SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR DETERMINATION OF MOBILE DEVICES IN OR PROXIMATE TO AN ALERT AREA

• US 20090247189A1
• Filed: 03/28/2008
• Published: 10/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Daly, Brian K., Sennett, DeWayne Allan
• Granted Patent: US 8,805,415 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.200
• 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 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences

Abstract

Systems and methods for determining whether a mobile device is within a specified area and for providing information related to the mobile device are disclosed. A request may be received which inquires as to whether any mobile devices are within an alert area. The request may include a description of the alert area and other preferences or indications. The relevant devices may be determined, as well as related information such as user information. The relevant information may be provided to the requester by any effective means and in any effective format.

Claims

1. A method of determining mobile devices proximate to an alert area, the method comprising:

receiving a request to determine if mobile devices are proximate to the alert area;

evaluating the request;

determining the alert area;

determining the mobile devices proximate to the alert area; and

providing a response.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the request comprises an identification of the alert area.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the request is received from a first mobile device.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein providing the response comprises transmitting a response to a second mobile device.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining an approximate location for each of the mobile devices.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein evaluating the request comprises determining a database that contains location information for the mobile devices.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining a user associated with each of the mobile devices.

8. A system for determining mobile devices proximate to an alert area, the system comprising at least one subsystem that:

receives a request to determine if a mobile device is proximate to the alert area;

acquires a location history for the mobile device;

determines a most recent location for the mobile device;

acquires an alert area location;

determines if the most recent location correlates to the location of the alert area; and

provides a response.

9. The system of claim 8, further comprising at least one subsystem that determines a user associated with the mobile device.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the response comprises an identifier associated with the user.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the at least one subsystem that acquires an alert area location comprises at least one subsystem that determines the geographical boundaries of the alert area.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the request comprises an alert area location.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the at least one subsystem that determines a most recent location for the mobile device comprises at least one subsystem that determines most recent global positioning system coordinates for the mobile device.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the response comprises an indication that the mobile device is proximate to the alert area.

15. A computer-readable medium comprising computer-readable instructions for automatically determining mobile devices proximate to an alert area, the computer-readable instructions comprising instructions for:

receiving an identification of an alert area;

automatically determining whether a mobile device is proximate to the alert area; and

providing a response.

16. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein automatically determining whether the mobile device is proximate to the alert area comprises:

automatically determining a location of the mobile device; and

automatically determining whether the location is proximate to the alert area.

17. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the instructions for automatically determining a location of the mobile device comprise instructions for automatically determining global positioning system coordinates associated with the mobile device.

18. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the identification of the alert area comprises names of streets bounding the alert area.

19. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the instructions for providing a response comprise instructions for providing output to a web-based application.

20. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the instructions for receiving the identification of the alert area comprise instructions for receiving input at a web-based application.