Communication system

• US 20020022492A1
• Filed: 08/08/2001
• Published: 02/21/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Mapco Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Mapco Ltd.
• Inventors: Aviv, David, Barak, Ilan
• Application Number:
  US09/924,295
• Publication Number:
  US 20020022492A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/457
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/22 Automatic class or number identification arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/30 Determination of the location of a subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42042 Notifying the called party of information on the calling party details within substation equipment H04M1/57, signalling details H04Q3/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4228 in networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42

Abstract

A method of providing geographical information such as locations of communication network end devices, participating in a telephone or data conversation, by using an identifier of one or more of said devices to retrieve associated geographical information. The list of identifiers, which can be identification numbers, and the geographical information associated therewith are arranged within a computer database in such a way as to enable the linking, retrieval and digital transmission of selected geographical information on a communication line or wireless communication.

Claims

1. A method of providing information about a device participating in a telephone, or other data communication conversation, comprising:

a. acquiring an identifier of said device;

b. acquiring geographical information related to said identifier; and

c. providing said geographical information to at least one participating device.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said method further comprises displaying said geographical information on a display of a participating device.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein geographical information is transmitted to a participating device via a physical line.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein geographical information is transmitted to a participating device via wireless communication.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein said communication conversation is performed over a system selected from:

a telephone network system, a cellular network system, an internet network system, an intranet network system, television cable network system, a wireless network, a satellite network, or any combination of these systems.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said geographical information includes a geographical map.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said geographical information includes geographical coordinates.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said geographical information includes an address expressed by city name, street name and a number of a building.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said geographical information is transmitted to said device during any stage of the conversation.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said geographical information is transmitted to said device before the conversation.

11. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of displaying includes displaying a map with a location of any participating device marked on said map.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising printing said geographical information.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising adding printing additional details about the participating devices.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said devices are arranged to print said geographical information on a form containing details of a business transaction between conversation participants.

15. A device for providing information about a device participating in a telephone, or other data communication conversation, comprising:

a microprocessor for acquiring an identifier of said device;

a database for acquiring geographical information related to said identifier; and

means in said microprocessor for providing said geographical information to at least one participating device.

16. The device of claim 15, further comprising a display coupled to said at least one participating device for displaying said geographical information.

17. The device of claim 15, further comprising a memory device for storing said geographical information for a later use.

18. The device according to claim 15, wherein said geographic information is an address.

19. The device according to claim 15, wherein said geographical information is a map.

20. The device according to claim 19, wherein at least one participant location is depicted on said map.

21. The device according to claim 15, wherein said database is a built-in geographical database.

22. The device according to claim 21, wherein said database is stored on a permanent memory device.

23. The device according to claim 21, wherein said database is stored on a detachable memory device.

24. The device according to claim 15, the device being selected from the following group:

cellular phone, portable computer, desktop computer, palm computer, and computerized device which has or can be connected to communication device.

25. The device according to claim 15, further comprising a digital signal processing micro chip for decoding a transmission including geographical information.

26. The device according to claim 25, including software and a central processor unit (CPU) for decoding a transmission including geographical information.

27. A communication system comprising:

at least a first and a second device arranged to participate in a communication;

an identifier associated with each of said devices;

geographical information associated with each identifier; and

a microprocessor coupled to at least said first device and arranged to determine the identifier associated with the second device and to locate the geographical information associated with that identifier.

28. The communication system according to claim 27, wherein said identifier includes a telephone number of said second device.

29. The communication system according to claim 27, wherein said geographical information includes geographical coordinates of said second device.

30. The communication system according to claim 27, further comprising a geographical database including said identifiers and said associated geographical information.

31. The communication system according to claim 27, further comprising a printer associated with said first device for printing said geographical information.

32. The communication system according to claim 31, wherein said printer prints said geographical information on a form with additional information.

33. The communication system according to claim 32, wherein said additional information includes a map containing an address associated with said second device.

34. The communication system according to claim 32, wherein said additional information includes items to be delivered or service to be provided.

35. The communication system according to claim 33, wherein said additional information includes a preferred route between said first device and said second device.