United States Patent
`US 7,133,685 B2
`(10) Patent No.:
`(12)
`Hoseet al.
`(45) Date of Patent:
`Nov. 7, 2006
`
`
`US007133685B2
`
`(54) MONITORING BOUNDARY CROSSINGSIN
`A WIRELESS NETWORK
`
`(75)
`
`Inventors: David A. Hose, Boulder, CO (US);
`JamesA. Fitch, Edmonds, WA (US)
`
`(73) Assignee: Openwave Systems Inc., Redwood
`City, CA (US)
`
`(*) Notice:
`
`a
`Subject to any disclaimer, the term ofthis
`patent is extended or adjusted under 35
`US.C. 154(b) by 0 days.
`
`(21) Appl. No.: 11/203,257
`:
`(22)
`Filed:
`Aug. 12, 2005
`:
`sg
`(65)
`Prior Publication Data
`US 2005/0272443 Al
`Dec. 8, 2005
`
`Related U.S. Application Data
`(63) Continuation of application No. 09/903,982, filed on
`Jul. 11, 2001, now abandoned.
`
`(51)
`
`Int. Cl.
`(2006.01)
`H04Q 7/20
`(52) U.S. Ch cece 455/456.1; 455/456.2;
`455/456.3; 455/456.5; 455/456.6; 455/457;
`455/414.1, 455/414.2; 455/404.2; 701/207;
`340/990; 342/357.1; 342/357.13
`(58) Field of Classification Search ..... 455/456.1-457,
`455/414.1, 404.2, 414.2; 701/207; 340/990,
`342/357.1, 357.13
`h hist
`lication
`file
`f
`let
`Mile
`TOF COMPICHE Seared
`DISTOFY.
`Se application
`References Cited
`
`S
`
`(56)
`
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
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`4/1998 Pattersonetal.
`
`......... 455/435.1
`
`(Continued)
`Primary Examiner—Steve M. D’Agosta
`(74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm—TYownsend and Townsend
`and Crew LLP
`
`(57)
`
`ABSTRACT
`
`A methodof providing location-based services for a mobile
`unit operating
`in a wireless network including
`network
`Pera
`;
`on
`ane
`structures. The method includes receiving an identifier asso-
`.
`.
`:
`:
`.
`ciated with the mobile unit. The method also includes
`rar
`.
`:
`oe
`.
`:
`monitoring a location of the mobile unit using the identifier
`and a network-assisted location finding system to identify a
`crossing of a service zone boundary by the mobile unit. The
`service zone boundary is defined by reference to at least one
`of the network structures. The service zone boundary also
`corresponds to a geographic zone boundary. The method
`further includes transmitting service information to a system
`user in response to the crossing of the service zone bound-
`ary:
`
`20 Claims, 4 Drawing Sheets
`
`
`
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`ibi
`Exhibit 1026
`
`Page 01 of 16
`
`
`
`
`
`Samsung etal. v. Hardin etal.
`IPR2022-01328
`
`Exhibit 1026
`
`Exhibit 1026
`Page 01 of 16
`
`

`

`US 7,133,685 B2
`
`Page 2
`
`5,844,522
`5,889,770
`5,901,353
`5,930,699
`5,948,040
`5,982,762
`6,011,973
`6,421,009
`6,463,273
`6,516,190
`6,650,902
`
`12/1998
`A
`3/1999
`A *
`5/1999
`A
`7/1999
`A
`9/1999
`A
`11/1999
`A
`1/2000
`A
`7/2002
`Bl
`10/2002
`Bl
`2/2003
`Bl
`B1* 11/2003
`
`te teeeeeeees 370/337
`
`Shefferet al.
`Jokiahoetal.
`Pentikainen
`Bhatia
`DeLormeetal.
`Anzaiet al.
`Valentine et al.
