System and method for locating an alternate communication mechanism in case of a failure of a wireless communication device

• US 7,103,365 B2
• Filed: 02/21/2001
• Issued: 09/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Myllymaki, Jussi Petri
• Primary Examiner(s): Ferguson, Keith
• Application Number:
  US09/788,502
• Publication Number:
  US 20020115445A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,022 Days
• Field of Search: 455/404.1, 455/404.2, 455/403, 455/423.1, 4554561-457, 455/414.1, 455/414.2, 455/414.4, 455/517, 455/422.1, 455/412.1, 455/414.3, 455/435.1, 455/435.2, 455/550.1, 455/556.1, 455/556.2, 455/445, 455/500, 455/512, 455/573, 455/574, 455/434, 340/539, 340/531, 340/539.11, 340/539.13
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/04 Arrangements for maintaining operational condition
• 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 4/14 Short messaging services, e.g. short message services [SMS] or unstructured supplementary service data [USSD]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/20 Manipulation of established connections

Abstract

A system (and method and programmable storage medium for storing program steps of the method) for locating an alternate communication mechanism in case of a failure of a wireless device, includes a location tracker for continuously transmitting information to the wireless communication device for allowing a user to locate an alternate communication mechanism after the failure has occurred.

Claims

1. A system for locating an alternate communication mechanism in case of a failure of a wireless device, comprising:

a location tracker for continuously transmitting information to the wireless device for allowing a user to locate an alternate communication mechanism after the failure has occurred, and

at least one of a display, on said wireless device, for allowing the wireless device to display said information, which was continuously transmitted from the location tracker and was received by said wireless device prior to the failure of said wireless device, and a speaker, on said wireless device, for allowing the wireless device to play audio information included in said information, which was continuously transmitted from the location tracker and was received by said wireless device prior to the failure of said wireless device,

wherein said failure of said wireless device includes at least one of a loss of capability to perform an intended purpose of said wireless device, a loss of connection to a wireless network, a loss of wireless network coverage, a loss of battery power, a loss of adequate battery power necessary for communication, a loss of battery power necessary to maintain a network connection, and a loss of capability of the wireless device to transmit signals.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein said information comprises at least one of textual information, audio information, and image information.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein said information includes at least one of directions to a nearest pay phone, directions to at least one of a nearest house and a facility, and directions to at least one of a nearest location offering wireless coverage and recharging facilities.

4. The system according to claim 3, wherein said information comprises at least one of textual information, audio information, and image information.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein said information comprises information which optimizes use of the wireless device.

6. The system according to claim 5, wherein said information comprises at least one of an upgrade of software used with the wireless device, billing information associated with the wireless device, and data associated with any of a network carrier and a manufacturer of said wireless device.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said information comprises at least one of data which assists the user to continue to use the wireless device, data which assists the user in recovering from a failure of the wireless device, and data which allows continued optimal functioning of the wireless device.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein said information comprises at least one of textual information, audio information, and image information.

9. The system according to claim 1, further comprising:

means for allowing the wireless device to display information that was received prior to the failure, wherein said information includes at least one of directions to a nearest pay phone, directions to at least one of a nearest house and a facility, and directions to at least one of a nearest location offering wireless coverage and recharging facilities.

10. The system according to claim 1, wherein a wireless network tracks a location of the user and transmits data to the wireless device, such that as the user moves, a location of the user is updated in a location database and information on alternate communication mechanisms is gathered and transmitted to the wireless device.

11. The system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a location tracking database for communicating with said location tracker.

12. The system according to claim 11, further comprising:

a communication mechanism finder coupled to receive an input from an external data source.

13. The system according to claim 12, further comprising:

a communication mechanism planner coupled to receive an output from said communication mechanism finder and said location tracking database.

14. The system according to claim 13, further comprising:

a communication mechanism notifier for receiving an output from said communication mechanism planner and for outputting a signal to said wireless device.

15. The system according to claim 1, wherein said location tracker is for retrieving location information of each user and storing said location information in a location tracking database.

16. The system according to claim 15, wherein the wireless device of the user periodically outputs global positioning satellite (GPS) coordinates to said location tracker, said information being marked with a timestamp and stored in said location tracking database.

17. The system according to claim 16, wherein said location tracking database stores the GPS coordinates of each user, records of said location tracking database having a schema of location (user, device, timestamp, location) where user is a unique identifier for each user, device identifies a type and model of the user'"'"'s wireless device, timestamp contains a date and time the data was captured, and location is a GPS coordinate pair.

18. The system according to claim 17, wherein said communication mechanism finder retrieves information from an external source and produces a list of alternate communication mechanisms in a vicinity of said user,

wherein said source includes at least one of a local telephone directory, a map, and a company listing.

19. The system according to claim 18, wherein an output of the communication mechanism finder contains information on any of a location of a nearby pay phone, a house and an other building, a location offering wireless coverage, and a recharging facility, and

wherein said information is transmitted to a communication mechanism planner.

20. The system according to claim 19, wherein said planner is for sorting a list of alternate communication mechanisms in a predetermined order.

21. The system according to claim 20, wherein said predetermined order includes an order of importance, and wherein only a most important alternate communication mechanism is selected from the list.

22. The system according to claim 20, wherein said criteria used in the sorting include distance from a user'"'"'s current position, compatibility with the user'"'"'s wireless device, accessibility of the alternate communication mechanism, and fees charged for use of the alternate communication mechanism.

23. The system according to claim 20, wherein said list is sorted, and passed on to the communication mechanism notifier.

24. The system according to claim 23, wherein said notifier transmits the list of alternate communication mechanisms to the wireless device of the user.

25. A method for locating an alternate communication mechanism in case of a failure of a wireless device, comprising:

monitoring, by a wireless service provider, location coordinates of a wireless device of a user;

based on said location coordinates, consulting at least one database to find at least one candidate resource for assisting the user;

selecting a predetermined candidate resource from said at least one candidate resource to provide a best alternate communication mechanism for the user; and

forwarding said information to said wireless device of said user prior to said failure of said wireless device,

wherein said failure of said wireless device includes at least one of a loss of capability to perform an intended purpose of said wireless device, a loss of connection to a wireless network, a loss of wireless network coverage, a loss of battery power, a loss of adequate battery power necessary for communication, a loss of battery power resources necessary to maintain a network connection, and a loss of capability of the wireless device to transmit signals.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

storing the location coordinates in a server computer.

27. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

calculating a distance and direction to a location that provides the best alternate communication mechanism.

28. The method of claim 25, wherein said information is displayed on said wireless device.

29. The method of claim 25, wherein said information is auditorily conveyed to said user.

30. The method of claim 25, wherein said predetermined candidate resource comprises a best candidate resource.

31. The method of claim 25, wherein said predetermined candidate resource comprises an optimum resource selected by a service provider of the wireless device.

32. A signal-bearing medium tangibly embodying a program of machine-readable instructions executable by a digital processing apparatus to perform a method for locating an alternate communication mechanism in case of a failure of a wireless device, comprising:

monitoring, by a wireless service provider, location coordinates of a wireless device of a user;

based on said location coordinates, consulting at least one database to find at least one candidate resource for assisting the user;

selecting a predetermined candidate resource from said at least one candidate resource to provide a best alternate communication mechanism for the user; and

forwarding said information to said wireless device of said user,

wherein said failure includes at least one of a loss of capability to perform an intended purpose of said wireless device, a loss of connection to a wireless network, a loss of wireless network coverage, a loss of battery power, a loss of adequate battery power necessary for communication, a loss of battery power resources necessary to maintain a network connection, and a loss of capability of the wireless device to transmit signals.