Patent ID: 8478291

Claim:
A cell identification with ranging wireless location method for determining a subscriber handset location estimate, wherein the method is for use in association with a wireless communications network (WCN) and wherein the location method employs a predetermined distribution of high accuracy subscriber handset location estimates, comprising: defining a grid overlaying the coverage area of the WCN, wherein the grid includes a plurality of grid boxes each of which corresponds to a respective geographic area; associating with each box of the grid a number representing a count of historical high accuracy subscriber handset locations corresponding to the geographic area associated with that grid box; determining an improved nominal location for each of a plurality of range bands in the WCN, wherein the improved nominal location associated with each range band is based on the count of historical high accuracy subscriber handset locations associated with the grid boxes corresponding to the range band; identifying, for a subscriber handset to be located, a specific range band corresponding to a range value and a cell sector identifier; and providing an improved accuracy location estimate based on the improved nominal location corresponding to the identified specific range band.