System and method of wireless proximity awareness

• US 7,035,618 B2
• Filed: 10/30/2003
• Issued: 04/25/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Research In Motion Limited (Blackberry Limited)
• Inventors: Schnurr, Jeffrey R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, CongVan
• Application Number:
  US10/696,975
• Publication Number:
  US 20050157689A1
• Time in Patent Office: 908 Days
• Field of Search: 455/403, 455/404.1, 455/404.2, 455/414.1, 4554561- 6, 455/567
• US Class Current: 455/404.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/043 using or handling presence information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/54 Presence management, e.g. monitoring or registration for receipt of user log-on information, or the connection status of the users
• 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 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

The present application, a system for proximity awareness for mobile data communication on an electronic communication device comprising of a client application on an electronic communication device communicating across a wireless network, and an awareness server consisting of a plurality of server objects that monitors multiple devices on a wireless communication network. In addition, the client application on the electronic communication device comprises of a plurality of software objects. The client application periodically broadcasts the current wireless tower that the device is communicating on, to the awareness server. The awareness server tracks the location of other Tower IDs of other users in the individual'"'"'s contact list. If there is a match in Tower IDs, an alert is sent to both users that they are in proximity to each other.

Claims

1. An awareness server configured to communicate with a plurality of wireless devices, comprising:

one or more memory devices configured to store contact information for the plurality of wireless devices, the contact information for each of the plurality of wireless devices including at least a unique identifier for the wireless device and information indicating a wireless base station to which the wireless device was last reported to be in communication with;

a listener object configured to receive location data for a wireless device, the location data including the unique identifier for the wireless device and information indicating a wireless base station to which the wireless device was last reported to be in communication with;

an updater object configured to update the contact information with the location data received by the listener object;

a matching object configured to compare the location data for two or more of the plurality of wireless devices, to detect multiple devices last reported to be in communication with the same wireless base station, and to generate an alert when a match is detected; and

an alerter object configured to receive the alert from the matching object and to transmit an awareness notification to one or more wireless devices.

2. The awareness server of claim 1, further comprising the awareness server being located behind an unsolicited network traffic controller.

3. The awareness server of claim 1, further comprising a matching object configured to detect a match between multiple wireless devices last reported to be in communication with proximate wireless base stations, and to generate an alert when a match is detected.

4. The awareness server of claim 1, further comprising a listening object configured to receive location data from wireless devices on multiple wireless communication networks.

5. The awareness server of claim 1, further comprising a listening object configured to receive location data from different types of wireless devices.

6. The awareness server of claim 1, further comprising a listening object configured to receive location data that is encrypted.

7. An awareness server configured to communicate with a plurality of wireless devices, comprising:

means for storing contact information for the plurality of wireless devices, the contact information for each of the plurality of wireless devices including at least a unique identifier for the wireless device and information indicating a wireless base station to which the wireless device was last reported to be in communication with;

means for receiving location data for a wireless device, the location data including the unique identifier for the wireless device and information indicating a wireless base station to which the wireless device was last reported to be in communication with;

means for updating the contact information with the location data;

means for comparing the location data for two or more of the plurality of wireless devices;

means for detecting multiple devices last reported to be in communication with the same wireless base station;

means for generating an alert when a match is detected;

means for receiving the alert; and

means for transmitting an awareness notification to one or more wireless devices.

8. The awareness server of claim 7, further comprising the awareness server being located behind an unsolicited network traffic controller.

9. The awareness server of claim 7, further comprising means for detecting a match between multiple devices last reported to be in communication with proximate wireless base stations.

10. The awareness server of claim 7, further comprising means for receiving location data from multiple wireless communication networks.

11. The awareness server of claim 7, further comprising means for receiving location data from different types of wireless devices.

12. The awareness server of claim 7, wherein the location data received is encrypted.

13. A method of communicating with a plurality of wireless devices, comprising:

storing contact information for the plurality of wireless devices, the contact information for each of the plurality of wireless devices including at least a unique identifier for the wireless device and information indicating a wireless base station to which the wireless device was last reported to be in communication with;

receiving location data for a wireless device, the location data including the unique identifier for the wireless device and information indicating a wireless base station to which the wireless device was last reported to be in communication with;

updating the contact information with the location data received;

comparing the location data for two or more of the plurality of wireless devices;

detecting multiple devices last reported to be in communication with the same wireless base station; and

transmitting an awareness notification to one or more wireless devices.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising performing the method steps behind an unsolicited network traffic controller.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising detecting a match between multiple devices last reported to be in communication with proximate wireless base stations.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising receiving location data from wireless devices on multiple wireless communication networks.

17. The method of claim 13, further comprising receiving location data from different types of wireless devices.

18. The method of claim 13, further comprising receiving location data that is encrypted.