`Suprunov
`Day
`Linkola
`Richton oo... eeeeeeeeee 455/456.3
`
`* cited by examiner
`
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`4/1998
`4/1998
`5/1998
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`6/1998
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`9/1998
`10/1998
`11/1998
`
`Tendler
`Pepeet al.
`Malackowskietal.
`Ekbatani
`Harano
`Tell et al.
`Yu et al.
`Gallantet al.
`Dennisonetal.
`Dennisonetal.
`Newman
`
`A
`
`AAAAA
`
`AAAEA
`
`5,736,962
`5,742,905
`5,752,186
`5,754,955
`5,771,445
`5,774,802
`5,787,347
`5,802,468
`5,815,814
`RE35,916
`5,835,907
`
`Exhibit 1026
`
`Page 02 of 16
`
`Exhibit 1026
`Page 02 of 16
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Nov. 7, 2006
`
`Sheet 1 of 4
`
`US 7,133,685 B2
`
`|
`
`108
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`FIG. 1
`
`Exhibit 1026
`Page 03 of 16
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Nov. 7, 2006
`
`Sheet 2 of 4
`
`US 7,133,685 B2
`
`
`
`Fig. 2
`
`Exhibit 1026
`
`Page 04 of 16
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`Exhibit 1026
`Page 04 of 16
`
`

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`U.S. Patent
`
`Nov. 7, 2006
`
`Sheet 3 of 4
`
`US 7,133,685 B2
`
`300
`
`he
`
`
`
` Switch
`Application
`
`322
`
`
`310 LFE(s)
`od-nr@esa—
`
`302
`
`Processor
`
`
`
`
`Service Zone
`Location
`
`
`316
`Database
`Cache
`
`
`
`
`312
`oOokot 00
` 314
`
`Fig. 3
`
`Exhibit 1026
`
`Page 05 of 16
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`Exhibit 1026
`Page 05 of 16
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`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Nov. 7, 2006
`
`Sheet 4 of 4
`
`US 7,133,685 B2
`
`400
`
`Receive Service Zone
`Definition
`
`402
`
`
`
`Receive Monitoring Request
`
`404
`
`
`
`
`
`
`Receive/Store Current
`Location Information
`
`
`406
`
`408
`
` Boundary
`
`Crossing?
`
`
`Retrieve Prior Location
`Information
`
`
`
` Use Current And Prior
`Location Information
`
`
`To Identify Boundary
`410
`Crossing
`
`
`
`Generate Service
`
`
`Information According To
`Application Parameters
`414
`
`
`
`Transmit Service
`
`
`Information According To
`Application Parameters
`416
`
`
`
`Fig. 4
`
`Exhibit 1026
`
`Page 06 of 16
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`Exhibit 1026
`Page 06 of 16
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`

`

`US 7,133,685 B2
`
`1
`MONITORING BOUNDARY CROSSINGSIN
`A WIRELESS NETWORK
`
`CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED
`APPLICATIONS
`
`This application is a continuation of application Ser. No.
`09/903,982, filed Jul. 11, 2001, now abandoned which is
`incorporated herein by reference in its entirety for all pur-
`poses.
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`
`The present invention relates generally to providing loca-
`tion-based services in a wireless network and, in particular,
`to providing service information based on the crossing of a
`service zone boundary by a mobile unit
`in a wireless
`network.
`
`A number of different types of location based service
`applications have been developed or proposed for wireless
`networks, i.e., communications networks involving at least
`one wireless interface between communicating devices.
`Generally, such applications determine or otherwise obtain
`location information regarding the location of a mobile unit
`under consideration, e.g., a wireless telephone, PDA, wire-
`less data terminal or the like—andprovide service informa-
`tion based on the mobile unit location. Examples of location
`based service applications include E911, local service infor-
`mation and location-based billing applications.
`In E911
`applications, emergency calls are routed to a selected dis-
`patcher based on the location of origin of an emergencycall.
