MXPA00001631A - Geographical database for radio system - Google Patents

Abstract

A geographical database connected to a mobile radio network (10) contains information about consumer services within the network (10) and about a plurality of geographic areas into which the service area of the network (10) is divided. When a mobile station (19) seeks to obtain information from the database by entering one or more search key words, the network (10) determines the current geographic location of the mobile station (19) within the network (10). Both the search keys and the mobile station's current location are used to search the database and return to the mobile station (19) information about available consumer services in different zones made up of geographic areas near its current location. The input and output from the database may be voice or text.

Description

GEOGRAPHICAL DATABASE FOR A RADIO SYSTEM BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a telecommunications system and, more particularly, to a geographic database for providing information to subscribers of cellular radio systems. DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED TECHNIQUE In recent years the growth of mobile radio systems, particularly cell phone systems has been phenomenal. These systems allow complete telecommunication facilities provided to the community, city or even a whole country without the time and expense of installing a cabling infrastructure. In addition, telephone radio systems provide communication resources to a subscriber regardless of the physical position of the subscriber within the system or if the subscriber is static or in motion. Each mobile telecommunications radio system operator must make a large investment in infrastructure equipment, including mobile switching centers and base stations, in order to serve the geographic territory for which it has a license. As a result, each operator seeks to: (1) provide high quality telecommunications service to its subscribers at reasonable costs; (2) provide as many value-added adjunct services as possible to its subscribers in order to retain such subscribers and to attract new subscribers to its network; and (3) increase its revenues from basic telecommunications services and provide additional adjunct services to its subscribers. Subscribers of a telecommunications radio system move frequently and widely across a geographical area. This movement can take you to geographic areas with the ones you are not personally acquainted with. While some radio networks provide value-added services to their subscribers such as dial-up services which list restaurants, cinemas, emergency services and the like, these services are not able to identify specific geographical locations of the mobile station calling within the network and tailor the information provided as a function of your current geographic location. Frequently, a mobile radio subscriber, for example a mobile subscriber moving within a shopping mall or in an indoor self-service store, would be very interested in obtaining information regarding the nearest restaurant or coffee shop or specialty store of some kind in particular in its geographical area. Similarly, a motorist somewhere in the unfamiliar city who is running out of fuel would be very interested in knowing the location of the gas station closest to its current location. In the same way, a motorist who wants to go from city A to city B in an unknown geographical area would also be very interested in knowing the appropriate routes in order to get to city B, particularly if the construction of the road made it necessary I do various deviations. While computerized navigation systems and geostationary satellite positioning systems have the ability to identify the geographical position of a sensor on the ground, these systems are not generally integrated into a communication system. In addition, most communication systems are not adapted for the delivery of specific information from a database to a person requesting information of some particular type. The method and system of the present invention provides a geographic database integrated with a radio telecommunications system to provide specific information to a radio subscriber upon request. The specific information is based on a specific request by the subscriber and can be configured to be directly associated with a current geographic location of the subscriber within the radio network. There are several techniques for geographically locating a mobile station within a cellular radio system. These are used primarily for the purpose of providing emergency assistance to the mobile subscriber or to configure system resources, such as the characteristics of an array of directional antennas for the specific position of the mobile subscriber. Neither of these systems identifies the position of the mobile station with respect to other geographical elements for the purpose of supplying information from a geographic database. BRIEF COMPENDI OF THE INVENTION In one aspect, the present invention includes providing geographic information from a database within a radio telecommunications network. A database is provided and connected to the network and contains a first set of specific information about the services available to the consumer within the network and a second set of information about the plurality of geographical areas within the network and their relationship between yes. Each of the elements of specific information about the services to the consumer in the first set is associated with the information of the second set which corresponds to the geographical location within the network where the services are available to the subscribers of the network. A mobile station within the network requests information from the database and information is returned from the database to the mobile station based on a search of the same in response to the request. In one embodiment of this aspect, the type of information requested by the mobile station may require the database to know the current geographic location of the mobile station. In such a case, the current geographic location of the mobile station is determined and translated into the corresponding geographic area contained within the second set of information in the database. The geographical area and any search key supplied by the requesting mobile station is used to search the database for the requested information. In another aspect, the present invention includes a geographic database for a radio telecommunications network which has a plurality of cells served by base stations connected to at least one mobile switching center and which allows a mobile station to it moves within the network to establish radio communication with the network. The geographic database is connected to the network and is interrogable by a mobile station from within the network over the air interface thereof. The database comprises data defining a plurality of geographical areas within the network with each zone comprising a plurality of geographical areas. Each of the geographical areas contains geographic information made of a plurality of information components and each zone is defined by the information components that have a specific relationship with each other and the geographical area. The database also includes data defining a plurality of specific information elements with at least some elements defining consumer services available to the subscribers of the radio network and at least some elements being associated with one or more of the geographic areas which identify the location in which the associated consumer service can be obtained within the network by the subscriber. In another aspect, the present invention includes obtaining information within a geographic database associated with the radio telecommunications system serving the mobile station that moves over a geographic area. A message is sent from the mobile station to the network seeking to invoke the information service and a message is sent from the network acknowledging receipt of the request for information. A specific request is sent from the mobile station to the network looking for information from the database. The geographical location within the network of the mobile station that interrogates is determined. The database is analyzed with the specific search of the mobile station and the geographical location of the current mobile station and is located the information within the database related to the search of the mobile station. The localized information is ordered hierarchically in groups according to the geographical area with which the information is associated and is provided from the database to the questionable mobile station in sequential groups according to the proximity of the zone with which it is associated each group to the area in which the questionable mobile station is currently located. