Method and apparatus for qualifying access to communication system services based on subscriber unit location

Claim 1

A method of operating a communication system having at least one satellite in an orbit around the earth and having at least one subscriber unit located proximate to the earth's surface, said method comprising the steps of: generating location data that identify a location of said subscriber unit relative to the earth; determining an area of uncertainty around the location of said subscriber unit, where the area of uncertainty compensates for in inaccuracies of the generating step; storing area data that identify geographical areas of the earth; correlating said location data including said area of uncertainty with said area data; determining whether the correlating step indicates that said area of uncertainty overlies a boundary between said geographical areas: when said determining step indicates that the area of uncertainty overlies the boundary between the geographical areas, performing a boundary resolution procedure to determine in which of said geographical areas the communication system will consider said subscriber unit to be located within; and qualifying communication services provided for said subscriber unit in response to said performing the boundary resolution procedure step, wherein the communication services are qualified based on which of said geographical areas the communication system considers said subscriber unit to be located within.

Claim 2

A method of operating a communication system having at least one satellite in an orbit around the earth and having at least one subscriber unit located proximate to the earth's surface, said method comprising the steps of: generating location data that identify a location of said subscriber unit relative to the earth; determining an area of uncertainty around the location of said subscriber unit, where the area of uncertainty compensates for in inaccuracies of the generating step; storing area data that identify geographical areas of the earth; correlating said location data including said area of uncertainty with said area data; determining whether the correlating step indicates that said area of uncertainty overlies a boundary between said geographical areas: when said determining step indicates that the area of uncertainty overlies the boundary between the geographical areas, performing a boundary resolution procedure to determine in which of said geographical areas the communication system will consider said subscriber unit to be located within; and qualifying communication services provided for said subscriber unit in response to said performing the boundary resolution procedure step, wherein the communication services are qualified based on which of said geographical areas the communication system considers said subscriber unit to be located within.

Claim 11

A method of operating a communication system having at least one satellite in an orbit around the earth, at least one subscriber unit located proximate to the earth's surface, a plurality of switching offices, and a plurality of data processors, wherein said subscriber unit is a member subscriber unit from a population of subscriber units, said switching offices are associated with geographical areas of the earth so that each switching office is configured to engage in establishing calls terminated in a corresponding one of said geographical areas, and said data processors and said switching offices are in data communication with one another and with said satellite through a communications network, said method comprising the steps of: assigning each of said population of subscriber units to a corresponding one of said data processors; generating location data that identify a location of said subscriber unit relative to the earth, wherein a location error is inherent in the step of generating the location data and, said location data identify a position within an area of uncertainty which bounds points at which said subscriber unit could be located with the location error factored into the step of generating; storing, at the one of said data processors to which said member subscriber unit is assigned, area data that identify the geographical areas: correlating, at the one of said data processors to which said member subscriber unit is assigned, said location data with said area data: qualifying, at the one of said data processors to which said member subscriber unit is assigned, communication services provided for said subscriber unit in response to said correlating step by determining whether to allow access to communication services provided by said system or to deny access to said communication services: and when said qualifying step determines to allow access to said communication services, selecting one of said plurality of switching offices for temporary assignment of said member subscriber unit by determining whether said area of uncertainty overlies a boundary between two of said geographical areas; and generating additional location data when said area of uncertainty overlies said boundary, said additional location data being combined with said location data to shrink said area of uncertainty.

Claim 12

A method of operating a communication system having at least one satellite in an orbit around the earth, at least one subscriber unit located proximate to the earth's surface, a plurality of switching offices, and a plurality of data processors, wherein said subscriber unit is a member subscriber unit from a population of subscriber units, said switching offices are associated with geographical areas of the earth so that each switching office is configured to engage in establishing calls terminated in a corresponding one of said geographical areas, and said data processors and said switching offices are in data communication with one another and with said satellite through a communications network, said method comprising the steps of: assigning each of said population of subscriber units to a corresponding one of said data processors; generating location data that identify a location of said subscriber unit relative to the earth, wherein a location error is inherent in the step of generating the location data and, said location data identify a position within an area of uncertainty which bounds points at which said subscriber unit could be located with the location error factored into the step of generating; storing, at the one of said data processors to which said member subscriber unit is assigned, area data that identify the geographical areas: correlating, at the one of said data processors to which said member subscriber unit is assigned, said location data with said area data: qualifying, at the one of said data processors to which said member subscriber unit is assigned, communication services provided for said subscriber unit in response to said correlating step by determining whether to allow access to communication services provided by said system or to deny access to said communication services: and when said qualifying step determines to allow access to said communication services, selecting one of said plurality of switching offices for temporary assignment of said member subscriber unit by determining whether said area of uncertainty overlies a boundary between two of said geographical areas; and generating additional location data when said area of uncertainty overlies said boundary, said additional location data being combined with said location data to shrink said area of uncertainty.

