METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR AUTHORIZED LOCATION MONITORING

• US 20130203388A1
• Filed: 03/14/2013
• Published: 08/08/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IpVenture, Inc.
• Original Assignee: IpVenture, Inc.
• Inventors: Thomas, C. Douglass
• Granted Patent: US 8,868,103 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/411
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• 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 8/08 Mobility data transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/10 between location register and external networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/14 between corresponding nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 Inter-networking arrangements

Abstract

Techniques for location tracking, location utilization, and dissemination and management of location information are disclosed. As a location monitoring system, one embodiment includes at least a plurality of mobile computing devices supported by a wireless network, and a computing device coupled to a wired network (e.g., the Internet) that couples to the wireless network. Each of the mobile computing devices is associated with and proximate to an object whose location is being monitored. The computing device stores the locations of each of the mobile computing devices or the objects proximate thereto, and enables only authorized users to obtain access the locations via the wired network.

Claims

1. A location monitoring system, comprising:

a plurality of mobile electronic devices supported by a wireless network, each of said mobile electronic devices being associated with and proximate to a corresponding object; and

a computing device operatively connectable to the wireless network, said computing device storing locations of each of said mobile electronic devices, and said computing device managing authorization for access to the locations of said mobile electronic devices via one or more networks,

wherein in managing authorization for access to the locations of said mobile electronic devices, said computing device (i) receives, from a requestor, a request to view the location pertaining to a particular one of the objects;

(ii) determines whether the requestor is authorized to receive the location of the particular one of the objects; and

(iii) permits access or delivery of the location pertaining to the particular one of the objects to the requestor provided that it is determined that the requestor is authorized to receive the location.