Systems and methods for locating and tracking a wireless device

• US 20030117316A1
• Filed: 12/21/2001
• Published: 06/26/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Tischer, Steve
• Application Number:
  US10/027,215
• Publication Number:
  US 20030117316A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 342/357.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2205/002 for traffic control, mobile tracking, guidance, surveillance or anti-collision
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2205/008 using a mobile telephone network
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0009 Transmission of position information to remote stations involving assistance data G01S5/0236
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/20 Monitoring the location of vehicles belonging to a group, e.g. fleet of vehicles, countable or determined number of vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/38 Displays
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/14 cable networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/30 Determination of the location of a subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42229 Personal communication services, i.e. services related to one subscriber independent of his terminal and/or location diverting calls from one subscriber to another subscriber, i.e. two different subscriptions H04M3/54; selecting arrangements in intelligent networks H04Q3/005
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/00 Affiliation to network, e.g. registration; Terminating affiliation with the network, e.g. de-registration
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/08 Mobility data transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/14 between corresponding nodes

Abstract

Systems and methods for locating and tracking a wireless device including a database remotely located from the wireless device, the database operable for receiving and storing position information from the wireless device at a predetermined interval. The systems and methods also including a wireless network operable for communicating the position information from the wireless device to the database and a first algorithm operable for providing the position information upon request. The systems and methods further including a second algorithm allowing modification of the predetermined interval, a third algorithm operable for associating a landmark with the position information, a fourth algorithm operable for causing the position of the wireless device to be determined locally at the predetermined interval, a fifth algorithm operable for causing the position information to be stored locally within the wireless device, and a sixth algorithm operable for causing the position information to be communicated to the database via the wireless network when the battery power of the wireless device reaches a predetermined level. The position information is provided to a user via a land-line phone and a public switched telephone network (PSTN), a finding wireless device and the wireless network, or a personal computer (PC) and a globally-distributed computer network. The position information is provided to the user in the form of a voice synthetic message, a text message, or a graphical display.

Claims

1. A system for locating and tracking a wireless device, the system comprising:

a database remotely located from the wireless device, the database operable for receiving and storing position information from the wireless device at a predetermined interval;

a wireless network operable for communicating the position information from the wireless device to the database; and

a first algorithm operable for providing the position information upon request.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first algorithm is operable for providing the position information to a user upon the request of the user.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising a second algorithm allowing a user to modify the predetermined interval.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the position information comprises position information selected from the group consisting of latitude, longitude, altitude, direction of movement, an audio representation of position, and a video representation of position.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising a third algorithm operable for associating a landmark with the position information.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the first algorithm is further operable for providing information related to the associated landmark to a user.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the position information is provided to a user via a land-line phone and a public switched telephone network (PSTN), the land-line phone and the PSTN in communication with the database.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the position information is provided to a user via a finding wireless device and the wireless network, the finding wireless device and the wireless network in communication with the database.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the position information is provided to a user via a personal computer (PC) and a globally-distributed computer network, the PC and the globally-distributed computer network in communication with the database.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the position information is provided to a user in the form of a voice synthetic message.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the position information is provided to a user in the form of a text message.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the position information is provided to a user in the form of a graphical display.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the wireless network comprises an Internet protocol (IP)-based service network.

14. The system of claim 1, further comprising a fourth algorithm operable for causing the position of the wireless device to be determined locally at the predetermined interval.

15. The system of claim 14, further comprising a fifth algorithm operable for causing the position information to be stored locally within the wireless device.

16. The system of claim 1, further comprising a sixth algorithm operable for causing the position information to be communicated to the database via the wireless network when the battery power of the wireless device reaches a predetermined level.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the wireless device comprises a wireless device selected from the group consisting of a cellular phone, a pager, a personal digital assistant (PDA), and a laptop computer.

18. A method for locating and tracking a wireless device, the method comprising:

at a predetermined interval, receiving position information from the wireless device via a wireless network;

providing a database remotely located from the wireless device;

storing the position information in the database; and

upon request, providing the position information.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein providing the position information further comprises providing the position information to a user upon the request of the user.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising allowing a user to modify the predetermined interval.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein the position information comprises position information selected from the group consisting of latitude, longitude, altitude, direction of movement, an audio representation of position, and a video representation of position.

22. The method of claim 18, further comprising associating a landmark with the position information.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising providing information related to the associated landmark to a user.

24. The method of claim 18, wherein the position information is provided to a user via a land-line phone and a public switched telephone network (PSTN), the land-line phone and the PSTN in communication with the database.

25. The method of claim 18, wherein the position information is provided to a user via a finding wireless device and the wireless network, the finding wireless device and the wireless network in communication with the database.

26. The method of claim 18, wherein the position information is provided to a user via a personal computer (PC) and a globally-distributed computer network, the PC and the globally-distributed computer network in communication with the database.

27. The method of claim 18, wherein the position information is provided to a user in the form of a voice synthetic message.

28. The method of claim 18, wherein the position information is provided to a user in the form of a text message.

29. The method of claim 18, wherein the position information is provided to a user in the form of a graphical display.

30. The method of claim 18, wherein the wireless network comprises an Internet protocol (IP)-based service network.

31. The method of claim 18, further comprising providing a first algorithm operable for causing the position of the wireless device to be determined locally at the predetermined interval.

32. The method of claim 31, further comprising providing a second algorithm operable for causing the position information to be stored locally within the wireless device.

33. The method of claim 18, further comprising causing the position information to be communicated to the database via the wireless network when the battery power of the wireless device reaches a predetermined level.

34. The method of claim 18, wherein the wireless device comprises a wireless device selected from the group consisting of a cellular phone, a pager, a personal digital assistant (PDA), and a laptop computer.