Method and apparatus for device and carrier independent location systems for mobile devices

• US 6,823,260 B1
• Filed: 03/07/2001
• Issued: 11/23/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Access Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Palmsource Incorporated (Access Company Limited)
• Inventors: Turcotte, Michel
• Primary Examiner(s): PEIKARI, BEHZAD
• Application Number:
  US09/802,172
• Time in Patent Office: 1,357 Days
• Field of Search: 701/213, 701/207, 701/209, 701/212, 701/216, 701/300, 707/3, 707/6, 707/10, 707/104.1, 709/203, 709/217, 709/218, 709/318
• US Class Current: 701/213
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0009 Transmission of position information to remote stations involving assistance data G01S5/0236
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

A method and system for a device and carrier independent geographic location protocol. Specifically, the present invention provides location information of a mobile device to third parties in a communication network through a protocol that is device and network carrier independent. Position information of any first format is sent to a proxy server. An identifier that identifies the type and format of the position information is also sent. The proxy server then locates and accesses an executable plug-in module associated with the identifier to convert the position information of the first format into one of a plurality of standard location formats. The executable plug-in module converts the position information into a second standard format as required by the third party. After the position information is converted to the second format, the proxy server sends the position information to the third party.

Claims

1. In a communication network, a method of providing location comprising the steps of:

a) creating position information of a first format, said position information associated with a first electronic device;

b) sending said position information of said first format from said first electronic device to a proxy server;

c) sending an identifier with said position information, said identifier indicating said position information is of said first format;

d) determining a first executable program of a plurality of executable programs, said first executable program associated with said identifier;

e) accessing said first executable program, said first executable program able to convert said position information of said first format into a first standard location format of a plurality of standard location formats; and

f) converting said position information into said first standard location formats.

2. The method as described in claim 1, comprising the further steps of:

g) establishing communication between said proxy server and said second electronic device; and

h) sending said position-information of said first standard location format to said second electronic device.

3. The method as described in claim 2, comprising the further steps of:

h) determining a second format for said position information as required by a second electronic device, said second format comprising at least one of said plurality of standard location formats; and

i) converting said position information of said first format into said second format.

4. The method as described in claim 1, wherein said second electronic device is a content provider.

5. The method as described in claim 1, wherein said first electronic device is a handheld electronic device.

6. The method as described in claim 5, wherein said executable plug-in module is a dynamic link library (DLL).

7. The method as described in claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of executable programs is an executable plug-in module.

8. The method as described in claim 1, wherein a connection software driver creates said position information of said first format in said step a), said step a) further comprising the steps of:

sending a request for said position information of said first format from said connection software driver to a network carrier, said connection software driver connecting said first electronic device to said network carrier, said network carrier connecting said first electronic device to said communication network; and

sending said position information of said first format from said network carrier to said first electronic device.

9. The method as described in claim 1, wherein a connection software driver creates said position information of said first format in said step a), said connection software driver connecting said first electronic device to said communication network, said step a) further comprising the steps of:

asking a user of said first electronic device for said position information of said first format.

10. The method as described in claim 1, wherein said communication network is an Internet network.

11. The method as described in claim 1, wherein said method comprises the further step of:

at said first electronic device, sending a query for information to said second electronic device via a web clipping application located on said first electronic device, said web clipping application associated with said second electronic device, said query containing said position information of said first format.

12. The method as described in claim 1, wherein said position information of said first format is taken from a group consisting essentially of:

mobile network carrier tower identification;

mobile network carrier cell ID;

mobile network ID;

global positioning satellite (GPS) coordinates;

Internet IP address;

street name;

street address; and

user ID;

sun angle; and

network frequency.

13. The method as described in claim 1, wherein said position information of said second format is taken from a group consisting essentially of:

zip code and postal code;

global positioning satellite (GPS) coordinates;

city name or code;

country name or code;

state name or code;

county name or code;

closest major airport name or code;

phone area code;

train station name or code;

time zone;

daylight saving time;

mobile network ID;

mobile network name;

mobile network cellular ID;

IP address;

local time;

street name;

street address; and

user ID.

