Over the air user zone assignment for wireless telephony systems

Abstract

A method of defining a user zone for a mobile user terminal in a wireless communication system including a network controller providing communication services to a plurality of mobile user terminals. The method includes the steps of locating a user terminal within the wireless communication system, referencing at least one user-selected vector from the user terminal location, and transmitting the vector information to the network controller. The network controller, in turn, generates a user zone associated with the user terminal as a function of the vector information such that the user zone defines a geographic region wherein the user terminal can access communication services of the communication system without incurring out-of-network fees. In one aspect of the invention, the user terminal includes a GPS receiver for determining the location of the user terminal and providing a reference for the user-selected vectors defining the desired user zone.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . In a wireless communication system including a network controller providing communication services to a plurality of mobile user terminals, a method of defining user zones associated with each of said user terminals comprising the steps of: 
 locating a user terminal within said wireless communication system;    referencing at least one user-selected vector from said user terminal location;    transmitting said vector information to said network controller; and    generating at the network controller, a user zone associated with said user terminal as a function of said vector information, said user zone defining a geographic region wherein said user terminal can access said communication services of said communication system without incurring out-of-network fees.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the step of locating a user terminal within said wireless communication system includes the step of receiving at the user terminal global positioning system (GPS) signals and providing coordinates indicating location of the user terminal.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the step of providing coordinates indicating location of the user terminal includes the step of displaying the location of the user terminal referenced to a map on a display of the user terminal.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the step of referencing at least one user-selected vector from said user terminal location includes the step of referencing a plurality of vectors from said user terminal location, each of said vectors providing a distance and angle measurement referenced from a predetermined direction from the location of the user terminal, and wherein the step of generating at the network controller, a user zone associated with said user terminal as a function of said vector information includes the step of connecting each end point defined by each of said vectors to form said user zone.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the step of referencing at least one user-selected vector from said user terminal location includes the step of referencing a vector representing a radius (r) from said user terminal location, and wherein the step of generating at the network controller, a user zone associated with said user terminal as a function of said vector information includes the step of defining a circle about said user terminal of radius r to form said user zone.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said network controller is a mobile switching center.  
     
     
         7 . A wireless communication system comprising, in combination: 
 a network controller for processing communication data transmitted to, and received from, a plurality of mobile user terminals;    at least one of said mobile user terminals including a global position system (GPS) receiver for locating said user terminal within said wireless communication system and a user display for defining a preferred user zone;    said network controller including a processor for generating a user zone associated with each of said user terminals as a function of the defined preferred user zone, said user zone defining a geographic region wherein said user terminal can access said communication services of said communication system without incurring out-of-network fees.    
     
     
         8 . The wireless communication system of  claim 7  wherein the network controller is a mobile switching center.  
     
     
         9 . The wireless communication system of  claim 7  wherein said communication data includes voice and data information.  
     
     
         10 . The wireless communication system of  claim 7  wherein said mobile user terminal includes means for inputting at least one user-selected vector referenced from said user terminal location, said at least one vector being used to generate said user zone.  
     
     
         11 . The wireless communication system of  claim 7  wherein said mobile user terminal includes a stylus in operative communication with said display, said stylus being used to referencing at least one user-selected vector from said user terminal location, said at least one vector being used to generate said user zone.  
     
     
         12 . The wireless communication system of  claim 11  wherein said display includes a map referencing the position of the user terminal with respect to at least one landmark.  
     
     
         13 . In a geographic region serviced by at least two wireless communication service providers, each of said service providers having a wireless communication system including a network controller providing communication services to a plurality of mobile user terminals, a method of requesting communication services within a user-defined user zone comprising the steps of: 
 locating a user terminal within said geographic region serviced by at least two wireless communication service providers;    referencing at least one user-selected vector from said user terminal location;    transmitting from said user terminal, said vector data to said wireless communication service providers; and    receiving from at least one of said wireless communication service providers a quote for services within a user zone defining a geographic region as a function of said vector information.    
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13  further comprising the step of transmitting from said user terminal a request for voice communication services to said wireless communication service providers.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13  further comprising the step of transmitting from said user terminal a request for data transmission services to said wireless communication service providers.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the step of receiving from at least one of said wireless communication service providers a quote for services includes a quote for voice communication services.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the step of receiving from at least one of said wireless communication service providers a quote for services includes a quote for data transmission services.