Sarkar, Deveshkumar Rai, Manoj Shetty, Sachin R. Vargantwar, Siddharth S. Oroskar
  • Patent number: 8437702
    Abstract: A wireless digital communication system includes a base station in communication with a plurality of user equipment mobile terminals (UEs). The system prioritizes the forwarding of blocks of downlink data to designated ones of the UEs. The system employs adaptive modulation and coding (AM&C) to achieve improved radio resource utilization and provides optimum data rates for user services. Blocks of downlink (DL) data are received by the base station which requests downlink (DL) channel quality measurements only from those mobile terminals (UEs) with pending downlink transmissions. The UEs respond to the request by measuring and reporting DL channel quality to the base station, which then allocates resources such that the UEs will make best use of radio resources. The base station notifies the UEs of the physical channel allocation indicating the modulation/coding rate and allocated slots followed by transmission of blocks of downlink data which are transmitted to the UEs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2013
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Stephen E. Terry, Stephen G. Dick, James M. Miller, Eldad M. Zeira, Ariela Zeira
  • Patent number: 8437783
    Abstract: A Location Server receives requests for subscribers that are within an Alert Area to enable notifications/alerts to be sent to the subscribers from an Alert Application. The Location Server extracts the location information by performing a search in a Database for subscribers that are located in the Alert Area. The quality of the locations in the database is dependent of the frequency with which a Core Network sends passive location data to the Location Server at network events when the Mobile Station is in contact with the network. The Location Server reconfigures the Core Network and Radio Access Network to send the information when it is needed. An advantage of the invention is that it is possible to provide services that require knowing which subscribers are currently located in a specific area in a flexible way without over loading the mobile network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2013
    Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (Publ)
    Inventor: Stefan Gustafsson
  • Patent number: 8437779
    Abstract: In general, the subject matter described in this specification can be embodied in methods, systems and program products for dynamically generating contact list. A computer system identifies a geographic location of a mobile computing device that is associated with a user. A local contact list is generated by selecting, for inclusion in the local contact list, one or more contacts that are from a contact list that is stored for the user and are within a first predetermined geographic location. The local contact list is generated by selecting, for inclusion in the local contact list, one or more contacts that are not in the contact list that is stored for the user and are within a second predetermined geographic location. The local contact list is provided for display on the mobile computing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2013
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventor: Prasenjit Phukan
  • Patent number: 8433335
    Abstract: Provided is a method and apparatus for sharing information from a communication device. The communication device is to send first information to a first apparatus and second information to a second apparatus. In accordance with an embodiment of the application, the communication device combines the first information and the second information in a single message and then sends the message to a network node. In accordance with another embodiment of the application, the network node separates the first information from the second information and sends the first information and the second information to the first apparatus and the second apparatus, respectively. Note that the communication device did not have to send separate messages to the apparatuses and therefore there is a reduction in number of messages sent by the communication device. This reduction has an effect of reducing network utilization by the communication device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2013
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Marcel F. Leica, Yevgeny Bondar, Alexander Sherkin, Laura Brindusa Fritsch
  • Patent number: 8433292
    Abstract: In one example embodiment of the present invention, a method of managing information at a base station in a wireless network includes determining whether first information is at least one of low priority information and high priority information. The method further includes queuing the information if the information is determined to be low priority information, and sending the information to a mobile station if the information is determined to be high priority information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2013
    Assignee: Alcatel Lucent
    Inventors: James W. McGowan, Michael C. Recchione
  • Patent number: 8433336
    Abstract: Disclosed are a method for guiding a route by using augmented reality and a mobile terminal using the same. The method for guiding a route by a mobile terminal includes: receiving route source information from a first terminal; displaying a surrounding image of the first terminal including augmented reality (AR) information by a second terminal based on the received route source information; and providing, by the second terminal, a real time route guidance to the first terminal according to a user input with respect to the displayed surrounding image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2013
