(12)UI1lt€d States Patent
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`Johansson et al.
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`(10) Patent N0.:
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`(45) Date of Patent:
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`US 6,442,391 B1
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`Aug. 27, 2002
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`US006442391B1
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`(54) LOCATION SECURITY FORA SUBSCRIBER
`1/1999 Lupien ..................... .. 455/422
`5,857,153 A *
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`UNIT [N A TELECOMMUNICATION
`5/1999 Houde ...................... .. 455/437
`5,905,958 A *
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`BY §’3§3’?3§:
`* 111:2:
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`a aguc i
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`6,131,067 A * 10/2000 Girerd . . . . . . . . .
`LOCATION REQUEST
`. . . .. 701/213
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`....................... .. 705/1
`6,199,045 B1 *
`3/2001 Giniger
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`Inventors: Jorgen Johansson; Magnus Lundin,
`both of Karlskrona (SE)
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`(75)
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`* cited by examiner
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`(73) Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget L M Ericsson
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`(publ), Stockholm (SE)
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`( * ) Notice:
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`Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this
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`patent is extended or adjusted under 35
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`U.S.C. 154(b) by 0 days.
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`(21) Appl. No.: 09/075,185
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`Filed:
`May 11, 1998
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`Foreign Application Priority Data
`May 16, 1997
`(SE) ............................................ .. 9701845
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`(22)
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`(30)
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`(51)
`Int. Cl.7 .............................................. .. H04B 7/005
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`(52) U.S. Cl.
`...................................... .. 455/456; 455/433
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`(58) Field of Search ............................... .. 455/410, 411,
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`455/26.1, 456, 457, 433, 701/213, 201,
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`207, 208
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`(56)
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`References Cited
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
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`5,614,914 A *
`3/1997 Bolgiano .................. .. 342/364
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`5,625,668 A *
`4/1997 Loomis ..................... .. 379/58
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`Primary Examiner—Daniel Hunter
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`Assistant Examiner—Nick Corsaro
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`(74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Burns, Doane, Swecker &
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`Mathis, L.L.P.
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`(57)
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`ABSTRACT
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`The present invention relates to determining the geographic
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`location of a mobile station in a mobile communications
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`system. The object of the invention is to protect the integrity
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`of the user of the mobile station, so as to prevent the location
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`of the mobile station being established by an outsider against
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`the will of the user. In this respect, an authorization check is
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`carried out in conjunction with a request for determination
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`of the geographical location of a mobile station. The geo-
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`graphical location is only determined when authorization is
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`found for the mobile station to be located. This authorization
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`control involves checking that the user of the mobile station
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`has granted permission for the location of his mobile station
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`MS to be determined on the part of an outsider. The authority
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`check may also include the condition that only certain
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`outsiders may be informed of the geographical location of
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`the mobile station.
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`7 Claims, 8 Drawing Sheets
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`E1
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`E2
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`The user A1 of a mobile station MS contacts the
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`service provider A2 and requests a _service_
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`concerning the location of the mobile station
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`The service provider A2 contacts the mobile locating
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`node MPC and asks to be told of
`the location of the
`mobile station
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`Is the
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`service provider A2
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`registered?
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`The node MPC
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`asks the user:
`Is it permitted to
`determine the location of your
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`vehicle’?
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`(E5
`this permission to the
`Transmission of
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`mobile locating node
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`The mobile locating ‘node determines the
`the service provider A2
`the mobile station and informs
`location of
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`E7? T‘
`The node MPC informs the service provider1
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`A2 that it is not permitted to ‘determine
`the location of the mobile station and tie
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`reason why
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`Page1 of 16
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`Go0g|e_LG Exhibit 1003
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`Google_LG Exhibit 1003
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`U.S. Patent
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`Sheet 1 of 8
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`US 6,442,391 B1
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`of.
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`Aug. 27, 2002
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`Sheet 3 of 8
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`Fig 3
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`“LR
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`P_req
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`Aug. 27, 2002
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`Sheet 4 of 8
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`US 6,442,391 B1
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`B1
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`B2
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`No
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`A second party A2 asks the mobile locating
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`node MPC to locate the mobile station MS
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`The node MPC sends a command to the
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`mobile communications system: Determine
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`the location of
`the mobile station MS
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`B3
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`Mobile communication
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`system checks: Does the indicator show th
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`ocating of the mobile station
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`is permitted”
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`Yes
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`B4
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`information relating
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`to the location of the mobile
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`informs the second party A2
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`The node MPC establishes the
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`location of MS and duly
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`B6
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`Sending to the node MPC
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`a message to the effect that
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`locating of MS is not allowed
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`location of MS is a secret Fig 4
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`The node MPC informs the
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`second party A2 that the
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`Sheet 5 of 8
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`US 6,442,391 B1
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`A second party A2 asks the node MPC to find t e
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`location of
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`C2
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`B1
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`s the secon
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`o arty A2 registered?
