Patent ID: 7917157

Claim:
A method in a wireless communications system, the method comprising: receiving a request for a current location of a mobile station in a mobile communication system, the request being received from an application configured to provide location dependent services; determining an elapsed time since a last known location of the mobile station was determined; comparing the elapsed time to a threshold time limit; and in response to the comparing: a) if the elapsed time is within the threshold time limit, providing to the application, as the current location, the last known location, without contacting the mobile station; and b) if the elapsed time is not within the threshold time limit, determining a current location of the mobile station and providing to the application, as the current location, the obtained current location, wherein the comparing is performed responsive to a signal indicating the status of the mobile station, wherein, responsive to said signal indicating that the mobile station is active, the comparing is disabled and a current location is determined for the mobile station, and wherein, responsive to said signal indicating that the mobile station is idle, the comparing is enabled.