Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02614534 2008-01-09
WO 2006/106187 PCT/F12006/050130
1
An apparatus and a method for locating user equipment
Field of the invention
The present invention relates to communications systems and more
particularly to a module, user equipment, a system and a method for locating
user equipment in a communications system.
Background of the invention
The accurate location of user equipment, such as a GSM (Global
System for Mobile Communications) mobile device, cannot be determined us-
ing the information from a cellular network. The information enables the loca-
tion only of an accuracy of about 100-300 meters in rural areas and 50-100
meters in city areas. For example, in a case of an emergency call, it is vital
to
find out the exact location from which the call was made to be able to get
help
to the site as fast as possible. If the call was made by a mobile device,
which
cannot accurately be located, the rescue service may miss many vital minutes.
GPS (Global Positioning System) receivers could offer a better ac-
curacy, but they are expensive and are not widely carried and used by public.
GPS receivers do not work reliably or at all indoors and in canyons, like in
be-
tween high buildings.
There are also Assisted GPS (AGPS) systems working in conjunc-
tion with terrestrial cellular networks. AGPS systems help the GPS receiver
perform the tasks required to make range measurements and position
solutions. With assistance from outside sources, from the network, the GPS
receiver can operate more quickly and efficiently than it would unassisted,
because a set of tasks that it would normally handle is shared with the
assistance server. Furthermore, due to the assistance information delivered
over the cellular network, an AGPS receiver is about 1,000 times more
sensitive than a normal GPS receiver and consequently it can also be used
indoors and in canyons.
However, one of the disadvantages associated with the above
3o arrangement is that these devices are also expensive and not widely
available
and used by the consumers.
Brief disclosure of the invention
An object of the present invention is thus to provide a method and
an apparatus for implementing the method so as to solve the above problems.
CA 02614534 2008-01-09
WO 2006/106187 PCT/F12006/050130
2
The objects of the invention are achieved by a method and an arrangement,
which are characterized by what is stated in the independent claims. The pre-
ferred embodiments of the invention are disclosed in the dependent claims.
The invention is based on the idea of adding a high accuracy satel-
lite positioning system functionality to the existing non-satellite
positioning sys-
tem user equipment without any modifications to the device itself but only by
inserting a new subscriber identity module comprising a satellite positioning
system receiver (1-6, 2-4) and an antenna (1-8, 2-6).
An advantage of the method and the arrangement of the invention is
that user equipment can be located more accurately. The location method is
also easy to install to the current user equipment, which equipment are widely
used. The method and the arrangement of the invention are also inexpensive.
Brief description of the drawings
In the following the invention will be described in greater detail by
means of preferred embodiments with reference to the attached drawings, in
which
Figure 1 shows user equipment with an AGPS capable SIM card
according to the invention and its embodiments;
Figure 2 shows a SIM module with embedded AGPS receiver and
2o antenna according to the invention and its embodiments;
Figure 3 shows a signalling chart of a user initiated location request
according to the invention and its embodiments;
Figure 4 shows a signalling chart of a remote device initiated loca-
tion request according to the invention and its embodiments;
Figure 5 shows a signalling chart of a remote device initiated loca-
tion request according to the invention and its embodiments; and
Figure 6 shows a positioning request that is processed entirely in
the AGPS-SIM card using the AGPS subsystem according to the invention and
its embodiments.
3o Detailed description of the invention
The user equipment of the invention and its embodiments can be
any mobile equipment like 2G (Generation), 2.5G, 3G or 4G user equipment. It
can be e.g. a mobile station, a cellular mobile station, a communicator or a
computer. The detailed structure and operation of the user equipment and the
communications systems are not relevant to the invention, and therefore they
CA 02614534 2008-01-09
WO 2006/106187 PCT/F12006/050130
3
are described only to the extent that helps understanding the invention. Fur-
thermore, it should be noted that the invention can be applied to different
kind
of positioning systems and satellite systems and to different kind of communi-
cations systems and networks like fixed networks and packet switched net-
works or combination thereof and/or to wireless data transmission networks,
such as Mobile-IP (Internet-Protocol) networks and user equipment thereof.