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`No
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`Is it allowed
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`0 divulge the location of he
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`mobile station to the second
`arty A2?
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`emergenc "
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`Yes
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` oes the indica 0
`show that determination of
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`S location is allow
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`Yes
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`Transmission of a command: Determine
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`the location of the mobile station MS
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`Compilation of information relating to the
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`location of MS and transmission of
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`information to the locating node MPC
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` The mobile locating node MPC establishes the
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`location of the mobile station and informs the
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`second party A2 of
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`The mobile locating node inorms the
`Fig 5
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`second party that the vehicle location
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`cannot be determined and the reason wh
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`Aug. 27, 2002
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`Sheet 6 of 8
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`US 6,442,391 B1
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`E1
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`The user A1 of a mobile station MS contacts the
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`service provider A2 and requests a service
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`concerning the location of
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`E2
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`The service provider A2 contacts the mobile locating
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`node MPC and asks to be told of the location of the
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`mobile station
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`Is the
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`service provider A2
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`registered‘?
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`E3
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`No
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`The node MPC
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`asks the user:
`Is it permitted to
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`determine the location of your
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`Yes
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`E5
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`Transmission of this permission to the
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`mobile locating node
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`E6
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`The mobile locating node determines the
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`location of
`the mobile station and informs
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`the service provider A2
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`E7
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`Fig 6
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`The node MPC informs the service provider
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`A2 that it
`is not permitted to determine
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`the location of
`the mobile station and the
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`reason wh
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`Page? of 16
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`Aug. 27, 2002
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`Sheet 7 of 8
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`US 6,442,391 B1
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`E1
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`he user A1 of the mobile station MS contact
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`he service provider A2 and requests a service
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`oncerning the location of the mobile station
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`contacts the mobile locating
`The service provider A
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`node MPC and asks to be told of the location of the
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`mobile station
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`E2
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`E3
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` Is the
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`No
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`service provider A2
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`registered?
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`Sending a code
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`to the user A1 and asking
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`permission to determine the
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`location of his MS’?
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`Sending the code from the user A1
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`service provider A2
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`to the
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`Sending the code from the service provider
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`A2 to the mobile locating node MPC
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` Does the code
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`received agree with the code
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`transmitted‘?
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`Yes
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`F8
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`The locating node determines the location of
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`the MS and informs the service provider A2
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`F9
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`he locating node MPC informs the service
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`rovider A2 that the location of the MS ha
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`1 0t been determined and the reason why
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`Fig 7
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`Sheet 8 of 8
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`US 6,442,391 B1
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`E1
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`The user A1 of a mobile station MS contacts
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`the service provider A2 and requests a servic
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`concerning the location of the mobile station
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`E2
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`The service provider A2 contacts the mobile locating
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`node MPC and asks to be told of the location of the
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`mobile station
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`Is the
`E3
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`No
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`service provider A2
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`registered?
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`Has a connection
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`been set up between the mobile
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`station and the service provider?
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`Does the indicator
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`show that locating the mobile station
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`is permitted?
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`Yes
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`G5
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`The locating node MPC sends a command to
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`the mobile communications system: Locate the
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`mobile station MS
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`to the locating node MPC,
`ocation data is sent
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`he location of the mobile station is determined
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`nd the service provider A2 informed
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`The locating node MPC informs the service
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`provider A2 that the location of the mobil
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`station has not been determined and the
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`reason wh
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`Fig 8
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`locating node outside the mobile communications system to
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`the mobile switching center that manages the mobile station.
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`The switching center is assumed to control the base station
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`system to carry out measurements that will determine the
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`location of the mobile station with the aid of some earlier
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`known measuring method. The mobile locating node pro-
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`vides a mobile locating service, in which it receives orders
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`from a customer concerning the location of a certain mobile
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`station, orders the switching center to carry out a measuring
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`procedure, receives the measuring result, and calculates the
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`location of the mobile and then presents the result to the
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`customer. A modified short message service (SMS) is used
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`to send the command to the switching center and to send the
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`measuring result from the switching center to the mobile
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`locating node.
