System and method for identifying mobile communication apparatuses proximal with an identification locus

• US 6,823,189 B2
• Filed: 01/24/2001
• Issued: 11/23/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Sand, Paul Raymond, Akhteruzzaman, Akhter, Sparber, Richard Grant
• Primary Examiner(s): Urban, Edward F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Le, Duy K
• Application Number:
  US09/768,481
• Publication Number:
  US 20020098850A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,399 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456.1, 455/456.3, 455/414.1, 455/404.2, 342/357-1-3, 701/207, 701/208, 340/988, 340/990
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• 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 4/06 Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/08 User group management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/33 for indoor environments, e.g. buildings
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/246 Connectivity information discovery

Abstract

A system for identifying at least one selected mobile communication apparatus proximal with an identification locus includes: (a) a mobile communication base facility in communication with a plurality of mobile communication apparatuses that include the selected mobile communication apparatus; (b) at least one location-indicating device emitting a location-indicating code and is installed in each of the selected mobile communication apparatus; the location-indicating code relates a geographic location and an individual identification of a respective selected mobile communication device; and (c) at least one supported unit in communication with the mobile communication base facility. At least one of the mobile communication base facility and the supported unit have on-line access to an information store and a locator. The information store cooperates with the locator in receiving the location-indicating code to relate the individual identification with respective contact data for a respective selected mobile communication device.

Claims

1. A system for identifying at least one selected mobile communication apparatus within a geographic area;

the system comprising;

(a) a mobile communication base facility in communication with a plurality of mobile communication apparatuses;

said plurality of mobile communication apparatuses including said at least one selected mobile communication apparatus;

(b) at least one location-indicating device emitting a location-indicating code;

a respective location-indicating device being installed at least in each of said at least one selected mobile communication apparatus;

said location-indicating code relating a geographic location and an individual identification of a respective said at least one selected mobile communication apparatus;

(c) at least one supported unit;

said at least one supported unit being in communication with said mobile communication base facility and having a first locator;

(d) a second locator in communication with said mobile communication base facility and configured to ascertain which of said selected mobile communication apparatuses are within a predetermined distance from an identification locus with said geographic area;

(e) said mobile communication base facility and said at least one supported unit having on-line access to an information store;

said information store cooperating with said locator in receiving said location-indicating code to relate said individual identification with respective contact data for said respective at least one selected mobile communication apparatus and

(f) said mobile communication base facility is operative to block calls to said selected mobile communication apparatuses within the predetermined distance from the identification locus.

2. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein said at least one supported unit and said mobile communication base facility are in communication via a wireless telephone network.

3. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein said at least one supported unit and said mobile communication base facility are in communication via a land line telephone network.

4. The system as recited in claim 3 wherein said at least one supported unit and said mobile communication base facility are also in communication via a wireless telephone network.

5. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein said information store and said locator further cooperate to register said geographic location with an on-line map indicating said identification locus.

6. The system as recited in claim 5 wherein at least one of said mobile communication base facility and said at least one supported unit further has on-line access to a display for providing graphic indications of said geographic location.

7. The system as recited in claim 6, wherein said at least one supported unit and said mobile communication base facility are in communication via a wireless telephone network.

8. The system as recited in claim 6 wherein said at least one supported unit and said mobile communication base facility are in communication via a land line telephone network.

9. The system as recited in claim 8 wherein said at least one supported unit and said mobile communication base facility are also in communication via a wireless telephone network.

10. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein at least one of said mobile communication base facility and said at least one supported unit further has on-line access to a display for providing graphic indications of said geographic location.

11. A method for identifying at least one selected mobile communication apparatus within a geographic area;

the method comprising the steps of;

providing, in no particular order;

a mobile communication base facility in communication with a plurality of mobile communication apparatuses;

said plurality of mobile communication apparatuses including said at least one selected mobile communication apparatus;

at least one location-indicating device emitting a location-indicating code;

a respective location-indicating device being installed at least in each of said at least one selected mobile communication apparatus;

said location-indicating code relating a geographic location and an individual identification of a respective said at least one selected mobile communication apparatus;

at least one supported unit;

said at least one supported unit being in communication with said mobile communication base facility and having a first locator unit; and

a second locator in communication with said mobile communication base facility;

configuring, in no particular order;

said second locator to ascertain which of said selected mobile communication apparatuses are within a predetermined distance from an identification locus with said geographic area;

said mobile communication base facility and said at least one

supported unit to have on-line access to an information store;

said information store to cooperate with said locator in receiving said location-indicating code to relate said individual identification with respective contact data for said respective at least one selected mobile communication device and

said mobile communication base facility to block calls said selected mobile communication apparatuses within the predetermined distance from the identification locus;

displaying said contact data for at least one of said mobile communication base facility and said at least one supported unit.

12. The method as recited in claim 11 wherein said at least one supported unit and said mobile communication base facility are in communication via a wireless telephone network.

13. The method as recited in claim 11 wherein said at least one supported unit and said mobile communication base facility are in communication via a land line telephone network.

14. The method as recited in claim 13 wherein said at least one supported unit and said mobile communication base facility are also in communication via a wireless telephone network.

15. The method as recited in claim 11 wherein said information store and said locator further cooperate to register said geographic location with an on-line map indicating said identification locus.

16. The method as recited in claim 11 wherein at least one of said mobile communication base facility and said at least one supported unit further has on-line access to a display for providing graphic indications of said geographic location.

17. The method as recited in claim 16 wherein at least one of said mobile communication base facility and said at least one supported unit further has on-line access to a display for providing graphic indications of said geographic location.

18. The method as recited in claim 17, wherein said at least one supported unit and said mobile communication base facility are in communication via a wireless telephone network.

19. The method as recited in claim 17 wherein said at least one supported unit and said mobile communication base facility are in communication via a land line telephone network.

20. The method as recited in claim 19 wherein said at least one supported unit and said mobile communication base facility are also in communication via a wireless telephone network.