For the invention and its embodiments a SIM (Subscriber Identity
Module) card can be defined to be a card removably insertable into the user
equipment containing data for subscriber identification and/or encipherment of
1o radio communication and/or other security related information. However, it
is to
be noted that the SIM card according to the invention and its embodiments can
but does not have be able to identify the subscriber.
A processor in the SIM card or working with the SIM card can con-
trol the access to a memory of the SIM card or to a memory working with the
SIM card used for the location of the user equipment e.g. in response to the
identity of the location request initiator. The control can mean e.g. the
preven-
tion of a location initiator from getting to the information of the memory.
This
means that in one way of using the SIM card there is no direct access to the
memory of the SIM card although there can be one. In one embodiment of the
invention the SIM card can recognize the location initiator being authorized
to
get the information directly from the memory of the SIM card without any au-
thorization requests for locating the user equipment. It is also possible that
the
user has given for some or all persons and/or authorities preauthorization for
the direct access to the memory.
The SIM card can also be a so-called tamper-proofed device offer-
ing enough protection in relation to the location of a single person.
The SIM card can also be adapted to fit to different kinds of user
equipment, to different kinds of mobile stations such that when inserted e.g.
into a conventional cellular mobile station it can adapt to the system of the
conventional mobile station and cause it to operate for locating the mobile
sta-
tion.
The SIM card can also comprise and/or be in cooperation with
logic(s) and/or software program(s) or application(s), which can control the
op-
eration of the invention and its embodiments. The logic(s), the program(s)
and/or the application(s) can be in the SIM card, in communication with the
SIM card and/or it/they can be loaded to the SIM card and/or to the user
CA 02614534 2008-01-09
WO 2006/106187 PCT/F12006/050130
4
equipment for carrying out the invention and its embodiments. The applications
comprise e.g. Java and Symbian applications.
In other words, the SIM card can comprise means e.g. a program,
for calculating the current location, like the coordinates, of the user
equipment.
Thus the whole processing of the positioning data and/or the current location
can be done with the GPS chip and the SIM processor. The processor(s) of the
user equipment are not needed in the calculation but it/they can also be used.
The SIM card can also comprise means e.g. a program, for sending
the temporary data, pseudo data to the server for the calculation of the
current
location of the user equipment.
The Java and Symbian applications can process the location infor-
mation received from the SIM card and/or from the server in many ways. The
Java application can get the location information over the GPRS (General
Packet Radio Service) network via the MSLC (Mobile Serving Location Center)
server.
The SIM card can be virtual or separate, stand-alone card. For the
invention and its embodiments the SIM card can be partly or wholly fixed to
the
user equipment or partly or wholly removably insertable into the user equip-
ment. It can thus comprise one or more parts. The SIM card can also have dif-
ferent sizes, thicknesses and volumes. Although in the following the name SIM
card will be used, it is to be understood that it also refers to different
kind of
smart cards like to an ICC card (Integrated Circuit Card) or to a chip card.
What is important for the invention and its embodiments is that it is a module
with embedded information receiver and/or antenna.
The receiver can receive information for locating or for assisting the
locationing of the equipment. Thus it can be e.g. a GPS (Global Positioning
System) receiver or an AGPS (Assisted GPS) receiver or a receiver for other
satellite-positioning systems like NAVSTAR (NAVigation System using Timing
And Ranging), GLONAS (Global Navigation Satellite Service) or GALILEO. It
must be noted that the module can comprise one or more receivers and/or an-
tennas each of which is adapted to e.g. different positioning systems.
The antenna can be within the module or it can be provided as a
separate component. Also the antenna of the user equipment can be used. If
then the receiver unit is in the module, the sensitivity of the system can be
in-
creased compared to the situation where both the receiver and the antenna
are in the module. This however can require the use of new user equipment.