`None of the aforementioned patent specifications draws
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`attention to the encroachment of the integrity of a user of a
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`mobile station when an outsider is able to establish the
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`geographical location of the user.
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`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
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`The present invention addresses the problem of an out-
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`sider being able to establish the geographical location of a
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`mobile station with the aid of a mobile locating service.
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`Determination of the geographical
`location of a mobile
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`constitutes a problem when it takes place against the wishes
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`of the mobile user.
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`Another problem addressed by the invention is when the
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`user of the mobile station may wish an outsider to be
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`informed of his location on certain occasions while keeping
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`the possibility of preventing an outsider from being
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`informed of his location on other occasions.
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`Another problem is one when the user may wish for a
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`person of his choice to be informed of his location while
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`denying this possibility to other persons.
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`invention is to
`Accordingly, an object of the present
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`protect the integrity of a mobile user, such as to prevent
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`outsiders from determining the location of the mobile with
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`the aid of a mobile locating service. Another object is to
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`provide a flexible integrity protection service which enables
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`the geographical location of the mobile to be determined
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`when the user so desires or when it is in the user’s interest
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`for the location of the mobile to be determined.
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`The aforesaid problems are solved in accordance with the
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`present invention, by providing the mobile communications
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`system with an indicator. The indicator is set either to
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`indicate that the user permits the location of the mobile to be
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`determined, i.e. a permission granted state, or to a state in
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`which the user does not permit the location of the mobile to
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`be determined,
`i.e. permission not granted state. Before
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`determining the location of a mobile, a check is made to
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`ascertain whether or not the indicator is in its permission
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`granted state. If not,
`the location determining process is
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`discontinued. The user of the mobile is able to set the
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`indicator to the state desired.
`In one embodiment
`the
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`subscriber, i.e. the owner of the subscription which may be
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`different than the current user, has the possibility to prevent
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`someone who is using the subscriber’s mobile station MS
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`from changing the indicator.
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`According to one alternative embodiment, the user of the
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`mobile receives a request for permission to determine the
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`location of his mobile. This embodiment can be suitably
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`used when the user himself has requested from a service
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`provider a service that is dependent on the geographical
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`location of the user. The service provider contacts a mobile
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`locating node and asks to be told of the location of the
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`1
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`LOCATION SECURITY FOR A SUBSCRIBER
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`UNIT IN A TELECOMMUNICATION
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`SYSTEM BY DENYING A PARTIES’
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`LOCATION REQUEST
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`This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §§119
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`and/or 365 to SE 9701845-1 filed in Sweden on May 16,
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`1997; the entire content of which is hereby incorporated by
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`reference.
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`FIELD OF INVENTION
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`The present invention relates to a telecommunications
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`system especially one that includes a mobile communica-
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`tions system and a mobile locating means with which the
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`geographical location of a terminal in the mobile commu-
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`nications system can be determined.
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`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
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`location of a
`The manner in which the geographical
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`mobile station in a mobile communications system can be
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`determined is described in a large number of patent speci-
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`fications.
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`Some patent specifications, for instance SE 9500569-0,
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`Europolitan, describes a procedure with which the location
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`of a mobile station is determined by the American GPS
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`system. This requires the mobile station to be also equipped
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`with a GPS terminal. A GPS terminal can determine its
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`geographical location, by receiving signals from at least
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`three satellites. An inquiry from a third party concerning the
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`location of the mobile station can be sent over the mobile
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`communications system and handled by the mobile station
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`without involving its user. The location of the mobile station
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`is then sent back over the network to the person requesting
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`the information.
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`the measurements
`In the majority of these solutions,
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`necessary for establishing the location of the mobile station
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`are carried out by the mobile communications system
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`instead. For instance, Patent Specification SE 9603561-3,
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`Bodinl, describes how the wave propagation time of a signal
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`from the mobile station is measured in a base station. The
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`wave propagation time is corresponded by a distance. The
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`measuring process is repeated at two more base stations. The
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`location of the mobile station can then be established on the
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`basis of the measuring results and on the knowledge of the
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`geographical locations of the base stations. According to this
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`prior patent specification, the calculation is made in a mobile
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`locating node belonging to the mobile communications
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`system.
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`Alternatively, the wave propagation time of a signal sent
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`from a base station may be measured in the mobile station.
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`This method is described in Patent Specification U.S. Pat.
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`No. 5,293,645, Sood, among others. After having measured
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`the wave propagation from at least three base stations, the
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`mobile station reports the result to the land based part of the
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`mobile communications network.
