Wall mounted wireless transceiver that tracks a location of a wireless communication device

• US 20040147232A1
• Filed: 09/26/2003
• Published: 07/29/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Accelerated Performance Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Accelerated Performance Incorporated
• Inventors: Zodnik, Richard
• Application Number:
  US10/672,154
• Publication Number:
  US 20040147232A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/90.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/35 involving non-standard use of addresses for implementing network functionalities, e.g. coding subscription information within the address or functional addressing, i.e. assigning an address to a function
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/50 for emergency connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support

Abstract

A locator that is mounted to, or integrated into, an outlet box. The outlet box is mounted to a wall that has a physical address. The locator contains a stored locator address that corresponds to the physical address of the box. The locator can receive a wireless communication from a wireless communication location device such as a cell phone. The communication includes a device identification for the wireless device. The locator transmits the stored locator address and the device identification to a server. The server contains a relational database that correlates the device identification with the physical address. The database provides location information that allows a 9-1-1 operator to locate a caller who is placing a 9-1-1 call through the wireless device.

Claims

1. A locator for a wireless communication device that has a device identification, the locator can be coupled to an outlet box that is mounted to a wall and has a physical location, and coupled to a server that has a relational database that correlates the device identification with the physical location, comprising:

a housing that is coupled to the outlet box;

a transceiver that is coupled to said housing and wirelessly coupled to the wireless communication device to receive the device identification; and

,

a circuit that is coupled to said transceiver and contains a stored locator address that corresponds to the physical location of the outlet box, said circuit transmits said stored locator address and the device identification to the server.

2. The locator of claim 1, wherein said circuit compares the device identification with a stored device identification and only transmits the device identification and said stored locator address if the device identification is different from said stored device identification.

3. The locator of claim 1, wherein said circuit transmits the device identification and said stored locator address if a 9-1-1 call is generated from the wireless communication device.

4. The locator of claim 1, wherein said circuit includes a processor and a memory.

5. The locator of claim 1, wherein said transceiver includes an antennae.

6. The locator of claim 1, further comprising an electrical connector attached to said housing and coupled to said circuit.

7. The locator of claim 6, wherein said electrical connector is a RJ-45 device.

8. The locator of claim 1, wherein said circuit retransmits wireless communication received from the wireless communication device.

9. A locator for a wireless communication device that has a device identification, the locator can be coupled to an outlet box that is mounted to a wall and has a physical location, and coupled to a server that has a relational database that correlates the device identification with the physical location, comprising:

a housing that is coupled to the outlet box;

a transceiver that is coupled to said housing and wirelessly coupled to the wireless communication device to receive the device identification; and

,

circuit means for transmitting a stored locator address and the device identification to the server, said stored locator address corresponds to the physical location of the outlet box.

10. The locator of claim 9, wherein said circuit means compares the device identification with a stored device identification and only transmits the device identification and said stored locator address if the device identification is different from said stored device identification.

11. The locator of claim 9, wherein said circuit means transmits the device identification and said stored locator address if a 9-1-1 call is generated from the wireless communication device.

12. The locator of claim 9, wherein said circuit means includes a processor and a memory.

13. The locator of claim 9, wherein said transceiver includes an antennae.

14. The locator of claim 9, further comprising an electrical connector attached to said housing and coupled to said circuit.

15. The locator of claim 14, wherein said electrical connector is a RJ-45 device.

16. The locator of claim 9, wherein said circuit means retransmits wireless communication received from the wireless communication device.

17. A method for locating a wireless communication device that has a device identification with a locator that can be coupled to an outlet box that is mounted to a wall and has a physical location, the locator being coupled to a server that has a relational database that correlates the device identification with the physical location, comprising:

connecting a locator to the outlet box;

transmitting a wireless communication to the locator from the wireless communication device, the wireless communication including the device identification; and

,

transmitting the device identification and a stored locator address from the locator to the server, the stored locator address corresponds to the physical address of the outlet box.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising comparing the device identification with a stored device identification and transmitting the device identification and the stored locator address if the device identification does not match the stored device identification.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the device identification and stored locator address are transmitted in response to the wireless communication device transmitting a 9-1-1 call.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the locator retransmits the wireless communication.

21. An outlet box that is mounted to a wall and has a physical location, a wireless communication device that has a device identification, the outlet box being coupled to a server that has a relational database that correlates the device identification with the physical location, comprising:

a housing;

a transceiver that is coupled to said housing and wirelessly coupled to the wireless communication device to receive the device identification; and

,

a circuit that is coupled to said transceiver and contains a stored locator address that corresponds to the physical location of the outlet box, said circuit transmits said stored locator address and the device identification to the server.

22. The outlet box of claim 21, wherein said circuit compares the device identification with a stored device identification and only transmits the device identification and said stored locator address if the device identification is different from said stored device identification.

23. The outlet box of claim 22, wherein said circuit transmits the device identification and said stored locator address if a 9-1-1 call is generated from the wireless communication device.

24. The outlet box of claim 21, wherein said circuit includes a processor and a memory.

25. The outlet box of claim 21, wherein said transceiver includes an antennae.

26. The outlet box of claim 21, further comprising an electrical connector attached to said housing and coupled to said circuit.

27. The outlet box of claim 26, wherein said electrical connector is a RJ-45 device.

28. The outlet box of claim 21, wherein said circuit retransmits wireless communication received from the wireless communication device.

29. An outlet box that is mounted to a wall and has a physical location, a wireless communication device that was a device identification, the locator being coupled to a server that has a relational database that correlates the device identification with the physical location, comprising:

a housing;

a transceiver that is coupled to said housing and wirelessly coupled to the wireless communication device to receive the device identification; and

,

circuit means for transmitting a stored locator address and the device identification to the server, said stored locator address corresponds to the physical location of the outlet box.

30. The outlet box of claim 29, wherein said circuit means compares the device identification with a stored device identification and only transmits the device identification and said stored locator address if the device identification is different from said stored device identification.

31. The outlet box of claim 29, wherein said circuit means transmits the device identification and said stored locator address if a 9-1-1 call is generated from the wireless communication device.

32. The outlet box of claim 29, wherein said circuit means includes a processor and a memory.

33. The outlet box of claim 29, wherein said transceiver includes an antennae.

34. The outlet box of claim 29, further comprising an electrical connector attached to said housing and coupled to said circuit.

35. The outlet box of claim 34, wherein said electrical connector is a RJ-45 device.

36. The outlet box of claim 29, wherein said circuit retransmits wireless communication received from the wireless communication device.

37. A method for locating a wireless communication device that has a device identification with an outlet box that is mounted to a wall and has a physical location, the outlet box being coupled to a server that has a relational database that correlates the device identification with the physical location, comprising:

transmitting a wireless communication to the outlet box from the wireless communication device, the wireless communication including the device identification; and

,

transmitting the device identification and a stored locator address from the outlet box to the server, the stored locator address corresponds to the physical address of the outlet box.

38. The method of claim 37, further comprising comparing the device identification with a stored device identification and transmitting the device identification and the stored locator address if the device identification does not match the stored device identification.

39. The method of claim 37, wherein the device identification and stored locator address are transmitted in response to the wireless communication device transmitting a 9-1-1 call.

40. The method of claim 37, wherein the outlet box retransmits the wireless communication.

41. A locator system for a wireless communication device that has a device identification, the system includes a locator that can be coupled to an outlet box that is mounted to a wall and has a physical location, comprising:

a location information server that contains a relational database, said relational database correlates the device identification with the physical location of the outlet box; and

,

a locator that is connected to the outlet box, said locator receives a wireless communication from the wireless communication device that includes the device identification, said locator contains a stored locator address that corresponds to the physical location of the outlet box, and transmits said stored locator address and the device identification to said location information server.

42. The system of claim 41, wherein said locator compares the device identification with a stored device identification and only transmits the device identification and said stored locator address if the device identification is different from said stored device identification.

43. The system of claim 41, wherein said locator transmits the device identification and said stored locator address if a 9-1-1 call is generated from the wireless communication device.

44. The system of claim 41, wherein said locator includes a processor and a memory.

45. The system of claim 41, wherein said locator includes an antennae.

46. The system of claim 41, wherein said locator includes an electrical connector.

47. The system of claim 46, wherein said electrical connector is a RJ-45 device.

48. The system of claim 41, wherein said locator retransmits wireless communication received from the wireless communication device.

49. A locator system for a wireless communication device that has a device identification, the system includes a locator that can be coupled to an outlet box that is mounted to a wall and has a physical location, comprising:

a location information server that contains a relational database, said relational database correlates the device identification with the physical location of the outlet box; and

,

locator means for receiving a wireless communication from the wireless communication device that includes the device identification, and transmitting a stored locator address and the device identification to said location information server, said stored locator address corresponds to the physical location of the outlet box.

50. The system of claim 49, wherein said locator means compares the device identification with a stored device identification and only transmits the device identification and said stored locator address if the device identification is different from said stored device identification.

51. The system of claim 49, wherein said locator means transmits the device identification and said stored locator address if a 9-1-1 call is generated from the wireless communication device.

52. The system of claim 49, wherein said locator means includes a processor and a memory.

53. The system of claim 49, wherein said locator means includes an antennae.

54. The system of claim 49, wherein said locator means includes an electrical connector.

55. The system of claim 54, wherein said electrical connector is a RJ-45 device.

56. The system of claim 49, wherein said locator means retransmits wireless communication received from the wireless communication device.

57. A method for locating a wireless communication device that has a device identification with a locator that can be coupled to an outlet box that is mounted to a wall and has a physical location, the locator being coupled to a location information server that has a relational database that correlates the device identification with the physical location, comprising:

connecting a locator to the outlet box;

transmitting a wireless communication to the locator from the wireless communication device, the wireless communication including the device identification;

transmitting the device identification and a stored locator address from the locator to the location information server, the stored locator address corresponds to the physical address of the outlet box; and

,

correlating the device identification with the physical location within the relational database.

58. The method of claim 57, further comprising comparing the device identification with a stored device identification and transmitting the device identification and the stored locator address if the device identification does not match the stored device identification.

59. The method of claim 57, wherein the device identification and stored locator address are transmitted in response to the wireless communication device transmitting a 9-1-1 call.

60. The method of claim 57, wherein the locator retransmits the wireless communication.

61. A locator system for a wireless communication device that has a device identification, the system includes an outlet box that is mounted to a wall and has a physical location, comprising:

a location information server that contains a relational database, said relational database correlates the device identification with the physical location of the outlet box; and

,

an outlet box that receives a wireless communication from the wireless communication device that includes the device identification, said outlet box contains a stored locator address that corresponds to the physical location of said outlet box, and transmits said stored locator address and the device identification to said location information server.

62. The system of claim 61, wherein said outlet box compares the device identification with a stored device identification and only transmits the device identification and said stored locator address if the device identification is different from said stored device identification.

63. The system of claim 61, wherein said outlet box transmits the device identification and said stored locator address if a 9-1-1 call is generated from the wireless communication device.

64. The system of claim 61, wherein said outlet box includes a processor and a memory.

65. The system of claim 61, wherein said outlet box includes an antennae.

66. The system of claim 61, wherein said outlet box includes an electrical connector.

67. The system of claim 66, wherein said electrical connector is a RJ-45 device.

68. The system of claim 61, wherein said outlet box retransmits wireless communication received from the wireless communication device.

69. A locator system for a wireless communication device that has a device identification, the system includes an outlet box that is mounted to a wall and has a physical location, comprising:

a location information server that contains a relational database, said relational database correlates the device identification with the physical location of the outlet box; and

,

outlet box means for receiving a wireless communication from the wireless communication device that includes the device identification, and transmitting a stored locator address and the device identification to said location information server, said stored locator address corresponds to the physical location of the outlet box.

70. The system of claim 69, wherein said outlet box means compares the device identification with a stored device identification and only transmits the device identification and said stored locator address if the device identification is different from said stored device identification.

71. The system of claim 69, wherein said outlet box means transmits the device identification and said stored locator address if a 9-1-1 call is generated from the wireless communication device.

72. The system of claim 69, wherein said outlet box means includes a processor and a memory.

73. The system of claim 69, wherein said outlet box means includes an antennae.

74. The system of claim 69, wherein said outlet box means includes an electrical connector.

75. The system of claim 74, wherein said electrical connector is a RJ-45 device.

76. The system of claim 70, wherein said outlet box means retransmits wireless communication received from the wireless communication device.

77. A method for locating a wireless communication device that has a device identification with an outlet box that is mounted to a wall and has a physical location, the locator being coupled to a location information server that has a relational database that correlates the device identification with the physical location, comprising:

transmitting a wireless communication to the outlet box from the wireless communication device, the wireless communication including the device identification;

transmitting the device identification and a stored locator address from the outlet box to the location information server, the stored locator address corresponds to the physical address of the outlet box; and

,

correlating the device identification with the physical location within the relational database.

78. The method of claim 77, further comprising comparing the device identification with a stored device identification and transmitting the device identification and the stored locator address if the device identification does not match the stored device identification.

79. The method of claim 77, wherein the device identification and stored locator address are transmitted in response to the wireless communication device transmitting a 9-1-1 call.

80. The method of claim 77, wherein the outlet box retransmits the wireless communication.