Method for providing communication services based on geographic location

Communication services can be controlled within geographic areas (126) by a communication resource controller (101). This occurs, when the communication resource controller (101) receives the location of a particular communication unit (102, 103) and a particular service request. Having this information, the communication resource controller (101) accesses a database (124) and determines whether that particular service request is restricted in the area that the unit is located. If the service is restricted in that area, the communication unit's (102, 103) request is denied.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates generally to communication systems, and, in 
particular, to controlling communication services based on geographic 
location. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
Communication systems are known to include a communication resource 
controller, a plurality of communication units, and communication 
resources. In such communication systems, the communication units 
communicate with each other via the communication resources, where a 
communication resource may be an RF channel, a pair of RF channels, a TDM 
slot, or any medium for carrying RF signals. To initiate a communication, 
a communication unit transmits a communication request to the 
communication resource controller via a communication resource dedicated 
for control information (control channel). The communication request 
includes a request for a particular service, such as allocation of a 
communication resource and identity of a target communication unit, or 
units. For example, the request may be for a group call which identifies 
all the communication units in the same group as the initiating 
communication unit. 
Upon receiving this request, the communication resource controller 
determines whether the communication unit is authorized to access the 
system and, if so, grants the request. Having granted the request, the 
communication resource controller allocates a communication resource to 
the initiating communication unit and the target communication units, and 
then transmits a communication resource allocation message on the control 
channel. All communication units within the coverage area of the control 
channel antenna receive the allocation message. However, only the 
communication units identified in the message, i.e., the initiating and 
target communication units, will access the allocated communication 
resource and subsequently partake in the communication. 
This method of communication resource allocation works very well in many 
trunking communication system applications, however, because of specific 
user needs, this method has its limitations. When a specific user need is 
location dependent, the operator of the communication unit must remember 
the specific operating requirements. For example, assume that the operator 
is located within a hospital, where, based on hospital regulations, 
speaker volume levels are limited and/or certain types of RF transmissions 
prohibited. If the operator forgets these specific operating requirements, 
the hospital regulations will be violated. 
In the above example, violating the speaker volume level setting is not a 
tremendously serious offense, however, violating other requirements could 
be very serious. As an example, assume the hospital's RF transmission 
restriction is near an operating room that is using RF, or RF sensitive, 
surgical equipment. If the communication unit operator violates this 
restriction, the RF, or RF sensitive, surgical equipment could be 
interfered with, thus jeopardizing the surgical procedure. 
Therefore, a need exists for a method that automatically controls 
communication services based on geographic location of communication 
units.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
Generally, the present invention provides a method that controls 
communication services based on geographic location. This is accomplished 
when a communication resource controller receives location coordinates of 
a communication unit. Upon receiving this information, the resource 
controller determines whether the communication unit is located within a 
predetermined geographic region. If the communication unit is within the 
predetermined geographic region, the communication resource controller 
transmits a predefined message. The predefined message may indicate a 
maximum volume setting, or limit certain types of communication services, 
or disable the communication unit entirely. With such a method, 
accessibility to communication services within a predefined area can be 
automatically controlled, thus substantially eliminating the potential for 
human error. 
The present invention can be more fully described with reference to FIGS. 
1-3. FIG. 1 illustrates a communication system 100 and includes a 
communication resource controller (101), a plurality of communication 
units (102, 103), a plurality of antennas (104, 105), and a limited number 
of communication resources (106-112). Each of the antennas (104, 105), 
which may be incorporated into a base station such as Motorola 
QUANTAR.TM., has an RF coverage area (113, 114). Each of the communication 
units (102, 103) includes a location receiver (117, 118), which may be a 
global positioning satellite receiver that is coupled to a communication 
processor (not shown). 
Within the communication system 100, any of the communication units (102, 
103) may initiate a communication by transmitting a request to the 
communication resource controller (101). The communication resource 
controller (101), which may be a Motorola trunking central controller, 
includes a database (124) which it accesses to determine the type of 
request received. In addition to receiving the request (119), the 
communication resource controller also receives the location (121) of the 
particular communication unit and the unit's identification code (120). 
