Location of basestation

Abstract

A basestation for a cellular communication system is intended for purchase and deployment by a customer, rather than by the network operator. After installation, the position of the basestation is determined by detecting signals transmitted by neighbouring basestations. By detecting a position relative to multiple neighbouring basestations, the location of the basestation can be determined to a sufficient degree of accuracy.

1 . A method of determining a location of a basestation in a communications network, the method comprising:
 detecting signals transmitted by a plurality of neighbouring basestations;   determining a location of said basestation relative to each of said plurality of neighbouring basestations; and   determining the location of the basestation based on said determined relative locations.   
     
     
         2 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , comprising determining the location of said basestation relative to each of said plurality of neighbouring basestations based on the strengths of signals from said neighbouring basestations. 
     
     
         3 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , comprising determining the location of said basestation relative to each of said plurality of neighbouring basestations based on the timings of signals from said neighbouring basestations. 
     
     
         4 . A method of preventing use of a SIM card in more than one basestation of a communications network, the method comprising:
 associating a unique identifier of said SIM card with a unique identifier of a basestation; and   allowing operation of said basestation only when an allowed association exists between the SIM card and said basestation.   
     
     
         5 . A method of determining a position of a mobile telecommunications device, the method comprising:
 when the mobile communications device has a connection to a femtocell basestation in a mobile communications network, determining a location of the femtocell basestation; and   taking the location of the femtocell basestation as the position of a mobile telecommunications device.   
     
     
         6 . A method as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein the step of determining the location of the femtocell basestation comprises:
 determining the location of the femtocell basestation based on signals received from other basestations in said mobile communications network.   
     
     
         7 . A method as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein the femtocell basestation has a connection to a packet data network at a known IP address, and the step of determining the location of the femtocell basestation comprises:
 determining a physical address associated with the known IP address; and   determining the location of the femtocell basestation based on said physical address.   
     
     
         8 . A method of determining whether a basestation in a communications network has changed position, the method comprising:
 at a first time, detecting signals transmitted by a plurality of neighbouring basestations;   at a second time, detecting signals transmitted by a plurality of neighbouring basestations;   determining whether the basestation has changed position based on the detecting signals at the first time and at the second time.   
     
     
         9 . A method as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein:
 the step of detecting signals transmitted by the plurality of neighbouring basestations at the first time comprises identifying said neighbouring basestations at the first time;   the step of detecting signals transmitted by the plurality of neighbouring basestations at the second time comprises identifying said neighbouring basestations at the second time; and   the step of determining whether the basestation has changed position comprises determining whether the neighbouring basestations identified at the first time are substantially the same as the neighbouring basestations identified at the second time.   
     
     
         10 . A method as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein said plurality of neighbouring basestations comprise basestations in a plurality of mobile networks. 
     
     
         11 . A method of determining a location of a basestation in a communications network, the method comprising:
 requesting that a mobile device connected to the basestation detect signals transmitted by a plurality of neighbouring basestations; and   determining the location of the basestation based on reported measurements of said signals.   
     
     
         12 . A method as claimed in  claim 11 , comprising obtaining GSM measurements from at least one mobile device connected to the basestation. 
     
     
         13 . A method of determining a location of a basestation in a communications network, the method comprising:
 requesting that a mobile device connected to the basestation report its own location, as determined by a positioning system; and   determining the location of the basestation based on the reported location.