Method and system for associating a cell-sector with time-dependent location parameters

A method, comprising:

• obtaining, for a serving area provided by a base transceiver station of a wireless network, during a collection period, a set of location fixes for a plurality of mobile stations, wherein each of said location fixes is obtained for a respective mobile station being served by said serving area at a respective date and time of day within said collection period, wherein said mobile stations are configured to wirelessly communicate with said wireless network;
• defining a plurality of time periods;
• dividing said set of location fixes into a plurality of time-period-subsets, such that each time period in said plurality of time periods is associated with a respective time-period-subset of said set of location fixes;
• and
• for each given time period in said plurality of time periods, (i) determining a set of geographic parameters that cooperatively define a geographic area encompassing at least some location fixes in said given time period's respective time-period-subset, and (ii) storing, in data storage, a record that associates said set of geographic parameters with said serving area and said given time period.

A system, comprising:

• a processor;
• data storage;
• and
• program instructions stored in said data storage, wherein said program instructions are executable by said processor to cause said system to perform functions, said functions comprising:
• receiving a request to locate a mobile station;
• in response to said request, determining that a serving area provided by a base transceiver station of a wireless network is serving said mobile station at a current date and a current time of day;
• in response to determining that said serving area is serving said mobile station at said current date and said current time of day, accessing data storage that stores geographic parameters associated with said serving area, wherein said stored geographic parameters associated with said serving area include respective geographic parameters for each of a plurality of time periods;
• selecting, from said stored geographic parameters, geographic parameters for a time period in said plurality of time periods corresponding to at least one of said current date and said current time of day;
• selecting a representative location and at least one uncertainty parameter based on said selected geographic parameters;
• and
• reporting said representative location and said at least one uncertainty parameter.