Method and apparatus for providing position-related information to mobile recipients

• US 6,985,742 B1
• Filed: 08/31/2000
• Issued: 01/10/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Snaptrack Incorporated (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Spatial Adventures, Inc
• Inventors: Giniger, Michael L., Hilton, Warren Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): Urban, Edward F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHOW, CHARLES CHIANG
• Application Number:
  US09/652,793
• Time in Patent Office: 1,958 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456.1, 455/550.1, 455/456.2, 455/575.1, 455/457, 455/570, 455/66.1, 455/440, 455/466.2, 455/560, 455/466, 455/556.1, 455/414, 455/403, 455/556.2, 455/557, 455/426.2, 455/461, 455/445, 455/422.01, 455/452, 455/426.1, 4554351-4353, 455/436, 455/437, 455/414.2, 455/414.3, 455/414.4, 455/414.1, 340/905, 340990-991, 340/414.3, 340/988.989, 342/357.06, 342/450, 342/457, 379/45, 379/48, 379/50, 379/51, 379/58, 364/442.02, 364/449.1, 364/449.2, 364/449.5, 364/449.7, 364/436, 701/209, 701/202, 701/210, 701207-211, 701213-217
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2205/008 using a mobile telephone network
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0027 of actual mobile position, i.e. position determined on mobile
• 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 system for providing position-related information to a mobile user includes a mobile unit and a central site server. The mobile unit includes circuitry for determining present position information from position signals which may emanate from, for example, GPS satellites. The mobile unit further includes circuitry for establishing a wireless bidirectional communications link with the central site server via a terrestrial network, which may be accessed via a cellular telephone network. The central site server includes circuitry for receiving the present position information from the mobile unit. A table stored at the central site server includes different response information in correspondence with possible positions of the mobile unit. The response information may further be in correspondence with user preferences. The central site server uses the received present position information to retrieve corresponding response information from the table, and sends the retrieved response information to the mobile unit via the bidirectional communications link. The mobile unit further includes circuitry, such as a loudspeaker, for supplying the response information to the mobile user. In another aspect of the invention, communications between the mobile unit and the central site server are encrypted. Furthermore, the mobile unit may include components for preventing position information from being supplied to the loudspeaker, thereby eliminating distracting noise from being presented to the user.

Claims

1. A mobile communication device for use by a mobile user, comprising:

an input device configured to receive from an operator a selection signal indicative of a topic of interest;

a receiver configured to receive position signals from a satellite positioning system;

means for sending present position information of the mobile communication device and the selection signal over a bi-directional wireless link; and

means for receiving position-related information that is a function of the present position information and the selection signal.

2. The mobile communication device of claim 1, wherein the topic of interest is selected from a plurality of topics of interest.

3. The mobile communication device of claim 1, wherein said input device comprises a keypad and the selection signal corresponds to an alphanumeric entry on said keypad.

4. The mobile communication device of claim 3, further comprising a dual tone multi-frequency (DTMF) generator responsive to the alphanumeric entry to supply a DTMF selection signal to the means for sending.

5. The mobile communication device of claim 1, further comprising a microphone having an output coupled to the means for sending, for transmitting audio signals over the bi-directional wireless link.

6. The mobile communication device of claim 5, wherein said input device comprises said microphone and the selection signal comprises a voice signal received by said microphone.

7. The mobile communication device of claim 5, further comprising a microphone isolation circuit configured to disconnect an output of said microphone from the means for sending during reception of the position-related information.

8. The mobile communication device of claim 1, further comprising a speaker configured to emanate audible signals comprising a menu of selectable topics of interest.

9. The mobile communication device of claim 8, further comprising a speaker isolation circuit configured to prevent audio signals corresponding to the position information from emanating from said speaker.

10. The mobile communication device of claim 1, wherein said mobile communication device comprises an analog wireless telephone.

11. The mobile communication device of claim 1, wherein said mobile communication device comprises a digital wireless telephone.

12. The mobile communication device of claim 1, wherein said mobile communication device comprises a laptop computer.

13. The mobile communication device of claim 1, wherein said mobile communication device receives position-related information which includes audio signals.

14. The mobile communication device of claim 1, wherein said mobile communication device receives position-related information which includes text signals.

15. The mobile communication device of claim 1, wherein said mobile communication device receives position-related information which includes image signals.

16. The mobile communication device of claim 1, wherein said mobile communication device receives position-related information which includes video signals.

17. The mobile communication device of claim 1, wherein said mobile communication device is configured to send over the bi-directional wireless link an emergency response request destined for an emergency response system.

