Patent ID: 6055434
Filing Date: 2000-04-25
Classification: G01S

Abstract:
A system for locating a mobile station within a mobile telecommunications network, comprising:a mobile telecommunications node for providing mobile service over a particular geographic area;a plurality of beacons, each of said plurality of beacons having a known location and being selectively placed throughout said particular geographic area and broadcasting identification data identifying said beacon, wherein said plurality of beacons are not connected to said mobile telecommunications node;a mobile station for effectuating a call connection with said mobile telecommunications network, said mobile station further comprising:a receiver for receiving said identification data from at least a portion of said plurality of beacons; anda transmitter for communicating said received identification data for certain plural ones of said plurality of beacons with the strongest received signal strength towards said mobile telecommunications node; andan application module associated with said mobile telecommunications network and configured to determine the location of said mobile station as being approximate to the known locations of said certain plural ones of the plurality of beacons with the strongest received signal strength identified by the received identification data communicated from the mobile station.