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Taesung Lee, Eunkyung Kim, Taehyun Lim, Jooil Lee, Hyesook Jeon
  • Patent number: 8433334
    Abstract: Methods, program products, and systems for managing a location database are described. A server computer can receive location information from location-aware mobile devices (e.g., GPS-enabled devices) located within a communication range of access points of a wireless communications network. The server computer can calculate average geographic locations using the received locations for each access point. Based on the average geographic locations, the server computer can assign the access points to cells of a geographic grid. The server computer can filter the access points in each cell based on popularity, stability, longevity, and freshness of the access point and the received data. When a second mobile device connects to an access point in a cell, the server computer can transmit locations of the access points in the cell and in neighboring cells to the second mobile device such that a location of the second mobile device can be estimated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2013
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Ronald K. Huang, Markus Fischer, Seejo Pylappan
  • Patent number: 8433370
    Abstract: A mobile terminal and controlling method thereof are disclosed, by which object information on an object in a preview image is held in the preview image to be utilized in various ways. The present invention includes displaying a preview image photographed via a camera, obtaining a current position of the mobile terminal, searching object information on at least one object in the preview image based on the current position of the mobile terminal, displaying the found object information within the preview image, if the displayed the object information is selected from the preview image, holding the selected object information within the preview image, and controlling an operation related to the held object information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2013
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Eunsoo Jung
  • Patent number: 8428615
    Abstract: A method and a device for determining a position of a communication apparatus is provided. To determine a position of a first apparatus a first signal is transmitted from a second apparatus to the first apparatus. A second signal is then transmitted from the first apparatus to the second apparatus as a response to the first signal, the first signal and the second signal being transmitted by way of at least two different mediums. Signal strength of the second signal received by the second apparatus and a transfer time from a first time of transmission of the first signal to a second time of receipt of the second signal are measured. The position of the first apparatus is finally calculated as a function of the measured signal strength of the received second signal and the measured transfer time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Alejandro Ramirez, Christian Schwingenschlögl
  • Patent number: 8428617
    Abstract: A system and method selects secondary base stations to task that provide geo-location information used to geo-locate a mobile station. A network overlay location system may be co-located at base station sites of a wireless communications network. The location measurement units of the network overlay system provide location information of the mobile station, which may be determined via one or more geo-location techniques, for example: time of arrival (TOA), time difference of arrival (TDOA), uplink time difference of arrival (UTDOA), angle of arrival (AOA), signal power, radio fingerprinting etc. Selecting secondary base stations to task using various selection criteria may provide optimum results when geo-locating a mobile station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: Andrew LLC
    Inventors: George Maher, Ananth Kalenahalli, John Carlson
  • Patent number: 8428616
    Abstract: The disclosed subject matter relates to an architecture that can facilitate and/or transmit notifications based upon device presence techniques in connection with a wireless communications network. For example, when certain mobile devices register with a particular network entity (e.g., a femtocell) that services a particular target location (e.g., place of residence), then such registration can be leveraged to indicate presence at the target location. Accordingly, notifications can be delivered to custodian devices that indicate the presence information if certain predetermined conditions or criteria are satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: William Robbins, Judson Flynn, Randolph Wohlert
  • Publication number: 20130095860
    Abstract: A mobile communication method according to the present invention includes a step of instructing a target mobile station UE, by a radio base station eNB, to perform “MDT” based on an “MDT policy”, a step of acquiring, by the target mobile station UE, from a positioning server E-SMLC, the location information of the target mobile station UE, and a step of transmitting, by the target mobile station UE, to the radio base station eNB, the measurement result of the desired radio quality and the location information of the target mobile station UE.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 5, 2011
    Publication date: April 18, 2013
    Applicant: NTT DOCOMO, INC.
