Patent · US Expired

Method for predicting the location of a mobile station in a mobile communications network

US6052598A · kind A · utility

183Cited by
15References
15Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateSep 30, 1997
Grant dateApr 18, 2000
Priority date
Expiry dateSep 30, 2017

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04W4/029
  • WIPO fieldDigital communication
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

The approximate position of a mobile station in a cell can be predicted by measuring the signal strength between the mobile station and the base station of the cell in which it is located and the base stations of the neighboring cells. After a series of instantaneous signal strength measurements have been collected, the velocity and direction of the mobile unit can be determined. Based on the velocity and direction of the mobile unit, future locations of the mobile unit can be predicted including the projected signal strength between the mobile station and the base stations of the cell in which it is located and neighboring cells. Analyzing the projected signal strength values, the time when the mobile unit will require handover to a neighboring cell can be determined and if desired, resources in a neighboring cell can be allocated in anticipation of the mobile unit being handed over to that cell. New signal strength measurements are periodically collected and new projections are made to increase the accuracy of the estimate of when handover will occur and to what neighboring cell.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.