GPS parasite system

• US 7,548,197 B2
• Filed: 06/20/2005
• Issued: 06/16/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Gruchala, Carol Shilrin, Tiliks, Dianna Inara, Heinmiller, Wayne Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarcza, Thomas H
• Assistant Examiner(s): LIU, HARRY K
• Application Number:
  US11/158,311
• Publication Number:
  US 20060284766A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,457 Days
• Field of Search: 342/357, 342/357.09, 345/716
• US Class Current: 342/357.52
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/14 specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0027 of actual mobile position, i.e. position determined on mobile

Abstract

A non-GPS capable stationary device and method thereof is presented that permits the stationary device to receive location and time information from a mobile, GPS capable device using a non-GPS wireless protocol. This permits the stationary device to make use of the location information in combination with other information from the stationary device, communicated from the mobile device and/or communicated from other devices in a network of devices connected to the stationary device, to customize features of the stationary device accordingly. The stationary device is activated through an external trigger or automatically through an internal trigger.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising:

a first module configured to communicate with an external source;

a second module configured to communicate wirelessly with a mobile device, wherein the mobile device contains location information;

a third module configured to;

receive location information provided by the mobile device; and

generate customized location information based on information received from the external source and the location information received from the mobile device;

a fourth module configured to provide the customized location information to a display; and

wherein the electronic device is a stationary device and wherein the first, second, third and fourth modules are within the stationary device.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the stationary device is a set-top box.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the external source is a cable TV network, a satellite TV network, or an Internet Protocol TV system.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the second module is further configured to communicate with the mobile device when a trigger occurs.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the second module is further configured to cycle through different communication protocols in an attempt to communicate wirelessly with the mobile device.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the third module is further configured to utilize time information received from the mobile device to generate the customized location information.

7. An electronic device comprising:

a first module comprising an information table, wherein the information table includes information indexed by location;

a second module configured to wirelessly communicate with a mobile device containing location information;

a third module configured to generate customize location information as a function of location information provided by the mobile device and information received from the information table;

a fourth module configured to control a stationary device function in response to the customized location information;

a fifth module configured to indicate a customized location information status; and

wherein the electronic device is a stationary device and wherein each of the modules are within the stationary device.

8. An appliance comprising:

a first module configured to communicate to an external source;

a second module configured to wirelessly communicate with a mobile device containing location information;

a third module configured to;

receive location information provided by the mobile device; and

generate customized location information based on information received from the external source and the location information received from the mobile device;

a fourth module configured to control an appliance function in response to the customized location information; and

wherein the appliance is a stationary set-top box and each of the modules are contained within the stationary set-top box.

9. The appliance of claim 8, wherein the second module is further configured to communicate with the mobile device when a trigger occurs.

10. The appliance of claim 8, wherein the second module is further configured to cycle through different communication protocols in an attempt to communicate wirelessly with the mobile device.

11. The appliance of claim 8, wherein the third module is further configured to utilize time information received from the mobile device to generate the customized location information.