SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SHARING LOCATION INFORMATION

• US 20100015999A1
• Filed: 07/18/2008
• Published: 01/21/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Belz, Steven M., Brandt, Jeffrey
• Granted Patent: US 8,634,855 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.200
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0063 of measured values, i.e. measurement on base station and position calculation on mobile
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/10 Position of receiver fixed by co-ordinating a plurality of position lines defined by path-difference measurements , e.g. omega or decca systemsG01S5/12 takes precedence ; beacons and receivers cooperating therewith G01S1/306, G01S1/308
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/025 using location based information parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/003 locating network equipment

Abstract

A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a portable communication device having a controller to request location information from one or more non-portable wireless access points, receive one or more location coordinates from the one or more non-portable wireless access points, determine which of the one or more non-portable wireless access points is closest to the portable communication device according to one or more wireless signals generated by the one or more non-portable wireless access points, and record the location coordinate supplied by the closest non-portable wireless access point. Each of the one or more non-portable wireless access points can determine its location coordinate with a location receiver. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. A portable communication device, comprising a controller to:

request location information from one or more non-portable wireless access points, wherein each of the one or more non-portable wireless access points determines its location coordinate with a location receiver;

receive one or more location coordinates from the one or more non-portable wireless access points;

measure from one or more wireless signals generated by the one or more non-portable wireless access points one of a received signal strength, a time of arrival, or an angle of arrival to determine which of the one or more non-portable wireless access points is closest to the portable communication device; and

record the location coordinate supplied by the closest non-portable wireless access point.

2. The portable communication device of claim 1, wherein the location receiver corresponds to a global position system receiver.

3. The portable communication device of claim 1, wherein the location coordinate corresponds to a longitude and latitude.

4. The portable communication device of claim 1, wherein the location coordinate corresponds to a street address.

5. The portable communication device of claim 1, wherein the controller is adapted to triangulate from the one or more wireless signals its location relative to the one or more non-portable wireless access points.

6. The portable communication device of claim 5, wherein the controller is adapted to adjust the location coordinate supplied by the closest non-portable wireless access point according to the triangulated location.

7. The portable communication device of claim 1, wherein the controller is adapted to:

detect that the portable communication device can no longer communicate with the closest non-portable wireless access point; and

classify the location coordinate of the closest non-portable wireless access point as potentially invalid.

8. The portable communication device of claim 7, wherein the controller is adapted to request location information from a next closest non-portable wireless access point.

9. The portable communication device of claim 8, wherein the controller is adapted to generate a mobility history of the portable communication device from a plurality of location coordinates supplied by non-portable wireless access points closest to the portable communication device.

10. The portable communication device of claim 1, wherein the location receiver is coupled to or an integral part of the non-portable wireless access point.

11. The portable communication device of claim 1, wherein the location receiver corresponds to another portable communication device with a location detection device.

12. The portable communication device of claim 1, wherein the one or more non-portable wireless access points operate according to one of a wireless fidelity access point, a Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access point, or a cellular wireless access point.

17. The non-portable wireless access point of claim 12, wherein the non-portable wireless access point operates according to one of a wireless fidelity access point, a Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access point, or a cellular wireless access point.

13. A non-portable wireless access point, comprising a controller to:

determine a location coordinate of the non-portable wireless access point with a location receiver;

receive a request from a portable communication device for the location coordinate; and

transmit the location coordinate to the portable communication device, wherein the portable communication device records the location coordinate responsive to detecting from a wireless signal transmitted by the non-portable wireless access point that the non-portable wireless access point is closest to the portable communication device relative to one or more other non-portable wireless access points.

14. The non-portable wireless access point of claim 13, wherein the location receiver corresponds to a global position system receiver, and wherein the location coordinate corresponds to at least one of a longitude and latitude, and a street address.

15. The non-portable wireless access point of claim 13, wherein the location receiver is coupled to or an integral part of the non-portable wireless access point.

16. The non-portable wireless access point of claim 13, wherein the location receiver corresponds to another portable communication device with a location detection device.

18. A method, comprising a non-location aware communication device determining its location from a determination of a desirable proximity to one of one or more location-aware communication devices sharing location information with the non-location aware communication device.

19. The method of claim 18, comprising the non-location aware communication device detecting one of the one or more location-aware communication devices having the desirable proximity from wireless signals supplied therefrom.

20. The method of claim 19, comprising the non-location aware communication device selecting the location supplied by the location-aware communication device determined to have the desirable proximity to the non-location aware communication device.

21. The method of claim 20, comprising the non-location aware communication device calculating a triangulation point from wireless signals originating from the one or more location-aware communication devices.

22. The method of claim 21, comprising the non-location aware communication device adjusting the supplied location according to the calculated triangulation point.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein at least one of the one or more location-aware communication devices calculates a triangulation point of the non-location aware communication device from wireless signals originating from the non-location-aware communication device.

24. The method of claim 23, comprising:

the non-location aware communication device receiving the triangulation point from one of the one or more location-aware communication devices; and

the non-location aware communication device adjusting the supplied location according to the triangulation point.

25. The method of claim 18, wherein each of the one or more location-aware communication devices operate according to one of a wireless fidelity access point, a Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access point, or a cellular wireless access point.