CA 02614534 2008-01-09
WO 2006/106187 PCT/F12006/050130
The invention and its embodiments are based on the idea of adding
a high accuracy satellite positioning system, like GPS, functionality to the
exist-
ing non satellite positioning system, like non-GPS, user equipment without any
modifications to the device itself but only by inserting a new positioning sys-
5 tem, like AGPS, enabled SIM (Subscriber Identity Module) card in it. It is
also
possible to insert the high accuracy satellite positioning system
functionality to
the existing satellite positioning system user equipment.
It is possible that the user can locate his/hers position by his/hers
own initiative or the user can be located by the initiative of a third person
or a
service. However, before the third person or an external service can locate
the
user equipment, it is possible for the user to accept or reject the external
posi-
tioning initiative unless it is generated by emergency services with authority
to
do so by law, or by an application or service, which is authorised by the
user.
In these cases the remote location request sender can be authenticated by a
positioning application, like the AGPS application on the SIM card prior to re-
questing a positioning subsystem, like the AGPS subsystem to generate the
location data. The authentication can use digital signature (PKI) or other
avail-
able secure authentication methods to control the access to the AGPS subsys-
tem functionality. The authentication can also be used for controlling the ac-
cessing to the location information for applications running on the SIM or mo-
bile device.
The SIM module can also comprise means for controlling the ac-
cess to the positing data. When an inquiry for positioning data is received
said
means can check the riqht to use and/or the riaht to get said positioning data
based on e.g. the identity of the sender of the inquiry. The SIM module can
transmit the positioning data or deny its transmission. The SIM module can
also calculate the location and transmit e.g. the coordinates to the initiator
of
the inquiry. The SIM card can also ask the user of the user equipment for the
acceptance of the transmission of said data.
Figure 1 shows user equipment 1-2 with a smart card 1-4, such as a
SIM card or a USIM (UMTS subscriber identity module; UMTS, Universal Mo-
bile Telecommunications System) card 1-4. The smart card can have an em-
bedded global satellite-positioning receiver, such as Assisted-GPS (AGPS) re-
ceiver 1-6 and a GPS antenna 1-8, together forming an AGPS subsystem. The
AGPS subsystem is designed to provide accurate positioning information of
the user equipment. The embedded AGPS receiver is adapted to receive
CA 02614534 2008-01-09
WO 2006/106187 PCT/F12006/050130
6
AGPS assistance data 1-10, 1-12 from a network based Location Server 1-14
via a cellular network 1-30, mobile device 1-2 and SIM card contacts using
e.g.
SIM Toolkit API protocol or other protocol usable for communication between
the SIM card and the user equipment.
One or more of the antennas of the smart card can be a chip an-
tenna adapted to be fitted on the smart card. Its material can be e.g.
ceramic.
The size of the antenna can be very small, e.g. 3x10x0.7 mm.
Both the receiver(s) and the antenna(s) can be constructed in one
or more parts and the receiver and the antenna can be integrated partly or to-
lo tally into one or more integrated circuits. The receiver and the antenna
can
thus be integrated into the same substrate or into at least two different sub-
strates.
Thus the receiver and the antenna can be separate components,
they can be part of the module or the chip or they all can be constructed as a
single chip component.
The assistance data can include information about the GPS satel-
lites 1-16, of which signal the AGPS receiver should listen to. The AGPS de-
vice can thus consist on the AGPS receiver combined with a wireless modem
or a full functional cellular phone.
SIM Toolkit API protocol can be defined between the SIM card and
the user equipment defining e.g. communication with applications of SIM Tool-
kit and the usage of a display, a keyboard and menus. The toolkit can be de-
fined to be set of commands for the application running on a SIM, processing
of SIM, user equipment, communications network and external apparatus inter-
faces by means of which additional functions may be added to user equipment.
