METHOD TO PROVIDE AD HOC AND PASSWORD PROTECTED DIGITAL AND VOICE NETWORKS

• US 20150319789A1
• Filed: 04/24/2015
• Published: 11/05/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AGIS Software Development LLC (AGIS Holdings Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Advanced Ground Information Systems, Inc. (AGIS Holdings Inc.)
• Inventors: Beyer, Malcolm K. Jr., Blackwell, Sandel, Rice, Christopher R.
• Granted Patent: US 9,408,055 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/17 Emergency applications
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/65 Telephone numbers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5007 Internet protocol [IP] addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/065 for group communications cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key management involving conference or group key H04L9/0833
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/104 Grouping of entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/27475 using interactive graphical means or pictorial representations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72406 by software upgrading or downloading
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72418 for supporting emergency services
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/7243 with interactive means for internal management of messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72469 for operating the device by selecting functions from two or more displayed items, e.g. menus or icons
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/10 including a GPS signal receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector digitizers for touch screens G06F3/041
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/62 user interface aspects of conference calls
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/56 Arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities video conference systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 : Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 : Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/08 : User group management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/10 : Push-to-Talk [PTT] or Push-On-Call services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/14 : Short messaging services, e.g. short message services [SMS] or unstructured supplementary service data [USSD]
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/00 : User notification, e.g. alerting and paging, for incoming communication, change of service or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/04 : multi-step notification using statistical or historical mobility data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/11 : Allocation or use of connection identifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/15 : Setup of multiple wireless link connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/45 : for Push-to-Talk [PTT] or Push-to-Talk over cellular [PoC] services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/50 : for emergency connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/042 : Public Land Mobile systems, e.g. cellular systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 : Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

A method and system includes the ability for individuals to set up an ad hoc digital and voice network easily and rapidly to allow users to coordinate their activities by eliminating the need for pre-entry of data into a web or identifying others by name, phone numbers or email. This method is especially useful for police, fire fighters, military, first responders or other emergency situations for coordinating different organizations at the scene of a disaster to elevate conventional communication problems either up and down the chain of command or cross communication between different emergency units. The method and system provides that the users are only required to enter a specific Server IP address and an ad hoc event name, a password and perhaps the name of the particular unit.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

performing by a first device;

receiving user selection of one or more users on an interactive display of the first device wherein each user is associated with a respective second device;

obtaining respective geographic location and contact information for each of the second devices;

presenting an interactive map on the display comprising one or more user-selectable symbols wherein each symbol corresponds to one of the second devices and is positioned on the map at a location corresponding to the respective geographic location of the second device; and

receiving user selection of one or more of the symbols corresponding to the second devices and an action and, based thereon, initiating a communication with the second devices corresponding to the selected symbols.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

presenting a new symbol on the interactive map corresponding to a fixed location and associated with a telephone number; and

receiving user selection of the new symbol and, based thereon, initiating a telephone call to the telephone number associated with the symbol.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein a particular communication is a phone call, a short message service message, a voice message, a text message, a command to cause the second devices corresponding to the selected symbols to convert text to speech, an electronic mail message, an image, a video transmission, or a video clip.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein obtaining respective location and contact information for a particular second device comprises:

sending a message to the particular second device wherein the message comprises an Internet Protocol (IP) address of the first device; and

receiving a response from the particular second device comprising an IP address of the second device.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending geographic location information of the first device to one or more of the second devices based on a current time or a distance traveled by the first device.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving second user selection of one or more of the symbols; and

receiving user input assigning the second devices corresponding to the second selected symbols to a sub-net.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

receiving user selection of the sub-net and a second action; and

performing the second action wherein the second action is one of;

a) establishing a conference among the second devices of the sub-net for sharing voice, text, photographs, or video communications;

or b) causing the second devices of the sub-net to place a call, make a verbal announcement, convert text to speech, vibrate, or increase sound levels.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying user interaction with the display specifying a new symbol and a location of the new symbol;

presenting the new symbol on the map at the specified location; and

sending the new symbol and the location to the second devices wherein each of the second devices is configured to present the new symbol on an interactive map at the specified location.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying user interaction with the display selecting a new symbol and associating the new symbol with content wherein the content is an image, text, a voice recording, a video, an electronic mail address, or a Uniform Resource Locator; and

sending the content to the second devices wherein each of the second devices is configured to associate the content with the new symbol.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending a short message service message to a particular second device; and

receiving from the particular second device an Internet Protocol address of the second device.

11. A system comprising:

one or more computers programmed to perform operations comprising;

receiving user selection of one or more users on an interactive display of the first device wherein each user is associated with a respective second device;

obtaining respective geographic location and contact information for each of the second devices;

presenting an interactive map on the display comprising one or more user-selectable symbols wherein each symbol corresponds to one of the second devices and is positioned on the map at a location corresponding to the respective geographic location of the second device; and

receiving user selection of one or more of the symbols corresponding to the second devices and an action and, based thereon, initiating a communication with the second devices corresponding to the selected symbols.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the operations further comprise:

presenting a new symbol on the interactive map corresponding to a fixed location and associated with a telephone number; and

receiving user selection of the new symbol and, based thereon, initiating a telephone call to the telephone number associated with the symbol.