Based on this information, the communication resource controller (101) 
accesses its database (124) to determine the type of service requested 
(123) and where that geographic region is limited (125). As an example, 
assume that communication unit (103) is within the geographic region (126) 
and has transmitted a service request for a communication. Upon receiving 
this request, the communication resource controller (101) accesses its 
database (124) and determines for this particular type of call (124) and 
geographic region (125), that the service must be restricted. The service 
may be restricted in a variety of ways. For example, the restriction may 
be a maximum volume level setting, prohibition of the service requested, 
or a limitations on the service requested. Note that the service requested 
may be any type of communication system feature, such as, but not limited 
to, telephone interconnect, group calls, private calls, data 
transmissions, and graphic message transmissions. 
Upon determining the restriction, the communication resource controller 
(101) transmits a message to the communication unit (103) indicating the 
restriction. This message may also be sent to any other communication 
units located within the geographic region (126), thus all units within 
the geographic region (126) are automatically aware of the restriction. 
To further illustrate the above discussion, consider the logic diagram of 
FIG. 2. At step (200), a communication unit periodically, or upon request, 
transmits its location as location coordinates. The location coordinates 
are determined via the GPS receiver located within the communication unit. 
Once the location coordinates have been received, the communication 
resource controller determines the communication unit's location (201). 
This is a relatively simple process which can be accomplished by 
interpreting the location coordinates and mapping them against a 
particular geographic area. Having the communication unit's location, the 
communication resource controller determines whether the unit is located 
within a predetermined geographic region (202), i.e., the communication 
resource controller accesses its database and compares the unit's location 
with coordinates that define the predetermined geographic region. The 
predetermined geographic region may be established based on user 
requirements, for example, a hospital area, a construction site, a 
particular part of the city, or a library. If the communication unit is 
not within the predetermined geographic region (203), the process ends 
(204), i.e., there will be no restrictions on the communication unit's 
ability to access the communication services. 
If, however, the communication unit is within the predetermined geographic 
region (203), the communication resource controller transmits a predefined 
message to the communication unit (205). The predefined message may alter, 
or reconfigure, the communication services that the communication unit may 
request such as limiting telephone interconnect services, restricting RF 
transmissions, or setting predetermined volume levels. The message may 
also include a text message for display on the communication unit 
informing the user of these altered, or reconfigured, service 
capabilities, or an alarm may be triggered to indicate the 
reconfiguration. 
Upon receipt of the predefined message, the communication unit determines 
whether the predefined message requires an action (206). If an action is 
not required (207), the process is complete (208). If however, an action 
is required, the action is performed (209), where the action may be 
setting the volume level as directed, disabling the communication unit, or 
disabling the services not allowed in this particular area. At the option 
of the communication unit operator, or the system manager, the action may 
be done automatically, or manually. 
FIG. 3 illustrates an alternative logic diagram that may be used to 
implement the present invention. At step (300), the communication unit 
transmits a service request and its location coordinate to the 
communication resource controller. Upon receipt of this information, the 
communication resource controller determines the communication unit's 
location and the particular type of service requested (301). Having this 
information, the communication resource controller then determines whether 
the communication unit is located within a predetermined geographic area 
(302). If the communication unit is not within the predefined geographic 
region (302), the particular service requested is granted (303). 
If however, the communication unit is within the predetermined geographic 
region (302), the communication resource controller determines whether the 
requested service is restricted in this region (304). As described above, 
the database contained within the communication resource controller 
contains the information necessary to make this determination. If the 
requested service is not restricted in this region, the process proceeds 
to (303). If however, the service is restricted in this region, the 
service request is denied (305). 
As an alternative to the above embodiments, a communication unit (102, 103) 
may determine the communication restrictions based on its location. In 
this embodiment, the communication unit determines its location and uses 
this information to address a database. Having addressed the database, the 
communication unit determines whether it is located within a geographic 
region that has restricted communication services. If the unit is in a 
restricted region, the communication unit retreives reconfiguration 
information, which indicates the communication service restrictions or new 
access privileges. Having this information, the communication unit 
reconfigures its operation in accordance with the reconfiguration 
information. 
The present invention provides a method for controlling communication 
services based on geographic location. This method restricts, or controls, 
particular services that a communication unit can access based on that 
unit's geographic location. With such a method, users can define 
particular geographic regions and automatically control access to services 
in that region, thus substantially eliminating the human error factor of 
prior art systems.