INTERNET DISTRIBUTED REAL-TIME WIRELESS LOCATION DATABASE

• US 20010044309A1
• Filed: 10/10/1997
• Published: 11/22/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 01/08/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Trafficmaster USA, Inc. (Vontier Corp.)
• Inventors: WAX, MATI, RAJAPAKSE, RAVI, HILSENRATH, OLIVER A., BAR, ABRAHAM
• Granted Patent: US 6,456,852 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.5
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 1/022 Means for monitoring or calibrating
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 1/026 of associated receivers
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/021 Calibration, monitoring or correction G01S5/0252 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0218 Multipath in signal reception
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/02521 using a radio-map
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/024 Guidance services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/20 Services signaling; Auxiliary data signalling, i.e. transmitting data via a non-traffic channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

A system for easily and inexpensively distributing real time location information of cellular telephone users to various third party information subscribers comprises an HTTP server machine which maintains a dynamic database of current cellular users. The database has a list of caller entries, where each entry typically comprises a user ID number, such as a phone number, mobile ID number, and/or handset serial ID. The entry also includes, for each user ID number, a user location identifier such as a latitude and longitude, a sector number, a caller or called phone number and/or a street address. The HTTP server is connected to the internet so that registered third party information subscribers have access to the database by means of standard HTTP protocols that ensure authentication and provide encryption for security. Using caller ID or other means for obtaining a caller'"'"'s phone number, the third party subscriber can obtain, via a simple internet query, the current location of the caller by submitting the phone number to the HTTP server using an HTML form. Standard software on the central server machine verifies the authenticity of the subscriber, looks up the location information in the database, and returns the information to the subscriber. The subscriber can then use the location information to provide any of a wide range of services to the caller, or to dispatch emergency vehicles to the location of the caller. In addition, the server can directly provide many location-based services to callers.

Claims

1. A method for providing real-time location-based services, the method comprising:

collecting signals from a plurality of mobile transmitters;

determining from the received signals a plurality of corresponding transmitter locations;

storing the transmitter locations in a database at a server machine; and

providing a subscriber with access to the databases via a computer network connection.

2. The method of

claim 1

wherein the providing step comprises responding to HTTP queries via an internet connection.

3. The method of

claim 1

wherein the providing step comprises adjusting the accessibility to portions of the database in dependence upon the subscriber.

4. The method of

claim 1

wherein the storing step further comprises storing user identifiers in the database.

5. The method of

claim 1

further comprising generating at the server customized information based on the transmitter locations, and providing the customized information to the subscriber.

6. The method of

claim 1

further comprising performing at the server a preprogrammed action based on the transmitter locations.

7. A system comprising:

a collection of base stations, each of which comprises means for receiving signals from a plurality of mobile transmitters, and means for determining from the received signals a plurality of corresponding transmitter locations; and

a server machine comprising means for receiving from the base stations the transmitter locations, means for storing the transmitter locations in a database, and means for providing a subscriber with access to the database via a data network connection.

8. The system of

claim 7

wherein the server comprises means for responding to subscriber HTTP queries via an internet connection.

9. The system of

claim 7

wherein the server comprises means for adjusting the accessibility to portions of the database in dependence upon the subscriber.

10. The system of

claim 7

wherein the database further contains user identifiers.

11. The system of

claim 7

further comprising means for generating at the server customized information based on the transmitter locations, and means for providing the customized information to the subscriber.

12. The system of

claim 7

further comprising means for performing at the server a preprogrammed action based on the transmitter locations.