13. The system of claim 11 wherein a particular communication is a phone call, a short message service message, a voice message, a text message, a command to cause the second devices corresponding to the selected symbols to convert text to speech, an electronic mail message, an image, a video transmission, or a video clip.

14. The system of claim 11 wherein obtaining respective location and contact information for a particular second device comprises:

sending a message to the particular second device wherein the message comprises an Internet Protocol (IP) address of the first device; and

receiving a response from the particular second device comprising an IP address of the second device.

15. The system of claim 11 wherein the operations further comprise:

sending geographic location information of the first device to one or more of the second devices based on a current time or a distance traveled by the first device.

16. The system of claim 11 wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving second user selection of one or more of the symbols; and

receiving user input assigning the second devices corresponding to the second selected symbols to a sub-net.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving user selection of the sub-net and a second action; and

performing the second action wherein the second action is one of;

a) establishing a conference among the second devices of the sub-net for sharing voice, text, photographs, or video communications;

or b) causing the second devices of the sub-net to place a call, make a verbal announcement, convert text to speech, vibrate, or increase sound levels.

18. The system of claim 11 wherein the operations further comprise:

identifying user interaction with the display specifying a new symbol and a location of the new symbol;

presenting the new symbol on the map at the specified location; and

sending the new symbol and the location to the second devices wherein each of the second devices is configured to present the new symbol on an interactive map at the specified location.

19. The system of claim 11 wherein the operations further comprise:

identifying user interaction with the display selecting a new symbol and associating the new symbol with content wherein the content is an image, text, a voice recording, a video, an electronic mail address, or a Uniform Resource Locator; and

sending the content to the second devices wherein each of the second devices is configured to associate the content with the new symbol.

20. The system of claim 11, further comprising:

sending a short message service message to a particular second device; and

receiving from the particular second device an Internet Protocol address of the second device.

21. A storage device having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a computer, causes the computer to perform operations comprising:

receiving user selection of one or more users on an interactive display of the first device wherein each user is associated with a respective second device;

obtaining respective geographic location and contact information for each of the second devices;

presenting an interactive map on the display comprising one or more user-selectable symbols wherein each symbol corresponds to one of the second devices and is positioned on the map at a location corresponding to the respective geographic location of the second device; and

receiving user selection of one or more of the symbols corresponding to the second devices and an action and, based thereon, initiating a communication with the second devices corresponding to the selected symbols.

22. The storage device of claim 21 wherein the operations further comprise:

presenting a new symbol on the interactive map corresponding to a fixed location and associated with a telephone number; and

receiving user selection of the new symbol and, based thereon, initiating a telephone call to the telephone number associated with the symbol.

23. The storage device of claim 21 wherein a particular communication is a phone call, a short message service message, a voice message, a text message, a command to cause the second devices corresponding to the selected symbols to convert text to speech, an electronic mail message, an image, a video transmission, or a video clip.

24. The storage device of claim 21 wherein obtaining respective location and contact information for a particular second device comprises:

sending a message to the particular second device wherein the message comprises an Internet Protocol (IP) address of the first device; and

receiving a response from the particular second device comprising an IP address of the second device.

25. The storage device of claim 21 wherein the operations further comprise:

sending geographic location information of the first device to one or more of the second devices based on a current time or a distance traveled by the first device.

26. The storage device of claim 21 wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving second user selection of one or more of the symbols; and

receiving user input assigning the second devices corresponding to the second selected symbols to a sub-net.

27. The storage device of claim 26 wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving user selection of the sub-net and a second action; and

performing the second action wherein the second action is one of;

a) establishing a conference among the second devices of the sub-net for sharing voice, text, photographs, or video communications;

or b) causing the second devices of the sub-net to place a call, make a verbal announcement, convert text to speech, vibrate, or increase sound levels.

28. The storage device of claim 21 wherein the operations further comprise:

identifying user interaction with the display specifying a new symbol and a location of the new symbol;

presenting the new symbol on the map at the specified location; and

sending the new symbol and the location to the second devices wherein each of the second devices is configured to present the new symbol on an interactive map at the specified location.

29. The storage device of claim 21 wherein the operations further comprise:

identifying user interaction with the display selecting a new symbol and associating the new symbol with content wherein the content is an image, text, a voice recording, a video, an electronic mail address, or a Uniform Resource Locator; and

sending the content to the second devices wherein each of the second devices is configured to associate the content with the new symbol.

30. The storage device of claim 21, further comprising:

sending a short message service message to a particular second device; and

receiving from the particular second device an Internet Protocol address of the second device.