Apparatus and systems for providing location-based services within a wireless network

• US 7,236,799 B2
• Filed: 12/20/2002
• Issued: 06/26/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cingular Wireless II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Wilson, Brian, Bhuyan, Krishna, Feinstein, Jacob
• Primary Examiner(s): Trinh, Sonny
• Application Number:
  US10/325,270
• Publication Number:
  US 20040192299A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,649 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456.1, 455/456.2, 455/456.3, 455/456.4, 455/456.5, 455/456.6, 455/457, 455/404.2, 455/422.1, 455/435.1, 455/414.2, 455/414.1
• US Class Current: 455/456.3
• 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 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

A system for providing wireless telecommunications services to mobile devices includes structure and functionality for location-based services, and includes both server and client/mobile device apparatuses. One apparatus includes a data store storing at least a first record associated with a first wireless device or a second record associated with a second wireless device. A computer is coupled to the data store and is configured to receive a request from the first wireless device to obtain location information associated with the second wireless device. The computer is configured to receive a change location privileges request, and to update the first or second records in the data store based on the received change request. Other apparatuses provide additional structures and functions.

Claims

1. An apparatus for use with a cellular system that provides voice and location-based services, the apparatus comprising:

an antenna;

a wireless transceiver coupled to the antenna;

a memory, wherein the memory includes a first table of electronic identifiers associated with wireless mobile devices that may receive a current location of the apparatus and a second table of electronic identifies associated with wireless mobile devices whose location the apparatus may receive;

a portable power supply;

an audio subsystem for exchanging voice signals with a user;

a processor coupled to the wireless transceiver, the portable power supply, the audio subsystem and the memory for permitting wireless communication with the cellular system;

a housing sized to be held in a user'"'"'s hand and configured to carry the antenna, wireless transceiver, memory, portable power supply and processor; and

a user interface carried by the housing and coupled to the processor, wherein the user interface includes a button having a primary configuration to request at least one of the location-based services from the cellular system when actuated by a user, wherein the location-based services include determining the location of the apparatus and the location of a second apparatus operating on the cellular system and establishing a communication link between the apparatus and the second apparatus if the respective locations fall within a predefined range of locations, wherein the apparatus is first granted permission from the wireless communications network before providing location-based services.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the button is a physical button carried by and at least partially accessible to the user through a portion of the housing.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the user interface includes a touch-sensitive screen and the button is a default software switch controlled by the processor.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a microphone and speaker coupled to the audio subsystem and carried by the housing.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the audio subsystem includes an audio interface for providing aural indications to the user of menu choices for location-based services.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the memory includes a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM), and wherein the SIM includes a first table of friends who may receive a current location of the apparatus and a second table of friends whose location the apparatus may receive.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the memory includes a removable memory module, and wherein the removable memory module includes a first table of friends who may receive a current location of the apparatus and a second table of friends whose location the apparatus may receive.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a location-determining subsystem carried by the housing and coupled to the processor, and wherein the processor is configured to:

provide a user-initiated request for a location-based service from the cellular system,

receive a request from the cellular system for a location of the apparatus,

obtain location signals from the location-determining subsystem, and

provide the location signals to the cellular system.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a location-determining subsystem carried by the housing and coupled to the processor, and wherein the processor is configured to:

receive a request from the cellular system for a location of the apparatus,

obtain location signals from the location-determining subsystem, and

provide the location signals to the cellular system.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a location-determining subsystem coupled to the processor, wherein the processor is configured to:

automatically obtain location signals from the location-determining subsystem, and

provide the location signals to the cellular system.

11. An apparatus for use with a wireless communications network that provides voice and location-based services to wireless mobile devices, the apparatus comprising:

means for receiving wireless signals from, and transmitting wireless signals to, the wireless communications network;

means for storing data;

means for storing power;

means for permitting wireless communication with the wireless communications network, wherein the means for permitting wireless communication is coupled to the means for storing data, the means for storing power, and the means for receiving and transmitting wireless signals;

means for carrying the means for storing data, the means for storing power, the means for receiving and transmitting wireless signals, and the means for permitting wireless communication, wherein the means for carrying is sized to be held in a user'"'"'s hand; and

means for receiving user input, wherein the means for receiving user input is carried by the means for carrying and is coupled to the means for permitting wireless communication,

wherein the means for storing data includes a first table of electronic identifiers associated with wireless mobile devices that may receive a current location of the apparatus and a second table of electronic identifiers associated with wireless mobile devices whose location the apparatus may receive, and wherein the apparatus must first be granted permissions from the wireless communications network before providing location-based services.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the wherein the means for receiving user input includes a button having a default configuration to request at least one of the location-based services from the wireless communications network when selected.

13. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the electronic identifiers are unique numbers associated with the wireless mobile devices.

14. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the electronic identifiers are user names associated with the wireless mobile devices.