Location signaling for transport system

• US 7,394,386 B2
• Filed: 03/03/2005
• Issued: 07/01/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Motorola Solutions, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Nowlan, Steven J.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TAI T
• Application Number:
  US11/072,569
• Publication Number:
  US 20060208878A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,216 Days
• Field of Search: 340/573.1, 340/573.4, 340/574, 340/539.13, 340/539.15, 340/539.22, 455/404.2
• US Class Current: 340/573.1
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0258 System arrangements wherein both parent and child units can emit and receive
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0269 System arrangements wherein the object is to detect the exact location of child or item using a navigation satellite system, e.g. GPS

Abstract

A system and method to provide location signaling for service, such as a request for transport from a child to his or her parent(s) to be picked up from school, for example. A dedicated communication device has location capabilities and a control to request service for the bearer. At least one monitoring communication device, such as one for each parent, is operable to receive a location with a request for service and acknowledge same. A secure domain manager can be used to; receive the location and request service instruction, deliver the location and request service instruction to the monitoring device(s), obtain an acknowledgment from one monitoring device, and send the acknowledgment to the other monitoring devices and the bearer'"'"'s communication device. Communication is only allowed between the bearer'"'"'s device and monitoring devices. The location of the communication device can be tracked, and navigation can be provided thereto.

Claims

1. A system to provide location signaling for a service, comprising:

a wireless radio communication device having location capabilities, and a user interface with a control to transmit a communication containing a request for service for a bearer of the wireless radio communication device; and

at least one monitoring communication device, operable to receive the communication from the wireless radio communication device, receive a location of the wireless radio communication device, and send an acknowledgment to at least the wireless radio communication device, wherein the wireless radio communication device and the at least one monitoring communication device are registered at a secure domain manager, to facilitate encrypted communications between the wireless radio communication device and the at least one monitoring communication device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the requested service is for transport of the bearer of the wireless radio communication device.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein when the control of the user interface of the wireless radio communication device is activated, a pre-recorded communication for the requested service is transmitted to the at least one monitoring communication device.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one monitoring communication device is operable to query the wireless radio communication device as to its location.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one monitoring communication device is provided navigational information to the location of the wireless radio communication device.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein operation of the wireless radio communication device is restricted to only being able to request a service, provide its location, and receive acknowledgment.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the user interface of the wireless radio communication device is operable to inform the bearer of the wireless radio communication device that an acknowledgment has been received identifying the at least one monitoring communication device that acknowledged the request for service.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising a secure domain manager operable to receive the communication from the wireless radio communication device, deliver the communication to the at least one monitoring communication device, obtain an acknowledgment from the at least one monitoring communication device, and notify at least the wireless radio communication device of the acknowledgment;

and wherein the at least one monitoring communication device receives the communication from the wireless radio communication device, receives the location of the wireless radio communication device, and sends an acknowledgment to at least the wireless radio communication device via the secure domain manager.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the request for service is a request for transportation.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the communication is a pre-recorded communication.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein the communication further contains the location of the wireless radio communication device.

12. A method for providing location signaling for a service, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a wireless radio communication device having location capabilities and at least one monitoring communication device;

transmitting a location and a request for service instruction from the wireless radio communication device;

receiving the location and the request for service instruction by the at least one monitoring communication device; and

sending an acknowledgment from one of the monitoring communication devices to the wireless radio communication device, wherein the wireless radio communication device and the at least one monitoring communication device are registered at a secure domain manager, to facilitate encrypted communications between the wireless radio communication device and the at least one monitoring communication device.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the transmitting step includes transmitting a pre-recorded communication for the requested service.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of querying the wireless radio communication device as to its location.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of providing navigational information to the location of the wireless radio communication device.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of restricting the operation of the wireless radio communication device to only being able to request service, provide its location, and to receive acknowledgment.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of informing the bearer of the device that an acknowledgment has been received identifying the at least one monitoring communication device that acknowledged the request for service.