US 12,425,803 B2
Passive location change detection system for mobility networks
Leslie Leonard, Lynnwood, WA (US); Rajendra Prasad Kodaypak, Sammamish, WA (US); Marc Sather, Kingston, WA (US); and Qingmin Hu, Los Angeles, CA (US)
Assigned to AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P., Atlanta, GA (US)
Filed by AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P., Atlanta, GA (US)
Filed on Dec. 7, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/544,000.
Application 17/544,000 is a continuation of application No. 16/437,582, filed on Jun. 11, 2019, granted, now 11,228,863.
Prior Publication US 2022/0095082 A1, Mar. 24, 2022
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. H04W 4/029 (2018.01); G01S 5/00 (2006.01); H04W 4/02 (2018.01); H04W 64/00 (2009.01)
CPC H04W 4/029 (2018.02) [G01S 5/0054 (2013.01); G01S 5/0063 (2013.01); H04W 4/025 (2013.01); H04W 64/00 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A device, comprising:
a processing system for a radio access network (RAN) node, the processing system including a processor; and
a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processing system, facilitate performance of operations, the operations comprising:
identifying, by the RAN node, without first receiving uplink positioning information from a wireless communication device and without first receiving a request from a Location Management Function (LMF) equipment of a communication system for notifications of changes in geographic location of the wireless communication device, positioning information associated with the wireless communication device, wherein the positioning information comprises at least one measured time-based attribute of an uplink wireless signal communicated from the wireless communication device and measured by the RAN node to obtain at least one measured time-based attribute, the at least one measured time-based attribute indicating one of a signal time of arrival, a time of flight, or any combination thereof, the LMF equipment being of a location management entity of a core network of a communication system;
determining, by the RAN node, without first receiving the uplink positioning information from the wireless communication device, and without first receiving the request for notifications of changes in geographic location of the wireless communication device, a current geographic location of the wireless communication device and a current radio sector containing the wireless communication device based on the at least one measured time-based attribute of the uplink wireless signal communicated from the wireless communication device;
detecting, by the RAN node, without first receiving the uplink positioning information from the wireless communication device, and without first receiving the request for notifications of changes in geographic location of the wireless communication device, a change in the current radio sector based on a change in e geographic location of the wireless communication device according to a change in the at least one measured time-based attribute of the uplink wireless signal; and
responsive to the detection of the change in the current radio sector based on the change in the at least one measured time-based attribute of the uplink wireless signal, without first receiving the uplink positioning information from the wireless communication device, and without first receiving the request for notifications of changes in the geographic location of the wireless communication device;
determining a specific geo-coded address of the wireless communication device; and
sending, by the RAN node, a location change notification to the LMF equipment of the location management entity of a core network of a communication system,
wherein the location change notification indicates the current radio sector, the current geographic location of the wireless communication device and the specific geo-coded address of the wireless communication device, wherein the location change notification notifies the location management entity of the core network of the detection of a geographic location change of the wireless communication device, without first receiving the uplink positioning information from the wireless communication device and without first receiving the request for notifications of changes in geographic location of the wireless communication device, and
wherein the sending of the location change notification to the LMF equipment causes the LMF equipment to identify a Location Retrieval Function (LRF) applicable to the wireless communication device and causes the LMF equipment to send the location change notification to a location services client associated with the LRF via a Gateway Mobile Location Center (GMLC).