A system for determining the vicinity of a communication device within a
communication network is provided. Individual communication devices are
provided with an active identification reader capable of reporting
information concerning identified passive identification tags to a
location server. At least some passive identification tags have fixed or
known locations, allowing a communication device capable of reading such
a passive identification1 tag to be determined to be within a particular
vicinity or area. Communication devices may also be provided with passive
identification tags to allow other active identification readers to
determine whether the communication device is in their vicinity.