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS To understand the present invention and for objects and additional advantages thereof, reference can be obtained in the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a block diagram illustrating a portion of a cellular radio system equipped with a geographic database in accordance with the present invention; Figure 2 is a block diagram illustrating certain elements of one aspect of the organization of a geographic database constructed in accordance with the present invention; Figure 3 is a diagram illustrating the organization of zones within the geographic database constructed in accordance with the present invention; Figure 4 is a diagram illustrating certain organizational aspects of the geographic database constructed in accordance with the present invention; Figure 5 is a diagram illustrating a possible relationship between different zones in the geographic database of the present invention and to the cells of a cellular radio system within which the database is integrated; Figure 6 is a diagram illustrating the use of geographic areas and areas within a data base constructed in accordance with the present invention; Figure 7 is a signal diagram illustrating the flow of messages between a mobile station and the network during the use of the geographic database of the present invention; Figure 8 is a flowchart illustrating certain aspects of the use of the geographic database of the present invention; Figure 9 is a pictorial diagram illustrating an aspect of the present invention of information within the geographic database of the present invention; Figure 10 is a pictorial diagram illustrating another aspect of the presentation of information within the geographic database of the present invention; Figure 11 is a block diagram illustrating the construction of an information request message within the geographic database of the present invention; and Figure 12 is a diagram illustrating the coordinates of the diagram of the position of the mobile station in the geographical areas within the geographic database of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED MODE With reference to Figure 1, a block diagram of a portion of a cellular radio telecommunications system 10 is shown including a plurality of cells 11 to 13 each being served by the base stations 14 to 16 respectively. The base stations 14 to 16 are connected via cable or microwave links 17 to a mobile switching center 18. The mobile switching center 18 includes a geographic database (GDB) constructed in accordance with the present invention together with an interface or adaptation 22 which allows the database 21 to be registered and accessed by the mobile stations 19 that move within the cellular system 10. It should be understood that the. GDB 21 does not need to be part of MSC 18, but it must be a single node, if desired. The entry to the geographic database typically includes two components: (1) the geographic area from which the question originates, this being the geographic location of a mobile station accessing the database; and (2) a possible search key that designates information that a user wants to obtain from within the database. The geographical area from which the question occurs can be the cell from which the service is invoked by a mobile station. However, there are many other sophisticated methods for locating the specific position of a mobile station within a cellular radio network. Various example techniques are shown and discussed in European Patent EP-767594, Patent Application W0-9629836, Patent Application WO-9625830, Japanese Patent JP06326651, Japanese Patent JP04132322, Japanese Patent JP04095791, Japanese Patent JP01170133, German Patent DE3516357, Patent Application WO8502023 and Japanese Patent JP600021641, all are incorporated by reference herein. One technique which produces information about the position of a relatively accurate mobile station is the triangulation in which three base stations of three different cell sites are used in the location decision procedure. The more precisely the geographic location of the requesting mobile station is determined, the more accurate is the information which can be supplied from the geographic database. A set of geographic coordinates defines the current geographic area from which the request originated. A search key can be sent from the mobile station requesting information from the geographic database to the system can be general or specific. A general search key is also associated with one or more specific search keys. While a specific search key is unique, a general search key is an abstraction of one or more specific search keys. For example, the general search key for "food" is associated with the specific search keys "Pizza Hut", "McDonald's" and "Burger King." Each specific search key can be associated with a specific information element. The specific information stored within the geographic database and related to a specific search key is sent back to the searcher either as a text or as a voice message in response to the request. Each specific search key may be associated with a geographic area and each geographic area may be associated with an information element within the geographic database. For each specific service requested by the mobile station, the specific information that is linked to the geographical area is also sent back to the requesting person either a text or a voice message in response to the request. With reference to Figure 2, a block diagram illustrating the organization and relationships of relative objects within the structure of the database of the present invention is presented. An application 31 of a mobile station operating within the cellular network 10 may contain either a general search key 32 or a specific search key 33. Similarly, the general search key may also contain one or more specific search keys 33. The application 31 also originates from the geographic area 34 which is part of a geographical area 35. Each zone 35 contains one or more geographic areas 34. Each zone 35 also has a number of possible zone ratios 36 each of the which contains a zone relationship element 37. The zone relationship object 36 may contain information about, for example, how to get from one area to the other. Similarly, each geographical area contains geographic information 38 each element of which contains geographic information components 39. Each specific search key may also contain specific information 41 which is composed of specific information components 39. A geographic area 34 may be part of one and only one zone 35. While one zone 35 may contain several geographic areas 34, each zone 35 also has some relationship with other zones 35. The nature of this relationship can be of several different types; for example: a neighbor relation or separation distance relation. The concept of neighboring zone is used in the database of the present invention