Cellular device geolocation based on timing advance data

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12028780-B2
Application number	US-202318299320-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 12, 2023
Priority date	Jun 26, 2020
Publication date	Jul 2, 2024
Grant date	Jul 2, 2024

Abstract

Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a network device that comprises a processing system including a processor and a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processing system, facilitate performance of operations. The operations include obtaining timing advance data regarding a communication device served by the network; the timing advance data is collected by a network element coupled to the network device, and the network element communicates with the communication device using control-plane signaling. The timing advance data is processed using location data regarding the network element to determine a geolocation of the communication device. The geolocation is stored at a storage device; the network device and storage device are included in a secure portion of the network. The geolocation is provided to equipment of a network customer accessing the secure portion of the network via a secure interface. Other embodiments are disclosed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
obtaining, by a processing system including a processor of a network device, timing advance data associated with a communication device operating in a mobility network, wherein the obtaining the timing advance data comprises using control-plane data probing to obtain the timing advance data while avoiding entry into a user-plane session and thereby reducing power consumption of the communication device;
processing, by the processing system, the timing advance data using location data associated with the network device to determine information about a geolocation of the communication device;
storing, by the processing system, the information about the geolocation of the communication device at a storage device of the mobility network; and
providing, by the processing system, the information about the geolocation of the communication device to equipment of a network customer.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
obtaining, by the processing system, location data regarding a network element in data communication with to the network device;
processing, by the processing system, the timing advance data according to the location data regarding the network element in data communication with the communication device; and
communicating, by the processing system, with the communication device.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
providing, by the processing system, the information about the geolocation of the communication device to equipment of a network customer accessing a secure portion of the mobility network via a secure interface.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
providing, by the processing system, the information about the geolocation of the communication device to the equipment of the network customer without providing the timing advance data to the equipment of the network customer.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving, by the processing system, the timing advance data, from a plurality of Evolved Node B (eNodeB) devices, and wherein the timing advance data is collected by the plurality of Evolved Node B (eNodeB) devices.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the processing the timing advance data comprises:
aggregating, by the processing system, the timing advance data from each of the plurality of eNodeB devices.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
detecting, by the processing system, an initiation of a random access by the communication device to obtain network service.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving, by the processing system, a query from an application server for the information about the geolocation of the communication device, wherein the receiving the query comprises receiving the query via a secure application programming interface; and
providing, by the processing system, the information about the geolocation of the communication device to the application server.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the receiving the query from the application server and the providing the geolocation of the communication device to the application server comprise:
communicating, by the processing system, in a control plane session.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
providing, by the processing system, a network identifier to the communication device; and
authenticating, by the processing system, the communication device using the network identifier.

11. A device comprising:
a processing system of a network device of a network, 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:
performing control-plane data probing to obtain timing advance data of a communication device operating in a control plane session on a mobility network without entering a user-plane session to thereby reduce power consumption of the communication device;
processing the timing advance data to determine a geolocation of the communication device;
storing information about the geolocation of the communication device at a storage device associated with the mobility network; and
providing, in the control plane session, the geolocation of the communication device to equipment of a network customer.

12. The device of claim 11 , wherein the operations further comprise:
obtaining the timing advance data via control-plane signaling by the communication device in a network registration procedure with the mobility network.

13. The device of claim 11 , wherein the operations further comprise:
providing the information about the geolocation of the communication device to equipment of a network customer accessing a secure portion of the mobility network via a secure interface.

14. The device of claim 11 , further comprising:
receiving a query from an application server, the query requesting the information about the geolocation of the communication device, wherein the receiving the query comprises receiving the query via a secure application programming interface; and
providing, by the processing system, the information about the geolocation of the communication device to the application server.

15. The device of claim 14 , wherein the receiving the query from the application server and the providing the geolocation of the communication device to the application server comprise:
communicating, by the processing system, in a control plane session.

16. A non-transitory, machine-readable medium comprising executable instructions that, when executed by a processing system including a processor of a network device, facilitate performance of operations comprising:
detecting a network registration procedure by a communication device in a mobility network;
obtaining timing advance data, the timing advance data associated with the communication device, wherein the obtaining the timing advance data comprises obtaining the timing advance data via control-plane signaling by the communication device during the network registration procedure in the mobility network while avoiding entry into a user-plane session to thereby reduce power consumption of the communication device;
processing the timing advance data to determine a geolocation of the communication device;
storing information about the geolocation at a network storage associated with the mobility network; and
providing the geolocation of the communication device to equipment of a network customer communicating on the mobility network, wherein the providing the information about the geolocation comprises providing the information about the geolocation via control-plane signaling with the communication device.

17. The non-transitory, machine-readable medium of claim 16 , wherein the processing the timing advance data comprises:
processing the timing advance data based on location data associated with a network element in data communication with the network device and communicating with the communication device.

18. The non-transitory, machine-readable medium of claim 17 , wherein the operations further comprise:
providing a network identifier to the communication device; and
authenticating the communication device based on the network identifier.

19. The non-transitory, machine-readable medium of claim 16 , wherein the storing the information about the geolocation comprises:
storing the information about the geolocation at a storage device accessible over the mobility network, the network d

Assignees

• At & T Ip I Lp
• At & T Mobility Ii Llc

Inventors

• Bartlett Jeff
• Alexander Jordan
• Becker Thomas

Classifications

• H04W74/0833

  Random access procedures, e.g. with 4-step access · CPC title

• H04M15/61

  based on the service used · CPC title

• H04W4/029 Primary

  Location-based management or tracking services · CPC title

• H04L12/14

  Charging, metering or billing arrangements specially adapted for data communications, e.g. authentication, authorisation and accounting [AAA] framework · CPC title

• H04M15/00

  Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication {; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP} · CPC title