Method and system for location tracking

• US 7,366,522 B2
• Filed: 02/28/2001
• Issued: 04/29/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: IpVenture, Inc.
• Original Assignee: C. Douglass Thomas
• Inventors: Thomas, C. Douglass
• Primary Examiner(s): Ly, Nghi H.
• Application Number:
  US09/797,517
• Publication Number:
  US 20030060212A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,617 Days
• Field of Search: 455/440, 455/456.1, 455/456.2, 455/456.3, 455/404.2, 455/414.2, 455/457, 340/539.13, 340/825.49, 340/988, 701/213, 701/214, 701/215, 342/357.06, 342/357.07, 342/357.01, 342/357.13, 342/457
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• 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 8/08 Mobility data transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/10 between location register and external networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/14 between corresponding nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 Inter-networking arrangements

Abstract

Techniques for location tracking, location utilization, and dissemination and management of location information are disclosed. As a location monitoring system, one embodiment includes at least a plurality of mobile computing devices supported by a wireless network, and a web server coupled to a wired network (e.g., the Internet) that couples to the wireless network. Each of the mobile computing devices are associated with and proximate to an object whose location is being monitored. The web server stores the locations of each of the mobile computing devices or the objects proximate thereto, and enables only authorized users to obtain access the locations via the wired network.

Claims

1. A location monitoring system, comprising:

a plurality of mobile computing devices supported by a wireless network, each of said mobile computing devices being associated with and proximate to a corresponding object; and

a web server operatively connectable to the wireless network, said web server storing locations of each of said mobile computing devices, and said web server enabling authorized users to access the locations of said mobile computing devices via the Internet,

wherein access to locations of each of said mobile computing devices is controlled by the owner or user of the corresponding mobile computing device,

wherein the authorized users do not have to be proximate to the objects whose locations they are authorized to access,

wherein said web server determines whether an electronic mail or instant message notification is to be sent to an authorized user based on the location of at least one of the mobile computing devices corresponding to an object,

wherein said web server sends an electronic mail or instant message notification to the authorized user when it has been determined that an electronic mail or instant message notification is to be sent to the authorized user,

wherein one or more notification locations are defined by the authorized user through interaction with said web server, and wherein the one or more notification locations that have been defined are assigned location labels by the authorized user through interaction with the web server, wherein the location labels assigned by the authorized user are personal to the authorized user and not used with other users, and

wherein said web server determines whether the location of the mobile computing device corresponding to the object is at one of the one or more notification locations, and generates a notification when it is determined that the location of the mobile computing device is at one of the notification locations, and sends the notification to the authorized user.

2. A location monitoring system as recited in claim 1, wherein each of said mobile computing devices operates to obtain location information of its location and to forward the location information to said web server.

3. A location monitoring system as recited in claim 1, wherein the object is a person, a vehicle or a package, and

wherein the location of each of said mobile computing devices is reacquired based on an attribute related to the corresponding mobile computing device or related to the surroundings of the corresponding mobile computing device.

4. A location monitoring ByStem as recited in claim 1,

wherein at least one object whose location is being monitored is a package,

wherein an authorized user requests that said web server specify the location of the package,

wherein, when an authorized user requests that said web server specify the location of the package, said web server provides a response to the authorized user, the response including the location of the package based on the location of the corresponding one of said mobile computing devices, and the response also including information related to when the package is expected to reach its predetermined destination, and

wherein an electronic message is transmitted to the authorized user regarding the delivery of the package independent of any request from the authorized user.

5. A location monitoring system as recited in claim 1,

wherein each of the authorized users must be registered with said web server before the user is authorized to access the location of one or more of said mobile computing devices,

wherein at least one attribute of the notification can depend on information provided by the authorized user during the registration of the user, and

wherein the at least one attribute of the notification provided by the authorized user during registration includes a type of notification and how often notification is to be provided.

