Cell phone relative position indication on displayed map using GPS coordinates

• US 20060166682A1
• Filed: 03/01/2005
• Published: 07/27/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies General IP PTE Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Avago Technologies General IP PTE Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bennett, James D., Karaoguz, Jeyhan
• Application Number:
  US11/069,445
• Publication Number:
  US 20060166682A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.200
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/74 Systems using reradiation of radio waves, e.g. secondary radar systems; Analogous systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/08 Mobility data transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/14 between corresponding nodes

Abstract

A wireless terminal tracks a tracked wireless terminal and displays tracking information to a user. The tracking wireless terminal sends a tracking request for the tracked wireless terminal via a supporting wireless network infrastructure. When the tracking request is valid, the tracking wireless terminal receives a tracking response for the tracked wireless terminal. Based upon the tracking response, the tracking wireless terminal accesses a map segment corresponding to received location coordinates. The tracking wireless terminal determines a relative position of the location coordinates of the tracked wireless terminal with respect to the map segment. With this determination made, operation concludes with the tracking wireless terminal displaying the map segment and an icon on the map segment that represents the tracked wireless terminal. The icon representing the tracked wireless terminal is displayed at the relative position of the location coordinates of the tracked wireless terminal.

Claims

1. A method for operating a tracking wireless terminal to display a location of a tracked wireless terminal, the method comprising:

sending a tracking request for the tracked wireless terminal via a supporting wireless network infrastructure;

receiving a tracking response for the tracked wireless terminal via the supporting wireless network infrastructure that includes location coordinates of the tracked wireless terminal;

determining location coordinates of the tracking wireless terminal;

determining a relative position of the location coordinates of the tracked wireless terminal with respect to the location coordinates of the tracking wireless terminal; and

displaying an indication on the display to indicate the relative position of the tracked wireless terminal with respect to the tracking wireless terminal.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

accessing a map segment corresponding to the location coordinates;

determining a relative position of the location coordinates of the tracked wireless terminal with respect to the map segment; and

displaying the map segment and an icon that represents the tracked wireless terminal on the map segment at the relative position of the location coordinates of the tracked wireless terminal.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

determining a relative position of the location coordinates of the tracking wireless terminal on the map segment; and

displaying an icon that represents the tracking wireless terminal on the map at the relative position of the location coordinates of the tracking wireless terminal.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a tracking permission query from a requesting device via the supporting wireless network infrastructure;

presenting an input request in response to the tracking permission query via a user interface;

receiving a user input response via the user interface;

creating a tracking permission response based upon the user input response; and

transmitting the tracking permission response via the supporting wireless network infrastructure to the requesting device.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the requesting device is selected from the group consisting of at least the tracked wireless terminal, a monitoring location terminal, a partnered wireless terminal, and a partnered land line terminal.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the tracking request includes an identity of the tracking wireless terminal.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the tracking wireless terminal is a member of a group having permission to track the tracked wireless terminal.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a proximity of the tracking wireless terminal to the tracked wireless terminal;

comparing the proximity to a proximity threshold; and

issuing a proximity alert upon a favorable comparison.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a proximity of the tracking wireless terminal to the tracked wireless terminal;

comparing the proximity to a plurality of proximity thresholds; and

issuing a proximity alert of a plurality of proximity alerts based upon a corresponding favorable comparison.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the proximity alert is selected from the group consisting of at least:

a flashing light having a flashing pattern corresponding to the proximity alert;

an audible alarm having an audible pattern corresponding to the proximity alert;

a visual meter reading having an indicated magnitude corresponding to the proximity alert; and

a visual vector reading having an indicated magnitude and direction corresponding to the proximity alert.

11. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

determining an orientation of the tracking wireless terminal with respect to a reference direction; and

orienting the map segment on the display based upon the orientation of the tracking wireless terminal so that the map segment is displayed in a correct orientation with reference to mapped physical features.

12. A wireless terminal comprising:

a wireless interface;

a user interface including a display;

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;

send a tracking request for a tracked wireless terminal via the wireless interface and a supporting wireless network infrastructure;

receive a tracking response for the tracked wireless terminal via the wireless interface and the supporting wireless network infrastructure that includes location coordinates corresponding to the tracked wireless terminal;

determine location coordinates of the tracking wireless terminal by accessing the GPS receiver;

determine a relative position of the location coordinates of the tracked wireless terminal with respect to the location coordinates of the tracking wireless terminal; and

display an indication on the display to indicate the relative position of the tracked wireless terminal with respect to the tracking wireless terminal.

13. The wireless terminal of claim 12, wherein the processing unit is further operable to:

access a map segment corresponding to the location coordinates;

determine a relative position of the location coordinates of the tracked wireless terminal with respect to the map segment; and

display the map segment and an icon that represents the tracked wireless terminal on the map segment at the relative position of the location coordinates of the tracked wireless terminal on the display.

14. The wireless terminal of claim 13, wherein the processing unit is further operable to:

determine a relative position of the location coordinates of the tracking wireless terminal on the map segment; and

display an icon that represents the tracking wireless terminal on the map at the relative position of the location coordinates of the tracking wireless terminal on the display.

15. The wireless terminal of claim 12, wherein the processing unit is further operable to:

receive a tracking permission query from a requesting device via the supporting wireless network infrastructure and the wireless interface;

present an input request in response to the tracking permission query via the user interface;

receive a user input response via the user interface;

create a tracking permission response based upon the user input response; and

transmit the tracking permission response via the wireless interface and the supporting wireless network infrastructure to the requesting device.

16. The wireless terminal of claim 15 wherein the requesting device is selected from the group consisting of at least the tracked wireless terminal, a monitoring location terminal, a partnered wireless terminal, and a partnered land line terminal.

17. The wireless terminal of claim 12, wherein the tracking request includes an identity of the wireless terminal.

18. The wireless terminal of claim 17 wherein the wireless terminal is a member of a group having permission to track the tracked wireless terminal.

19. The wireless terminal of claim 12, wherein the processing unit is further operable to:

determine a proximity of the wireless terminal to the tracked wireless terminal;

compare the proximity to a proximity threshold; and

issue a proximity alert upon a favorable comparison via the user interface.

20. The wireless terminal of claim 12, wherein the processing unit is further operable to:

determine a proximity of the wireless terminal to the tracked wireless terminal;

compare the proximity to a plurality of proximity thresholds; and

issue a proximity alert of a plurality of proximity alerts based upon a corresponding favorable comparison via the user interface.

21. The wireless terminal of claim 20, wherein the proximity alert is selected from the group consisting of at least:

a flashing light having a flashing pattern corresponding to the proximity alert;

an audible alarm having an audible pattern corresponding to the proximity alert;

a visual meter reading having an indicated magnitude corresponding to the proximity alert;

a visual vector reading having an indicated magnitude and direction corresponding to the proximity alert.

22. The wireless terminal of claim 12, further comprising:

determining an orientation of the tracking wireless terminal with respect to a reference direction; and

orienting the map segment on the display based upon the orientation of the tracking wireless terminal so that the map segment is displayed in a correct orientation with reference to mapped physical features.