Mobile Location Service Intermediary for Call Setup

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing mobile communication systems do not provide location information of a called mobile device to the calling party during call setup, leading to unnecessary conversations and expenses.

Innovation Solution

A service that allows mobile device users to subscribe to a location service, transmitting their current location and optional direction/speed information to calling parties before call completion, with control over who receives this information and how it is delivered (audio, text, or video).

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If location information is transmitted to the calling party during call setup, then the calling party can make informed decisions about whether to complete the call, but this requires additional system complexity and infrastructure

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelocation information availabilityVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

A location service intermediary system is introduced between the mobile switching center and the calling party. This intermediary retrieves location information from the network, formats it appropriately, and transmits it to the calling party during call setup, thereby resolving the contradiction by providing location information without requiring direct complex integration between existing systems.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The location information is retrieved and transmitted to the calling party before the call is fully established. This preliminary action allows the calling party to make an informed decision about whether to complete the call, preventing unnecessary call expenses and providing useful information in advance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Loss of energy

If location information is provided during call setup, then unnecessary calls can be prevented, but this consumes additional network resources and time

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecall expense reductionVSAvoidcall setup time

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of energyVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

Location information is retrieved and transmitted during the call setup phase before the call is fully established. This allows the calling party to decide whether to complete the call based on location information, preventing unnecessary call expenses while the time consumed is minimal and occurs during the existing call setup period.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system provides location information selectively based on subscriber preferences and call context. The location information transmission is integrated into the existing call setup process without requiring complete additional procedures, balancing the benefit of preventing unnecessary calls with the cost of additional time and resources.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentUS8670787B1Transmission of location and directional information associated with mobile communication devices

Publication Date: 2014.03.11 AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY II LP

AI summary

A method and arrangement for providing location information of a called mobile communication device to a calling party is implemented through a mobile device locator platform disposed in the communication network. A mobile device subscriber to the location service initiates a process where the location of his mobile device is updated on a regular basis and the location information stored in a database on the platform. When a call is placed to his subscribed device, the location information is transmitted to the calling party prior to setting up the call to the called device, allowing the calling party to determine whether or not to proceed with the call, as well as eliminating the need to ask the common question “where are you?” when placing a call to a mobile device.