GPS enabled cell phone location tracking for security purposes

• US 20060166679A1
• Filed: 03/01/2005
• Published: 07/27/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bennett, James D., Karaoguz, Jeyhan
• Granted Patent: US 7,853,268 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.100
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0269 System arrangements wherein the object is to detect the exact location of child or item using a navigation satellite system, e.g. GPS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• 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 48/04 based on user or terminal location or mobility data, e.g. moving direction, speed
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/08 Mobility data transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/14 between corresponding nodes

Abstract

A wireless terminal enacts a boundary violation notification rule that includes geographic boundary and an action or a mobility violation notification rule that includes a mobility parameter and an action. The wireless terminal determines its location and/or rate of motion by accessing the GPS receiver of the wireless terminal. The wireless terminal then compares its location to the geographic boundary and/or its rate of motion to the mobility parameter. When comparison is unfavorable, the wireless terminal executes the action by sending a message to a destination device via its wireless interface and a supporting wireless network infrastructure. This message may be sent to a partnered wireless terminal, a partnered landline terminal, a monitoring location, or to another location to which the message is relevant. In addition to sending the message, the wireless terminal may also issue an audible alarm, take a picture, or perform another action.

Claims

1. A method for operating a wireless terminal comprising:

enacting a boundary violation notification rule that includes a geographic boundary and an action;

determining a location of the wireless terminal by accessing a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver of the wireless terminal;

comparing the location of the wireless terminal to the geographic boundary of the boundary violation notification rule; and

when the location of the wireless terminal compares unfavorably to the geographic boundary, executing the action by sending a message from the wireless terminal to a destination device via a supporting wireless network infrastructure.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein sending the message to the destination device via a supporting network infrastructure is selected from the group consisting of at least:

sending a message to a partnered wireless terminal;

sending a message to a partnered land line terminal; and

sending a message to a monitoring location.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein executing the action further comprises the wireless terminal issuing an audible alarm.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein executing the action further comprises the wireless terminal:

taking a picture using a camera contained within the wireless terminal; and

transmitting the picture from the wireless terminal to the destination device via the supporting wireless network infrastructure.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein executing the action further comprises the wireless terminal transmitting the location of the wireless terminal to the destination device via the supporting wireless network infrastructure.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the location of the wireless terminal compares unfavorably to the geographic boundary when the location is external to the geographic boundary.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the location of the wireless terminal compares unfavorably to the geographic boundary when the location is internal to the geographic boundary.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the geographic boundary is defined based upon proximity to a geographic location.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the boundary violation notification rule further comprises a time component; and

the action is executed only when a current time of the mobile terminal compares unfavorably to the time component.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a locate request from a querying device via the supporting wireless network infrastructure; and

reporting the location of the wireless terminal to the querying device via the supporting wireless network infrastructure.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving the boundary violation notification rule from a monitoring device.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a location query from a monitoring device;

determining a location of the wireless terminal by accessing the GPS receiver; and

reporting the location of the wireless terminal to the monitoring device.

13. A method for operating a wireless terminal comprising:

enacting a mobility violation notification rule that includes a mobility parameter and an action;

determining a rate of motion of the wireless terminal by accessing a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver of the wireless terminal;

comparing the rate of motion of the wireless terminal to the mobility parameter of the mobility violation notification rule; and

when the rate of motion of the wireless terminal compares unfavorably to the mobility parameter of the mobility violation notification rule, executing the action by sending a message from the wireless terminal to a destination device via a supporting wireless network infrastructure.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein sending the message to the destination device via a supporting network infrastructure is selected from the group consisting of at least:

sending a message to a partnered wireless terminal;

sending a message to a partnered land line terminal; and

sending a message to a monitoring location.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein executing the action further comprises the wireless terminal issuing an audible alarm.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein executing the action further comprises the wireless terminal:

taking a picture using a camera contained within the wireless terminal; and

transmitting the picture from the wireless terminal to the destination device via the supporting wireless network infrastructure.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein executing the action further comprises:

determining a location of the wireless terminal by accessing the GPS receiver of the wireless terminal; and

transmitting the location of the wireless terminal to the destination device via the supporting wireless network infrastructure.

18. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

receiving a locate request from a querying device via the supporting wireless network infrastructure;

determining a location of the wireless terminal by accessing the GPS receiver of the wireless terminal; and

reporting the location of the wireless terminal to the querying device via the supporting wireless network infrastructure.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein the rate of motion of the wireless terminal compares unfavorably to the mobility parameter when the rate of motion exceeds a maximum speed limit.

20. The method of claim 13, wherein the rate of motion of the wireless terminal compares unfavorably to the mobility parameter when the rate of motion is less than a minimum speed limit.

21. The method of claim 13, wherein:

the mobility violation notification rule further comprises a time component; and

the action is executed only when a current time of the mobile terminal compares unfavorably to the time component.

22. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

receiving a location query from a monitoring device;

determining a location of the wireless terminal by accessing the GPS receiver; and

reporting the location of the wireless terminal to the monitoring device.

35. The method of claim 13, wherein:

the boundary violation notification rule further comprises a time component; and

the processor is operable to execute the action only when a current time of the mobile terminal compares unfavorably to the time component.

23. A wireless terminal comprising:

a wireless interface;

a user interface;

a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver; and

a processing unit communicatively coupled to the wireless interface, to the user interface, and to the GPS receiver and operable to;

enact a boundary violation notification rule that includes a geographic boundary and an action;

determine a location of the wireless terminal by accessing the GPS;

compare the location of the wireless terminal to the geographic boundary of the boundary violation notification rule; and

when the location of the wireless terminal compares unfavorably to the geographic boundary, execute the action by sending a message from the wireless terminal to a destination device via the wireless interface and a supporting wireless network infrastructure.

24. The wireless terminal of claim 23, wherein sending the message to the destination device via the supporting network infrastructure is selected from the group consisting of at least:

sending a message to a partnered wireless terminal;

sending a message to a partnered land line terminal; and

sending a message to a monitoring location.

25. The wireless terminal of claim 23, wherein in executing the action, the processor is further operable to issue an audible alarm via the user interface.

26. The wireless terminal of claim 23, wherein:

the wireless terminal further comprises a camera; and

in executing the action, the processor is further operable to;

take a picture using the camera; and

transmit the picture to the destination device via the wireless interface and the supporting wireless network infrastructure.

27. The wireless terminal of claim 23, wherein in executing the action, the processor is further operable to transmit the location of the wireless terminal to the destination device via the wireless interface and the supporting wireless network infrastructure.

28. The wireless terminal of claim 23, wherein:

the boundary violation notification rule further comprises a time component; and

the processor is operable to execute the action only when a current time of the mobile terminal compares unfavorably to the time component.

29. A wireless terminal comprising:

a wireless interface;

a user interface;

a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver; and

a processing unit communicatively coupled to the wireless interface, the user interface, and the GPS receiver and operable to;

enact a mobility violation notification rule that includes a mobility parameter and an action;

determine a rate of motion of the wireless terminal by accessing the GPS receiver;

compare the rate of motion of the wireless terminal to the mobility parameter of the mobility violation notification rule; and

when the rate of motion of the wireless terminal compares unfavorably to the mobility parameter of the mobility violation notification rule, execute the action by sending a message from the wireless terminal to a destination device via a supporting wireless network infrastructure.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein sending the message to the destination device via the supporting network infrastructure is selected from the group consisting of at least:

sending a message to a partnered wireless terminal;

sending a message to a partnered land line terminal; and

sending a message to a monitoring location.

31. The method of claim 29, wherein in executing the action, the processor is further operable to issue an audible alarm via the user interface.

32. The method of claim 29, wherein:

the wireless terminal further comprises a camera; and

in executing the action, the processor is further operable to;

take a picture using the camera; and

transmit the picture to the destination device via the wireless interface and the supporting wireless network infrastructure.

33. The method of claim 29, wherein in executing the action, the processor is further operable to:

determine a location of the wireless terminal by accessing the GPS receiver; and

transmit the location of the wireless terminal to the destination device via the wireless interface and the supporting wireless network infrastructure.

34. The method of claim 29, wherein the processor is further operable to:

receive a locate request from a querying device via the supporting wireless network infrastructure and the wireless interface;

determine a location of the wireless terminal by accessing the GPS receiver; and

report the location of the wireless terminal to the querying device via the wireless interface and the supporting wireless network infrastructure.