The commands can comprise e.g.: profile download, data download to SIM,
proactive applications on SIM, menu selection, and call control by SIM. Alter-
natively other protocols can be used instead of or in addition to the SIM
Toolkit
API protocol. These protocols comprise e.g. fast communication protocols.
The AGPS receiver and the AGPS application 1-6 can communicate
with the mobile device using SIM Toolkit interface. It is used for example to
re-
ceive the AGPS assistance data 1-10, 1-12 and send location information to
the server as well as for using the mobile device display 1-2 and input from
the
keypad 1-24. The location information can be communicated between the mo-
bile device and one or more network based servers 1-14, 1-16 e.g. via SMS
(Short Message Service), USSD (Unstructured Supplementary Service Data),
CA 02614534 2008-01-09
WO 2006/106187 PCT/F12006/050130
7
MMS (Multimedia Messaging Service), IP (Internet Protocol) or other commu-
nication protocols.
From the mobile user equipment point of view, the AGPS subsys-
tem and functionality can be hidden behind the AGPS SIM Toolkit application
by using a SIM processor with two input/output ports, where one is dedicated
to the SIM contacts 1-24 and the other port is dedicated for the AGPS subsys-
tem.
The AGPS receiver 1-6 can detect the satellite signals 1-28 and cal-
culate a pseudo-position data, a first estimate location. This pseudo-position
1o data can be further processed to get the actual geographical location using
the
processing power of the SIM card and a program residing in its memory. Alter-
natively, the pseudo-position data can be sent to a network-based server for
processing actual geographical location.
The invention can use text or multimedia messages or a software
application 1-6 residing on the SIM card 1-4 or on a software program 1-26 re-
siding on the mobile device to display the location information to the user
and
to provide an improved user interface 1-22.
Figure 2 shows a SIM module 2-2 according to the invention and its
embodiments. In addition to all typical elements and characteristics it can
comprise an embedded (A)GPS receiver 2-4 and an antenna 2-6. Contacts 2-
10 describe the interface of the SIM card with its environment, e.g. with the
mobile station. The contact(s) can also be adapted to convey the positioning
data and/or other data needed to calculate or assisting in calculation of the
lo-
cation or the estimate of the location of the user equipment to and/or from
the
SIM card and/or the user equipment. Also the loading of the logic, programs
and/or different applications to and from the SIM card and/or the user equip-
ment and the communication with the logic, programs and/or different applica-
tions are possible via the contacts. Thus the SIM card and/or the user equip-
ment can also comprise logic, program and/or application means for applying
the device for location purposes and/or for performing routines for location
purpose(s). The AGPS receiver can also e.g. be powered from the user
equipment power supply via the SIM card contacts.
The AGPS receiver chip and SIM chip can be separate chips or they
can be integrated on the same substrate. In the following different ways of us-
ing the invention and its embodiments will be described. It is possible for
the
user to locate himself autonomically such that the user is not in
communication
CA 02614534 2008-01-09
WO 2006/106187 PCT/F12006/050130
8
with the server, i.e. without the assistance data. However, it can be slower
than
with the help of the assistance data. The user can also be located without his
allowance based on the certain laws, like E112 and E911, which can authorize
the network operator to give the location information to the authorities. The
au-
thorization is not needed to locate the emergency call, but it is needed to lo-
cate all other calls. The user can give his authorisation only for one case or
permanently.
The user equipment must be on for it to be located. Also the net-
work connection can be needed so that the remote location request can be
transmitted. If there is no network connection and the assistance data is too
old, the user can made a typical GPS location with only the SIM card and show
the coordinates x, y and/or z on the screen of the user equipment.
Figure 3 shows a signalling chart of a user initiated location request
according to the invention and its embodiments. In it the user equipment can
be used without any specific location based, navigation or MAP (Mobile Appli-
cation Part) application requiring significant calculation power.
