Passive locator

• US 20060105795A1
• Filed: 11/14/2005
• Published: 05/18/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Evans, Gregory Keith, Burd, Rebecca S., Opaluch, Robert Edward, Virzi, Robert Anthony, Sorce, James Francis, Cermak, Gregory Wayne, Eggerl, Edward M., Garrett, William E., Schmidt, Timothy Wayne, Goodman, William D., Jaynes, Allison Dana, Weintraub, Michael A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,983,426 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/518
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/104 Grouping of entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/107 wherein the security policies are location-dependent, e.g. entities privileges depend on current location or allowing specific operations only from locally connected terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/32 Involving wireless systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/02 Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/63 Location-dependent; Proximity-dependent
• 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 4/24 Accounting or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/40 for vehicles, e.g. vehicle-to-pedestrians [V2P]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/08 Access restriction or access information delivery, e.g. discovery data delivery signalling during connection H04W76/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

Groups of consenting users such as families can track where other members of the same group are under agreed upon access arrangements. The locating system can operate in a passive mode. Users do not have to actively sign-in or check-in to the locating system for the locating system to obtain individual location determination estimates. The locating system collects communications device usage information from a plurality of communications networks, e.g., landline, cellular, Wi-Fi, DSL. The locations of communication devices and infrastructure are known. Members of locating groups are associated with various communication devices detected are being used. Approximate locations of an individual member or members of a locating group are inferred from detected device usage information. A location report is generated, e.g., in a map, table, or audio format, indicating the determined location of individuals, and optionally including time tags. The report is provided to authorized members of the locating group.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

collecting communications device usage information indicating the use of one or more communications devices by a first individual, the first individual being a member of a group of individuals;

determining an approximate location of the first individual from the collected communications device usage information;

generating a location report indicating the determined approximate location of the first individual at at least one point in time; and

providing said location report to at least one member of said group of individuals.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said collecting communication device usage information includes collecting communications device usage information from at least two of:

a land-line phone, cell phone, laptop personal computer using a WIFI communications link;

a DSL communications device; and

a broadband cable device.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said collecting communication device usage information includes collecting communications device usage information from at least two different communications networks which use different communications protocols.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

collecting communications device usage information indicating the use of one or more additional communications devices by a second user who is a member of said group;

determining an approximate location of the second individual from the collected communication device usage information corresponding to the second user; and

including the determined approximate location of the second individual in said generated location report.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein providing said location report to at least one member of said group of individuals includes:

restricting access to said location report to members of said group who are authorized to access said location information.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein providing said location report includes:

making said report available from a website.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said location report includes a map indicating the location of group members.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said map includes a time tag associated with at least one group member location identifier included in said map.

9. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

maintaining a group member message location information database used to store location information messages from group members.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said report includes information from at least one group member location information message stored in said database.

11. The method of claim 2, further comprising collecting at least one of:

global position system information and vehicle toll payment information indicating the location of said first individual; and

including at least some information included in one of said global position information and said vehicle toll payment information in said generated report.

12. A system comprising:

a data collection module configured to collect communications device usage information indicating the use of one or more communications devices by a first individual, the first individual being a member of a group of individuals;

a location determination module coupled to said data collection module and configured to determine an approximate location of the first individual from the collected device usage information;

a location report generation module coupled to said location determination module and configured to generate a location report indicating the determined approximate location of the first individual at at least one point in time; and

a reporting module coupled to said location report generation module and configured to provide said location report to at least one member of said group of individuals.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein said data collection module is further configured to collect communications device usage information from at least two of:

a land-line phone, cell phone, laptop personal computer using a WIFI communications link, a DSL communications device, and a broadband cable device.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said data collection module is coupled to and receives information from at least two different communications networks which use different communications protocols.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein said data collection module further collects information indicating the use of one or more additional communications devices by a second user who is a member of said group;

wherein said location determination module is further configured to determine an approximate location of the second individual from the collected communication device usage information corresponding to the second user; and

wherein said location report includes the determined approximate location of the second individual in said location report.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein said reporting module includes:

an access control module configured to restrict access to said location report to members of said group who are authorized to access said location information.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein said reporting module includes a routine to provide said location report on an Internet website.

18. The system of claim 17, further comprising a display device to display said location report, said location report including one of a map and a table indicating the location of group members.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein said report includes said map, said map including a time tag associated with at least one group member location identifier included in said map.

20. The system of claim 13, further comprising:

a group member message location information database used to store location information messages from group members.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein said location report includes information from at least one group member location information message stored in said database.

22. The system of claim 13, wherein said data collection module is further configured to collect at least one of:

global position system information and vehicle toll payment information indicating the location of said first individual; and

wherein at least some information included in one of said global position information and said vehicle toll payment information is included in said location report.