System for location of communication end users

• US 5,659,596 A
• Filed: 04/12/1995
• Issued: 08/19/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Dunn, James M.
• Primary Examiner(s): CUMMING, WILLIAM D
• Application Number:
  US08/421,054
• Time in Patent Office: 860 Days
• Field of Search: 379/58, 379/59, 455/33.1
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• 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 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/18 Information format or content conversion, e.g. adaptation by the network of the transmitted or received information for the purpose of wireless delivery to users or terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/04 Registration at HLR or HSS [Home Subscriber Server]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/08 Mobility data transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/14 between corresponding nodes

Abstract

A system for location of communication end users including a plurality of wide area networks which control the transmission of voice, data, file and other types of messages in a preconfigured exchange area, each area network including a plurality of local servicing offices controlled by a central regional service point wherein the local servicing offices track, monitor and receive user specific information from users within their designated area and which respond to search requests from the regional service points, the regional service points providing an interface to other wide area networks for complete global communication and location of communication end users. The local servicing offices and regional service points are computer based systems controlled by microprocessors and having databases for permanently and temporarily storing predetermined end user information and messages from and intended for selected end users, whereby the local servicing offices and regional service points communicate with each other and with other wide area networks via a physical communication network which provides communication links between the networks and the end users whether wireless or wired.

Claims

1. A system in a communication network for locating end users using a communication device so as to automatically route transmitted messages to a target end user from an originator end user, said system comprising:

means for independently locating target end users selected by an originator end user for receiving a communication message transmitted by the originator end user;

means for transmitting the communication message transmitted from the originator end user to the target end user independent of the originator end user activity and based on the location of the target end user as determined by said target end user locating means, said message transmitting means being in communication with said target end user locating means for ascertaining the location of the target end user to enable transmission of the communication message to the target end user;

means for automatically converting the communication message transmitted by the originator end user to a format compatible with the communication device being employed by the target end user; and

means for automatically storing a location of the target end user as provided by said target end user locating means and the communication message transmitted by the originator end user for retrieval by said target end user locating means and the target end user, respectively, said automatic storing means being in communication with said target end user locating means and said communication message transmitting means.

2. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein said target end user locating means further comprises means for tracking end users locations to allow the transmission of communication messages from the originator end user to the target end user, said end user tracking means being in communication with said communication message transmitting means.

3. A system as recited in claim 2, wherein said end user tracking means comprises means for receiving and storing predetermined end user information originally provided by the end users to allow tracking of the end user'"'"'s locations, said predetermined information receiving storing means being in communication with said communication message transmitting means and said automatic location and message storing means.

4. A system in a communication network for locating end users having a communication device for automatically routing transmitted messages to a target end user from an originator end user, said system comprising:

a plurality of area specific networks for receiving and directing messages transmitted from an originator end user in the communication network to a target end user, said area networks individually controlling message transmissions in a predetermined communication region, each said area network including a plurality of local storing means for receiving and storing predetermined information transmitted by an end user and messages transmitted by an originator end user, said local storing means for controlling and routing messages to a target end user selected by the originator end user;

a plurality of target end user locating means each individually defined by one of said area networks, said target end user locating means for locating target end users selected by the originator, each said target end user locating means being in communication with at least one other said target end user locating means and with said local storing means defined by the same said area network defining said target user locating means for receiving request to locate the selected target end user; and

means for transmitting messages to the selected target end users, said transmitting means in communication with each of said local storing means for receiving messages to be routed from said local storing means to a specified target end user location and for transmitting messages to the selected target end user at the specified location.

5. A system as recited in claim 4, further comprising a physical communication network interconnecting each of said target end user locating means in a substantially meshed system, and for interconnecting said local storing means to said target end user locating means defined by the same said area network so as to selectively group said local storing means with individual said target end users for allowing direct communication.

6. A system as recited in claim 4, wherein said target end user locating means includes means for requesting local storing means to locate a selected target end user.

7. A system as recited in claim 6, further comprising means for matching a base identification number of a target end user dialed by the originator with an active predetermined identification code individual to the target end user, said identification number matching means being defined by each of said local storing means.

8. A system as recited in claim 7, further comprising a plurality of home location message boxes each individually in communication with preselected local storing means for storing predetermined end user information and transmitted messages that are not received by intended target end users.

9. A system as recited in claim 8, further comprising means for monitoring the location of target end users, said monitoring means defined by each of said area networks, said monitoring means being in communication with said home location message boxes for storing most recent known locations of the target end users owned by respective said home location message boxes.

10. A system in a communication network for locating communication end users having a communication device to allow the automatic routing of transmitted messages to a target end user from an originator end user, said system comprising:

a plurality of area specific networks for receiving and directing messages transmitted from an originator end user to a target end user in the communication network, said area networks individually controlling message transmissions in a pre-configured communication region, each of said area networks comprising a regional service point for controlling the flow of messages and information within said area network and for locating target end users, a plurality of local servicing offices each in individual communication with said regional service point for receiving search requests from said regional service point and for searching for requested target end users requested by said regional service point, said local servicing offices including means for routing messages to selected target end users and for temporarily storing messages intended for target end users;

means for interconnecting each of said area networks in communication for the transmission of messages and search requests between said area networks, said communication interconnecting means joining in communication said regional service points of other said area networks for placing said regional service points of each said area network in communication;

means for tracking the location of end users so as to allow the transmission of messages to end users when they are a target end user, said tracking means being defined by said regional service points and said local servicing office; and

means for transmitting messages to target end users and for transmitting a predetermined end user information to said local servicing office wherein each of said local servicing offices controls communication in a pre-configured exchange.

11. A system as recited in claim 10, wherein each of said plurality of local servicing offices comprises a microprocessor, a database in communication with said microprocessor and means for communicating with said regional service point in control of the said local servicing offices wherein said means for communicating is in communication with said microprocessor.

12. A system as recited in claim 11, wherein each of said regional service points comprises a microprocessor, a database in communication with said microprocessor and means for communicating with said local servicing offices under the control of said regional service point and with peer regional service points in communication with the said regional service point.

13. A system as recited in claim 10, further comprising a means for transmitting messages between end users, said transmitting means being in communication with each of said local servicing offices and each of said regional service points, said transmitting means joining in communication said local servicing offices with each of said regional service points and said local service offices with said home location message boxes.