According to Figure 3, the user of the user equipment UE wants to
know his/hers accurate location. Thus in step 3-2 (s)he can send a position re-
quest to the SIM card, e.g. by selecting "Show the location" with the help of
the
user interface. The request is forwarded in step 3-4 to the AGPS subsystem for
calculation of the current position of the user equipment, which can be proc-
essed in step 3-5. In step 3-6 the position data generated by the GPS receiver
can be sent to the server, e.g. to the location server or to the SMLC (Serving
Mobile Location Centre) server, which can then in step 3-7 calculate the posi-
tion data and create a map, geographical coordinates of the location. The loca-
tion information can then be returned to the user equipment in step 3-8 and it
can be presented e.g. visually, tactiovisually or as audio data like in all
other
embodiments of the invention. The presentation of information is not limited
to
certain methods or ways, but it can be as simple as possible and/or as
suitable
as possible for each current case. So different kinds of information presenta-
tions like text, map or voice or combinations thereof are possible.
Figure 3 can be a situation, in which a person wants to find to a
place, like a hotel, restaurant or any street address. The user can type a re-
quest using the wireless device, which will ask the AGPS subsystem to gener-
ate position data that will be sent together with the destination information
to
location server. The location server can then find the best route to the
destina-
CA 02614534 2008-01-09
WO 2006/106187 PCT/F12006/050130
9
tion and send instructions back to the wireless device as text and/or picture
and/or voice format.
Figure 4 shows a signalling chart of a remote device initiated loca-
tion request according to the invention and its embodiments. It can describe
e.g. a situation where a person with a mobile device is missing. An operator
initiates a location request from the Location Server on the network. The loca-
tion request will be sent over the network to the handset, which redirects it
to
the SIM card and to the AGPS subsystem. The location client application can
ask a location data from the AGPS subsystem and return it to the Location
1 o Server.
In Figure 4 the remote equipment location request without any user
interaction required can be used e.g. by emergency services to locate the user
equipment. In other words, the subscriber identity module can be adapted to
transmit the positioning data spontaneously. The locationing can start in step
4-2, where the positioning request can be sent from the location server to the
user equipment and its SIM card. The SIM card receives the request and for-
wards it to its AGPS subsystem in step 4-4. After that the current position of
the user equipment can be calculated in step 4-5 in the AGPS subsystem. In
step 4-6 the position data can be transmitted to the location server. The loca-
tion data can also be sent to other servers and/or other user equipment if
needed and/or allowed. In the case where AGPS subsystem calculates in step
4-5 pseudo position data, the data can be transmitted in step 4-6 to the loca-
tion server, which can then in step 4-7 caiculate the final location of the
user
equipment.
It must be noted that the current location of the user equipment can
be calculated by the user equipment and/or by the server, which can then re-
turn the location to the user equipment. The location can be calculated based
only on the information received e.g. from at least two location satellites or
in
addition to that based also on the assisting location information. Thus the
user
3o equipment of the invention and its embodiments can be user equipment
adapted to receive a location request; to receive positioning data from at
least
two satellites; and to calculate the current location of the user equipment at
least partly based on said positioning data. The user equipment can further be
adapted to receive assisting positioning data e.g. from one or more communi-
cations network servers; and to calculate the current location of the user
equipment at least partly based on said positioning data and said assisting po-
CA 02614534 2008-01-09
WO 2006/106187 PCT/F12006/050130
sitioning data.
The positioning data can comprise user equipment's geographical
coordinates like longitude and latitude coordinates and/or temporary data,
which can be used in calculation of the current location of the user
equipment.
5 Figure 5 shows a signalling chart of the remote device initiated loca-
tion request according to the invention and its embodiments. The remote
equipment location request without any user interaction required can be used
e.g. by emergency services to locate the user equipment, such as a GMS mo-
bile phone, where the location data is forwarded directly to a mobile emer-
lo gency services unit's GPS device. In step 5-2 the position request is sent
from
the server directly to the AGPS subsystem. In step 5-3 position data can be
generated and position data can be transmitted to the server in step 5-4. The
location can be calculated in the server in step 5-5 and the location data can
be transmitted to the emergency service positioning device ESPD in step 5-6.
