Communication device locating system

• US 7,536,188 B1
• Filed: 09/01/2004
• Issued: 05/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/01/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Inventors: Minhazuddin, Muneyb, McNamara, Paul Thomas, Fegan, Christopher Alexander
• Primary Examiner(s): RAMPURIA, SHARAD K
• Application Number:
  US10/932,507
• Time in Patent Office: 1,721 Days
• Field of Search: 4554561-4562, 455/41.2, 455/457, 455/456.5, 4554041-4042, 340/539.23, 340/572.1, 340/539.13, 340/539.15, 340/10.1, 340/10.4, 340/539.22, 340/825.69, 37920106-20107
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/75 using transponders powered from received waves, e.g. using passive transponders , or using passive reflectors
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/76 wherein pulse-type signals are transmitted
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0289 of multiple transceivers, e.g. in ad hoc networks
• 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 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

A system for determining the vicinity of a communication device within a communication network is provided. Individual communication devices are provided with an active identification reader capable of reporting information concerning identified passive identification tags to a location server. At least some passive identification tags have fixed or known locations, allowing a communication device capable of reading such a passive identification1 tag to be determined to be within a particular vicinity or area. Communication devices may also be provided with passive identification tags to allow other active identification readers to determine whether the communication device is in their vicinity.

Claims

1. A method for locating a communication device, comprising:

using a first active identification device located within a first communication device, identifying at least a first passive identification tag;

providing information identifying said at least a first passive identification tag from said first communication device to a location server;

determining from an identity of said at least a first passive identification tag provided by said first active identification device a first vicinity of said first communication device, wherein said first passive identification tag has a known location, wherein said known location of said first passive identification tag is a fixed location, and wherein said determining a first vicinity of said first communication device includes determining that said first active identification device located within said first communication device is in the vicinity of the location of the first passive identification tag; and

using a second active identification device in a vicinity of said first communication device, identifying a second passive identification tag located within said first communication device;

providing information identifying said second passive identification tag from the second active identification device to said location server;

determining from an identity of said second passive identification tag provided by said second active identification device a second vicinity of said first communication device, wherein said second active identification device has a known location, wherein said known location of said second active communication device is a fixed location, wherein said determining a second vicinity of said first communication device further includes determining that said second passive identification tag located within said first communication device is in the vicinity of the second active communication device, wherein said first active identification device and said first passive identification tag comprise a first communication pair, wherein said second active identification device and said second passive identification tag comprise a second communication pair, and wherein said first vicinity of said first communication device overlaps said second vicinity of said first communication device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein a plurality of passive identification tags are identified.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said determining a vicinity comprises determining a defined area within which said first communication device and said passive identification tag are located.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said passive identification tag having known location is located within a building.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising contacting a party associated with a second communication device associated with at least one of said second active identification device and a passive identification tag having a known vicinity.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising initiating a request for emergency services using said first communication device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said active identification device comprises an active radio frequency identification device and wherein said passive identification tag comprises a passive radio frequency identification tag.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising initiating a request for a communication channel including said first communication device.

24. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

delivering information including said determined vicinity of said first communication device to an emergency service;

initiating by the emergency service a call to a second communication device in the vicinity of, the first communication device.

25. The method of claim 1, wherein the first communication device is a wireline voice over Internet Protocol telephone.

9. A communication system capable of providing information related to a location of an interconnected communication device, comprising:

at least a first passive identification tag having a known location;

at least a first communication device, including;

a first active identification device capable of detecting and identifying passive identification tags;

a second passive identification tag;

a network interconnection, wherein said at least a first passive identification tag is in a vicinity of said active identification device, and wherein the identity of said at least a first passive identification tag in a vicinity of said first communication device is obtained by said active identification device and is passed through said network interconnection;

a second active identification device, wherein said second active identification device has a known location;

a location server;

a first communication network interconnected to said location server and to said network interconnection, wherein the identity of said at least a first passive identification tag is provided to said location server by said first communication network, and wherein said location server is operable to determine information identifying a first area in which said at least a first communication device is located based on said identity and said known location of said at least a first passive identification tag;

a second communication network interconnected to said location server and to said second active identification device, wherein the identity of said second passive identification tag is provided to said location server by said second communication network, and wherein said location server is operable to determine information identifying a second area in which said first communication device is located based on an identity of said second passive identification tag read by said second active identification device and said known location of said second active identification tag, wherein an overlap between said first and second areas defines a third area in which said first communication device is located; and

a public safety answering point, wherein said information identifying said third area in which said first communication device is located is delivered from said location server to said public safety answering point by said communication network.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein said first communication device further comprises a passive identification tag.

11. The system of claim 10, further comprising a second communication device, including:

an active identification device; and

a network interconnection, wherein the identity of at least a second passive identification tag associated with said first communication device is passed through said network interconnection.

12. The system of claim 9, further comprising a second communication device, including:

a passive identification tag.

13. The system of claim 9, further comprising a second communication device, including:

an active identification device;

a passive identification tag; and

a network interconnection.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein said active identification device comprises an active radio frequency identification tag reader.

26. The system of claim 9, wherein said first communication device comprises a wireline Internet Protocol telephone.

15. A communication system, comprising:

means for providing an identifier having a fixed location;

communication network means;

first means for communicating, including;

means for reading an identity from said means for providing an identifier when said means for reading is within a first area about said means for providing an identifier; and

means for providing an identifier associated with said first means for communicating;

means for communicating said identity read by said means for reading an identity included in said first means for communication to said communication network means;

means for reading said identifier associated with said first means for communicating having a fixed location;

means for communicating said identifier read by said means for reading said identifier associated with said first means for communicating to said communication network means;

means for determining information identifying a first vicinity of said first means for communicating from said identity read by said means for reading an identity included in said first means for communicating and for determining a second vicinity of said first means for communicating from said identifier read by said means for reading said identifier,

wherein said first vicinity of said first means for communicating overlaps said second vicinity of said first means for communicating and wherein said identity read by said means for reading an identity is communicated to said means for determining a first vicinity and a second vicinity by said communication network means; and

a public safety answering point, wherein information comprising said information identifying a first vicinity of said first means for communicating and said information identifying a second vicinity of said first means for communicating is provided to said public safety answering point in association with a call comprising a request for emergency services initiated by said first means for communicating.

16. The system of claim 15, further comprising:

second communication device means, including;

means for reading an identity from means for providing an identifier;

means for providing an identifier; and

means for communicating an identity read by said means for reading to said communication network means.

17. A computational component for performing a method, the method comprising:

generating in a first communication device a request for a communication channel, wherein said request for a communication channel includes a request for emergency assistance;

reading an identifier associated with a passive identification tag having a known location using an active identification device included in the first communication device; and

providing said identifier to a location server;

determining by the location server information identifying a vicinity of the first communication device;

providing the determined information identifying the vicinity of the first communication device to an authority; and

receiving by the authority the determined information identifying the vicinity of the first communication device;

in response to receiving the determined information identifying the vicinity of the first communication device, initiating by the authority a communication with a second communication device in the vicinity of the first communication device, wherein in response to a person answering the second communication device the authority asks the person answering to verify the vicinity of the first communication device.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

providing to an active identification device an identifier associated with said first communication device.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein said location server determines a vicinity of said first communication device from said identifier.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein a plurality of identifiers are read, wherein at least one of said identifiers is associated with a fixed location.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein said fixed location comprises a location registered within said location server.

22. The method of claim 17, wherein said computational component comprises a computer readable storage medium containing instructions for performing the method.

23. The method of claim 17, wherein said computational component comprises a logic circuit.