14. In a communication network, a method of providing information comprising the steps of:

a) creating a first position information of a first format, said position information associated with a first electronic device;

b) creating a second position information of a second format, said position information associated with said first electronic device;

c) sending said first position information of said first format and said second position information of said second format to a proxy server;

d) accessing a first executable program from a plurality of executable programs, said first executable program able to convert said first position information of said first format into a first standard location format;

e) converting said first position information of said first format into said first standard location format;

f) accessing a second executable program from said plurality of executable programs, said second executable program able to convert said second position information of said second format into a second standard location format;

g) converting said second position information of said second format into said second standard location format;

h) determining a third position information of a third format as required by a second electronic device;

i) determining which of said first and second standard location formats most closely matches said third format; and

j) sending said first or second standard location formats that most closely matches said third format to said second electronic device.

15. The method as described in claim 14, further comprising the steps of:

sending a first identifier with said first position information, said identifier indicating said first position information is of said first format;

sending a second identifier with said second position information, said identifier indicating said second position information is of said second format;

determining said first executable program of a plurality of executable programs, said first executable program associated with said first identifier;

determining said second executable program of said plurality of executable programs, said second executable program associated with said second identifier;

accessing said first executable program, said first executable program able to convert said position information of said first format into said first standard location format; and

accessing said second executable program, said second executable program able to convert said position information of said second format into said second standard location format.

16. The method as described in claim 14, said method comprising the further steps of:

receiving a request at said proxy server from said second electronic device for location information pertaining to said first electronic device; and

sending said request from said proxy server to said first electronic device.

17. The method as described in claim 14, wherein said second electronic device is a content provider.

18. The method as described in claim 14, wherein each of said plurality of executable programs is a dynamic link library (DLL).

19. The method as described in claim 14, wherein a first software driver creates said first position information of said first format in said step a), and a second software drier creates said second position information of said second format in said step b).

20. A computer system comprising a processor, a memory unit, and a display screen wherein said memory contains instructions that when executed implement a method of providing location comprising the steps of:

a) creating position information of a first format, said position information associated with a first electronic device;

b) sending said position information of said first format from said first electronic device to a proxy server;

c) sending an identifier with said position information, said identifier indicating said position information is of said first format;

d) determining a first executable program of a plurality of executable programs, said first executable program associated with said identifier;

e) accessing said first executable program, said first executable program able to convert said position information of said first format into a first standard location format of a plurality of standard location formats; and

f) converting said position information into said first standard location formats.

21. The computer system as described in claim 20, comprising the further steps of:

g) establishing communication between said proxy server and said second electronic device; and

h) sending said position information of said first standard location format to said second electronic device.

22. The computer system as described in claim 20, comprising the further steps of:

h) determining a second format for said position information as required by a second electronic device, said second format comprising at least one of said plurality of standard location formats; and

i) converting said position information of said first format into said second format.

23. The computer system as described in claim 20, wherein said second electronic device is a content provider.

24. The computer system as described in claim 20, wherein said first electronic device is a handheld electronic device.

25. The computer system as described in claim 20, wherein each of said plurality of executable programs is an executable plug-in module.

26. The computer system as described in claim 25, wherein said executable plug-in module is a dynamic link library (DLL).

27. The computer system as described in claim 20, wherein a connection software driver creates said position information of said first format in said step a), said step a) further comprising the steps of:

sending a request for said position information of said first format from said connection software driver to a network carrier, said connection software driver connecting said first electronic device to said network carrier, said network carrier connecting said first electronic device to said communication network;

sending said position information of said first format from said network carrier to said first electronic device.

28. The computer system as described in claim 20, wherein a connection software driver creates said position information of said first format in said step a), said connection software driver connecting said first electronic device to said communication network, said step a) further comprising the steps of:

asking a user of said first electronic device for said position information of said first format.

29. The computer system as described in claim 20, wherein said communication network is an Internet network.

30. The computer system as described in claim 20, wherein said method comprises the further step of:

at said first electronic device, sending a query for information to said second electronic device via a web clipping application located on said first electronic device, said web clipping application associated with said second electronic device, said query containing said position information of said first format.

31. The computer system as described in claim 20, wherein said position information of said first format is taken from a group consisting essentially of:

mobile network carrier tower identification;

mobile network carrier cell ID;

mobile network ID;

global positioning satellite (GPS) coordinates;

Internet IP address;

street name;

street address; and

user ID;

sun angle; and

network frequency.

32. The computer system as described in claim 20, wherein said position information of said second format is taken from a group consisting essentially of:

zip code and postal code;

global positioning satellite (GPS) coordinates;

city name or code;

country name or code;

state name or code;

county name or code;

closest major airport name or code;

phone area code;

train station name or code;

time zone;

daylight saving time;

mobile network ID;

mobile network name;

mobile network cellular ID;

IP address;

local time;

street name;

street address; and

user ID.