`Location based service applications provide information
`regarding local services such as hotels or restaurants based
`on a request entered via a mobile unit. In location based
`billing applications, a rate for a call placed or received by a
`wireless telephone is dependent on the location of the phone,
`e.g., whether the phone is inside or outside of a “home zone”
`for the subscriber proximate to the subscriber’s residence,
`business or other defined location. Various other applica-
`tions have been proposed or implemented.
`Location based service applications generally involve
`comparing a current (or recent) location to predefined ser-
`vice zone definitions to make either a binary determination
`(e.g., that the mobile unitis either inside or outside of a zone
`under consideration) or a matching determination (e.g., that
`the mobile unit location matches or overlaps one or more
`stored zone definitions). In either case, at one or more
`relevant processing steps, mobile unit location information
`corresponding to a particular time is compared to service
`location information corresponding to one or more service
`zones, service provided locations or other stored location
`information. Thus,
`in E911 applications the mobile unit
`location at the time of placing an E911 call may be compared
`to the dispatcher coverage zones of an emergency response
`network. In local service information applications, the loca-
`tion of a mobile unit at the time of submitting, for example,
`a local hotel information request, may be compared to a
`database of hotel location information. The location of a
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`mobile unit during a call may be used by a location based
`billing application to establish billing parameters for the
`call.
`
`60
`
`In addition, location based service applications generally
`provide service information in response to an input by a
`subscriberor other application user invoking the application.
`In the case of local service information applications, the
`input is generally an explicit service request entered via the
`mobile unit. In E911 or location based billing applications,
`
`65
`
`2
`the location based service application may be invoked
`invisibly, from the perspective of the mobile unit, upon
`making a call. In other cases, the input invoking the appli-
`cation to provide service information based on the location
`of the mobile unit, is received from an application separate
`or remote from the mobile unit requesting location based
`service information, e.g., identification of current mobile
`unit location. In such applications, the service information is
`nonetheless provided in response to an input requesting
`location-based services. That is, the trigger event generally
`is, from the perspective of the service application, a service
`request.
`
`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`
`The present inventors have recognized that certain loca-
`tion-based service application functionality can be sup-
`ported and enhanced by generating service information
`based on the location or movement of a mobile unit rather
`
`than in response to a service request from a subscriber,
`separate application or other system user or based on other
`criterion such as periodic reporting. In this manner, events
`associated with the movement of a mobile unit can be
`
`identified as may be desired for a variety of applications.
`Moreover, movementof an identified mobile unit relative to
`a geographic reference such as a service zone boundary can
`be monitored with minimal user inputs or communications
`between a location managing system and an associated
`wireless location based service application.
`According to an embodiment of the present invention, a
`method of providing location-based services for a mobile
`unit operating in a wireless network including network
`structures is provided. The method includes receiving an
`identifier associated with the mobile unit and monitoring a
`location of the mobile unit using the identifier and a net-
`work-assisted location finding system to identify a crossing
`of a service zone boundary by the mobile unit. The service
`zone boundary is defined by reference to at least one of the
`network structures and service zone boundary corresponds
`to a geographic zone boundary. The method also include
`transmitting service information to a system user in response
`to the crossing of the service zone boundary.
`According to another embodiment of the present inven-
`tion, a method of identifying service zone boundary cross-
`ings by a mobile unit operating in a wireless network
`comprising a network-based location finding system is pro-
`vided. The method includes receiving an identifier associ-
`ated with the mobile unit and receiving a location of the
`mobile unit from the network-based location finding system.
`The method also includes monitoring the location of the
`mobile unit to identify an entry and/or an exit of the mobile
`unit into one of a plurality of cell sectors, wherein the
`plurality of cell sectors intersect a geographic zone bound-
`ary. The method further includes transmitting service infor-
`mation to a system user in response to the entry and/or exit
`of the mobile unit into the oneofthe plurality of cell sectors.