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`It is also mentioned in SE 9500569-0 that the geographi-
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`cal location of a mobile station can be determined through
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`the identity of the cell within which the mobile station is
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`located. It is the mobile communications system that is able
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`to obtain the cell identity information. This method can only
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`provide a rough indication of the location of the mobile
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`station, since the indicated cell may well have a radius in the
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`order of tens of kilometres.
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`Patent Specification SE 9700522-7, Bodin2, describes
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`how a mobile locating command can be sent from a mobile
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`Page10of16
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`Page 10 of 16
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`US 6,442,391 B1
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`3
`mobile station. The mobile locating node asks the user for
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`permission to determine the location of the mobile. The user
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`gives his permission directly to the mobile locating node.
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`Alternatively, the user gives his permission to the mobile
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`locating node via the service provider. This is effected by
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`sending to the service provider a code that the user has
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`received together with the permission request, wherewith
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`the service provider sends the code to the mobile locating
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`node. The location of the mobile is determined when the
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`code received agrees with the code sent together with the
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`request.
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`In addition to checking the permission indicator, a check
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`can also be made to ascertain whether or not the person
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`requesting determination of the location of the mobile is
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`registered and that authorization for this person to establish
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`the location of the sought mobile is also registered, said
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`checks being carried out before determining the location of
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`the mobile. In this case, registration of this information is a
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`condition for allowing the location of the mobile to be
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`determined. This information is stored in a register con-
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`nected to or integrated with the mobile locating node.
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`The invention provides the advantage of enabling the user
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`of a mobile station to prevent the geographical location of
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`the mobile being established and divulged. The invention
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`can be applied in a number of different forms that are suited
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`for different situations. For instance, this enables a haulage
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`contractor to establish the locations of its own mobile
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`stations regularly and in a simple manner, while, at the same
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`time, preventing others from establishing the locations of
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`said mobiles. It also enables a private user to prevent the
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`location of his mobile station being determined while, at the
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`same time, enabling the user to establish his own location on
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`certain occasions when needed by the user. The various
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`embodiments of the invention thus enable the integrity of the
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`user to be protected in a flexible manner.
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`The invention also has the advantage of being adapted for
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`the administrative structure in the mobile communications
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`system. It is essential to adapt to the existing structure, so as
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`not to increase the complexity of the mobile communica-
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`tions system. The introduction of the indicator in the mobile
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`communications system enables the user to set the indicator
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`to the state desired directly and involves a only minor
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`modification of the mobile communications system.
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`The invention will now be described in more detail with
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`reference to preferred exemplifying embodiments thereof
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`and also with reference to the accompanying drawings.
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`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
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`FIG. 1 illustrates a mobile communications system in
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`which a mobile locating node is connected.
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`FIG. 2 is a block schematic illustrating a mobile commu-
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`nications system in which a short message is transmitted.
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`FIG. 3 illustrates a modified home location register.
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`FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a state checking proce-
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`dure in conjunction with a mobile locating process.
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`FIG. 5 is a flowchart that illustrates an alternative proce-
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`dure in which authorization checks are carried out in con-
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`junction with a mobile locating process in addition to an
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`indicator check.
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`FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an inventive method of
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`checking mobile locating permission, suitable for use in
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`conjunction with the user requesting a location-dependent
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`service from a service provider.
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`FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating an alternative method of
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`checking for permission to locate a mobile in the same
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`Page11of16
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`4
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`situation as that intended with respect to the method illus-
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`trated in FIG. 6.
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`illustrating another alternative
`FIG. 8 is a flowchart
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`method of checking whether or not permission to determine
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`the location of a mobile has been given, in the same situation
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`as that intended for the method illustrated in FIG. 6.
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`FIG. 9 illustrates the format of a request for routing
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`information, sent by the GMSC to the home location reg-
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`ister.
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`DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED
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`EMBODIMENTS
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`The present invention enables the user of a mobile station
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`to prevent an outsider from learning of the user’s geographi-
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`cal location with the aid of a mobile locating service.
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`FIG. 1 illustrates one such mobile communications sys-
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`tem GSM.
`is managed by an Operator. The mobile
`It
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`communications system GSM includes a number of mobile
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`stations MS, MS1—MS3. Auser A1 of the mobile station MS
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`moves freely and is able to communicate via the mobile
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`communications system GSM provided that
`the user is
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`located within the service area of the GSM system. The
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`service area is divided into a number of cells CL1—CL3.
