System and method for recovering a lost or stolen wireless device

• US 20070072620A1
• Filed: 09/29/2005
• Published: 03/29/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nextel Communications (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Nextel Communications (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Levitan, Benjamin
• Granted Patent: US 7,409,219 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.100
• 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 8/22 Processing or transfer of terminal data, e.g. status or physical capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A user may locate a missing wireless device through a location server storing user-associated location information. A wireless device includes a client location application adapted to determine a current geographic location and transmit location data to a location server, a power source, and a power management application adapted to detect a low power level and instruct the client location application to determine the current geographic location. The wireless device further includes a GPS receiver adapted to receive and decode GPS signals and a personal GPS directory storing location information associated with the subscriber unit.

Claims

1. A method for locating a subscriber unit comprising:

detecting a power level of the subscriber unit below a first threshold level;

automatically determining a geographic position of the subscriber unit;

detecting the power level of the subscriber unit below a second threshold level; and

automatically transmitting the geographic position to a location server before the power is exhausted.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving at the location server a request for subscriber unit geographic position, and returning a most recently received geographic position associated with the subscriber unit.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the received geographic position has an associated location name, and wherein the location name is returned to the requestor.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein navigation instructions are returned to the requestor.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of determining includes receiving a signal from each of a plurality of GPS satellites.

6. A wireless device comprising:

a client location application adapted to determine a current geographic location and transmit associated location data to a location server;

a power source; and

a power management application adapted to detect a power level of the power source and automatically instruct the client location application to determine the current geographic location.

7. The wireless device of claim 6 further comprising a GPS receiver adapted to receive and decode GPS signals.

8. The wireless device of claim 6 further comprising a personal GPS directory storing location information associated with the subscriber unit.

9. The wireless device of claim 6 wherein the power management application includes program instructions for instructing the wireless device to perform steps comprising:

detecting the power level below a first threshold; and

acquiring GPS satellite signals until the power level drops below a second threshold.

10. The wireless device of claim 9 wherein the program instructions further comprise:

determining a last geographic position when the power level drops below the second threshold, the last geographic position being determined based on the acquired GPS satellite signals.

11. The wireless device of claim 10 wherein the program instructions further comprise:

tracking a current location when the power level drops below a third threshold.

12. The wireless device of claim 11 wherein the program instructions further comprise:

transmitting the last geographic position to a location server after the power level drops below a fourth threshold.

13. A wireless device including and power source and program instructions for causing the wireless device to perform steps comprising:

detecting a power level of the power source below a first threshold level;

determining a geographic position of the wireless device;

detecting a power level of the power source below a second threshold level; and

transmitting the geographic position to a location server before the power is exhausted.

14. The wireless device of claim 13 further comprising receiving at the location server a request for subscriber unit geographic position, and returning a most recently received geographic position associated with the subscriber unit.

15. The wireless device of claim 14 wherein the received geographic position has an associated location name, and wherein the location name is returned to the requestor.

16. The wireless device of claim 14 wherein navigation instructions are returned to the requestor.

17. The wireless device of claim 13 wherein the step of determining includes receiving a signal from each of a plurality of GPS satellites.