`According to yet another embodiment of the present
`invention, a method for providing services based on a
`location of a mobile unit in a wireless communications
`
`network is provided. The wireless communications network
`includes a network-assisted location-based services applica-
`tion. The method includes receiving a geographic zone
`boundary referenced to a geographic topology and convert-
`ing the geographic zone boundary to a service zone bound-
`ary referenced to a wireless communications network topol-
`ogy. The method also includes receiving a mobile unit
`identifier and monitoring the location of the mobile unit,
`
`Exhibit 1026
`
`Page 07 of 16
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`Exhibit 1026
`Page 07 of 16
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`

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`US 7,133,685 B2
`
`3
`using the network-assisted location-based services applica-
`tion and the mobile unit identifier, to identify a crossing of
`the service zone boundary by the mobile unit. The method
`further includes transmitting service information regarding
`the mobile unit in response to the crossing of the service
`zone boundary by the mobile unit.
`According to an alternative embodiment of the present
`invention, a method for use in providing services based on
`the locations of mobile units in a wireless communications
`
`networkis provided. The wireless network includes a switch
`structure for use in selectively routing communications
`between networkusers and a processing platform associated
`with the switch structure. The method includes providing a
`location-based services application running,at least in part,
`on the processing platform associated with the switch struc-
`ture. The method also includes defining at least one geo-
`graphic reference service zone boundary for the location-
`based service application. In an embodiment, the service
`zone boundary passes through at least one of a plurality of
`coverage areas of the wireless communications network for
`the location based services application. The method further
`includes storing an identifier for a mobile unit associated
`with a mobile subscriber, a location of said mobile unit being
`of interest to a system user other than said mobile subscriber
`and monitoring the location of the mobile unit, using the
`location-based services application and the identifier of the
`mobile unit,
`to identify a crossing of the service zone
`boundary by the mobile unit.
`Additionally,
`the method includes transmitting service
`information to the system user regarding the mobile unit in
`responseto the crossing of the service zone boundary by the
`mobile unit. In embodiments of the present invention, defin-
`ing the at
`least one geographic reference service zone
`boundary includes identifying a geographical area for which
`the system user desires to receive notification upon oneof:
`a) entry of the mobile unit into the identified geographical
`area; or b) exit of the mobile unit from the identified
`geographical area. Moreover, in embodimentsofthe present
`invention, transmitting service information includes provid-
`ing notification to the system user of the entry or exit.
`Additionally, defining the at least one geographic reference
`service zone boundary further includes receiving zone loca-
`tion information regarding a service zone referenced to a
`first topology system and expressing said zone location
`information in terms of a second topology system of the
`location based services application, thefirst topology system
`including a street grid.
`In a specific embodiment, the mobile unit is a telephone
`and the step of storing an identifier comprises storing an
`MIN/ESN. In another specific embodiment,
`transmitting
`service information further includes transmitting the service
`information to the mobile unit. In yet another specific
`embodiment,
`transmitting service information includes
`transmitting the service information to a data network node
`associated with the system user, the data network node being
`separate from the mobile unit. In a particular embodiment,
`transmitting service information includes transmitting a
`message to the system user providing notice of a boundary
`crossing event. In another particular embodiment, the mes-
`sage includes at least one of a voice,
`text, or graphical
`message.
`In another particular embodiment, the location-based ser-
`vices application utilizes network assisted GPS to provide
`location information of the mobile unit. In yet another
`particular embodiment,
`transmitting service information
`includes transmitting service information to a network user
`separate from a user of the mobile unit. In some embodi-
`
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`ments, defining the at least one geographic reference service
`zone boundary includes receiving subscriber specific infor-
`mation from the system user regarding the service zone
`boundary and storing includes indexing information regard-
`ing the service zone boundary to the identifier.
