Method and apparatus for fixing the location of a fixed wireless terminal in a wireless network

Abstract

A method for fixing a location of a fixed wireless terminal. The method includes receiving a first plurality of telecommunication signals at the fixed wireless terminal, generating a first model of a network environment of the fixed wireless terminal based on an identification code sent with each of the first plurality of received signals, wherein the identification code is indicative of a base station from which the signal was transmitted, and the signal strength of each of the first plurality of received signals, receiving a second plurality of telecommunication signals at the fixed wireless terminal, generating a second model of the network environment of the fixed wireless terminal based on an identification code sent with each of the second plurality of received signals, wherein the identification code is indicative of a base station from which the signal was transmitted, and the signal strength of each of the second plurality of received signals, and determining whether the first and second models differ beyond a predetermined limit.

1. A method for fixing a location of a transportable fixed wireless terminal in a fixed wireless network, comprising:
 at the transportable fixed wireless terminal: 
 receiving telecommunication signals transmitted from a first set of base stations;  
 generating a first model of a network environment of the transportable fixed wireless terminal based on: 
 a first set of identification codes in the telecommunication signals received from the first set of base stations, wherein each identification code in the first set of identification codes is indicative of a different base station included in the first set of base stations; and  
 a first set of received signal strengths for the telecommunication signals received from the first set of base stations;  
 
 receiving telecommunication signals transmitted from a second set of base stations;  
 generating a second model of the network environment of the transportable fixed wireless terminal based on: 
 a second set of identification codes in the telecommunication signals received from the second set of base stations, wherein each identification code in the second set of identification codes is indicative of a different base station included in the second set of base stations; and  
 a second set of received signal strengths for the telecommunication signals received from the second set of base stations; and  
 
 determining whether the first and second models differ beyond a predetermined limit.  
 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining whether the first and second models differ beyond a predetermined limit includes comparing the first set of identification codes and the first set of signal strengths with the second set of identification codes and the second set of signal strengths. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 2 , wherein:
 generating the first model includes generating the first model of the network environment based on a first set of digital verification color codes in the telecommunication signals received from the first set of base stations; and  
 generating the second model includes generating the second model of the network environment based on a second set of digital verification color codes in the telecommunication signals received from the second set of base stations.  
 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 2 , wherein:
 generating the first model includes generating the first model of the network environment based on a first set of digital color codes in the telecommunication signals received from the first set of base stations; and  
 generating the second model includes generating the second model of the network environment based on a second set of digital color codes in the telecommunication signals received from the second set of base stations.  
 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 2 , wherein:
 generating the first model includes generating the first model of the network environment based on a first set of supervisory audio tones in the telecommunication signals received from the first set of base stations; and  
 generating the second model includes generating the second model of the network environment based on a second set of supervisory audio tones in the telecommunication signals received from the second set of base stations.  
 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising establishing a remedy when the first and second network environment models differ beyond the predetermined limit. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 6 , wherein establishing a remedy includes preventing a user of the fixed wireless terminal from accessing the fixed wireless network. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 7 , wherein preventing a user from accessing the fixed wireless network includes preventing the user from accessing the fixed wireless network for a predetermined period of time. 
     
     
       9. A transportable fixed wireless terminal, comprising:
 a transceiver for receiving telecommunication signals from one or more base stations;  
 an interface in communication with the transceiver;  
 a topology generation module in communication with the transceiver for generating first and second models of a network environment of the transportable fixed wireless terminal based on telecommunication signals received from the one or more base stations, wherein the first and second models are based on: 
 identification codes in the telecommunication signals received from the one or more base stations, wherein each identification code is indicative of a base station included in the one or more base stations; and  
 received signal strengths for the telecommunication signals received from the one or more base stations; and  
 
 a topology verification module in communication with the topology generation module for comparing the first and second models.  
 
     
     
       10. The fixed wireless terminal of  claim 9 , wherein the identification codes are digital verification color codes. 
     
     
       11. The fixed wireless terminal of  claim 9 , wherein the identification codes are digital color codes. 
     
     
       12. The fixed wireless terminal of  claim 9 , wherein the identification codes are supervisory audio tones. 
     
     
       13. The fixed wireless terminal of  claim 9 , wherein the topology verification module is further for comparing the identification codes and the received signal strengths associated with the first model with the identification codes and the received signal strengths associated with the second model. 
     