    Inventors: Wuri Andarmawanti Hapsari, Anil Umesh, Mikio Iwamura, Hideaki Takahashi, Minami Ishii
  • Patent number: 8421675
    Abstract: A system for determining location and timing information in a cellular network includes a space-time calibration unit (SCU) and a plurality of nodes in communication with the SCU. Each node includes a node ping driver that receives frame synchronization information from a respective subset of cell sites, and associates the frame synchronization information with respective receive count stamps generated using a local node clock. The system also includes a user handset that includes a handset ping driver that receives the frame synchronization information from a serving cell site and one or more neighbor cell sites, and associates the frame synchronization information with respective receive count stamps generated using a local handset clock. The SCU uses the information from the node and handset ping drivers to determine a handset location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
    Inventors: Geoffrey B. Rhoads, Tom Tewalt, Hugh L. Brunk, Tyler J. McKinley
  • Patent number: 8421615
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for a sensor network having a plurality of reference nodes and a sensor node that enables the sensor node to compute a relative position through transmission range control and position mapping. In transmission range control, each reference node sends location information signals to the sensor node while varying transmission power. In position mapping, the sensor node forms a grid of vertical and horizontal lines corresponding to a square area defined by the neighboring reference nodes, extracts coordinates of intersections in the grid belonging to a shared region between areas covered by location information signals of various transmit power levels from the neighboring reference nodes, and sets the position of the sensor node to the middle points of the extracted coordinates. Each reference node sends a location information signal when a random backoff time expires after reception of a location information request signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignees: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., Research and Business Foundation, Korea University
    Inventors: Jehyok Ryu, Sun Gi Kim, Hyo Hyun Choi, Sun Shin An, Sae Young Ahn, Bum Jin Kim
  • Patent number: 8423051
    Abstract: A method and system for improving performance of a positioning system during a continuous positioning process. The method is applied in a mobile communication positioning system, and mainly comprises the following steps: during the continuous positioning process, a mobile positioning center sends a mobile station state inquiring request to a home location register, the home location register receives the request and returns a mobile station current state response, the mobile positioning center performs positioning process or terminates positioning process to the mobile station based on the current state of the station. The present method can avoid circumstances where the continuous positioning has terminated while the positioning center and the positioning entity fails to release resources in time. Also, it can continuously track a subscriber in special industrial application, which avoids the circumstance of inability to continue previous continuous positioning after restart of a subscriber terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: ZTE Corporation
    Inventor: Jun Yuan
  • Patent number: 8423002
    Abstract: A mobile device may determine an address of a location server to use for location-based services to the mobile device. In one implementation, a mobile device may retrieve a service list that indicates services available to the mobile device and determine whether location-based services are enabled for the mobile device. The mobile device may additionally retrieve, from a file stored as part of a file structure associated with a smart card of the mobile device, a network address of a location server corresponding to the location-based services. The mobile device may connect to the location server to obtain location-based services from the location server.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc.
    Inventor: Bjorn Hjelm
  • Patent number: 8423053
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a mobile terminal network and a method for mobile terminals to receive text messages, the method comprising a network server pages a mobile terminal and determines whether text messages can be sent; if the mobile terminal is in the Packet Transfer state, it does not respond to the paging by the network server; if the network server does not receive a response from the mobile terminal, it terminates the paging until receiving position update information from the mobile terminal. After updating the position, the mobile terminal sends position update information to the network server; the network server continues to page the mobile terminal so as to take an action to send text messages. When a mobile terminal is switching in the Packet Transfer state, it can receive and send text messages promptly and rapidly, which ensures that users can receive text messages promptly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: Huizhou TCL Mobile Communication Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shengbin Wang, Caixia Wang
  • Patent number: 8423047
    Abstract: An embodiment of the current invention is directed to facilitating a location-based service for use by a given mobile-device. A location of each of a number of base stations that makes up a portion of a wireless-telecommunications-network is identified. For a given base station, the probability that it provides a level of signal coverage to a geographical area that would enable the mobile-device in the first geographical area to communicate with the network is determined. A density of possible locations that the mobile-device may be within the geographical area is determined. A position for the mobile-device is approximated based on the density. A location-based service is facilitated for use by the mobile-device based on the position of the mobile-device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventors: Hui Zang, Jean C. Bolot, Francois Baccelli
  • Patent number: 8423042
    Abstract: A system for determining location of an object, the system including a Master Unit having an RF transceiver and adapted to measure distance to the Tag. The Master Unit has a first input from which it can derive its current position. The Master Unit transmits instructions to the Tag for movement in a predetermined direction. The Master Unit measures distance to the Tag after the movement in the predetermined direction. The Master Unit determines position of the Tag after the movement in the predetermined direction. The Tag can include a compass, a pedometer, and optionally an accelerometer, a solid-state gyroscope, an altimeter inputs for determining its current position by the Master Unit. The Master can optionally include a compass as well as a pedometer, an altimeter, an accelerometer, a solid-state gyroscope, an altimeter and a GPS receiver. Also, the Tag movement does not have to follow the Master's direction. However, the Master Unit still will be able to determine the Tag location(s).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: Invisitrack, Inc.