6. A method for monitoring position of objects, each object having a mobile computing device provided therewith, the mobile computing devices capable of communicating over a wireless network, said method comprising:

receiving a location of an object at a web server through the wireless network, the location being determined using the mobile computing device corresponding to the object; and

displaying the location of the object to a monitoring party via accessing the web server through the internet,

wherein the monitoring party does not have to be proximate to the object,

wherein before the location is displayed to the monitoring party, the monitoring party has to be authorized,

wherein, for privacy reasons, access to locations of each of the mobile computing devices is controlled by the owner or user of the corresponding mobile computing device,

wherein the web server determines whether a notification is to be sent to an authorized party based on the location of the mobile computing device corresponding to the object,

wherein said web server sends a notification to the authorized party when it has been determined that a notification is to be sent to the authorized party,

wherein one or more notification locations are defined by the monitoring party through interaction with the web server, and wherein the one or more notification locations that have been defined are assigned location labels by the monitoring party through interaction with the web server, and

wherein said method comprises;

determining whether the location of the mobile computing device corresponding to the object is at one of the one or more notification locations;

generating a notification when said determining determines that the location of the mobile computing device corresponding to the object is at one of the notification locations; and

sending the notification to the authorized party.

7. A method as recited in claim 6,

wherein said receiving operates to receive a location of the object that is transmitted by the mobile computing device, and

wherein said receiving of the location is not performed when the mobile computing device locally determines that its current location is substantially the same as its last determined location.

8. A method as recited in claim 6, wherein the period by which said receiving operates to receive the location varies and is dependent on a sensor within the mobile computing device that indicates lack of motion or not being worn.

9. A method as recited in claim 6, wherein said receiving is repeated as needed to determine the current location based on a detector detecting an attribute of the object.

10. A method as recited in claim 6, wherein said receiving depends on an attribute related to the mobile computing device or related to the surroundings of the mobile computing device so that said receiving is not receiving the location of the object at a fixed period, so power is able to conserved.

11. A method as recited in claim 6, wherein the object is a person, and wherein at least one of the one or more notification locations pertains to an unauthorized location, and

wherein said method further comprises:

generating and transmitting a message to the mobile computing device advising the person that the person is in an unauthorized area.

12. A method as recited in claim 6, wherein the notification being sent is an electronic mail or instant message.

13. A method as recited in claim 6, wherein the object is a person.

14. A method as recited in claim 6, wherein the period by which said receiving operates to receive the location is in accordance with a schedule, the schedule utilizing a plurality of different periods by which the location is acquired.

15. A method as recited in claim 14, wherein the schedule depends on the hour of day or the day of week.

16. A computer readable medium including at least executable computer program code tangibly stored thereon for monitoring position of objects, each object having a mobile electronic device corresponding thereto, the mobile electronic devices capable of communicating in a wireless manner, said computer readable medium comprising:

computer program code for receiving a location of an object at a server via a wireless network, the location being determined using the mobile electronic device corresponding to the object; and

computer program code for determining whether the location of the mobile electronic device corresponding to the object is at one of one or more notification locations;

computer program code for determining whether a notification is to be sent to an authorized party based on the location of the mobile electronic device corresponding to the object being at one of one or more notification locations;

computer program code for generating the notification when it is determined that a notification is to be sent to the authorized party; and

computer program code for sending the notification to the authorized party when it has been determined that a notification is to be sent to the authorized party,

wherein, for privacy reasons, access to locations of each of the mobile electronic devices is controlled by the owner or user of the corresponding mobile electronic device, and

wherein one or more notification locations are defined by an interested party through interaction with the server, and wherein the one or more notification locations that have been defined are assigned location labels by the interested party through interaction with the server.

17. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 16, wherein said computer readable medium further comprises:

computer program code for displaying the location of the object to the authorized party via accessing the server through the Internet,

wherein the authorized party does not have to be proximate to the object.

18. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 16, wherein the location of each of the mobile electronic devices is reacquired based on an attribute related to the corresponding mobile electronic device or related to the surroundings of the corresponding mobile electronic device.

19. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 16, wherein the object is a package.

20. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 16, wherein the object is a person.