     
       14. The fixed wireless terminal of  claim 9 , wherein the topology verification module is further for establishing a remedy when the first model and the second model differ beyond a predetermined limit. 
     
     
       15. A transportable fixed wireless terminal, comprising:
 a transceiver for receiving telecommunication signals from one or more base stations;  
 an interface in communication with the transceiver; and  
 a controller in communication with the transceiver and the interface, the controller including a computer-readable medium, having stored thereon instructions, which when executed by the controller, cause the controller to: 
 generate first and second models of a network environment of the transportable fixed wireless terminal based on telecommunication signals received from the one or more base stations, wherein the first and second models are based on: 
 identification codes in the telecommunication signals received from the one or more base stations, wherein each identification code is indicative of a base station included in the one or more base stations; and  
 received signal strengths for the telecommunication signals received from the one or more base stations; and  
 
 compare the first and second models.  
 
 
     
     
       16. The fixed wireless terminal of  claim 15 , wherein the identification codes are digital verification color codes. 
     
     
       17. The fixed wireless terminal of  claim 15 , wherein the identification codes are digital color codes. 
     
     
       18. The fixed wireless terminal of  claim 15 , wherein the identification codes are supervisory audio tones. 
     
     
       19. A wireless network, comprising:
 a mobile switching center;  
 a plurality of base stations in communication with the mobile switching center; and  
 a transportable fixed wireless terminal in communication with one or more of the plurality of base stations, wherein the transportable fixed wireless terminal includes: 
 a transceiver for receiving telecommunication signals from the one or more base stations;  
 an interface in communication with the transceiver;  
 a topology generation module in communication with the transceiver for generating first and second models of a network environment of the transportable fixed wireless terminal based on telecommunication signals received from the one or more base stations, wherein the first and second models are based on: 
 identification codes in the telecommunication signals received from the one or more base stations, wherein each identification code is indicative of a base station included in the one or more base stations; and  
 received signal strengths for the telecommunication signals received from the one or more base stations; and  
 
 a topology verification module in communication with the topology generation module for comparing the first and second models.  
 
 
     
     
       20. The network of  claim 19 , wherein the mobile switching center is in communication with a public switched telephone network. 
     
     
       21. The network of  claim 19 , wherein the identification codes are digital verification color codes. 
     
     
       22. The network of  claim 19 , wherein the identification codes are digital color codes. 
     
     
       23. The network of  claim 19 , wherein the identification codes are supervisory audio tones. 
     
     
       24. The network of  claim 19 , wherein the topology verification model is further for establishing a remedy when a first model and a second model differ beyond a predetermined limit. 
     
     
       25. A computer- readable medium, having stored thereon instructions, which when executed by a processor of a transportable fixed wireless terminal, cause the processor to execute a method of fixing a location of the transportable fixed wireless terminal, the method comprising:      receiving telecommunication signals transmitted from a first set of base stations; generating a first model of a network environment of the transportable fixed wireless terminal based on the telecommunication signals received from the first set of base stations;        receiving telecommunication signals transmitted from a second set of base stations;        generating a second model of the network environment of the transportable fixed wireless terminal based on the telecommunication signals received from the second set of base stations; and        determining whether the first and second models differ beyond a predetermined limit.     
     
     
       26. The medium of  claim 25 , wherein generating the first model includes generating the first model of the network environment based on a first set of identification codes in the telecommunication signals received from the first set of base stations, wherein each identification code in the first set of identification codes is indicative of a different base station included in the first set of base stations; and wherein generating the second model includes generating the second model of the network environment based on a second set of identification codes in the telecommunication signals received from the second set of base stations, wherein each identification code in the second set of identification codes is indicative of a different base station included in the second set of base stations. 
     
     
       27. The medium of  claim 26 , wherein determining whether the first and second models differ beyond a predetermined limit includes comparing the first set of identification codes with the second set of identification codes. 
     
     
       28. The medium of  claim 26 , wherein generating the first model includes generating the first model of the network environment based on a first set of digital verification color codes in the telecommunication signals received from the first set of base stations; and wherein generating the second model includes generating the second model of the network environment based on a second set of digital verification color codes in the telecommunication signals received from the second set of base stations. 
     