in order to facilitate the organization and presentation of information to a person requesting the geographic database. With reference to Figure 3, a pictorial diagram illustrating the concept of areas and geographic areas is shown and shows a possible relationship in the organization of the geographic database of the present invention. Each of the zones 35a-36e are related to each other, respectively, surrounding each other concentrically. They are usually presented in a circular manner but other shapes and configurations are possible. The geographical area of origin 34a is indicated as the center of the concentrically related zones 35a-35e. The relation of the respective zones 35a-35e is shown along a scale 43 which represents the relative distance of the respective areas of the geographical area of origin 34a and which can also represent the requested order of presentation of information to a person Applicant of the database. The information in the database associated with the area from which the request originates is presented first. That is, since the request originating from the geographic area 34a which is within the first zone 35a, information within the database that is associated with the zone 35a is presented first. Further on, the information associated with each of the other geographical areas 35b-35e are presented sequentially and ordered as belonging to the neighboring zones related by proximity to the source area 35a. So also, each neighboring area may also have neighbors and each said neighboring area is served until the system is satisfied that there are no more areas remaining to be served in order to present all the information required to respond to the request received by the database. The information that is to be delivered to the person requesting it from the database is constructed of a plurality of information components. Each component of information is a small fraction of an information message. Each of the information components can be shared between different information messages. As mentioned above, it is of general interest to know the geographical location of the mobile station of the requesting person but it may also be of interest to know the position of other specific mobile subscriber within the system in order to satisfy a request from the database geographical. Such geographic position information can be obtained, in certain cases, from the knowledge about the existing location or the registration of options, being this, cells or location areas, which are used together with the geographic database to obtain information. The geographic database contains geographic information about each location area within the system. The geographic database of the present invention can be used in various ways. For example: Figure 4 illustrates examples of different applications within a shopping center. In this particular example, the applicant is interested in obtaining information from the geographic database concerning the entire service area and, therefore, the concept of the neighboring area does not apply. As illustrated in Figure 4, each of the cells 51-55 includes a number of different geographic elements. For example: cell 51 includes the "Cinema 2000", a "Shamrock" service station and a "Gant" clothing store. Since the applicant is interested in information about the entire service area, the geographic information entry element can be omitted. The entry of a general search keyword such as "Food" provides four hits in the geographic database: "Burger Queen", Pizza Castle "," Pizza House "and McDonalds". The specific information provided by the geographic database with respect to each of these hits may include geographic information on how to get to each of the locations. The specific information may also include special offers that are offered at that time by each of the establishments identified by the database in response to the general word "Food." The user may also have entered other general search keywords, such as "hamburgers" and receive two hits from the database or may have entered a specific search keyword that identifies any of the food establishments and is given information specific with respect to how to get to that particular establishment, being this, the location within the commercial center where the establishment is located. With reference to Figure 5, an illustrative macrosystem is shown within which the geographic database of the present invention is implemented. In this example, the size of each cell 61, 62 and 63 is relatively large and covers multiple geographic zones defined within the database. Therefore, due to the size of the application, the concept of neighboring zone is applied to the retrieval of information from the database. The requesting mobile station 19 within the originating geographic area 34a is shown as the central point of the request and the location about which geographic information is supplied to the database. The requesting mobile station 19 is located within the cell 62 and within the area A defined by the geographic database and indicated by the light colored geographical areas. A ring of additional geographic areas, slightly shaded and defined as zone B that surrounds zone A. Finally, the darkest shaded geographical areas 34 are defined as zone C which surrounds zones A and B. A number of service stations , for example: those identified with "OK" (within zone A) "Q8" (within zone B) and "BP" and "76" (within zone C) are in nearby areas organized hierarchically to the mobile station 19. Each geographical area is defined by its coordinates. The resolution of each coordinate depends on the technique used to locate the requesting mobile station 19. In general, it is preferred not to have geographic areas which are very small compared to the error which is inherent in the location of the mobile station itself . This results in obtaining better location information from the database. In Figure 5, the entry of the general search key "gasoline" provides several hits in the geographic database. The information is taken to the mobile subscriber 19 in a certain way that the hits that are closest to the mobile subscriber are presented first, starting with the area A, being this, the "OK" station. Then, the strokes within zone B are presented and then the strokes presented in zone C. An additional example diagram showing the use and organization of information within the geographic database of the present invention is illustrated in the figure 6. In this example the database is used to obtain information about a relatively large geographical area in which the size of the cells and the defined zones within the system are relatively large. Since the applicant does not. is interested in obtaining information concerning the entire service area the concept of zone is used in the example of figure 6. The system is divided into geographical areas 34, a plurality of which are organized into zones 65, each having a relationship with the other. In this example, the requesting mobile station is interested in arriving from point A to point B and the service provides update information regarding road constructions., routes, etc. In this type of request of a requesting mobile station only the information relating to the areas is of interest and therefore it is only the information that is provided in response to the request. In figure 6, mobile station 19 is located in city B and would like to go to city C. To make a request the mobile station accesses the cellular network and through it the geographic database. The requesting mobile station provides the keyword for "city C". The system has the information initially entered with the request has located the mobile station in city B and therefore accesses the database with respect to the search keyword. Then he sends a message to the applicant asking him to take the E-2 route from city B to city C because there are buildings on route E-4.

