METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PROVIDING AREA SPECIFIC MESSAGING

• US 20080220720A1
• Filed: 03/07/2008
• Published: 09/11/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WirelessWERX IP LLC (Pueblo Nuevo LLC)
• Original Assignee: Wirelesswerx International, Inc.
• Inventors: Mooney, Patrick, ASHLEY, James
• Granted Patent: US 8,369,866 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/41.2
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0009 Transmission of position information to remote stations involving assistance data G01S5/0236
• 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 4/20 Services signaling; Auxiliary data signalling, i.e. transmitting data via a non-traffic channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/33 for indoor environments, e.g. buildings

Abstract

A system and method for precisely locating a mobile device at a precise geographical distance and messaging to communication devices carried by persons in specific areas is disclosed. The method utilizes at least two elements, a mobile device and at least one location tag. When activated, the mobile device will interact with all of the location tags in range and determine the location tag most practically near. The mobile device will then download detailed local information from the location tag most practically near. The messaging system may be used to selectively send messages to communication devices known to be within range of location transmitters or tags in a predetermined area.

Claims

1. A method for determining the proximate location of a mobile device, the method comprising:

providing a plurality of location tags, each location tag having a radio module and a microprocessor, the microprocessor storing detailed location information;

receiving a query from a mobile device in use to each location tag in range;

sending selection parameters from the location tag to the mobile device;

selecting a location tag most practically near to the mobile device from the plurality of location tags based on the selection parameters; and

downloading the detailed location information from the location tag most practically near to the mobile device.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein selecting the location tag most practically near comprises first determining the number of location tags in range of the mobile device.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein if only a single location tag is in range, the single location tag is selected as the location tag most practically near.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein a location tag having a force use flag is automatically the location tag most practically near to the mobile device.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein selecting the location tag most practically near further comprises:

determining installation identifiers in the plurality of location tags in range of the mobile device;

determining a installation identifier represented by the highest number of location tags; and

selecting the plurality of location tags having the installation identifier represented by the highest number of location tags.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein selecting the location tag most practically near further comprises:

determining floor identifiers in the plurality of location tags in range of the mobile device;

determining a floor identifier represented by the highest number of location tags; and

selecting the plurality of location tags having the floor identifier represented by the highest number of location tags;

wherein each individual floor of an installation has a floor identifier.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein if more than two floor identifiers are represented by the highest number of location tags, then any location tags located on the uppermost or lowermost floor of the installation are excluded.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising if more than two floor identifiers remain represented by the highest number of location tags then repeating excluding any remaining uppermost and lowermost floor location tags.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein selecting the location tag most practically near further comprises:

connecting the mobile device to each location tag through a serial port profile connection;

determining received signal strength from the plurality of location tags in range of the mobile device;

determining the highest received signal strength value; and

selecting the plurality of location tags having the highest received signal strength.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein selecting the location tag most practically near further comprises:

determining maximum power setting in the plurality of location tags having the highest received signal strength;

determining the lowest maximum power setting; and

selecting the plurality of location tags having the lowest maximum power setting.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein selecting the location tag most practically near further comprises arbitrarily selecting one location tag.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein selecting the location tag most practically near further comprises:

determining maximum power setting in the plurality of location tags in range of the mobile device;

determining the lowest maximum power setting; and

selecting the plurality of location tags having the lowest maximum power setting.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein selecting the location tag most practically near further comprises arbitrarily selecting one location tag.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein selecting the location tag most practically near is accomplished when the plurality of location tags is narrowed to a single location tag based on the selection parameters.

28. The method according to claim 1 further comprising storing mobile device identification information for any mobile device selecting the location tag most practically near the mobile device.

15. A method for sending a message to location tags comprising:

receiving a message signal at a first location tag;

determining whether the message signal is directed to the first location tag;

forwarding the message signal to a next location tag if the message signal is not directed to the first location tag;

determining in next location tag whether the message signal is directed to that next location tag; and

repeating the forwarding and determining operations if the message signal is not directed to the receiving next location tag.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

sending the message signal to communication devices within range of that next location tag if the message signal is directed to that location tag.

17. The method according to claim 15 wherein each location tag comprises a transceiver operable to communicate with other location tags and with communication devices within range of that location tag.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising:

sending the message signal to communication devices within range of that next location tag if the message signal is directed to that location tag.

26. The method according to claim 15 wherein the message signal is directed to all location tags.

19. A method for sending a message to communication devices located within a predetermined area comprising:

receiving a message signal at a first location tag located within the predetermined area;

determining whether the message signal is directed to the first location tag;

forwarding the message signal to a next location tag in the predetermined area if the message signal is not directed to the first location tag;

determining in next location tag whether the message signal is directed to that next location tag;

repeating the forwarding and determining operations if the message signal is not directed to the receiving next location tag; and

sending the message signal to communication devices within range of that next location tag if the message signal is directed to that location tag.

27. The method according to claim 19 wherein the message signal is directed to all location tags.

20. A system for sending a message to location tags comprising:

means for receiving a message signal at a first location tag;

means for determining whether the message signal is directed to the first location tag;

means for forwarding the message signal to a next location tag if the message signal is not directed to the first location tag;

means for determining in next location tag whether the message signal is directed to that next location tag; and

means for repeating the forwarding and determining operations if the message signal is not directed to the receiving next location tag.

21. The system of claim 20 further comprising:

means for sending the message signal to communication devices within range of that next location tag if the message signal is directed to that location tag.

22. The system of claim 20 wherein each location tag comprises a transceiver operable to communicate with other location tags and with communication devices within range of that location tag.

23. The system of claim 22 further comprising:

means for sending the message signal to communication devices within range of that next location tag if the message signal is directed to that location tag.

24. A system for sending a message to communication devices located within a predetermined area comprising:

a plurality of location tags located at different locations within the predetermined area, each location tag including a tag, a microprocessor, and a memory;

a base station capable of receiving a first message and transmitting the first message to a first location tag of the plurality of location tags;

each of the location tags being capable of determining whether a received message is directed to that location tag and transmitting the received message to a next tag in the plurality of location tags if the received message is not directed to that location tag; and

wherein each location tag is capable of transmitting the received message to any communication devices known to that location tag if the received message is directed to that location tag.

25. The system according to claim 24 wherein each location tag is capable of communicating with communication devices within range of that location tag and storing communication device identification information in the memory for any communication device within range of that location tag.