Over the air user zone assignment for wireless telephony systems
US6618594B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 20, 1999 |
| Grant date | Sep 9, 2003 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 20, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04W64/00
- WIPO fieldDigital communication
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A method of defining a user zone for a mobile user terminal in a wireless communication system including a network controller providing communication services to a plurality of mobile user terminals. The method includes the steps of locating a user terminal within the wireless communication system, referencing at least one user-selected vector from the user terminal location, and transmitting the vector information to the network controller. The network controller, in turn, generates a user zone associated with the user terminal as a function of the vector information such that the user zone defines a geographic region wherein the user terminal can access communication services of the communication system without incurring out-of-network fees. In one aspect of the invention, the user terminal includes a GPS receiver for determining the location of the user terminal and providing a reference for the user-selected vectors defining the desired user zone.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.