The number of zone relation information elements required in a geographic database according to the statistical formula: n! ((n - 2)! * 2!) where n is the total number of zones defined in the system. Table I gives the number of relationship information elements for various zone numbers. NUMBER OF ELEMENTS RELATIONSHIP INFORMATION AREA NUMBER 10 45 100 4,950 1,000 4,099,500 10,000 49,995,000 From Table I, it is apparent that this model is highly suitable for smaller systems such as metropolitan information systems. Keywords linked to metropolitan information such as underground transport stations can make life easier for a tourist visiting a city that provides this service. With reference to figure 7, a signal diagram is shown. illustrates the exchange of signal messages within a cellular system in order to access and obtain information from a geographic database constructed in accordance with the present invention. As illustrated, a requesting mobile station seeks to invoke the geographic information service by means of a Service Invocation message 71 sent from the mobile station to the base station and from the base station to the adaptation section MSC. In response, the MSC returns a Service Presentation message 72 to the mobile station indicating the services which are available based on the location from which the mobile sent the Service Invocation message 71. Next, the mobile station sends the message to the mobile station. MSC in 73 a Service Request message including a search key, and the selection of the list of available services. In response, the MSC sends an MS message to locate 74 from the MSC to the base station. The base station institutes requests 75 and 76 which locate by means of various schemes known in the art to the requesting mobile station within the geographic structure of the cellular system. Once located, the base station returns a message from MS Located 76 to the MSC which transmits the Request Message 77 containing the search key and the geographic area identifier for the requesting mobile station.

During the time that the search is being carried out within the geographic database, the mobile station has the possibility of issuing at 78 a stop message aborting the search. Finally, at 79, the geographic database returns a Request Result message through the MSC and the base station to the mobile station providing the search result within the geographic database tuned to the request. With reference to Figure 8, there is shown a flow chart which presents an aspect of the method and system of the present invention. At 81 the mobile station contacts the MSC to request service to the geographic database. The call of the mobile station originates in a cell or area of location which is part of a service area. At 82 the mobile station receives the service request from the mobile station and sends a message to it listing the types of service that are available. In the present system, different geographic database services can be offered to the mobile subscriber in different service areas. For example: some of the different services include the following: (1) determining the position of the mobile station itself within the service area; (2) determining the position of another mobile station within the service area; (3) finding information which is associated with different search keys and with respect to the position of a mobile station (either the requesting MS or another MS) within the current service area; (4) find information related to different search keys with respect to the entire service area; and (5) find information which identifies and describes the relationship between two different geographic areas. In 83, the mobile station selects one of the plurality of selections provided in the list and sends a request message to the MSC indicating its service selection along with any search key. At 84, the system determines whether the requested service requires location either from the requesting MS or from some other MS. If at 84, the system determines that the location of the base station is not required to provide the requested service, the system advances to 92 in which it accesses the geographic database based on the request message of the base station and any area of location or areas which may be required to carry out the search of the database.

At 93, the system determines whether the search result is dependent on the location of the base station. If not, at 94, the system returns the search result to the mobile station. If, however, at 93, the result of the requested search is dependent on the location of the mobile station, at 95, the system organizes the search result into groups in a hierarchical manner by geographic zones. At 96, the result of the search is returned to the mobile station in sequential groups based on the proximity to the geographical area with which they are associated with the geographical location of the mobile station. If the system determines that it is necessary to locate a mobile station to provide the required service, it goes to 85 and determines whether or not the mobile station to be located is the requesting mobile station or another mobile station. If the requesting mobile station is at 86 the MSC sends the requisite request to the group of base stations close to where the requesting mobile station operates to determine its specific location according to certain known techniques. Once the location of the mobile station is determined at 87 a message is sent to the MSC which contains an identification of the location of the mobile station within the network. At 88, the localized mobile station is translated into a geographic area identified within the database and sent to the search procedure 92. If, however, at 85, it is determined that the mobile station needs to be located to supply the mobile station. service requested by the requesting mobile station is a mobile station different from the requesting mobile station, the system moves to 89 and determines whether the other mobile station to be located is in active voice mode. If so, the system moves to 86 and locates the mobile station as described above. If the mobile station to be located is not in active voice mode at that time, the system moves to 91 and takes the mobile station to an active state and moves to 86 to locate the mobile station. Each of the service cases 1 to 3 and 5 above involve the location of a mobile station. As mentioned above, there are different methods for locating the position of a mobile station that are known to those skilled in the art. The location information, such as frequencies assigned to the mobile station and the like which are required for the work are sent to the base stations.

