Location aware voice calls and messages

• US 7,496,978 B1
• Filed: 02/18/2004
• Issued: 03/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/18/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T, Inc.
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property II LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Rosen, Kenneth H., Begeja, Lee
• Primary Examiner(s): GELIN, JEAN ALLAND
• Application Number:
  US10/782,473
• Time in Patent Office: 1,840 Days
• Field of Search: 4554561-4567, 4554041-4042, 455/457, 455/414.1, 455/404.3, 455/404.4, 342/357.01, 342/357.06, 342/357.07, 342/357.08, 342/357.09, 342/357.1, 342/357.12
• US Class Current: 455/404.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/561 Adding application-functional data or data for application control, e.g. adding metadata
• 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 4/18 Information format or content conversion, e.g. adaptation by the network of the transmitted or received information for the purpose of wireless delivery to users or terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/50 Service provisioning or reconfiguring

Abstract

A communications network includes a mobile communications device and a communications terminal. The device and terminal are engaged in a call which includes audio stream data. An operation is performed, either at the mobile device or in the supporting network, to determine a location of the mobile communications device and link metadata representing the determined mobile communications device location to the audio stream data sent from that mobile communications device for the call. At the communications terminal, the metadata is extracted from the audio stream data to allow for presentation of the location of the mobile communications device.

Claims

1. A mobile communications device, comprising:

means for determining mobile communications device location;

means for encrypting the determined mobile communications device location; and

means for linking metadata, representing the encrypted determined mobile communications device location and call related data, to audio stream data sent from the mobile communications device for a wireless communications call using a call record associated with said wireless communications call, wherein said metadata is carried out of band on a channel separate from said audio stream data.

2. The device as in claim 1, wherein the means for determining comprises a processing technique selected from the group consisting of global positioning system (GPS) location determination, wireless network signal triangulation location determination, and serving cell identification determination.

3. The device as in claim 1, wherein the means for linking operates in a repetitive and periodic manner during the course of the wireless communications call to link said metadata.

4. The device as in claim 1, wherein the determined location is an identification of a cell currently serving the mobile communications device and the means for linking operates to link in response to detected changes in the currently serving cell.

5. The device as in claim 1, wherein the metadata comprises a time stamp in addition to the determined location.

6. The device as in claim 1, wherein the call related data is selected from the group consisting of a call record, called/calling party identification, and billing number identification.

7. A wireless network node, comprising:

means for determining location of a mobile communications device in communication with the node;

means for encrypting the determined location of the mobile communications device; and

means for linking metadata, representing the encrypted determined mobile communications device location and call related data, to audio stream data sent from said mobile communications device for a wireless communications call using a call record associated with said wireless communications call, wherein said metadata is carried out of band on a channel separate from said audio stream data.

8. The node as in claim 7, wherein the means for determining performs a processing technique selected from the group consisting of wireless network signal triangulation location determination, and serving cell identification determination.

9. The node as in claim 7, wherein the means for linking operates in a repetitive and periodic manner during the course of the wireless communications call to link said metadata.

10. The node as in claim 7, wherein the determined location is an identification of a cell currently serving the mobile communications device and the means for linking operates to link in response to detected changes in the currently serving cell.

11. The node as in claim 7, wherein the metadata comprises a time stamp in addition to the determined location.

12. The node as in claim 7, wherein the call related data is selected from the group consisting of a call record, called/calling party identification, and billing number identification.

13. A communications network, comprising:

a mobile communications device;

a communications terminal, wherein the mobile communications device and communications terminal are connected to a call which includes audio stream data;

means for determining location of the mobile communications device;

means for encrypting the determined location of the mobile communications device;

means for linking metadata, representing the encrypted determined mobile communications device location and call related data, to the audio stream data sent from the mobile communications device using a call record associated with said call, wherein said metadata is carried out of band on a channel separate from said audio stream data; and

means at the communications terminal for presenting the location of the mobile communications device.

14. The network as in claim 13, wherein the means for determining and means for linking are located within the mobile communications device.

15. The network as in claim 13, wherein the means for determining and means for linking are located within a network node of the communications network.

16. The network as in claim 13, wherein the means for determining performs a processing technique selected from the group consisting of global positioning system (GPS) location determination, wireless network signal triangulation location determination, and serving cell identification determination.

17. The network as in claim 13, wherein the means for linking operates in a repetitive and periodic manner during the course of the call to link said metadata.

18. The network as in claim 13, wherein the determined location is an identification of a cell currently serving the mobile communications device and the means for linking operates to link in response to detected changes in the currently serving cell.

19. The network as in claim 13, wherein the metadata comprises a time stamp in addition to the determined location.

20. The network as in claim 13, wherein the call related data is selected from the group consisting of a call record, called/calling party identification, and billing number identification.

21. The network as in claim 13, wherein the communications terminal is a surveillance device connected into the call.

22. The network as in claim 13, wherein the communications terminal is a voice recording device connected to the call.

23. A method comprising:

determining a location of a mobile communications device;

encrypting the determined location of the mobile communications device; and

linking metadata, representing the encrypted determined mobile communications device location and call related data, to audio stream data sent from the mobile communications device for a wireless communications call using a call record associated with said wireless communications call, wherein said metadata is carried out of band on a channel separate from said audio stream data.

24. The method as in claim 23, wherein said step of determining comprises location processing as selected from the group consisting of global positioning system (GPS) location determining, wireless network signal triangulation location determining, and serving cell identification determining.

25. The method as in claim 23, wherein said step of linking includes operating in a repetitive and periodic manner during the course of the wireless communications call to link said metadata.

26. The method as in claim 23, wherein the determined location is an identification of a cell currently serving the mobile communications device and said step of linking includes operating to link in response to detected changes in the currently serving cell.

27. The method as in claim 23, further comprising:

extracting the metadata from the audio stream data; and

presenting the location of the mobile communications device.

28. The method as in claim 23, wherein the metadata comprises a time stamp in addition to the determined location.

29. The method as in claim 23, wherein the call related data is selected from the group consisting of a call record, called/calling party identification, and billing number identification.

30. The method as in claim 23, further comprising recording the audio stream data and linked metadata.