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

• US 20160057598A1
• Filed: 02/27/2015
• Published: 02/25/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AGIS Software Development LLC (AGIS Holdings Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Malcolm K. Beyer, Jr.
• Inventors: Beyer, Malcolm K. Jr., Rice, Christopher R.
• Granted Patent: US 9,445,251 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 computer-implemented method comprising:

with a first device, receiving a message from a second device, wherein the message relates to joining a group;

based on receiving the message from the second device, participating in the group, wherein participating in the group includes sending first location information to a server and receiving second location information from the server, the first location information comprising a location of the first device, the second location information comprising a plurality of locations of a respective plurality of second devices included in the group;

presenting, via an interactive display of the first device, an interactive map comprising a plurality of user-selectable symbols corresponding to the plurality of second devices, wherein the symbols are positioned on the map at respective positions corresponding to the locations of the second devices; and

identifying user interaction with the interactive map selecting one or more of the user-selectable symbols corresponding to one or more of the second devices and user interaction with the display specifying an action and, based thereon, sending data to the one or more second devices via the server.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the data includes a short message service message, a text message, an image, or a video.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising obtaining, by the first device, respective Internet Protocol addresses for the second devices.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first device is a personal digital assistant (PDA) or a personal computer (PC).

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending, from the first device, a request for a second map, wherein the request specifies a map location; and

receiving, from the server, the second map.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the first device does not have access to respective Internet Protocol addresses of the second devices.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the map is a satellite image.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending, by the first device, updated location information comprising an updated location of the first device, the updated location information being sent based on passage of a predetermined time interval since sending previous location information comprising a previous location of the first device, displacement of the first device by a predetermined distance relative to a previous location of the first device, or both.

31. The method of claim 1, further comprising identifying second user interaction with the interactive map selecting at least one of the user-selectable symbols corresponding to at least one of the second devices and user interaction with the display specifying an action and, based thereon, initiating a phone call or phone conference with the at least one second device.

32. The method of claim 1, wherein the message from the second device is a Short Message Service (SMS) message or a text message.

33. The method of claim 1, wherein participating in the group further includes sending first status information to the server and receiving second status information from the server, the first status information comprising a battery level of the first device and/or a signal strength of a wireless signal of the first device, the second location information comprising a plurality of battery levels of the respective plurality of second devices included in the group and/or a plurality of signal strengths of wireless signals of the respective plurality of second devices included in the group.

34. The method of claim 1, wherein the first device is a smart phone.

35. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

with the first device, transmitting a group identifier associated with a second group, the second group including a second plurality of second devices; and

based on transmitting the group identifier associated with the second group, participating in the second group, wherein participating in the second group includes receiving third location information from the server, the third location information comprising a plurality of locations of the respective second plurality of second devices included in the second group.

36. The method of claim 1, wherein the data includes a voice recording.

3-4. -4. (canceled)

6-7. -7. (canceled)

13. A system comprising:

a first device programmed to perform operations comprising;

receiving a message from a second device, wherein the message relates to joining a group;

based on receiving the message from the second device, participating in the group, wherein participating in the group includes sending first location information to a server and receiving second location information from the server, the first location information comprising a location of the first device, the second location information comprising a plurality of locations of a respective plurality of second devices included in the group;

presenting, via an interactive display of the first device, an interactive map comprising a plurality of user-selectable symbols corresponding to the plurality of second devices, wherein the symbols are positioned on the map at respective positions corresponding to the locations of the second devices; and

identifying user interaction with the interactive map selecting one or more of the user-selectable symbols corresponding to one or more of the second devices and user interaction with the display specifying an action and, based thereon, sending data to the one or more second devices via the server.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the data includes a short message service message, a text message, an image, or a video.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the operations further comprise obtaining respective Internet Protocol addresses for the second devices.

20. The system of claim 13, wherein the first device is a personal digital assistant (PDA) or a personal computer (PC).

21. The system of claim 13, wherein the operations further comprise:

sending a request for a second map, wherein the request specifies a map location; and

receiving, from the server, the second map.

22. The system of claim 13, wherein the first device does not have access to respective Internet Protocol addresses of the second devices.

23. The system of claim 13, wherein the map is a satellite image.

24. The system of claim 13, wherein the operations further comprise sending updated location information comprising an updated location of the first device, the updated location information being sent based on passage of a predetermined time interval since sending previous location information comprising a previous location of the first device, displacement of the first device by a predetermined distance relative to a previous location of the first device, or both.

37. The system of claim 13, wherein the operations further comprise identifying second user interaction with the interactive map selecting at least one of the user-selectable symbols corresponding to at least one of the second devices and user interaction with the display specifying an action and, based thereon, initiating a phone call or phone conference with the at least one second device.

38. The system of claim 13, wherein the message from the second device is a Short Message Service (SMS) message or a text message.

39. The system of claim 13, wherein participating in the group further includes sending first status information to the server and receiving second status information from the server, the first status information comprising a battery level of the first device and/or a signal strength of a wireless signal of the first device, the second location information comprising a plurality of battery levels of the respective plurality of second devices included in the group and/or a plurality of signal strengths of wireless signals of the respective plurality of second devices included in the group.

40. The system of claim 13, wherein the first device is a smart phone.

41. The system of claim 13, wherein the operations further include:

with the first device, transmitting a group identifier associated with a second group, the second group including a second plurality of second devices; and

based on transmitting the group identifier associated with the second group, participating in the second group, wherein participating in the second group includes receiving third location information from the server, the third location information comprising a plurality of locations of the respective second plurality of second devices included in the second group.

42. The system of claim 13, wherein the data includes a voice recording.

15-16. -16. (canceled)

18-19. -19. (canceled)

25-30. -30. (canceled)