Patent ID: 6952181

Claim:
A method for locating a wireless mobile station, comprising: receiving first data related to wireless signals communicated between a particular mobile station and at least a first network of a plurality of commercial mobile service provider networks, wherein for each said network, there are a plurality of base stations for at least one of transmitting and receiving wireless signals with a corresponding plurality of mobile stations registered with the network, and wherein said particular mobile station is registered with said first network for subscribing to a wireless service; first requesting a first location estimate of the particular mobile station, wherein a first location estimator provides said first location estimate of the particular mobile station when said first location estimator is supplied with first location information including data obtained using the first data, said location information capable of changing with a change in a location of the particular mobile station; wherein when said first location estimate is one of: (a) deemed ambiguous, (b) can not be provided, (c) is not within a desired range of accuracy, and (d) has an extent greater than or equal to a predetermined size, then the steps (A1) and (A2) are performed: (A1) instructing said particular mobile station to communicate with a second network of the plurality of networks for supplying second data, wherein said particular mobile station is not registered with said second network for subscribing to a wireless service, and wherein said second data is obtained using wireless signals communicated between the particular mobile station and the second network; (A2) second requesting a second location estimate of said particular mobile station wherein said second location estimate is obtained using additional location information obtained at least in part from the second data; outputting location information for the particular mobile station, wherein said location information is dependent upon at least one of the first and second estimates of the particular mobile station.