USING PEER DEVICES TO LOCATE A MOBILE DEVICE
First Claim
1. A method for automatically determining location of a querying mobile device, wherein the querying mobile device and a plurality of mobile devices operate in a communication network, the method comprising:
- electronically receiving, via the communication network, a request from the querying mobile device to determine a location of the querying mobile device;
automatically identifying, from among the plurality of mobile devices, one or more participating mobile devices that potentially are physically proximate to the querying mobile device, wherein the participating mobile devices are configured to participate in determining location of the querying mobile device;
electronically transmitting, to the one or more participating mobile devices via the communication network, a request to scan for a location broadcast message transmitted by the querying mobile device;
electronically receiving one or more location broadcast reports from the one or more participating mobile devices, wherein each received location broadcast report is indicative of the location broadcast message having been received at a corresponding participating mobile device; and
automatically estimating the location of the querying mobile device based on (i) the received one or more location broadcast reports and (ii) respective locations of the participating mobile devices from which the one or more location broadcast reports were received.
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Accused Products
Abstract
To determine the location of a querying mobile device, a request is received from the querying mobile device via a communication network. One or several participating mobile devices that potentially are physically proximate to the querying mobile device are identified. A request to scan for a location broadcast message transmitted by the querying mobile device is sent to the participating mobile devices. One or more location broadcast reports from participating mobile devices are received, where each received location broadcast report indicates that the location broadcast message was received at the corresponding participating mobile device. The location of the querying mobile device is estimated based on (i) the received one or more location broadcast reports and (ii) respective locations of the participating mobile devices from which the one or more location broadcast reports were received.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for automatically determining location of a querying mobile device, wherein the querying mobile device and a plurality of mobile devices operate in a communication network, the method comprising:
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electronically receiving, via the communication network, a request from the querying mobile device to determine a location of the querying mobile device; automatically identifying, from among the plurality of mobile devices, one or more participating mobile devices that potentially are physically proximate to the querying mobile device, wherein the participating mobile devices are configured to participate in determining location of the querying mobile device; electronically transmitting, to the one or more participating mobile devices via the communication network, a request to scan for a location broadcast message transmitted by the querying mobile device; electronically receiving one or more location broadcast reports from the one or more participating mobile devices, wherein each received location broadcast report is indicative of the location broadcast message having been received at a corresponding participating mobile device; and automatically estimating the location of the querying mobile device based on (i) the received one or more location broadcast reports and (ii) respective locations of the participating mobile devices from which the one or more location broadcast reports were received. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A location provider system configured to couple to a communication network in which a querying mobile device and a plurality of participating mobile devices operate, the location provider system comprising:
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a participant identification module configured to; receive a request from the querying mobile device to determine a location of the querying mobile device, identify one or more of the plurality of participating mobile devices that potentially are physically proximate to the querying mobile device, and send, to each of the one or more participating mobile devices via the communication network, a request to scan for a location broadcast message; and a location determination module configured to; receive one or more location broadcast reports from the one or more participating mobile devices, wherein each received location broadcast report is indicative of the location broadcast message having been received at a corresponding participating mobile device, and estimate a location of the querying mobile device based on the received one or more location broadcast reports and on respective locations of the participating mobile devices from which the one or more location broadcast reports were received. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12)
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13. A method in a mobile device for determining location of the mobile device, wherein the mobile device is configured to operate in a first communication network and a second communication network, the method comprising:
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generating a request to determine a location of the mobile device; transmitting the request to a location provider system via the first communication network; transmitting a location broadcast message via the second communication network, wherein the location broadcast message includes an identifier of the mobile device; and in response to the transmitted location broadcast message, receiving, from the location provider system via the first communication network, an estimated location of the mobile device, wherein the estimated location is based on locations of devices in the second communication network that received the location broadcast message. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
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17. A method in a mobile device for assisting in determining a location of a querying mobile device, wherein the mobile device is configured to operate in a first communication network and a second communication network, the method comprising:
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scanning for location broadcast messages transmitted via the second communication network; receiving a location broadcast message from a querying mobile device via the second communication network, wherein the location broadcast message includes an identifier of the querying mobile device; in response to receiving the location broadcast message, generating a location broadcast report corresponding to the received location broadcast message; and transmitting the location broadcast report to a location provider system via the first communication network for determining the location of the querying mobile device. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification