Method and apparatus for location marking

• US 20050192030A1
• Filed: 02/27/2004
• Published: 09/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Research In Motion Limited (Blackberry Limited)
• Inventors: Taylor, Bryan, Asthana, Atul
• Granted Patent: US 7,089,020 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.6
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

The present invention relates to a novel apparatus and method for location marking. In an embodiment, an electronic device is operable to identify it'"'"'s location depending on the combination of base stations it receives signals from. Different geographic regions are defined and can be identified and renamed by the user based on the unique combination of base station ID'"'"'s receivable in each geographic location. The embodiment described herein allows user handsets to continuously track location as they move. Applications in the electronic device can then be configured to respond in different manners depending on the location of the electronic device.

Claims

1. A wireless communication system comprising:

a first base station set operable to wirelessly transmit across a first geographic range;

a second base station set operable to wirelessly transmit across a second geographic range;

a subscriber device operable to wirelessly receive a first identifier from said first base station set when said device is in said first geographic range and to receive a second identifier from said second base station set when said device is in said second geographic range; and

said device operable to store a location that is associated with each said identifier.

2. The wireless communication system of claim 1, wherein said subscriber device is selected from the group consisting of a cell phone, a smart telephone and a laptop computer connected to a wireless network.

3. The wireless communication system of claim 1, wherein at least one of said first base station set and said second base station set comprises only one base station.

4. The wireless communication system of claim 1, wherein said system includes at least one additional base station set operable to wirelessly transmit across an additional geographic range respective thereto;

said subscriber device operable to wirelessly receive an additional identifier from said at least one additional base station set when said device is in said additional geographic range;

said device operable to store a user-defined location that is associated with each said additional identifier.

5. The wireless communication system of claim 1, wherein said device is further operable store an event that is associated with at least one of said geographic range, said device further operable to perform said event when said device enters said at least one geographic range.

6. The wireless communication system of claim 5 wherein said event is a task having a location notification associated therewith, such that a reminder to perform said task is generated when said device enters one of said geographic ranges associated with said location notification.

7. The wireless communication system of claim 1, wherein said device is operable to store at least one additional location that is associated with each said identifier.

8. The wireless communication system of claim 1, wherein said location is user-defined.

9. A wireless subscriber device for use in a wireless system having a first base station set operable to wirelessly transmit across a first geographic range and a second base station set operable to wirelessly transmit across a second geographic range, said device comprising:

a microcomputer operable to wirelessly receive a first identifier from said first base station set when said device is in said first geographic range and to receive a second identifier from said second base station set when said device is in said second geographic range;

said microcomputer operable to store a location that is associated with each said identifier.

10. The wireless subscriber device of claim 9, wherein said subscriber device is selected from the group consisting of a cell phone, a smart telephone and a laptop computer connected to a wireless network.

11. The wireless subscriber device of claim 9, wherein said microcomputer is further operable store an event that is associated with at least one of said geographic range, said device further operable to perform said event when said device enters said at least one geographic range.

12. The wireless subscriber device of claim 11 wherein said event is a task having a location notification associated therewith, such that a reminder to perform said task is generated when said device enters one of said geographic ranges associated with said location notification.

13. The wireless subscriber device of claim 9 wherein said location is user-defined.

14. The wireless subscriber device of claim 9 wherein said identifier is unique combination of base station IDs that are emitted by each base station in said base station set.

15. In a wireless subscriber device for use in a wireless system having a first base station set operable to wirelessly transmit across a first geographic range and a second base station set operable to wirelessly transmit across a second geographic range, a method for compiling a list of locations comprising the steps of:

receiving an identifier from a set of base stations when said device is in a geographic range throughout which said set of base stations wirelessly transmits;

determining if identifier is included in said list and adding said identifier to said list of locations if said identifier is not in said list.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of:

receiving user input renaming a location associated with said identifier;

17. The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of:

displaying a name assigned to said location when said device is in a geographic range respective to said location;

18. The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of:

performing an event associated with one of said locations when said device is in a geographic range respective to said location.

19. A computer-readable storage medium containing a set of instructions for an electronic device, for use in a wireless system that has a first base station set operable to wirelessly transmit across a first geographic range and a second base station set operable to wirelessly transmit across a second geographic range, the set of instructions characterized by the steps of:

receiving an identifier from a set of base stations when said device is in a geographic range throughout which said set of base stations wirelessly transmits; and

,

determining if identifier is included in said list and adding said identifier to said list of locations if said identifier is not in said list.