Patent ID: 7446655

Claim:
A system to geographically locate mobile stations within a mobile communication network, each of said mobile stations having a unique equipment identifier, the system comprising: an equipment database comprising equipment identifiers, each equipment identifier uniquely associated with a particular mobile station, each of said equipment identifiers further associated with an equipment status; a control unit adapted to: (1) monitor information indicative of unique equipment identifiers of a plurality of mobile stations operating within the mobile communication network, (2) compare the information indicative of the unique equipment identifiers for each of the plurality of active mobile stations with equipment identifiers included in the equipment database to identify a tamper event associated with a targeted mobile station, (3) in response indentifying the tamper event modify said equipment status associated therewith to a status indicating position information is desired, and (4) initiate a position location operation for the targeted mobile station in response to the status indicating position information is desired; a location determination entity adapted to provide position location information for said targeted mobile station in response to initiation of the position location operation, the position location information identifying at least an estimated current geographical location of said targeted mobile station; and a location services (LCS) client interfacing with said control unit and in communication with said location determination entity, wherein said location determination entity is adapted to provide said position location information for said targeted mobile station to said LCS client in real-time or near real-time to allow said LCS to track said targeted mobile station over a period of time.