The technique for locating a mobile station may involve several base stations and signaling from base station to mobile station in order to determine the precise position of the mobile station within the network. To determine the position of a mobile station which is not the requesting mobile station involves somewhat more sophisticated methods. In the case that the mobile station is not currently in active voice mode, it must be brought into voice mode in order to be detected and its measured position. In the search of the geographical database 92, different techniques are used depending on the particular type of service that has been requested by the mobile station. These include the following: Case 1 - In the event that the mobile station wants to determine its own position, the entry to the geographic database is the current geographical area of the mobile station determined by the system. The geographical area contains geographic information comprising geographic information components. The geographic information is sent to the requesting mobile station as a result of the search. Case 2 - In determining the position of another mobile station, again the entry to the geographic database is the geographical area occupied at that time by that mobile station. The geographical area contains geographic information comprising geographic information components which are assembled and sent to the requesting mobile station. Case 3 - In this service, the requesting mobile station wants to find information related to different search keys which are, in turn, related to the current position of the mobile station and the active service area within which it is operating. The entry to the geographic database is a search key and a geographical area. The search key can be general or it can comprise one or more specific keys. The entry of the geographic area to the search can be part of an area and the search process of the database starts with the zone that contains the entry of the geographical area. For each geographic area in the area which is associated with a specific identified search key, the specific information linked to the search key is presented to the mobile station. The geographic information associated with the specific geographic area may also be presented to the mobile station once per geographical area or for each search key identified as desired by the system operator or as selected by the mobile station. Specific information linked to a specific search key can also contain geographic information and this information would be more detailed than geographic information linked to a geographical area. Neighboring zones are treated in the same way until the requesting person or system is satisfied that there are no more remaining areas that need to be reported. Case 4 - In this instance the applicant is interested in finding information associated with different search keys but with respect to a whole service area. The. The entry to the geographic database is a search key which can be general or contain one or more specific search keys. Only the information linked to the specific search keys identified and the entire service area are presented to the mobile station as a result of the search. Case 5 - In this instance the mobile station is interested in finding relative information between two geographical areas. The entry to the geographic database is a search key and a geographical area. The geographical area is the area in which the mobile station is located and the search key is the geographical area to which the mobile station wishes to go. The search key is associated with the geographic area which is, in turn, part of an area. Each zone has a relationship with the area where the mobile station is located and this relative information is sent to the mobile station. In Figure 9, another example of neighbor zone information is shown. Here a general search key 32a containing specific search keys 33a, 33b and 33c are used to request information within a geographic database as requested by the mobile station MS 19. Zone 1 is shown containing geographical area GA1 a GA3 while zone 2 is shown containing geographic areas GA4 to GA5. First, relevant information is returned to the mobile station with respect to its own GA4 geographic area. Henceforth, the information in the contiguous geographical area of zone 1, the same area as that of the mobile station, is returned with respect to information in the geographical area GA. "Finally, the results for the next related zone, zone 2 , is returned for geographic area GA4, Figure 10 shows a further example of the relationships of geographical areas in which the general search key 32a contains specific search keys 33a, 33b and 33c. geographic area GA1 while zone 2 contains GA2, zone 3 contains geographical area GA3 (which also includes mobile station MS19), zone 4 contains GA4 and zone 5 contains GA5. the mobile station in the order of presentation with respect to the proximity of relations to the area and geographical area of the mobile station 19. Therefore, the information regarding GA3 is presented first, the information regarding GA4 is presented immediately and finally the information concerning GA2 is presented. Figure 1 shows a block diagram illustrating the manner in which the information message can be constructed of a plurality of information components. As shown, the information message 38a comprises "Southwest" information components 39a, "of" 39b, and "Route 66" 39c. Each of these components can be incorporated either in text form or in a vocal form and assembled by the geographic database to be supplied to the applicant. Finally, Figure 12 illustrates the manner in which a mobile station is placed within a geographic database of the present invention. When a request arrives from a mobile station within the network, the system generally locates the current position of the requesting person within the system and locates that person within the various areas of system location. For example: in Figure 12 the mobile station is located by coordinates on an XY axis. That position of the XY axis is in the upper set of coordinates 91 is virtually repositioned within the lower set of coordinates XY 92 on which have already been placed with the respective zones and areas of location carried within the geographic database. This allows the database to select the information that is most relevant with respect to the request. As can be seen in the description above, the geographic database of the present invention provides a novel and useful service within a cellular radio telecommunications system. Said service that provides information and geographic location is very desirable for a system operator to provide its mobile subscribers and sellers. The present system also provides a means to sell several services within a network as well as assistance for a mobile subscriber to find several geographic locations within the service area. A very generic version of the geographic database of the present invention is shown here and it should be understood that several interfaces and functions can be used together with the database to obtain the described services. Additional improvements such as a high-resolution localization algorithm and more sophisticated database information are easily adapted to the present system. It should be understood that while the geographic database of the present invention has been disclosed in terms of a radio telecommunications network, such as a cellular network, the present invention may also be implemented within a wired network such as the PSTN. In said embodiment of the present invention, a subscriber station calling the database is identified by the number A (or other indicator) of the caller. The network also contains a first database (analogous to HLR or VLR in the mobile network) which cross-references each subscriber who has access to the geographic database to a geographic area where it is physically located. The remaining access to the database and the return of the result to the subscriber would be essentially similar to that described above in the case of the implementation of the mobile network.

