Method and device for providing the location of a mobile station

Abstract

The present invention provides a solution for providing the location of a mobile device connected to a first mobile network to a second mobile network. A mobile device receives information about the geographic location of the base stations in its neighborhood. Based on the identity of the base station the device is connected to the device can determine its geographic location and provide that to the second mobile network.

1 . A method for providing the geographic location of a mobile device roaming in a first cellular communication network to a second cellular communication network, wherein the second cellular communication network is a home network of the mobile device, based on the geographic location of the base station of said first network to which said mobile device is currently connected, comprising:
 said first network providing geographic coordinates indicating the geographic location with regard to at least one of the base stations belonging to said first network to said mobile device;   said first network providing to said mobile device the identity of the base station to which said mobile device is currently connected;   said mobile device determining the geographic coordinates indicating the geographic location of the base station to which said mobile device is currently connected;   said mobile device providing the geographic coordinates indicating the geographic location of the base station to which said mobile device is connected to said second network.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1  further comprising the steps of:
 said first network encrypting said geographic coordinates indicating the geographic location with regard to said at least one base station of said first network prior to providing said geographic coordinates indicating the geographic location with regard to said at least one base station of said first network to said mobile device; 
 said mobile device providing said encrypted geographic coordinates indicating the geographic location of the base station to which said mobile device is currently connected to said second network; 
 said first network providing the information necessary to decrypt said encrypted geographic coordinates to said second network; 
 said second network decrypting said encrypted geographic coordinates indicating the geographic location of the base station to which said mobile device is currently connected. 
 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein said geographic coordinates indicating the geographic location with regard to at least one of the base stations of said first network provided to the mobile device is updated regularly while the mobile device is moving within said first network. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein the geographic coordinates indicating the geographic location with regard to at least one of the base stations of said first network comprises the x,y coordinates indicating said geographic location and wherein the first network further provides the Cell-ID of the base station with said geographic coordinates. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein the first network further provides the value of the Timing Advance (TA) or the Observed Time Difference (OTD) with said geographic coordinates. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1  whereby the geographic coordinates indicating the geographic location of the base station to which said mobile device is connected is provided to the second network in a standard update location procedure. 
     
     
         7 . A mobile device, roaming in a first cellular network, for providing its geographic location to a second cellular communication network, wherein the second cellular communication network is a home network of the mobile device, based on the geographic location of the base station of said first network to which said mobile device is currently connected, the device configured to:
 receive and store geographic coordinates indicating the geographic location with regard to at least one of the base stations belonging to said first network;   receive from said first network the identity of the base station to which said mobile device is currently connected;   determine the geographic coordinates indicating the geographic location of the base station to which said mobile device is currently connected;   provide geographic coordinates indicating the geographic location of the base station to which said mobile device is connected to said second network.   
     
     
         8 . The device according to  claim 7  whereby said geographic coordinates indicating the geographic location information with regard to at least one of the base stations of said first network provided is updated regularly while said device is moving within the first network. 
     
     
         9 . The device according to  claim 7 , wherein the geographic coordinates indicating the geographic location with regard to at least one of the base stations of said first network comprises the x,y coordinates indicating said location, and wherein the mobile device is further configured to receive and store the Cell-ID of the base station with said geographic coordinates. 
     
     
         10 . The device according to  claim 7  wherein the mobile device further configured to receive and store the value of the Timing Advance (TA) or the Observed Time Difference (OTD) with said geographic coordinates.