Patent ID: 8195190

Claim:
A method for determining a location of a wireless communication device (WCD), wherein the WCD is provisioned to operate in (a) a first access network that defines a first plurality of coverage areas and (b) a second access network that defines a second plurality of coverage areas, the method comprising: a dual-mode location system receiving, from a requesting entity, a first request seeking a high-precision indication of a location of the WCD; in response to receiving the first request, the dual-mode location system sending, to a first location system coupled to the first access network, a second request seeking the high-precision indication of the location of the WCD; as a result of sending the second request, the dual-mode location system receiving from the first location system an indication of a first coverage area of the first access network in which the WCD is located; the dual-mode location system identifying that the first location system failed to determine the high precision indication of the location of the WCD; the dual-mode location system sending, to a second location system coupled to the second access network, a third request seeking a low-precision indication of the location of the WCD; as a result of sending the third request, the dual-mode location system receiving from the second location system an indication of a second coverage area of the second access network in which the WCD is located; in response to the identifying, the dual-mode location system determining an overlapping area between the first coverage area and the second coverage area; the dual-mode location system determining an indication of a location of the overlapping area; the dual-mode location system defining the indication of the location of the overlapping area as an indication of the location of the WCD; and the dual-mode location system sending the defined indication of the location of the WCD to the requesting entity.