System and method for mobile station position determination along border areas

A telecommunications system, comprising:

• a mobile location center (MLC);
• a plurality of location measurement units (LMUs) positioned about said system;
• a plurality of mobile switching centers (MSCs) associated with said MLC, a first MSC of said MSCs including a means for receiving a request to locate a mobile station within said system and a means for sending a request to LMUs identified in said request;
• and
• a plurality of databases, each said database being accessible by a distinct MSC and containing a listing of MSCs having service areas which border said distinct MSC;
• wherein said first MSC selectively accesses said database prior to sending said request to said identified LMUs.

A method of determining the location of a mobile station within a mobile telecommunications network, comprising the steps of:

• receiving a request to locate a mobile station;
• identifying a plurality of location measurement units (LMUs) for performing timing-based measurements, and mobile switching centers (MSCs) associated with said identified LMUs;
• sending said request to a first MSC of said identified MSCs;
• verifying a service area of a second MSC of said identified MSCs is adjacent a service area of said first MSC;
• sending said request received by said first MSC to an identified LMU associated therewith;
• sending said request received by said first MSC to a second LMU associated with said second MSC based upon an affirmative determination that said service area of said second MSC is adjacent said service area of said first MSC;
• performing a timing-based measurement by said identified LMUs;
• sending said timing-based measurements to said first MSC;
• and
• calculating a position of said mobile station based upon said timing-based measurements received by said first MSC.