    Inventors: Russ Markhovsky, Evgenii Mikhienko, Evgenii Vityaev
  • Patent number: 8417215
    Abstract: In a tracking method for tracking a local wireless device in a medical facility having a medical facility network (10), the local wireless device (50, 51, 52), which is not connected with the medical facility network (10), is detected based on local wireless communication. (54, 55, 56, 58) between the local wireless device and at least one nearby network device (12, 14, 16) that is connected with the medical facility network. A location of the local wireless device within the medical facility is estimated based on the local wireless communication and information indicative of a location of the at least one nearby network device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
    Inventors: Heribert Baldus, Karin Klabunde, Guido Musch, Joan Santos Farras
  • Patent number: 8417261
    Abstract: A system and method for observing a personal networking event which shares the position of a number of friendly participants with other participants within a group. In one form, the position of unknown participants meeting certain criteria is also displayed to a user or one or more friendly participants. The views are selectable by friendly participants on, for example, a GPS equipped cell phone, to include a view from the participant's position, zoom, pan, and tilt views, or views from another friendly location or from another geographic location, giving increased situational awareness and identification of participants. Other information can be shared among friendly participants, including social information, status and directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Inventor: Charles D. Huston
  • Patent number: 8412227
    Abstract: Briefly, in accordance with one embodiment, a method of transmitting signals is provided. Signal waveforms are transmitted from at least two respective sectors. The at least two respective sectors are from at least two different sets of a superset of sectors. The transmitted signal waveforms include signal waveforms at least nearly mutually orthogonal at least along a particular signal dimension. An advantage of such an embodiment, for example, is reduced signal interference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Stephen W. Edge, Peter John Black, Qiang Wu, Wanlun Zhao, Yeliz Tokgoz, Roberto Padovani, Ayman Fawzy Naguib, Je Woo Kim, Pranav Dayal, Parag Arun Agashe
  • Patent number: 8412204
    Abstract: A wireless communication device determines a latitude indicator, longitude indicator, and received signal strength for its current location. The devices processes the latitude indicator, longitude indicator, and received signal strength to estimate its elevation at the location. The device also processes its handover history to determine a handover probability factor. The device then processes the estimated elevation and handover probability factor to estimate if the device is located in a building above an elevation level. If the estimate indicates that the device is located within the building above the elevation level, then the device modifies a handover parameter to inhibit handover attempts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventors: Siddharth S. Oroskar, Sachin R. Vargantwar, Anoop Kumar Goyal, Manoj Shetty
  • Patent number: 8406789
    Abstract: Apparatus and method for recognizing Global System for Mobile communication (GSM) signals are provided. The solution comprises obtaining position and timing information from a satellite positioning system; tuning to a frequency channel with GSM transmission; collecting a group of I/Q samples for the length of 12 GSM frames; performing peak detection using at least two peak detectors over the group of samples wherein the found peak values are the locations of synchronization bursts (SCH). For the found peaks, the timing information, carrier-to-noise ratio, in phase and quadrature values are determined. A group of I/Q samples for the length of 12 or 51 GSM frames are collected. From the found SCH, base station identification code BSIC, frame number and Broadcast Control Channel (BCCH) training sequence are determined. BCCHs corresponding to all SCH are decoded; and transmitting base stations identified.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: Anite Finland Oy
    Inventor: Steven Thompson
  • Patent number: 8406760
    Abstract: In a method and an arrangement for using certain data acquired upon registration of a mobile communication device of a mobile subscriber of a cellular provider at a switching center, in particular for traffic forecasting, wherein the acquired data comprise at least a numerical identification associated with the person of the subscriber and time and location of registration at the switching center, the numerical identification is used at least partially as an argument of a true one-way function or pseudo one-way function for calculating a functional value. The functional value is associated with the acquired data, especially time and location of the registration. The acquired data including the functional value but without the numerical identification are transmitted to a unit using the data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: Vodafone Holding GmbH
    Inventor: Benno Tietz
  • Patent number: 8406987
    Abstract: A cellular-based live traffic service that does not require pre-deployment of infrastructure or GPS-enabled devices uses signals provided by cellular devices to determine course resolution localization and tracking information of the cellular devices. Specialized statistical analysis is performed on the course resolution data to infer the fine resolution positions of the cellular devices. In an example embodiment, the localization and tracking information is provided on a map, or the like, to show relative position and/or trajectory of cellular devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: Gustavo de los Reyes, Gang Xu
  • Patent number: 8406813
    Abstract: A system and a method for restricting wireless communication are provided. A wireless communications device stores a list of geographic characteristics such as, for example, area codes representing either area codes to which calls are only allowed or area codes to which calls are not allowed. If the stored area codes are area codes to which calls are only allowed, then the wireless communications device only allows calls to one of the stored area codes. If the stored area codes are area codes to which calls are not allowed, then the wireless communications device does not allow calls to any of the stored area codes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
    Inventors: Bilhan Kirbas, Maria-Ellen Christy
  • Patent number: 8406812
    Abstract: The invention provides an antenna array suitable for use in a base station in a wireless communications network, the antenna array having a first beamforming arrangement for producing uplink beams and a second beamforming arrangement for producing downlink beams, wherein the first and second beamforming arrangements are different from one another. Preferably the first and second beamforming arrangements feed a common antenna array to produce the uplink and downlink beams. Particularly preferably a plurality of (sin x/x) beams are formed for the uplink, and a plurality of low cusp beams are formed for the downlink. These are advantageously dual polar, in order to achieve diversity gain. In a preferred embodiment, the antenna array is arranged such that three dual polar low cusp beams are formed for the downlink, and six dual polar (sin x/x) beams are formed for the uplink.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: Apple, Inc.
