Method and System for Monitoring a Mobile Station Presence in a Special Area

Abstract

Method for monitoring the presence of a mobile station ( 200 ) in at least one special area, wherein a radio communication defining device transmits one radio distinctive defining signal that defines the special area by its coverage, the mobile station processes a signal received in order to determine whether or not it is a defining signal and more precisely a distinctive one that defines the special area, the mobile station sends an updating signal to a mobile telephone network, the network routes the updating signal to special operating means that adapt the value of an operating parameter. According to the invention, the special area is associated to the mobile station by transmitting to the mobile station a checking data used by the mobile station for determining whether or not the defining signal received is a distinctive defining signal.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for monitoring the presence of a mobile station in at least one special area associated to the mobile station, the method comprising the following steps: (a) at least one radio communication defining device transmits repeatedly in at least a channel one radio distinctive defining signal that defines the special area by its coverage, (b) the mobile station observes the channel and process any signal received in order to determine whether or not it is receiving any defining signal, (c) the mobile station processes any defining signal received in order to determine whether or not the defining signal received is a distinctive defining signal that defines the special area, (d) the mobile station sends an updating signal to a mobile telephone network about its presence in the special area, (e) the mobile telephone network routes the updating signal to special operating means that adapt the value of at least one operating parameter depending on the presence of the mobile station in the special area, the said method is characterized in that the special area is associated to the mobile station by transmitting to the mobile station a checking data, this checking data being used by the mobile station for determining whether or not the defining signal received is a distinctive defining signal that defines, alone or with other distinctive defining signals, the special area associated to the mobile station and the same checking data being sent to any mobile station whose presence in this special area is monitored. 
     
     
         2 . A method according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the special area is deactivated for the mobile station by the mobile telephone network sending a deactivation signal to the mobile station to stop the mobile station from recognizing a defining signal that defines that special area as a distinctive one. 
     
     
         3 . A method according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the special operating means acknowledge the reception of the updating signal and transmit an acknowledgement signal to the mobile station. 
     
     
         4 . A method according to  claim 1 , characterized in that at least one radio communication defining device is a wireless device whose radio distinctive defining signal that defines the special area is a distinctive wireless signal transmitted by the wireless device in a frequency range outside the frequency range allocated for the mobile telephone network, the said distinctive wireless signal contains wireless device identification data and reliable information confirming that the wireless device is effectively located into a predetermined environment, the checking data associated to this wireless device includes this wireless device identification data. 
     
     
         5 . A method according to any of  claim 1 , characterized in that at least one radio communication defining device is a base station whose radio distinctive defining signal that defines the special area is a distinctive signal comprising a special mobile telephone network identification code, the checking data associated to this base station ( 105 ) includes this special mobile telephone network identification code. 
     
     
         6 . A method according to any of  claim 1 , characterized in that at least one radio communication defining device is a base station whose radio distinctive defining signal that defines the special area is a distinctive base station identity signal comprising an identification code of the base station, the checking data associated to this base station includes this base station identification code. 
     
     
         7 . A method according to  claim 6 , characterized in that the special operating means store a parameters database linking the special area to the mobile station and to a set of at least the operating parameter; and the special operating means adapt the value of at least an operational parameter of this set when they receive an updating signal signalling that the mobile station exits or enters the special area. 
     
     
         8 . A method according to  claim 7 , characterized in that the operating parameter is a tariff ( 616 / 606 ,  616 / 608 ) flag or a service flag that enables or disables a special tariff or a service for the mobile station. 
     
     
         9 . A method according to  claim 8 , characterized in that the updating signal includes a request to access to a service or to a multimedia content and the mobile telephone network routes this request to a part of the special operating means that allow or forbid the provision of this service or multimedia content depending on. whether or not the mobile station is into the special area. 
     
     
         10 . A method according to  claim 9 , characterized in that the transmission of the checking data to the mobile station is done via the mobile telephone network or via a signal of a at least one radio device or via a person introducing the checking data in the mobile station.