`According to another alternative embodiment of the
`present invention, a method for use in providing services
`based on the locations of mobile units in a wireless com-
`munications network is provided. The wireless network
`includes a switch structure for use in selectively routing
`communications between network users and a processing
`platform associated with the switch structure. The method
`includes providing a location-based services application
`running, at least in part, on the processing platform associ-
`ated with the switch structure and defining at least one
`geographic reference service zone boundary for the location-
`based service application. In embodiments of the present
`invention, the service zone boundary passes throughat least
`one of a plurality of coverage areas of the wireless commu-
`nications network for the location based services applica-
`tion. The method also includes storing an identifier for a
`mobile unit associated with a mobile subscriber, wherein a
`location of the mobile unit is of interest to a system user
`other than the mobile subscriber.
`
`The method further includes monitoring the location of
`the mobile unit, using the location-based services applica-
`tion and the identifier of the mobile unit,
`to identify a
`crossing of the service zone boundary by the mobile unit.
`Additionally, the method includes transmitting service infor-
`mation to the system user regarding the mobile unit
`in
`responseto the crossing of the service zone boundary by the
`mobile unit. In embodiments of the present invention, defin-
`ing the at
`least one geographic reference service zone
`boundary includes identifying a geographical area for which
`the system user desires to receive notification upon one of:
`a) entry of the mobile unit into the identified geographical
`area or b) exit of the mobile unit from the identified
`geographical area. Additionally, transmitting service infor-
`mation includes providing notification to the system user of
`the entry or exit. Moreover, defining the at least one geo-
`graphic reference service zone boundary further includes
`receiving zone location information regarding a service zone
`referencedto a first topology system and expressing the zone
`location information in terms of a second topology system of
`the location based services application, the second topology
`system including at least one of a geographical coordinate
`system or a system of wireless network subdivision identi-
`fiers.
`According to a particular embodiment, providing a loca-
`tion-based services application comprises providing an
`application for allowing a person of authority to monitor the
`movements of one of a person or a vehicle associated with
`the mobile unit. According to another particular embodi-
`ment, defining the at least one geographic reference service
`zone boundary includes receiving subscriber specific infor-
`mation from the system user regarding the service zone
`boundary and storing includes indexing information regard-
`ing the service zone boundary to the identifier. According to
`yet another particular embodiment, providing a location-
`based services application includes providing an application
`for allowing a person of authority to monitor the movements
`of one of a person or a vehicle associated with the mobile
`unit. In some embodiments, the mobile unit is a telephone
`and storing an identifier comprises storing an MIN/ESN.In
`other embodiments, transmitting service information further
`includes transmitting the service information to the mobile
`unit. In yet other embodiments, providing a location-based
`
`Exhibit 1026
`
`Page 08 of 16
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`Exhibit 1026
`Page 08 of 16
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`

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`US 7,133,685 B2
`
`5
`services application includes providing an application for
`setting a billing parameter for use of the wireless network by
`the mobile unit.
`
`According to another embodiment of the present inven-
`tion, transmitting service information includes transmitting
`the service information to a data network node associated
`with the system user, the data network node being separate
`from the mobile unit. Moreover, in another embodiment,
`transmitting service information includes transmitting a
`message to the system user providing notice of a boundary
`crossing event.
`In a specific embodiment,
`the message
`includes at least one of a voice, text or graphical message.
`In an embodiment, the location-based services application
`utilizes network assisted GPS to provide location informa-
`tion of the mobile unit. Moreover, in another embodiment,
`transmitting service information includes transmitting ser-
`vice information to a network user separate from a user of
`the mobile unit.
`According to yet another alternative embodiment of the
`present invention, a method for use in providing services
`based on the locations of mobile units in a wireless com-
`
`munications network is provided. The wireless network
`includes a switch structure for use in selectively routing
`communications between network users and a processing
`platform associated with the switch structure. The method
`includes providing a location-based services application
`running, at least in part, on the processing platform associ-
`ated with the switch structure and defining at least one
`geographic reference service zone boundary for the location-
`based service application, wherein the service zone bound-
`ary passes through at least one of a plurality of coverage
`areas of the wireless communications network for the loca-
`tion based services application. The method also includes
`storing an identifier for a mobile unit associated with a
`mobile subscriber, a location of the mobile unit being of
`interest to a system userother than the mobile subscriber and
`monitoring the location of the mobile unit, using the loca-
`tion-based services application and the identifier of the
`mobile unit,
`to identify a crossing of the service zone
`boundary by the mobile unit.