Although the preferred embodiments of the method and apparatus of the present invention have been illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described in the foregoing description, it is understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments but that various arrangements, modifications and substitutions are possible without separating of the spirit of the invention as presented and defined in the following claims.

Claims (31)

1. CLAIMS A method for providing geographic information from a database within a radio telecommunications network, including: providing a database connected to said network and containing a first set of specific information on consumer services available within said network network and a second set of information on a plurality of geographical areas within said network and their relation to each other, each of said elements of specific information on services to the consumer in said first set is associated with the information in said second set that corresponds to the geographic location within said network where said services are available to the subscribers of said network; request information from said database from a mobile station within said network; and returning information from said database to said mobile station based on a search thereof in response to said request.
2. A method for providing geographic information from a database within a radio telecommunications network as set forth in Claim 1 wherein said request step includes: sending a message from a mobile station within said network to said network requesting services of the geographic database; returning a message from said network to said requesting mobile station containing a list of specific database services which are available to said mobile station; and sending a message from said mobile station to said network containing a selection of database services from said list with any appropriate search key to allow searching in said database if said service selected from the database requires a password. search.
3. A method for providing geographic information from a database within a radio telecommunications network as set forth in Claim 1 wherein said database service by said mobile station includes providing said mobile station with information of said radio base. data on consumer services available in the same geographical area within which the mobile station is currently located.
4. A method for providing geographic information from a database within a radio telecommunications network as set forth in Claim 3 wherein said consumer service information provided to said mobile station is arranged hierarchically in groups of messages with the information about services to the consumer in the geographical area closest to the current location of said mobile station being delivered first and the information on services to the consumer in other geographical areas being delivered in order of increasing distance from the current location of said mobile station.
5. A method for providing geographic information from a database within a radio telecommunications network as set forth in Claim 2 wherein said network is a cellular radio network and the database service selected by said mobile station requires the database for knowing the current geographical location of a mobile station and said method further comprising: determining the current geographic location of the mobile station over which said database requires knowledge; translating said current geographic location into a corresponding one of said geographic areas contained within said second set of information in said database; using said geographic area and any search key by said requesting mobile station to search said database for the requested information.
6. A method for providing geographic information from a database within a radio telecommunications network as set forth in Claim 5 wherein said mobile station over which the database requires Information on the current geographic location is the mobile station requesting said service from said database.
7. A method for providing geographic information from a database within a radio telecommunications network as set forth in Claim 2 wherein said database services available to said mobile station include providing said mobile station with information from said database on consumer services available in the same geographic area within which the mobile station is currently located, providing said mobile station with its current location, and providing said mobile station with information from said database on available consumer services throughout the entire area of the network.
8. A method for providing geographic information from a database within a radio telecommunications network as set forth in Claim 1 wherein said second set of information about the plurality of geographic areas within said network and their relationship to each other is organized in: a plurality of geographic information components comprising geographical information forming geographic areas, each of the geographic areas forming part of a geographical area comprising one or more areas; a plurality of geographical areas; and a plurality of zone relationship information components defining the relationship between each of the zones.
9. A method for providing geographic information from a database within a radio telecommunications network as set forth in Claim 8 wherein said zones are arranged in concentric rings, with the innermost zone containing the location area where it is located currently the mobile station that requests the service of the database. .
10. A method for providing geographic information from a database within a radio telecommunications network as set forth in Claim 2 wherein said network is a cellular radio network and the service of the database selected by said mobile station requires that the database knows the geographical location of said mobile station requesting said services from the database and said method further comprises: taking the cell by which said mobile station is currently being served as the current geographical location of the mobile station applicant; translating said current geographic location into one of said geographic area contained within said second set of information in said database; using said geographic area and any search key provided by said requesting mobile station to search said database for the requested information.
