METHOD FOR PULLING GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION DATA FROM A REMOTE WIRELESS TELECOMMUNICATIONS MOBILE UNIT

• US 20090149196A1
• Filed: 02/12/2009
• Published: 06/11/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Karma Automotive LLC (Wanxiang Group Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Airbiquity Incorporated
• Inventors: Fournier, Andre F.A., Jahani, Allen A., Sawyer, Michael S., Grant, Stephen M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,848,763 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.100
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72409 by interfacing with external accessories hands-free H04M1/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/10 including a GPS signal receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

A method to remotely determine a location of a mobile unit without intervention by a user of the mobile unit is provided. The mobile unit may receive a location query, download location data from a GPS, and transmit the location data via a wireless telecommunications network. For example, a call center may initiate a location query using a voice channel call to the mobile unit. In addition, the mobile unit may select a mode of communication from a number of alternative modes of digital wireless communication based upon a determined characteristic of the transmission mode. By way of example, the determined characteristic could be a transmission speed, cost of transmission, or signal strength of the selected communication mode. Furthermore, the unit may be a battery pack or other accessory device attachable to a wireless telephone handset, or integrated within a mobile unit.

Claims

1. A remote method of determining a geographic location of a wireless telecommunication mobile unit without intervention by a user of the mobile unit, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a GPS receiver to acquire location data of the mobile unit;

at the mobile unit, receiving a location query via the wireless telecommunications network serving the mobile unit;

responsive to the location query, automatically downloading location information from the GPS receiver; and

transmitting the location information via the said wireless telecommunications network.

2. The method of determining a geographic location of a wireless telecommunication mobile unit according to claim 1 wherein the location query is initiated by a call center.

3. The method of determining a geographic location of a wireless telecommunication mobile unit according to claim 2 wherein the location query is initiated from the call center via a voice channel call to the mobile unit.

4. The method of determining a geographic location of a wireless telecommunication mobile unit according to claim 1 wherein the location query is initiated by another user remote from the mobile unit.

5. The method of determining a geographic location of a wireless telecommunication mobile unit according to claim 1 and further comprising:

processing the location information transmitted by the mobile unit via the said wireless telecommunications network; and

then

reporting the processed location information to another location remote from the mobile unit.

6. The method of determining a geographic location of a wireless telecommunication mobile unit according to claim 1 and further comprising receiving the transmitted location information at a call center.

7. The method of determining a geographic location of a wireless telecommunication mobile unit according to claim 6 and further comprising:

alerting a user of the mobile unit that a location query was received.

8. The method of determining a geographic location of a wireless telecommunication mobile unit according to claim 7 and further comprising:

requiring user approval before sending the location information.

9. The method of claim 6 wherein the wireless telecommunication mobile unit comprises a cell phone.

10. A remote method of determining a geographic location of a wireless mobile unit capable of communicating with a wireless telecommunications network, the method comprising the steps of:

at the mobile unit, receiving a location query via a wireless telecommunications network serving the mobile unit;

responsive to the location query, downloading location data from a GPS unit in the mobile unit; and

transmitting the location data via said wireless telecommunications network wherein the mobile unit supports at least two communication modes and further comprising;

determining what wireless communication modes are currently available to the mobile unit on the network;

assessing at least one selected characteristic of each of the currently available communication modes;

based on the assessment, determining a preferred one of the currently available communication modes communication mode to transmit the location data;

and transmitting the location data via the preferred communication mode.

11. The method of determining a geographic location of a wireless mobile unit according to claim 10 wherein the location query is initiated by a call center.

12. The method of determining a geographic location of a wireless mobile unit according to claim 11 wherein the location query is initiated from the call center via a voice channel call to the mobile unit.

13. The method of determining a geographic location of a wireless mobile unit according to claim 10 wherein the location query is initiated by another user remote from the mobile unit.

14. The method of determining a geographic location of a wireless mobile unit according to claim 10 further comprising:

processing the location information transmitted by the mobile unit via said wireless telecommunications network; and

reporting the processed location information to another location remote from the mobile unit.

15. The method of determining a geographic location of a wireless mobile unit according to claim 10 further comprising receiving and processing the transmitted location data at a call center.

16. The method of determining a geographic location of a wireless mobile unit according to claim 10 wherein the selected characteristic is selected from a group of characteristics comprising return signal strength, cost, available bandwidth, transmission speed, user preference, carrier preference, data type and cellular roaming.

17. A portable wireless unit comprising:

a wireless telecommunication transceiver for communications via a wireless telecommunication network;

a GPS receiver for determining location data of the portable wireless unit;

means for determining a preferred mode of communication via the wireless telecommunication network; and

means for transmitting the location data via the preferred mode of communication to a selected destination.

18. A portable wireless unit according to claim 17 wherein the means for transmitting is responsive to a location query message received via the wireless telecommunication transceiver.

19. A portable wireless unit according to claim 18 wherein the GPS receiver is distinct from the wireless telecommunication transceiver and the two are coupled together for communication between them.

20. A portable wireless unit according to claim 18 wherein the GPS receiver is disposed in an accessory unit attachable to the wireless telecommunication transceiver.