Patent ID: 7949347

Claim:
A method for locating a wireless communication device in a wireless telecommunications network using a dual-function landline telephone device including a handset, telephone instrument electronics for communicating with a public switched telephone network (PSTN), a wireless communication device signal detector, and a signal strength measuring circuit, the method comprising: receiving a communication from a source other than the wireless communication device identifying the wireless communication device as a target wireless communication device; the wireless communication device signal detector of the dual-function landline telephone device receiving radio-frequency (RF) signals emitted from the wireless communication device; determining from data in the RF signals that the RF signals were emitted by the wireless communication device identified as the target wireless communication device in the communication; the dual-function landline telephone device performing dual functions of enabling a user to communicate with the PSTN via the handset and analyzing the RF signals received from the wireless communication device, including the signal strength measuring circuit measuring strength of the RF signals received by the wireless communication device signal detector of the dual-function landline telephone device; and determining a location of the wireless communication device including considering a location of the dual-function landline telephone device performing the dual functions of enabling a user to communicate with the PSTN via the handset and analyzing the RF signals from the wireless communication device; wherein the signal strength measuring circuit measures the strength of the RF signals received by the wireless communication device signal detector of the dual-function landline telephone device only if the wireless communication device from which the RF signals emitted is the target wireless communication device identified in the communication.