`The method further includes transmitting service infor-
`mation to the system user regarding the mobile unit in
`responseto the crossing of the service zone boundary by the
`mobile unit. In embodiments of the present invention, defin-
`ing at least one geographic reference service zone boundary
`includes identifying a geographical area for which the
`system user desires to receive notification upon one of: a)
`entry of the mobile unit into the identified geographical area
`or b) exit of the mobile unit from the identified geographical
`area. Moreover, transmitting service information includes
`providing notification to the system user of the entry or exit
`and defining at least one geographic reference service zone
`boundary further includes receiving zone location informa-
`tion regarding a service zone referenced to a first topology
`system and expressing the zone location information in
`terms of a second topology system of the location based
`services application. Additionally, monitoring includesstor-
`ing first location information regardinga first location of the
`mobile unit at a first time, obtaining second location infor-
`mation regarding a second location of the mobile unit at a
`second time and comparingthefirst location information to
`the second location information to identify the crossing of
`the service zone boundary by the mobile unit.
`In a specific embodiment, transmitting service informa-
`tion includes transmitting the service information to a sepa-
`rate application that is registered with the location-based
`services application to receive boundary crossing informa-
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`6
`tion regarding the mobile unit. In a particular embodimentof
`the present invention, the first location information includes
`a first zone identifier for a particular service zone and the
`second location information includes a second zone identi-
`fier for a particular service zone, and the step of comparing
`includes determining whetherthe first zone identifier is the
`same as the second zone identifier.
`In another specific
`embodiment,
`transmitting service information includes
`transmitting at least one of local service information or local
`emergency condition information to the mobile unit.
`According to an embodiment of the present invention, a
`method for use in providing services based on the locations
`of mobile units in a wireless network is provided. The
`method includes establishing a location based services sys-
`tem, including a processing platform and data storage asso-
`ciated with the processing platform. The location based
`services system is interconnected to a network location
`finding system for receiving network location information
`therefrom regarding the location of the mobile units within
`the wireless network. The network location finding system is
`operative for determining the network location information
`regarding the mobile units based on locations of the mobile
`units and known locations of network structure in the
`wireless network.
`
`The location based services system is further intercon-
`nected to a system user via a communication network
`including a switch structure for routing communications
`based on an address whereby user information can be
`transmitted from the location based services system to the
`user by associating the user information with a user address.
`The location based services system is additionally associated
`with a data input port for receiving information for storage
`in the data storage and for use by the location based services
`system.
`The methodalso includesfirst receiving, via the data input
`port, service zone information identifying a geographic
`service zone including at least one service zone boundary
`and first storing the service zone information in the data
`storage of the location based service system. The method
`further includes secondreceiving, via the data input port, an
`identifier identifying a mobile unit of interest to the system
`user and secondstoring the identifier in the data storage of
`the location based service system. The method additionally
`includes third receiving, from the network location finding
`system, the network location information including mobile
`unit location information regarding the mobile unit of inter-
`est and third storing the mobile unit location information in
`the data storage of the location based service system.
`Additionally, the method includesfirst operating the loca-
`tion based service system to 1) monitor locations of the
`mobile unit of interest over a time period, 2) make a
`comparison based on one or more of the monitored locations
`of mobile unit location to the service zone boundary, and 3)
`based on the comparison, identify a crossing of the service
`zone boundary by the mobile unit of interest. Moreover, the
`method includes second operating the location based service
`system to 1) generate service information in response to the
`identified crossing of the service zone boundary, 2) establish
`a user communication including the service information and
`information identifying the user address, and 3) transmitting
`the user communication to the system user. The system user
`receives service information triggered by the crossing of the
`service zone boundary.
