Distributed telemetry method and system

• US 20010028313A1
• Filed: 03/07/2001
• Published: 10/11/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Uber Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: McDonnell, JamesThomas Edward, Waters, John Deryk, Crouch, Simon E., Spratt, Michael P.
• Granted Patent: US 6,567,661 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/870.07
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A distributed telemetry method is effected by coordinating the taking of readings of a parameter by mobile phone users, the parameter readings being then sent to a service system together with location information on the users. Collating the readings and location information enables a representation to be generated of the geographic variation of the measured parameter. Incentives can be offered to encourage cell phone users to participate in the telemetry method.

Claims

1. A distributed telemetry method, comprising the steps of:

(a) coordinating the taking of readings of a parameter over a geographic area by mobile entities or their users,

(b) using the mobile entities to send the readings to a service system via a mobile radio infrastructure;

(c) providing to the service system the location of each mobile entity that sends a reading;

(d) collating the readings and location information at the service system to provide a representation of the geographic variation of said parameter.

2. A method according to

claim 1

, wherein users of mobile entities register voluntarily with the service system to provide parameter readings, the service system being responsible for coordinating the taking of reading by its registered users.

3. A method according to

claim 2

, including the offering of an incentive for users to register with the service system and provide readings to it.

4. A method according to

claim 1

, including the step of generating said readings and making them available to said mobile entities for sending to the service system, this step being effected in any one or more of the following ways:

by measurement of said parameter by the mobile entity itself;

by user input to the mobile entity of a reading taken by another apparatus;

by user input to the mobile entity of a user observation of said parameter.

5. A method according to

claim 1

, wherein the step of coordinating the taking of readings is effected by the service system sending out a message over the mobile radio infrastructure for triggering the taking of readings by at least some of the registered users or their mobile entities.

6. A method according to

claim 5

, wherein the service system requests readings only from registered users/mobile entities located within a predetermined geographical area.

7. A method according to

claim 1

, wherein the step of coordinating the taking of readings is effected by the registered users/mobile entities taking readings at predetermined times prior designated by the service system.

8. A method according to

claim 6

or

claim 7

, wherein a reading is only taken or is only considered valid if taken within a predetermined time window of a specified reading time.

9. A method according to

claim 1

, wherein each reading is time stamped and has associated with it an identifier of the related registered user.

10. A method according to

claim 1

, wherein the step of sending a reading to the service system is effected immediately upon the reading being available to the related mobile entity.

11. A method according to

claim 1

, wherein the step of sending a reading to the service system is delayed and effected:

at a specified time;

or

at a randomly determined time within an overall time window;

or

upon request for the reading by the service system;

or

during a low tariff period for sending data through the mobile radio infrastructure.

12. A method according to

claim 1

, wherein the location of a mobile entity is determined:

at the time the reading is taken, in the case where the mobile entity itself takes the reading and is enabled to obtain its location either by its own measurements or from a location server;

at the time the reading is presented to the mobile entity, in the case where the reading is input into the mobile entity and the latter is enabled to obtain its location either by its own measurements or from a location server;

at the time the reading is received by the service system in the case where the location information is not provided with the reading but is available from a location server associated with the mobile radio network.

13. A method according to

claim 1

, wherein the service system is arranged to handle readings sent with associated location data and readings sent without location data, the service system in this latter case contacting a location server of the mobile radio infrastructure for the required location information concerning the sending mobile entity.

14. A method according to

claim 1

, wherein the readings relate to one of the following:

the received mobile radio signal strength at a mobile entity from at least one base station, the identity of the or each base station for which the mobile entity takes a reading being sent with the reading to the service system whereby to enable a signal strength map to be built up for each base station;

a weather-related parameter being either a measured parameter or a user assessed parameter;

vehicle traffic speed for mobile entities being carried in a vehicle;

sociological observations.

15. A service system for implementing the functionality required of that system by the method set forth in any one of the preceding claims.

16. A distributed telemetry system comprising:

a mobile radio infrastructure;

a service system connected to the mobile radio infrastructure and comprising a database of registered users, means for receiving data via the mobile radio infrastructure, and data collation means;

a plurality of mobile entities associated with respective registered users;

means for causing the coordinated taking of reading data about a particular parameter by the registered users or their mobile entities, each mobile entity having means for sending the reading data to the service system through the mobile radio infrastructure; and

location-providing means for providing the service system with the location of each mobile entity that sends reading data to the service system;

the data collation means being operative to collate the reading data and location information to provide a representation of the geographic variation of said parameter.