Dynamic server managed profiles for mobile users

• US 7,043,255 B1
• Filed: 02/28/2003
• Issued: 05/09/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited (Trimble Inc.)
• Original Assignee: At Road Incorporated
• Inventors: Tiwari, Anil
• Primary Examiner(s): SMITH, CREIGHTON H
• Application Number:
  US10/377,575
• Time in Patent Office: 1,166 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456.3, 455/456.1, 702/204, 702/206, 702/207
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data

Abstract

Systems and methods are disclosed to provide mobile resource management. In accordance with one embodiment, mobile communication devices, which employ location determination techniques, communicate with a server via one or more wired or wireless networks. The server provides a profile to the mobile communication devices, with the profile containing parameters which control certain operations of the mobile communication devices. The mobile communication devices provide location information to the server and communicate with the server to enable reporting, dispatching, messaging, and/or management services.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a network;

a data processor coupled to the network; and

at least one mobile communication device adapted to couple to the network to communicate with the data processor and adapted to receive location information, wherein the data processor provides a profile to the at least one mobile communication device, the profile containing parameters which control certain operations of the at least one mobile communication device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the data processor stores the profile, which can be accessed by a computer via the network to view or modify the profile.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the data processor is adapted to update the at least one mobile communication device with the profile that has been modified.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the computer accesses the profile by utilizing a web browser to view a website provided by the data processor.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the computer comprises a personal computer, a cell phone, or a personal digital assistant.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the mobile communication device couples to the network via a wireless network.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the mobile communication device incorporates or is couplable to a global positioning system receiver to receive the location information.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the mobile communication device utilizes a cellular network to receive the location information.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein the mobile communication device can view but not modify the profile provided by the data processor.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the mobile communication device communicates with the data processor to provide location and reporting, dispatching, messaging, or management services.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the parameters control the frequency of receiving the location information and determination of location and speed.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the parameters further control the frequency of providing information from the mobile communication device to the data processor.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the mobile communication device comprises a cell phone or a personal digital assistant.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein a Java application implemented in the mobile communication device provides an interface for the location information, a controller state machine, a communication interface, and a configuration function based on the profile.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the Java application further provides a queue state machine, a diagnostics function, a provisioning function, and a user interface for the mobile communication device.

16. A method of managing mobile communication devices, the method comprising:

creating a profile that defines certain operational parameters of the mobile communication devices;

storing the profile on a data processing system; and

transferring the profile from the data processing system to the mobile communication devices, wherein the mobile communication devices operate based on the operational parameters of the profile.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising viewing, by the mobile communication devices, of the profile transferred from the data processing system.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising modifying the profile stored on the data processing system to create a new profile.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

storing the new profile on the data processing system; and

transferring the new profile from the data processing system to the mobile communication devices, wherein the mobile communication devices operate based on the operational parameters of the new profile.

20. The method of claim 16, further comprising receiving location information by the mobile communication devices.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising transferring the location information from the mobile communication devices to the data processing system.

22. A mobile communication device comprising:

a location determination system adapted to receive signals transmitted from satellites or a cellular network to determine a location of the mobile communication device; and

a communication system adapted to transmit and receive information through a wireless network, wherein the communication system is further adapted to communicate with a data processing station to receive a profile containing parameters which control certain functions of the mobile communication device.

23. The mobile communication device of claim 22, wherein the mobile communication device can view the parameters of the profile, the profile modified only by sending a new profile by the data processing station.

24. The mobile communication device of claim 22, wherein the mobile communication device communicates with the data processing station to provide location and reporting, dispatching, messaging, or management services.

25. The mobile communication device of claim 22, wherein the parameters control a frequency of determining the location of the mobile communication device and a frequency of providing the location to the data processing station.

26. The mobile communication device of claim 22, further comprising a Java application adapted to manage the profile and control the location determination system and the communication system.