`According to another embodiment of the present inven-
`tion, a method for use in providing services based on the
`locations of mobile units in a wireless communications
`
`networkis provided. The wireless network includes a switch
`
`Exhibit 1026
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`Page 09 of 16
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`Exhibit 1026
`Page 09 of 16
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`US 7,133,685 B2
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`7
`structure for use in selectively routing communications
`between networkusers and a processing platform associated
`with the switch structure. The method includes providing a
`location based services application running, at least in part,
`on the processing platform associated with the switch struc-
`ture, defining at
`least one geographic reference for the
`location based services application, and storing an identifier
`for a mobile unit. The method also includes monitoring a
`location of the mobile unit, using the location based services
`application and the identifier of the mobile unit, to identify
`an attainment of a predetermined relationship of the mobile
`unit relative to the geographic reference,
`the attainment
`being defined by a change of status with respect to the
`predetermined relationship, and transmitting service infor-
`mation regarding the mobile unit in response to the attain-
`ment of the predetermined relationship of the mobile unit
`relative to the geographic reference.
`In a specific embodiment, monitoring includes storing
`first location information regarding a first location of the
`mobile unit at a first time, obtaining second location infor-
`mation regarding a second location of the mobile unit at a
`second time, and comparingthefirst location information to
`the second location information to identify the attainment of
`the predetermined relationship. Moreover,
`in an embodi-
`ment, monitoring further includes defining a geometrical
`element interconnecting a first location of the first location
`information and a second location of the second location
`information and determining whetherthere is an intersection
`between the geometrical element and a boundary of a
`service zone.
`
`According to yet another embodiment of the present
`invention, a method for use in providing services based on
`the locations of mobile units in a wireless communications
`
`network is provided. The method includes providing a
`location-based services application running,at least in part,
`on a processing platform associated with the wireless com-
`munications network, and defining at least one geographic
`reference service zone boundary passing through at least one
`of a plurality of coverage areas of the wireless communi-
`cations network. The methodalso includes storing an iden-
`tifier for a mobile unit associated with a mobile subscriber.
`A location of the mobile unit being of interest to a system
`user other than the mobile subscriber. The method further
`
`includes monitoring the location of the mobile unit, using
`the location-based services application and the identifier of
`the mobile unit, identifying a crossing of the service zone
`boundary using a mathematical analysis, and transmitting
`service information to the system user regarding the mobile
`unit in responseto the crossing of the service zone boundary.
`In a specific embodiment, defining the at least one geo-
`graphic reference service zone boundary includes identify-
`ing a geographical area for which the system user desires to
`receive notification upon one of: a) entry of the mobile unit
`into the identified geographicalarea, or b) exit of the mobile
`unit from the identified geographical area. In some embodi-
`ments, transmitting service information includes providing
`notification to the system user of the entry or exit, and
`defining further includes receiving zone location informa-
`tion regarding a service zone referenced to a first topology
`system and expressing the zone location information in
`terms of a second topology system of the location based
`services application.
`According to an alternative embodiment of the present
`invention, a method for use in providing services based on
`the locations of mobile units in a wireless communications
`network is provided. The method includes providing a
`location-based services application running,at least in part,
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`on a processing platform associated with the wireless com-
`munications network and defining at least one service zone
`boundary passing through at
`least one of a plurality of
`coverage areas of the wireless communications network.
`The methodalso includes storing an identifier for a mobile
`unit, monitoring a location of the mobile unit, using the
`location-based services application and the identifier of the
`mobile unit,
`identifying a crossing of the service zone
`boundary using a mathematical analysis, and transmitting
`service information regarding the mobile unit in response to
`the crossing of the service zone boundary.
`In a particular embodiment, the mathematical analysis
`includes storing first location information regarding a first
`location of the mobile unit at a first time, storing second
`location information regarding a second location of the
`mobile unit at a second time, and defining a geometrical
`element connectingthefirst location and the secondlocation
`and determining whether the geometrical element intersects
`the service zone boundary.
`Acc