11. A method of providing geographic information of a database within a telecommunications network: providing a database connected to said network and containing a first set of specific information on consumer services available within said network and a second set of information on the plurality of geographical areas within said network and their relation to each other, each of said elements of specific information on consumer services in said first set being associated with the information in said second set which corresponds to the geographical location within said network wherein said services are available to subscribers of said network: requesting information from said database of a subscriber station within said network; determine the geographical location of said subscriber station within said network; and returning information from said database to said subscriber station based on a search thereof in response to said request on the geographic location of said requesting subscriber station.
12. A method of providing geographic information of a database within a radio telecommunications network as set forth in Claim 11 wherein said information returned to said applicant subscriber station includes information from said database of consumer services available in the same geographic area within which the requesting subscriber station is located. .
13. The system for providing geographic information from the database within a radio telecommunications network, comprising: means for providing a database connected to said network and containing a first set of specific information on consumer services available within said network and a second set of information on the plurality of geographical areas within said network and their relation to each other, each of the elements of specific information on consumer services in said first set being associated with the information in said second set the which corresponds to the geographical location within said network where said services are available to subscribers of said network; means for requesting information from said database of a mobile station within said network; and means for returning information from said database to said mobile station based on the search thereof in response to said request.
14. 14. A system for providing geographic information of a database within a radio telecommunications network as set forth in Claim 13 wherein said request means comprises: means for sending a request from a mobile station within said network to said network requesting geographic database services; means for returning a message from said network to said requesting mobile station containing a specific list of services which is available to said mobile station; and means for sending a message from said mobile station to said network containing a selection of database services from said list together with any search key to allow the search of said database if said database of selected services requires a search key
15. 15. A system for providing geographic information of a database within a radio telecommunications network as indicated in Claim 14 wherein said database services selected by said mobile station includes providing said mobile station with information from said database of consumer services available in the same geographic area within which the requesting mobile station is currently located. .
16. 16. A system for providing geographic information of a database within a radio telecommunications network as set forth in Claim 15 wherein said consumer services provided to said mobile station are arranged hierarchically in groups of messages with the information on services to the consumer in the geographic areas closest to the current location of said mobile station, the information on consumer services being delivered in other geographic areas in decreasing order at a distance from the current location of said mobile station.
17. A system for providing geographic information of a database within a radio telecommunications network as set forth in Claim 14 wherein said network is a cellular radio network and the service database selected by said mobile station requires the database to know the current geographic location of the mobile station in said system further comprises: means for determining the current geographic location of the mobile station over which said database requires information; means for translating said current geographical location into one of the corresponding geographic areas contained within said second set of information of said database; means for using said geographic area and any search key provided by said requesting mobile station to search said database for the requested information.
18. 18. A system for providing geographic information of a database within a radio telecommunications network as set forth in Claim 17 wherein said mobile station over which the database requires knowledge of the current geographical location is the station mobile that requests this service from the database.
19. 19. A system for providing geographic information of a database within a radio telecommunications network as set forth in Claim 14 wherein said database services available to said mobile station includes providing said mobile station with said information. database on consumer services available in the same geographic area within which the requesting mobile station is currently located, providing said mobile station with its current location, and providing said mobile station with information from said service database to the consumer available through the entire area of the network.
20. 20. A system for providing geographic information of a database within a radio telecommunications network as set forth in Claim 13 wherein said second set of information on a plurality of geographic areas within said network and their relationship to each other. it is organized into: a plurality of geographic information components comprising geographic information forming geographic areas, each of said geographic areas forming part of a geographical area comprising one or more areas; a plurality of geographical areas; and a plurality of information components defining the relationship between each of said zones.
21. 21. A system for providing geographic information of a database within a radio telecommunications network as set forth in Claim 20 wherein said zones are arranged in concentric rings, with the innermost zone containing the location area where a mobile station requesting the service of the database is currently located.
22. A system to provide information A database of a database within a radio telecommunications network as set forth in Claim 14 wherein said network is a cellular radio network and the database service selected by said mobile station requires the database to know the current geographic location of said mobile station requesting said services from the database and said system further comprises: means for taking the cell by said mobile station is currently being served as the current geographical location of the requesting mobile station; means for translating said current geographical location into one of the corresponding geographic areas contained within said second set of information in said database; means for using said geographic area and any search key provided by said requesting mobile station to search said database for the requested information. .
23. A system for providing geographic information of a database within a telecommunications network: means for providing a database connected to said network and containing a first set of specific information on consumer services available within said network and a second set of information on the plurality of geographical areas within said network and their relation to each other, each of said elements of specific information on consumer services in said first set being associated with the information in said second set which corresponds to the geographical location within said network where said services are available to subscribers of said network; means for requesting information from said database of a subscriber station within said network; means for determining the geographical location of said subscriber station within said network; and means for returning information about said database to said subscriber based on the search thereof in response to said request and on the geographical location of said requesting station. .
