SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING MULTI-CARRIER TRACKING OF WIRELESS DEVICES DURING AN EMERGENCY

• US 20100151879A1
• Filed: 12/17/2008
• Published: 06/17/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CenturyLink Intellectual Property LLC (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Embarq Holdings Company LLC (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Green, Lynn T., Ray, Amar Nath, Morrill, Robert J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,447,322 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.100
• 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 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

A system and method for tracking a wireless communications device of a user may include, in response to receiving a request to track the wireless communications device, notifying a plurality of wireless networks of different communications carriers to collect geographic coordinates at which a wireless communications device is located. Geographic coordinates of the wireless communications device may be collected from at least one of the wireless networks and communicated to a requestor for tracking the wireless communications device.

Claims

1. A method for tracking a wireless communications device of a user, comprising:

in response to receiving a request to track the wireless communications device, notifying a plurality of wireless networks of different communications carriers to collect geographic coordinates at which the wireless communications device is located;

collecting, from at least one of the wireless networks, geographic coordinates of the wireless communications device; and

communicating the geographic coordinates of the wireless communications device to a requestor for tracking the wireless communications device.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

determining a current location of the wireless communications device; and

notifying at least one communications carrier to which the user is not a subscriber that operates a wireless network in an area of the current location of the wireless communications device.

3. The method according to claim 2, further comprising identifying the at least one communications carrier to which the user is not a subscriber that operates a wireless network in the area of the current location of the wireless communications device.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein receiving a request to track the wireless communications device includes receiving a request from a governmental agency to track the wireless communications device.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein receiving the request includes receiving a request from a public safety answering point.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising, prior to notifying the plurality of different communications carriers, determining that the received request is indicative of a particular event type.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein receiving the request includes receiving a security code, and further comprising validating the security code prior to notifying the wireless networks to collect geographic coordinates of the wireless communications device.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

repeatedly collecting and communicating the geographic coordinates; and

stopping, collecting and communicating the geographic coordinates in response to receiving a request to stop collecting the geographic coordinates.

9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

receiving multiple sets of geographic coordinates; and

generating an average set of geographic coordinates.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein receiving the request includes receiving an identifier associated with the wireless communications device.

11. A system for tracking a wireless communications device of a user, comprising:

a memory;

an input/output (I/O) unit;

a processing unit in communication with said memory and I/O unit, said processing unit configured to;

notify a plurality of wireless networks of different communications carriers to collect geographic coordinates at which the wireless communications device is located in response to receiving a request to track the wireless communications device;

collect, from at least one of the wireless networks, geographic coordinates of the wireless communications device; and

communicate the geographic coordinates of the wireless communications device to a requestor for tracking the wireless communications device.

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein said processing unit is further configured to:

determine a current location of the wireless communications device; and

notify at least one communications carrier to which the user is not a subscriber that operates a wireless network in an area of the current location of the wireless communications device.

13. The system according to claim 12, wherein said processing unit is further configured to identify the at least one communications carrier to which the user is not a subscriber that operates a wireless network in the area of the current location of the wireless communications device.

14. The system according to claim 11, wherein the request is from a governmental agency to track the wireless communications device.

15. The system according to claim 14, wherein the request is from a public safety answering point.

16. The system according to claim 11, wherein said processing unit is further configured to determine that the received request is indicative of a particular event type prior to notifying the plurality of different communications carriers.

17. The system according to claim 11, wherein the request includes a security code, and wherein said processing unit is further configured to validate the security code prior to notifying the wireless network.

18. The system according to claim 11, wherein said processing unit is further configured to:

repeatedly collect and communicate the geographic coordinates; and

stop collecting and communicating the geographic coordinates in response to receiving a request to stop collecting the geographic coordinates.

19. The system according to claim 11, wherein said processing unit is further configured to:

receive multiple sets of geographic coordinates; and

generate an average set of geographic coordinates.

20. The system according to claim 11, wherein the request includes an identifier associated with the wireless communications device.