18. The mobile communication device of claim 1, further comprising:

a processor coupled to the receiver and responsive to the position signals to determine the present position information indicative of a present position of the mobile communication device.

19. The mobile communication device of claim 18, wherein the receiver comprises a global positioning system (GPS) receiver.

20. The mobile communication device of claim 1, wherein the present position information comprises position coordinates.

21. The mobile communication device of claim 18, wherein the processor periodically determines the position information from position signals received by the receiver, and the means for sending periodically transmits the position information over the bidirectional wireless link.

22. The mobile communication device of claim 21, wherein the processor periodically updates the position information in accordance with a refresh interval.

23. The mobile communication device of claim 1, wherein the present position information comprises the position signals.

24. The mobile communication device of claim 1, further comprising:

output means for providing the position-related information to the mobile user.

25. The mobile communication device of claim 1, further comprising:

a position reporting enabling unit configured to selectively enable and disable transmission of the position information while said mobile communication device is operational.

26. The mobile communication device of claim 1, wherein the input device receives a plurality of selection signals, and the means for sending sends the plurality of selection signals over the bi-directional wireless link.

27. The mobile communication device of claim 1, wherein the mobile communication device comprises a portable computing device.

28. A method of receiving position-related information via a mobile communication device, the method comprising:

supplying a selection signal indicative of a topic of interest to the mobile communication device;

receiving position signals from a satellite positioning system;

sending present position information of the mobile communication device and the selection signal over a bi-directional wireless link from the mobile communication device; and

receiving over the bidirectional wireless link position-related information that is a function of the present position information and the selection signal.

29. The method of claim 28, further comprising:

processing the position signals to determine the present position information indicative of a present position of the mobile communication device.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein processing comprises periodically processing to determine position information from position signals from said receiving position signals;

and

sending comprises periodically sending position information over the bidirectional wireless link.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein periodically processing comprises periodically updating the position information in accordance with a refresh interval.

32. The method of claim 28, wherein the present position information comprises the position signals.

33. The method of claim 28, further comprising:

selecting the topic of interest from a plurality of topics of interest.

34. The method of claim 28, wherein supplying comprises supplying with an input device including a keypad, and wherein the selection signal corresponds to an alphanumeric entry on said keypad.

35. The method of claim 34, further comprising:

generating a dual tone multi-frequency (DTMF) in response to the alphanumeric entry;

wherein supplying comprises supplying a DTMF selection signal; and

wherein sending comprises sending the DTMF selection signal.

36. The method of claim 28, wherein the mobile communication device includes an input device configured and arranged to input audio signals and having an output, and further comprising:

transmitting audio signals over the bi-directional wireless link.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein said input device comprises a microphone, and supplying comprises supplying a selection signal including a voice signal received by said microphone.

38. The method of claim 36, wherein the input device includes a microphone having an output and a microphone isolation circuit configured to disconnect the microphone output, and comprising:

disconnecting the microphone with the microphone isolation circuit during receiving position-related information.

39. The method of claim 28, further comprising:

generating audible signals including a menu of selectable topics of interest.

40. The method of claim 39, further comprising:

preventing audio signals corresponding to the position information from being generated.

41. The method of claim 28, wherein said mobile communication device comprises an analog wireless telephone.

42. The method of claim 28, wherein said mobile communication device comprises a digital wireless telephone.

43. The method of claim 28, wherein said mobile communication device comprises a laptop computer.

44. The method of claim 28, wherein receiving position-related information comprises receiving audio signals.

45. The method of claim 28, wherein receiving position-related information comprises receiving text signals.

46. The method of claim 28, wherein receiving position-related information comprises receiving image signals.

47. The method of claim 28, wherein receiving position-related information comprises receiving video signals.

48. The method of claim 28, further comprising:

sending over the bi-directional wireless link an emergency response request destined for an emergency response system.

49. The method of claim 28, wherein receiving position signals comprises receiving global positioning system (GPS) signals.

50. The method of claim 28, wherein receiving position signals comprises receiving position coordinates.

51. The method of claim 28, further comprising:

providing position-related information to the mobile user.

52. The method of claim 28, further comprising:

selectively enabling and disabling said sending of the position information, said selectively enabling and disabling performed while said mobile communication device is operational.

53. The method of claim 28, comprising:

receiving a plurality of selection signals; and

wherein sending comprises sending the plurality of selection signals over the bidirectional wireless link.

54. The method of claim 28, wherein the mobile communication device comprises a portable computing device.

55. The method of claim 28, wherein sending present position information comprises sending position coordinates.