    Inventors: Martin Stevens Smith, Andrew James Urquhart, Julius George Robson, David Damian Nichols Bevan
  • Patent number: 8406787
    Abstract: A method for providing a position determination comprises obtaining (210) of data representing signal properties of a cellular communication network associated with a user equipment and determining of a position for the user equipment based on the signal properties. The method further comprises obtaining (212) of data representing a precoder selection for spatial multiplexing for the user equipment. The determining (214) of a position for the user equipment is based also on the data representing the precoder selection. An arrangement for providing a position determination is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ)
    Inventors: Ari Kangas, Bo Göransson, Karl Torbjörn Wigren
  • Patent number: 8406785
    Abstract: A method of and system for estimating the range of a mobile device to a wireless installation is disclosed. A method of estimating the position of a mobile device includes receiving signals transmitted by fixed-position wireless communication stations in range of a mobile device. One of the wireless communication stations from which signals are received by the mobile device is designated as a serving station and location information is retrieved for said serving station and at least one other neighboring station from which signals are received. For each of the at least one other neighboring stations, a corresponding distance between the serving station and said neighboring station is determined based on the location information. A position of the mobile device is estimated based on the location information for the serving station and said neighboring stations and further based on the distances between the serving station and said neighboring stations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: Skyhook Wireless, Inc.
    Inventors: Farshid Alizadeh-Shabdiz, Christopher Steger
  • Patent number: 8401570
    Abstract: High precision UE position estimates derived by OTDOA positioning in an LTE network are provided to other networks (e.g., WCDMA and/or GSM), along with inter-RAT measurements performed on the other networks, to support fingerprinted positioning databases in the other networks. Signaling is provided enabling LTE UE position estimates to be used as reference points in the fingerprinting database in each of GSM control plane AECID positioning, GSM user plane AECID positioning, WCDMA control plane AECID positioning, and WCDMA user plane AECID positioning. In support thereof, inter-RAT measurement supporting the population of databases in WCDMA and GSM, using fingerprints and reference measurements in LTE; the use of OTDOA positioning to generate the LTE UE position estimates, and the required signaling are disclosed. The AECID databases in WCDMA and GSM networks do not have own-network serving cells at the top hierarchical level, since the inter-RAT measurements are performed in LTE.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ)
    Inventors: Torbjorn Wigren, Ylva Jading, Claes Tidestav
  • Patent number: 8396470
    Abstract: A system and method for determining the availability of a mobile communications device on a network based on a prediction that the device will cross a peer-defined service boundary. The service boundary may be the periphery of a region in which the received signal strength is stronger than a minimum value, or the periphery of a region in which a particular service provider's signal is dominant. When the device is about to cross the service boundary, or has crossed the boundary, a notification of a change in service is issued to at least one of the user of the device, a presence service, or another network operator. The notification may comprise a change in the presence status of the mobile communications device. The service boundary is defined using aggregated data from a plurality of mobile communications devices reporting the received signal strength at various geographic locations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventor: Chris Wormald
  • Patent number: 8396484
    Abstract: Methods, systems and computer program products for determining a location of a device based on location information are described. In some implementations, location assist information may be requested so as to determine a location of sufficient quality to satisfy a requesting application. Upon receiving the location assist information, empherides from one or more visible sources may be requested. The location assist information may be used to determine the location of the device until the device has received and decoded the empherides.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Assignee: CorTxt, Inc.