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`Located in each cell CL1—CL3 is a respective radio base
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`station BTS1—BTS3 that can maintain connection with the
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`mobile stations MS, MS1—MS3 within the cell. A number of
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`radio base stations BTS1—BTS3 communicate with a base
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`station controller BSC, The base station controller BSC
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`communicates,
`in turn, with a mobile services switching
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`center MSC. The mobile communications system GSM
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`includes at least one GMSC (Gateway Mobile Switching
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`Center) P which communicates with the remaining mobile
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`switching centers MSC of the mobile communications sys-
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`tem. The GMSC P also communicates with a home location
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`register HLR. Each mobile station MS, MS1—MS3, with an
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`subscription to the mobile communications system GSM is
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`registered in the home location register HLR. Also visiting
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`mobile stations with subscriptions in other mobile commu-
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`nications systems are temporarily registered in the home
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`location register HLR. The home location register HLR
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`contains data as to the whereabouts of the mobile stations
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`addition to the home location register HLR,
`the mobile
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`communications system GSM includes a further subscriber
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`location register, i.e. a visitor location register VLR, con-
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`taining data relating to the mobile station MS. The visitor
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`location register VLR is connected to the mobile services
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`switching center MSC.
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`The mobile communications system GSM is designated
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`as the land based part of the mobile communications
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`network, with the exception of the mobile station MS and
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`the radio connection thereto.
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`The system shown in FIG. 1 includes a mobile locating
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`node MPC connected to the GMSC P. The mobile locating
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`node MPC provides a mobile locating service, which means
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`that the node MPC will establish the location of a mobile
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`station MS, MS1—MS3 in response to a request from a
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`second party A2 in this respect and inform this second party
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`of the geographical position of the mobile station. To this
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`end, there is found a connection between the second party
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`A2 and the mobile locating node MPC, via which the mobile
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`locating nod e receives the location-finding request M1 and
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`informs the second party of the location of the mobile station
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`in a response M2.
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`FIG. 2 is a block schematic illustrating an inventive
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`arrangement. In addition to those nodes also shown in FIG.
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`Page 11 of 16
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`US 6,442,391 B1
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`1, the arrangement includes an indicator I provided in the
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`home location register HLR. The user A1 is able to set the
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`indicator I
`to indicate either one of two states,
`i.e. a
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`permission granted state or a permission not-granted state.
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`The user A1 sets the indicator to the desired state, by stating
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`a code CD via the mobile station. The code CD is sent from
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`the mobile station as though it were a B-number, i.e. the
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`number of a B-subscriber dialled for a call connection.
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`When the code CD has been transferred to the GMSC P, the
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`GMSC P identifies the code CD as a message to the home
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`location register HLR and not as a standard B-number. The
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`GMSC therefore sends the code CD to the home location
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`register HLR. The home location register HLR then sets the
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`indicator to indicate the desired integrity level.
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`The code CD may be either one of two character combi-
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`nations denoting either that determining of the location of
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`the mobile is allowed or not allowed. These two character
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`combinations may be *99# and *98#. The transfer of this
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`code to and its registration in HLR are effected analogously
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`with how the call forwarding service is utilized from the
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`mobile station MS.
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`FIG. 2 illustrates with the aid of an arrow the transfer of
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`a mobile locating command K1 from the location node MPC
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`to the mobile services switching center MSC via the GMSC
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`P. The command K1 is described more explicitly further on
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`in the text.
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`FIG. 3 shows a home location register HLR that has been
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`modified by the inclusion of the indicator I. Data concerning
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`the mobile station MS are stored in a number of different
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`information fields in the home location register HLR. The
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`information fields are found with the aid of the mobile
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`station identity DA, among other things. A further informa-
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`tion field for storing the indicator I is included on the home
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`location register, as shown in FIG. 3.
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`FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating one embodiment of the
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`inventive method, where a second party A2 desires infor-
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`mation concerning the location of the mobile station MS. In
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`a first step B1, the second partyA2 sends a request M1 to the
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`mobile locating node MPC asking to be informed of the
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`whereabouts of the mobile station MS.
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`The mobile locating node MPC then sends a command K1
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`to the mobile switching center MSC that serves the mobile
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`station MS at
`that moment in time. The purport of the
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`command K1 is for the switching center MSC to collect
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`locational data relating to the mobile station MS and send it
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`to the mobile locating node MPC, in accordance B2 in FIG.
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`4. The command K1 is sent in the form of a modified SMS
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`message addressed to the mobile station MS, as described in
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`SE 9700522-7.
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`The command K1 reaches the mobile communications
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`system via the GMSC P, which identifies the command K1
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`as being a location-finding command. The GMSC P asks the
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`home