24. A system for providing geographic information of a database within a telecommunications network as set forth in Claim 23 wherein said information returned to said requesting station includes information from said database on consumer services available in the same geographic area within which the requesting subscriber station is located.
25. A geographic database for a radio telecommunications network which includes a plurality of cells served by a base station connected to at least one mobile switching center and which allows a mobile station moving within the network to establish radio communication with the network, said geographic database being connected to said network and requested by a mobile station from within said network on the air interface thereof, said database comprising: data defining a plurality of geographical areas within said network, each zone comprising a plurality of geographical areas; each of said geographical areas containing geographic information made of a plurality of information components and each zone being defined by said information components that have a spatial relationship with each other and said geographical areas; data defining a plurality of specific information elements with at least some elements defining consumer services available to subscribers of said radio network and at least some of said elements being directly associated with one or more of said geographic areas that identify the location in which said associated consumer services can be obtained within said network by said subscriber.
26. A database for a radio telecommunications network as set forth in Claim 25 which also includes: means for accepting a request from a mobile station requesting information related to the availability of a particular consumer service within said network; means for determining the current location within the network of said requesting mobile station; means for translating said determined current location of said mobile station into corresponding particular geographic area within the data structure of said database; * means for searching said reference database located therein to the particular type of consumer service on said mobile station throughout the geographic information area associated with each; means for organizing said consumer service reference information into hierarchical groups according to the area within which each is available; and means for returning said consumer service reference to said requesting mobile station in groups corresponding to the area in which the requesting mobile station is currently located being returned first or other groups in the order in which they are close to the area in which the requesting mobile station is located. which is currently located the requesting mobile station.
27. A geographic database for a mobile radio telecommunications network as set forth in Claim 26 wherein said zones within said consumer service reference information groups are arranged concentrically with respect to each other. .
28. A geographic database for a mobile radio telecommunications network as set forth in Claim 25 which also includes: means for accepting a request from a mobile station requesting information related to a particular geographical location within the network to which you want the mobile station want to know how to get there; means for determining the current location within said network of said requesting mobile station; means for translating said determined current location of said mobile station to the corresponding geographic area within the data structure of said database; means for searching said database to locate references therein to said particular geographic location within the network to which the mobile station wishes to know how to arrive to determine its corresponding geographical area; means for returning information about said spatial relationship determined to said requesting mobile station in the form of directions of how to reach the particular geographical location.
29. A method for accessing information within a geographic database associated with a radio telecommunications system serving a mobile station that moves over a geographical area, said method comprising: sending a message from the mobile station to the network looking for invoke the information service; acknowledge receipt of the information message requested by the network; * send a specific request from the mobile station to the network looking for information from said database; determining the current geographic location of the requesting mobile station within the network; search the database with the specific request of the mobile station and the current geographic location of the mobile station; locating the information within the database related to the request of said mobile station; organize such information located hierarchically in groups according to geographic zones with which the information has an association; and providing organized information of the database to the requesting mobile station in sequential groups according to the proximity of the zone with which each group is associated in the area in which the requesting mobile station is located.
30. 30. A method for accessing information within a geographic database associated with a radio telecommunications system serving a mobile station moving over a geographic area as set forth in Claim 29 wherein the zones according to which said information is organized are concentric with respect to one another and the location of the requesting mobile station to the center thereof.
31. 31. A method to access information within a geographic database associated with a radio telecommunications system serving a mobile station moving over a geographic area as set forth in Claim 29 wherein said information sought by said mobile station is related to services at consumer available to subscribers of said telecommunications system and each of the elements of said information has an association with a geographical area within which said services are available to said subscriber. 2. A method for accessing information within a geographic database associated with a radio telecommunications system serving a mobile station that moves over a geographic area, said method comprising: means for sending a message from the mobile station to the network seeking to invoke information service; means for acknowledging receipt of the service request message by the network; means for sending a specific request from the mobile station to the network seeking information from said database; means for determining the current geographic location of the requesting mobile station within the network; means for searching the database with the specific request of the mobile station of the current geographic location of the mobile station; means for locating information within the database related to the request of said mobile station; means to organize the information organized hierarchically into groups according to geographic zones with which said information has an association; and means for providing said organized information from the database to the requesting mobile station in sequential groups according to the proximity of the area with which each group is associated to the area in which the requesting mobile station is currently located. . A system for accessing information within a geographic database associated with a radio telecommunications system serving a mobile station that moves over a geographic area as set forth in Claim 31 wherein the zones in accordance with the which information is organized are concentric with respect to each other and the location of the requesting mobile station is at the center thereof. A system for accessing information within a geographic database associated with a radio telecommunications system serving a mobile station that moves over a geographic area as set forth in Claim 31 wherein said information is sought by said station mobile is related to consumer services available to subscribers of said telecommunications system and each of the elements of said information has an association with a geographical area within which said services are available to said subscriber.