     
       29. The medium of  claim 26 , wherein generating the first model includes generating the first model of the network environment based on a first set of digital color codes in the telecommunication signals received from the first set of base stations; and wherein generating the second model includes generating the second model of the network environment based on a second set of digital color codes in the telecommunication signals received from the second set of base stations. 
     
     
       30. The medium of  claim 26 , wherein generating the first model includes generating the first model of the network environment based on a first set of supervisory audio tones in the telecommunication signals received from the first set of base stations; and wherein generating the second model includes generating the second model of the network environment based on a second set of supervisory audio tones in the telecommunication signals received from the second set of base stations. 
     
     
       31. The medium of  claim 25 , wherein generating the first model includes generating the first model based on a first set of received signal strengths for the telecommunication signals received from the first set of base stations; and wherein generating the second model includes generating the second model based on a second set of received signal strengths for the telecommunication signals received from the second set of base stations. 
     
     
       32. The medium of  claim 25 , wherein generating the first model includes generating the first model based on a first set of arrival times for the telecommunication signals received from the first set of base stations; and wherein generating the second model includes generating the second model based on a second set of arrival times for the telecommunication signals received from the second set of base stations. 
     
     
       33. The medium of  claim 25 , having stored thereon further instructions, which when executed by the processor, cause the method executed by the processor to further comprise:
   establishing a remedy when the first and second network environment models differ beyond the predetermined limit.     
     
     
       34. The medium of  claim 33 , wherein establishing a remedy includes preventing a user of the fixed wireless terminal from accessing the fixed wireless network. 
     
     
       35. The medium of  claim 34 , wherein preventing a user from accessing the fixed wireless network includes preventing the user from accessing the fixed wireless network for a predetermined period of time. 
     
     
       36. The medium according to  claim 25 , wherein:
   said first model of a network environment of the transportable fixed wireless terminal is generated based on:      a first set of identification codes in the telecommunication signals received from the first set of base stations, wherein each identification code in the first set of identification codes is indicative of a different base station included in the first set of base stations; and        a first set of received signal strengths for the telecommunication signals received from the first set of base stations; and          said second model of the network environment of the transportable fixed wireless terminal is generated based on:      a second set of identification codes in the telecommunication signals received from the second set of base stations, wherein each identification code in the second set of identification codes is indicative of a different base station included in the second set of base stations; and        a second set of received signal strengths for the telecommunication signals received from the second set of base stations.       
     
     
       37. The medium of  claim 36 , wherein determining whether the first and second models differ beyond a predetermined limit includes comparing the first set of identification codes and the first set of signal strengths with the second set of identification codes and the second set of signal strengths. 
     
     
       38. The medium of  claim 37 , wherein generating the first model includes generating the first model of the network environment based on a first set of digital verification color codes in the telecommunication signals received from the first set of base stations; and wherein generating the second model includes generating the second model of the network environment based on a second set of digital verification color codes in the telecommunication signals received from the second set of base stations. 
     
     
       39. The medium of  claim 37 , wherein generating the first model includes generating the first model of the network environment based on a first set of digital color codes in the telecommunication signals received from the first set of base stations; and wherein generating the second model includes generating the second model of the network environment based on a second set of digital color codes in the telecommunication signals received from the second set of base stations. 
     
     
       40. The medium of  claim 37 , wherein generating the first model includes generating the first model of the network environment based on a first set of supervisory audio tones in the telecommunication signals received from the first set of base stations; and wherein generating the second model includes generating the second model of the network environment based on a second set of supervisory audio tones in the telecommunication signals received from the second set of base stations. 
     
     
       41. The medium of  claim 36 , having stored thereon further instructions, which when executed by the processor, cause the method executed by the processor to further comprise:
   establishing a remedy when the first and second network environment models differ beyond the predetermined limit.     
     
     
       42. The medium of  claim 41 , wherein establishing a remedy includes preventing a user of the fixed wireless terminal from accessing the fixed wireless network. 
     
     
       43. The medium of  claim 42 , wherein preventing a user from accessing the fixed wireless network includes preventing the user from accessing the fixed wireless network for a predetermined period of time.