Cellular communication system providing cell transmitter location information

A method for operating a cellular communication network, comprising the steps of:

• transmitting a wireless message from a base station to a mobile station located within a cell served by the base station, the message comprising location information for specifying a geographical location of the base station;
• storing the location information in the mobile station;
• originating a call with the mobile station;
• routing the call from the network to the call's destination;
• at the call's destination, originating a message to the mobile station to interrogate the mobile station for the stored location information;
• and
• in response to receiving the interrogation message at the mobile station, transmitting a message that includes the stored location information;
• wherein the location information comprises an alphanumeric string that is descriptive of a name of a place where the base station is installed;
• and further comprising a step of
• displaying at least a portion of the stored alphanumeric string to a user of the mobile station.

A method for operating a cellular communication network, comprising the steps of:

• originating a predetermined call type with a mobile station;
• detecting at a base station that serves a cell within which the mobile station is located that the mobile station has originated the predetermined call type;
• and
• in response to detecting the predetermined call type, routing the call from the base station to the call's destination while appending location information to the routed call for specifying a geographical location of the base station, the location information being appended to the routed call external to the mobile station and prior to the call's arrival at the call's destination.

A method for operating a cellular communication network, comprising the steps of:

• transmitting a wireless message from a base station to a mobile station located within a cell served by the base station, the message including location information for specifying a geographical location of the base station;
• determining a current geographical location of the mobile station;
• calculating a distance to the base station from the mobile station in accordance with the determined current location of the mobile station and in accordance with the location information received from the base station;
• calculating time alignment information in the mobile station for adjusting an arrival time of a burst, transmitted by an RF transmitter of the mobile station, at the base station's receiver, wherein the time alignment information is calculated in accordance with the calculated distance;
• and
• setting the mobile station's transmitted burst timing in accordance with the calculated time alignment information so as to reduce a probability that the transmitted burst will arrive at the base station's receiver during a time that a transmitted burst from another mobile station arrives at the base station's receiver.

A method for operating a cellular communication network, comprising the steps of:

• transmitting a wireless message from a base station to a mobile station located within a cell served by the base station, the message including location information for specifying a geographical location of the base station;
• determining a current geographical location of the mobile station;
• calculating a distance to the base station from the mobile station in accordance with the determined current location of the mobile station and in accordance with the location information received from the base station;
• and
• determining in the mobile station whether to transmit a normal length burst or a shortened burst in accordance with the calculated distance to the base station.

A cellular communication system having at least one base station that serves at least one mobile station that is located within a cell defining a service area of the base station, said system comprising:

• a first memory for storing location information for specifying a geographical location of the base station;
• means for transmitting a wireless message to said mobile station, the message including said location information;
• and
• a second memory in said mobile station for storing said location information that is received from said base station;
• wherein the location information is comprised of an alphanumeric string that is descriptive of a name of a place where the base station is installed;
• and further comprising
• a display for displaying at least a portion of the stored alphanumeric string to a user of the mobile station.

A mobile station operable with a base station for conducting bidirectional wireless communication, said mobile station comprising:

• means for determining a current geographical location of the mobile station;
• means for calculating a distance to the base station from the mobile station in accordance with the determined current location of the mobile station and in accordance with location information received from the base station, the location information specifying a geographical location of the base station;
• and
• means for calculating time alignment information for adjusting an arrival time of a burst, transmitted by the mobile station, at the base station's receiver and for setting the mobile station's transmitted burst timing in accordance with the calculated time alignment information, wherein the time alignment information is calculated in accordance with the calculated distance.

A mobile station operable with a base station for conducting bidirectional wireless communication, said mobile station comprising:

• means for determining a current geographical location of the mobile station;
• means for calculating a distance to the base station from the mobile station in accordance with the determined current location of the mobile station and in accordance with location information received from the base station, the location information specifying a geographical location of the base station;
• and
• means for determining whether to transmit a normal length burst or a shortened burst in accordance with the calculated distance to the base station.

A method for operating a cellular communication system, comprising the steps of:

• transmitting a wireless message from a base station to a mobile station located within a cell served by the base station, the message including location information for specifying a geographical location of the base station;
• determining a current geographical location of the mobile station;
• calculating a distance to the base station from the mobile station in accordance with the determined current location of the mobile station and in accordance with the location information received from the base station;
• and
• determining, in the mobile station and in accordance with the calculated distance, at least one timing related characteristic or power related characteristic of a signal to be transmitted by the mobile station to the base station.

A method for operating a cellular communication system, comprising the steps of:

• transmitting a wireless message from a base station to a mobile station located within a vehicle, the vehicle being disposed within a cell served by the base station, the message including location information for specifying a geographical location of the base station, the location information comprising an alphanumeric string that is descriptive of a name of a place where the base station is installed;
• storing the location information within a memory device of the mobile station;
• and
• in response to an activation of a passenger safety system of the vehicle, originating an emergency call from the mobile station, the emergency call including the stored location information.

A method for operating a non-public cellular communication system of a type that comprises a plurality of microcells each serviced by a local base station, comprising the steps of:

• transmitting a message from a first one of the local base stations to a mobile station located within a first microcell serviced by the first one of the local base stations, the message comprising a first alphanumeric string that is descriptive of a name of an area serviced by the first one of the local base stations;
• receiving the message and storing the first alphanumeric string in a memory of the mobile station;
• displaying at least a portion of the first alphanumeric string to a user of the mobile station;
• in response to the mobile station moving from the first microcell to a second microcell, transmitting a message to the mobile station from a second one of the local base stations that services the second microcell, the message comprising a second alphanumeric string that is descriptive of a name of an area serviced by the second one of the local base stations;
• receiving the message and storing the second alphanumeric string in the memory of the mobile station;
• and
• displaying at least a portion of the second alphanumeric string to the user of the mobile station.