    Inventors: Roderick Michael Johnson, Brad Scheurman, Dane Blackwell, Ryan Scott Jones
  • Patent number: 8396491
    Abstract: Provided is a location information management method including: step in which a mobile station acquires information on a second radio base station transmitted via a common control channel from the second radio base station while communication is performed with a first radio base station; step for transmitting the information to a radio control device; step in which the radio control device transmits a measurement instruction to the mobile station and the first radio base station if the information on the second radio base station is received; and step for deciding and managing the location information on the mobile station in accordance with the measurement result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Assignee: NTT DoCoMo, Inc.
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Hosono
  • Patent number: 8396488
    Abstract: A wireless communication device transmits location information associated with a mobile worker, and provides an option to the mobile worker to disable such location transmissions. The use of the location transmission function is enhanced by interlocking the location tracking function with one or more other functions of the wireless communication device. When the tracking function is disabled, one or more other functions that the mobile worker finds valuable are also disabled, thus reducing the likelihood that the mobile worker will disable location tracking. Rules may be implemented to disable the other functions only in the event that disabling the tracking function violates a violated. Location monitoring for such workers is thereby enhanced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Assignee: Qualcomm Incorporated
    Inventor: Thomas F. Doyle
  • Publication number: 20130059608
    Abstract: An Aggregate Location Dynometer (ALD) in a physical wireless network alerts to a problematic crowd risk using location based services (LBS). An Aggregate Location Dynometer (ALD) comprises a Network Monitor, a Crowd Risk Determinant and an Alert Module. The Network Monitor monitors wireless traffic for a potential viral event, associated with a formation of a plurality of wireless devices. The Crowd Risk Determinant requests location information associated with a plurality of wireless devices in a given area regarding a respective viral event. The Crowd Risk Determinant determines if the viral event also indicates a crowd safety risk, based on the shape and movement of observed wireless devices. The Alert Module triggers an alert of an impending crowd problem when crowd risk is above a given threshold. Historical databases are empirically determined and maintained in the Aggregate Location Dynometer (ALD) for use in viral event and crowd risk assessment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2011
    Publication date: March 7, 2013
    Inventors: Michael A. Cuff, Todd Gehrke, Farhad Kasad
  • Patent number: 8391889
    Abstract: Methods, program products, and systems of location estimation using a probability density function are disclosed. In general, in one aspect, a server can estimate an effective altitude of a wireless access gateway using harvested data. The server can harvest location data from multiple mobile devices. The harvested data can include a location of each mobile device and an identifier of a wireless access gateway that is located within a communication range of the mobile device. The server can calculate an effective altitude of the wireless access gateway using a probability density function of the harvested data. The probability density function can be a sufficient statistic of the received set of location coordinates for calculating an effective altitude of the wireless access gateway. The server can send the effective altitude of the wireless access gateway to other mobile devices for estimating altitudes of the other mobile devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Lukas M. Marti, Glenn Donald MacGougan, Robert Mayor, Ronald K. Huang, Jason Dere, Yefim Grosman
  • Patent number: 8391334
    Abstract: Systems and methods for improving the reliability of a hub-spoke communications system use a first antenna and a second antenna at the hub terminal. Spread spectrum transmission from the hub terminal uses the first antenna, and the second antenna is enabled when blockage between the first antenna and any one of the spoke terminals is present. The first antenna and the second antenna have substantially orthogonal polarizations. The spread spectrum transmissions from the first antenna and second antenna have different pseudonoise code timing so that the received transmissions are offset by at least one chip interval from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: L-3 Communications Corp
    Inventors: Vaughn L. Mower, Merle L. Keller, Roger Baker
  • Patent number: 8391887
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus to activate location measurements are disclosed. An example method disclosed herein for a wireless device to activate location measurements comprises receiving configuration information including one or more radio link failure criteria for activating a processor for performing stand-alone location measurements, and operating the processor in accordance with the configuration information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
    Inventors: Takashi Suzuki, Zhijun Cai
  • Patent number: 8391893
    Abstract: The disclosure provides devices, systems, and methods for determining a position of a mobile communication device by communicating with the device via a Short Messaging System (SMS). A location query is submitted to an SMS center, which formats a first SMS message for delivery to the device. The first SMS message is delivered to a designated SMS port on the device. A location logic on the device receives the SMS via the SMS port, extracts the location query, and attempts to calculate a location from received satellite signals. The calculated location is submitted back to the SMS server, either to be forwarded to the location server, or to a network element or device that submitted the location query to the SMS center in the first place. Assistance data may additionally be delivered to the mobile communication device via the SMS port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC
