Method for deferred location reporting

Abstract

The invention relates to the provision of deferred location reporting wherein the reporting is triggered by a trigger location change event. Trigger location change events are either related to a user of a cellular telecommunication network entering, leaving or changing an area, or to an area, which is entered or left by a user.

1 . A method in a cellular telecommunications network of deferring provision of location information of a user to a client external to the network, comprising the steps of: 
 specifying accuracy of subscriber location information to the client;    defining, or receiving a definition of, at least one triggering location change event for the subscriber;    monitoring the triggering location change event for the subscriber;    detecting the triggering location change event;    determining the location of the user:    transforming location information of the user from telecommunication network coordinates to geographical coordinates; and    sending the geographical coordinates of the user location to the client.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein a trigger location change event is an entering or a leaving of one of an area served by a mobile switching center, an area served by a General Packet Radio Service support node, a cell, a location area, a routing area, and a service area.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein determining the location of the user further comprises executing a positioning procedure.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein monitoring and detecting of a trigger location change event and initiating the provision of the location of the user to the client is performed by user equipment  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the monitoring and detecting of a trigger location change event and initiating the provision of location information to the client is performed by a node of the cellular telecommunication network  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising storing an indicator that the trigger location change event is defined for the user in a node performing a home location register function.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising verifying that the user has granted a permission to provide the client with the user location information.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the trigger location change event is defined as an entering or leaving of a particular predefined area.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein information about the velocity of a user when entering or leaving the particular predefined area is provided to the client.  
     
     
         10 . A node in a cellular telecommunication network adapted for deferred provision of location information of a user to a client external to the network, the node comprising: 
 means for applying a client specified accuracy to a location of the user;    means for defining, or receiving a definition of, at least one triggering location change event for the user;    means for monitoring the triggering event for the user;    means for detecting the triggering event, means for determining the location of the user;    means for transforming location information of the user from telecommunication network coordinates to geographical coordinates; and    means for sending the location information of the user to the client.    
     
     
         11 . The node of  claim 10 , wherein a trigger location change event is an entering or a leaving of one of an area served by a mobile services switching center, an area served by a General Packet Radio Service support node, a cell, a location area, a routing area, and a service area.  
     
     
         12 . The node of  claim 10 , wherein the means for determining the location of the user further comprises means for executing a positioning procedure.  
     
     
         13 . The node of  claim 10 , wherein equipment associated with the user and in communication with the node performs the monitoring and detecting of a trigger location change event and initiates the provision of the user location to the client.  
     
     
         14 . The node of  claim 10  is further adapted for performing the monitoring and detecting of a trigger location change event and initiating the provision of the user location information to the client.  
     
     
         15 . The node of  claim 14  wherein the node is further adapted for performing home location register functions and is adapted for storing an indicator that the trigger location change event is defined for the user.  
     
     
         16 . The node of  claim 10 , further comprising means for verifying that the user has granted a permission to provide the client with location information.  
     
     
         17 . The node of  claim 10 , wherein the trigger location change event is defined as an entering or leaving of a particular predefined area.  
     
     
         18 . The node of  claim 17 , wherein information about the velocity of a user when entering or leaving the particular predefined area is provided to the client.  
     
     
         19 . A system for deferred provision of location information of a cellular telecommunication network user to a client external to the network, wherein the system comprises: 
 means for specifying accuracy of the user location information to the client;    means for defining, or receiving a definition of, at least one triggering location change event for the user;    means for monitoring the triggering event for the user;    means for detecting the triggering event;    means for determining the location of the user;    means for transforming location information of the user from telecommunication network coordinates to geographical coordinates; and    means for sending the geographical coordinates of the user to the client.    
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein a trigger location change event is an entering or a leaving of one of an area served by a mobile services switching center, an area served by a General Packet Radio Service support node, a cell, a location area, a routing area, and a service area.  
     
     
         21 . The system according to  claim 19 , wherein the means for determining the location of the user further comprises means for executing a positioning procedure.  
     
     
         22 . The system according to  claim 19 , wherein equipment associated with the user and in communication with the node performs the monitoring and detecting of a trigger location change event and initiates the provision of the user location to the client.  
     
     
         23 . The system according to  claim 19 , wherein a node in the cellular telecommunication network is adapted for performing the monitoring and detecting of a trigger location change event and initiating the provision of location information to the client.  
     
     
         24 . The system according to  claim 23 , wherein the node is further adapted for performing home location register functions and is adapted for storing an indicator that a trigger location change event is defined for the user.  
     
     
         25 . The system according to  claim 19 , further comprising means for verifying that the user has granted a permission to provide the client with location information.  
     
     
         26 . The node of  claim 19 , wherein the trigger location change event is defined as an entering or leaving of a particular predefined area.  
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein information about the velocity of a user when entering or leaving the particular predefined area is provided to the client.  
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of sending the location information of the user to the client further comprises the location information comprising geographical coordinates.  
     
     
         29 . The node of  claim 10 , wherein the step of sending the location information of the user to the client further comprises the location information comprising geographical coordinates.  
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein the step of sending the location information of the user to the client further comprises the location information comprising geographical coordinates.