Figure 6 shows a positioning process that is processed entirely in
the AGPS-SIM card using the AGPS subsystem according to the invention and
its embodiments. A person can be lost and wants to know where he is. Thus in
step 6-2 the positioning request can be sent from user equipment to the AGPS
subsystem. In step 6-3 pseudo position data can be generated in the AGPS
subsystem and the pseudo position data can be sent from the AGPS subsys-
tem to the SIM card in step 6-4. The actual geographical position of the user
equipment can be calculated in a processing unit of the SIM card in step 6-5
and the calculated position data can be forwarded to the user equipment in
step 6-6, which can the present it in an_y suitable means. It is also possible
to
send the location data to the location server in step 6-8.
The location data can be used in many ways. In one embodiment
the location data is not shown to the user. This can be the case with the emer-
gency services, like E112. In another embodiment also in this case the coordi-
nates can be displayed for the user.
In another embodiment the user can select "Services - Get location"
from the menu of the user equipment and/or the SIM card can present the co-
ordinates or another indication like "At home" to the user interface. In yet
an-
other embodiment SIM can send the positioning data to the server of the net-
work, which can then return the current location information of the user equip-
ment as an SMS message, an MMS message, or another messaging mes-
sage. In other words, the module 1-4, 2-2 can be adapted to transmit the posi-
CA 02614534 2008-01-09
WO 2006/106187 PCT/F12006/050130
11
tioning data in response to an inquiry from the mobile station and/or the loca-
tion server.
In still another embodiment the current location can be returned
and/or displayed as graphical information, like an MMS map.
The invention and its embodiments can be used in many different
ways and in many different situations. In addition to what is described above
there exist many other possibilities to use the invention and its embodiments.
In one example two persons want to find each other. Person A will send a loca-
tion request with its position data from the AGPS subsystem to the Location
lo Server, which will forward the request to person B's mobile device. If B
accepts
the request, the mobile device B can request position data from the AGPS
subsystem and send that to the Location Server. The Location Server will cal-
culate the locations, a route in between them and a map and send the results
to both parties wireless devices.
In another example a group of more than two persons can be lo-
cated. In yet another example the system offers also information on the height
of the receiver thus making it even easier for locating one or more, possibly
missing persons.
The invention and its embodiments offer many fields of applications
like tracking of a car, offering cheaper calls, monitoring the movements,
travel
and/or circulation of goods and vehicles and in navigation and playing games.
E.g. the Symbian and/or the Java applications that are in the memory of the
mobile phone or in a GSM modem and/or in the processor of the SIM card
and/or the mobile station can be in communication with the SIM card applica-
tion therein. This means that e.g. the navigation or the playing application
can
ask a GPS location information directly from the SIM card locally. For this
pur-
pose a licence (a certificate/a key) may be needed, with which the application
get the access to the location information.
This invention resolves the problem of not being able to locate a
mobile device with high accuracy. It adds a high accuracy GPS functionality to
the existing non-GPS mobile devices without any modifications to the device
itself but only by inserting a new AGPS enabled SIM card in it.
An advantage of the method and arrangement of the invention is
that user equipment can be located more accurately.
Another advantages of the invention and its embodiments comprise
a module having a low current and power consumption, low processing need,
CA 02614534 2008-01-09
WO 2006/106187 PCT/F12006/050130
12
and high component density leading to an efficient component and thus to an
efficient way of locating the user equipment.
Another advantage of the invention and its embodiments is that it is
very cost efficient, it offers accurate location services to the current and
future
generation of user equipment, because the invention is using a minimum
amount of additional components and is relying on the mobile device in com-
munication, power supply and user interface.
It will be obvious to a person skilled in the art that, as the technology
advances, the inventive concept can be implemented in various ways. The in-
1o vention and its embodiments are not limited to the examples described above
but may vary within the scope of the claims.