Claim 20

A method of operating a communication system having at least one satellite in an orbit around the earth, a data processor, a plurality of switching offices, and a population of subscriber units, said satellite, data processor, switching offices, and subscriber units being nodes of a communications network, and said method comprising the steps of: permanently assigning said population of subscriber units to said data processors so that each subscriber unit is assigned to one of said data processors; generating location data that identify a location for one of said subscriber units relative to the earth; determining an area of uncertainty around the location for the one of said subscriber units, where the area of uncertainty compensates for inaccuracies in the generating step; storing area data at said data processor to which said one subscriber unit is assigned, said area data identifying geographical areas of the earth; correlating, at said data processor to which said one subscriber unit is assigned, said location data including the area of uncertainty with said area data; determining whether the correlating step indicates that said area of uncertainty overlies a boundary between said geographical areas: when said determining step indicates that the area of uncertainty overlies the boundary between the geographical areas, performing a boundary resolution procedure to determine which of the geographical areas the communication system will consider said one subscriber unit to be located within; and selecting one of said plurality of switching offices for temporary assignment of said one subscriber unit, said one switching office being selected by said data processor to which said one subscriber unit is assigned in response to said performing the boundary resolution procedure step, wherein the communication services are qualified base on which of said geographical areas the communication system considers said subscriber unit to be located within.

Claim 21

A method of operating a communication system having at least one satellite in an orbit around the earth, a data processor, a plurality of switching offices, and a population of subscriber units, said satellite, data processor, switching offices, and subscriber units being nodes of a communications network, and said method comprising the steps of: permanently assigning said population of subscriber units to said data processors so that each subscriber unit is assigned to one of said data processors; generating location data that identify a location for one of said subscriber units relative to the earth; determining an area of uncertainty around the location for the one of said subscriber units, where the area of uncertainty compensates for inaccuracies in the generating step; storing area data at said data processor to which said one subscriber unit is assigned, said area data identifying geographical areas of the earth; correlating, at said data processor to which said one subscriber unit is assigned, said location data including the area of uncertainty with said area data; determining whether the correlating step indicates that said area of uncertainty overlies a boundary between said geographical areas: when said determining step indicates that the area of uncertainty overlies the boundary between the geographical areas, performing a boundary resolution procedure to determine which of the geographical areas the communication system will consider said one subscriber unit to be located within; and selecting one of said plurality of switching offices for temporary assignment of said one subscriber unit, said one switching office being selected by said data processor to which said one subscriber unit is assigned in response to said performing the boundary resolution procedure step, wherein the communication services are qualified base on which of said geographical areas the communication system considers said subscriber unit to be located within.

Claim 27

A method of operating a communication system having at least one satellite in an orbit around the earth, a data processor, a plurality of switching offices, and a population of subscriber units, said satellite, data processor, switching offices, and subscriber units being nodes of a communications network, and said method comprising the steps of: permanently assigning said population of subscriber units to said data processors so that each subscriber unit is assigned to one of said data processors: generating location data that identify a location for one of said subscriber units relative to the earth, wherein a location error is inherent in the step of generating the location data, and said location data identify a position within an area of uncertainty which bounds points at which said subscriber unit could be located with the location error factored into the step of generating: storing area data at said data processor to which said one subscriber unit is assigned, said area data identifying geographical areas of the earth: correlating, at said data processor to which said one subscriber unit is assigned, said location data with said area data: and selecting one of said plurality of switching offices for temporary assignment of said one subscriber unit, said one switching office being selected by said data processor to which said one subscriber unit is assigned in response to said correlating step, and said selecting step performed by determining whether said area of uncertainty overlies a boundary between two of said geographical areas, and generating additional location data when said area of uncertainty overlies said boundary, said additional location data being combined with said location data to shrink said area of uncertainty.

Claim 28

A method of operating a communication system having at least one satellite in an orbit around the earth, a data processor, a plurality of switching offices, and a population of subscriber units, said satellite, data processor, switching offices, and subscriber units being nodes of a communications network, and said method comprising the steps of: permanently assigning said population of subscriber units to said data processors so that each subscriber unit is assigned to one of said data processors: generating location data that identify a location for one of said subscriber units relative to the earth, wherein a location error is inherent in the step of generating the location data, and said location data identify a position within an area of uncertainty which bounds points at which said subscriber unit could be located with the location error factored into the step of generating: storing area data at said data processor to which said one subscriber unit is assigned, said area data identifying geographical areas of the earth: correlating, at said data processor to which said one subscriber unit is assigned, said location data with said area data: and selecting one of said plurality of switching offices for temporary assignment of said one subscriber unit, said one switching office being selected by said data processor to which said one subscriber unit is assigned in response to said correlating step, and said selecting step performed by determining whether said area of uncertainty overlies a boundary between two of said geographical areas, and generating additional location data when said area of uncertainty overlies said boundary, said additional location data being combined with said location data to shrink said area of uncertainty.