    Inventors: Justin Michael Anthony McNamara, John Potts Davis, III, Jay Daryl Rector
  • Publication number: 20130053072
    Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for changing a location area allocated to a current terminal attached to equipment belonging to a first location area of a communication network. The equipment furthermore belongs to at least one second location area of the communication network. The first area and the at least one second area are able to overlap one another. The method includes: broadcasting, via a broadcast channel, an identifier of the first location area and an additional location datum including at least one identifier of the at least one second location area; and selecting, for the current terminal, from the first and the at least one second location area, a current location area, according to the additional location datum and at least one predetermined selection parameter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2011
    Publication date: February 28, 2013
    Applicant: FRANCE TELECOM
    Inventors: Philippe Herbelin, Serban Purge
  • Patent number: 8385251
    Abstract: A user location monitoring unit of a data communication control apparatus monitors a message sent from a wireless device via a repeater. Upon detection of a change in the location of the wireless device, the user location monitoring unit updates the location information in the database and notifies via the Internet a management server of the location change. Upon receipt of the message via the Internet, a destination address confirming and correcting unit of the data communication control apparatus uses the user ID of a destination wireless device as a search keyword to search the database. In turn, the destination address confirming and correcting unit corrects the destination address of the message to the latest address of the pertinent user ID and outputs the corrected message to a received message forwarding unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: Icom Incorporated
    Inventor: Takashi Aso
  • Patent number: 8385901
    Abstract: Systems, methods and interfaces are disclosed for managing communications associated with a mobile communication device. Mobile communication devices process environmental inputs and transmit mobile communication device context information to a communication management system. The context information may, for example, reflect the motion and/or geographic location of the mobile device, and may reflect the risk associated with using the device to handle a call or other communications session. The communication management system uses the context information, optionally in combination with communication device profiles, to determine how to manage incoming and/or ongoing calls or other communication sessions. Mobile device users may also be inhibited from initiating communication sessions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: Aegis Mobility, Inc.
    Inventors: Peter A. Featherstone, Andrew S. Wright, Mandy Chan, John J. Geyer, Stephen J. Williams
  • Patent number: 8385948
    Abstract: In a method of improved positioning of user equipments in a telecommunication system comprising at least one user equipment in communication with a core network node via a radio access network node, in response to a user equipment positioning event for said at least one user equipment performing the following steps. Providing S10 user equipment identification data in the core network node for each at least one user equipment, the data comprising at least a parameter indicative of a type for the user equipment, a confidence reporting principle, a geographical reporting format type, and a positioning method, associated with said user equipment type. Providing S20 positioning information in the core network node from the radio access network node based on the positioning event. The positioning information comprising a geographical format representative of the geographic position of the user equipment, and a positioning method applied in at least the radio network node.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ)
    Inventors: Karl Torbjörn Wigren, Bo Hellander
  • Patent number: 8385946
    Abstract: Adaptive route guidance can include analyzing route progressions associated with one or more routes based on multiple user preferences. The adaptive route guidance can provide one or more preferred routes based on the user preferences, which can be presented to a user for navigation purposes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Scott Forstall, Gregory N. Christie, Robert E. Borchers, Kevin Tiene
  • Patent number: 8385944
    Abstract: A computer-implemented user alert method includes identifying a task for a user, associating a location with the task, monitoring a location of a mobile device associated with the user, and notifying the user about the task when the mobile device comes within a defined proximity of the associated location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventor: Marco Nelissen
  • Patent number: RE44105
    Abstract: A subscriber station for use in a wireless network capable of communicating according to a multi-carrier protocol, such as OFDM or OFDMA. The subscriber station comprises a size M Fourier Transform (FFT or DFT) block for receiving input symbols and generating M FT pre-coded outputs and a size N inverse Fourier Transform (IFFT or IDFT) block capable of receiving N inputs, where the N inputs include the M FT pre-coded outputs from the size M FT block. The size N IFT block generates N outputs to be transmitted to a base station of the wireless network. The input symbols comprise user data traffic to be transmitted to the base station. The size N IFT block also receives signaling and control information on at least some of N-M inputs. The FT pre-coding generates a time-domain signal that has a relatively lower peak-to-average power ratio (PAPR).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Farooq Khan