SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR LOCATING A MOBILE PHONE WITH MOVEABLE WIRELESS BEACONS
First Claim
1. A method for locating a mobile phone using at least one moveable wireless beacon;
- the method comprising;
(a) receiving a mobile phone locate request, said mobile phone locate request comprising a mobile phone number and a coarse location of said mobile phone;
(b) in no particular order, the method further comprises;
(i) receiving a beacon status report from at least one moveable wireless beacon, said beacon status report comprising a wireless beacon identifier and a location of said moveable wireless beacon;
(ii) sending a beacon detection request to said mobile phone;
(c) receiving a beacon detection report from said mobile phone, said beacon detection report comprising zero or more said wireless beacon identifiers;
(d) determining which moveable wireless beacons are to be sent movement directions;
(e) determining a search pattern;
(f) determining at least one movement direction for at least one said moveable wireless beacon to follow said search pattern;
(g) sending said at least one movement direction to at least one said moveable wireless beacon;
(h) repeating steps (d) through (g) upon detection of the following condition;
(i) a beacon detection report is received from said mobile phone, or (ii) a beacon status report is received from at least one said moveable wireless beacon.
10 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The invention addresses the problem of efficiently locating a target device such as a mobile phone, by directing the movement of moveable wireless beacons along a search pattern, using the target device as a moveable wireless beacon detection device. Preferably, the target device is equipped with a WiFi and/or Bluetooth radio and the moveable wireless beacons are WiFi-equipped and/or Bluetooth-equipped mobile phones in possession of first responders. To locate a target device, the WiFi and/or Bluetooth radios in the moveable wireless beacons are activated such that they transmit a unique identifier. As moveable wireless beacons report their locations and as the target device reports updated beacon detection information, movement directions are determined and sent to the moveable wireless beacons to coordinate an efficient search of the target device. Once at least one moveable wireless beacon is detected by the target mobile phone, updated movement directions are provided to the moveable wireless beacon to direct them toward the target device.
38 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A method for locating a mobile phone using at least one moveable wireless beacon;
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the method comprising; (a) receiving a mobile phone locate request, said mobile phone locate request comprising a mobile phone number and a coarse location of said mobile phone; (b) in no particular order, the method further comprises; (i) receiving a beacon status report from at least one moveable wireless beacon, said beacon status report comprising a wireless beacon identifier and a location of said moveable wireless beacon; (ii) sending a beacon detection request to said mobile phone; (c) receiving a beacon detection report from said mobile phone, said beacon detection report comprising zero or more said wireless beacon identifiers; (d) determining which moveable wireless beacons are to be sent movement directions; (e) determining a search pattern; (f) determining at least one movement direction for at least one said moveable wireless beacon to follow said search pattern; (g) sending said at least one movement direction to at least one said moveable wireless beacon; (h) repeating steps (d) through (g) upon detection of the following condition;
(i) a beacon detection report is received from said mobile phone, or (ii) a beacon status report is received from at least one said moveable wireless beacon. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A system for locating a mobile phone using at least one moveable wireless beacon;
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the system comprising; (a) memory comprising instructions; and (b) a processor in communication with the memory, wherein the processor, when executing the instructions, performs operations comprising; (i) receiving a mobile phone locate request, said mobile phone locate request comprising a mobile phone number and a coarse location of said mobile phone; (ii) in no particular order, further performing operations comprising; (1) receiving a beacon status report from at least one moveable wireless beacon, said beacon status report comprising a wireless beacon identifier and a location of said moveable wireless beacon; (2) sending a beacon detection request to said mobile phone; (iii) receiving a beacon detection report from said mobile phone, said beacon detection report comprising zero or more said wireless beacon identifiers; (iv) determining which moveable wireless beacons are to be sent movement directions; (v) determining a search pattern; (vi) determining at least one movement direction for at least one said moveable wireless beacon to follow said search pattern; (vii) sending said at least one movement direction to at least one said moveable wireless beacon; (viii) repeating steps (iv) through (vii) upon detection of the following condition; (1) a beacon detection report is received from said mobile phone, or (2) a beacon status report is received from at least one said moveable wireless beacon. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification