Method and apparatus for device and carrier independent location systems for mobile devices

• US 7,565,411 B1
• Filed: 10/13/2004
• Issued: 07/21/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Palmsource Incorporated (Access Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Palmsource Incorporated (Access Company Limited)
• Inventors: Turcotte, Michel
• Primary Examiner(s): Bragdon; Reginald G
• Assistant Examiner(s): VO, THANH DUC
• Application Number:
  US10/964,788
• Time in Patent Office: 1,742 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 709/218
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases
• 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 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/20 Services signaling; Auxiliary data signalling, i.e. transmitting data via a non-traffic channel

Abstract

A method and system for a device and carrier independent geographic location protocol. Specifically, the present invention provides location information of a mobile device to third parties in a communication network through a protocol that is device and network carrier independent. Position information of any first format is sent to a proxy server. An identifier that identifies the type and format of the position information is also sent. The proxy server then locates and accesses an executable plug-in module associated with the identifier to convert the position information of the first format into one of a plurality of standard location formats. The executable plug-in module converts the position information into a second standard format as required by the third party. After the position information is converted to the second format, the proxy server sends the position information to the third party.

Claims

1. In a communication network, a method of generating location information comprising:

a) accessing position information of a first format, said position information associated with a first electronic device;

b) sending said position information of said first format from said first electronic device to a proxy server;

c) determining a first executable program of a plurality of executable programs;

d) accessing said first executable program, said first executable program operable to convert said position information of said first format into a first standard location format of a plurality of standard location formats; and

e) converting said position information into said first standard location format.

2. The method as described in claim 1 further comprising:

f) establishing communication between said proxy server and said first electronic device; and

g) sending said position information of said first standard location format to said first electronic device.

3. The method as described in claim 2 further comprising:

h) determining a second format for said position information as required by a second electronic device, said second format comprising at least one of said plurality of standard location formats; and

i) converting said position information of said first format into said second format.

4. The method as described in claim 2, wherein said second electronic device is a content provider.

5. The method as described in claim 2, wherein said first electronic device is a handheld electronic device.

6. The method as described in claim 2, wherein each of said plurality of executable programs is an executable plug-in module.

7. The method as described in claim 6, wherein an executable plug-in module is a dynamic link library (DLL).

8. The method as described in claim 2, further comprising using a connection software driver to create said position information of said first format, and wherein said a) further comprises:

sending a request for said position information of said first format from said connection software driver to a network carrier;

said connection software driver connecting said first electronic device to said network carrier;

said network carrier further connecting said first electronic device to said communication network; and

sending said position information of said first format from said network carrier to said first electronic device.

9. The method as described in claim 2 further comprising using a connection software driver to create said position information of said first format and to connect said first electronic device to said communication network wherein said a) further comprises:

requesting a user of said first electronic device for said position information of said first format.

10. The method as described in claim 2, wherein said communication network is an Internet network.

11. The method as described in claim 2 further comprising:

at said first electronic device, sending a query for information to said second electronic device via a web clipping application located on said first electronic device, said web clipping application associated with said second electronic device and said query containing said position information of said first format.

12. The method as described in claim 2, wherein said position information of said first format is selected from a group comprising:

mobile network carrier tower identification;

mobile network carrier cell ID;

mobile network ID;

global positioning satellite (GPS) coordinates;

Internet IP address;

street name;

street address; and

user ID;

sun angle; and

network frequency.

13. The method as described in claim 2, wherein said position information of said second format is selected from a group comprising:

zip code and postal code;

global positioning satellite (GPS) coordinates;

city name or code;

country name or code;

state name or code;

county name or code;

closest major airport name or code;

phone area code;

train station name or code;

time zone;

daylight saving time;

mobile network ID;

mobile network name;

mobile network cellular ID;

IP address;

local time;

street name;

street address; and

user ID.

14. In a communication network, a method of providing information comprising:

a) accessing a first position information of a first format, said first position information associated with a first electronic device;

b) accessing a second position information of a second format, said second position information associated with said first electronic device;

c) sending said first and said second position information to a proxy server;

d) converting said first position information into a first standard location format;

e) converting said second position information into a second standard location format;

f) determining a third position information of a third format as required by a second electronic device;

g) determining which of said first and second standard location formats most closely matches said third format; and

h) sending said first or second standard location formats that most closely matches said third format to said second electronic device.

15. The method as described in claim 14, further comprising:

accessing a first identifier with said first position information, said first identifier indicating that said first position information is of said first format; and

sending a second identifier with said second position information, said second identifier indicating that said second position information is of said second format.

16. The method as described in claim 14 further comprising:

accessing a request at said proxy server from said second electronic device for location information associated with said first electronic device; and

sending said request from said proxy server to said first electronic device.

17. The method as described in claim 14, wherein said second electronic device is a content provider.

18. The method as described in claim 14, wherein a first software driver creates said first position information of said first format and a second software driver creates said second position information of said second format.

19. A computer system comprising a processor, a memory, and a display wherein said memory contains instructions that when executed implement a method of providing location information comprising:

a) accessing position information of a first format, said position information associated with a first electronic device;

b) sending said position information of said first format from said first electronic device to a proxy server;

c) determining a first executable program of a plurality of executable programs;

accessing said first executable program, said first executable program operable to convert said position information of said first format into a first standard location format of a plurality of standard location formats; and

d) converting said position information into said first standard location format.

20. The computer system as described in claim 19 wherein said method further comprises:

f) establishing communication between said proxy server and said first electronic device; and

g) sending said position information of said first standard location format to said first electronic device.

21. The computer system as described in claim 19 wherein said method further comprises:

h) determining a second format for said position information as required by a second electronic device, said second format comprising at least one of said plurality of standard location formats; and

i) converting said position information of said first format into said second format.

22. The computer system as described in claim 19, wherein said second electronic device is a content provider.

23. The computer system as described in claim 19, wherein said first electronic device is a handheld electronic device.

24. The computer system as described in claim 19, wherein each of said plurality of executable programs is an executable plug-in module.

25. The computer system as described in claim 19 further comprising a connection software driver operable to create said position information of said first format and wherein said a) further comprises:

sending a request for said position information of said first format from said connection software driver to a network carrier, said connection software driver connecting said first electronic device to said network carrier, said network carrier connecting said first electronic device to said communication network; and

sending said position information of said first format from said network carrier to said first electronic device.

26. The computer system as described in claim 19, further comprising a connection software driver operable to create said position information of said first format and to connect said first electronic device to said communication network and wherein said a) further comprises:

requesting a user of said first electronic device for said position information of said first format.

27. The computer system as described in claim 19, wherein said communication network is an Internet network.

28. The computer system as described in claim 19, wherein said method further comprises:

at said first electronic device, sending a query for information to said second electronic device via a web clipping application located on said first electronic device, said web clipping application associated with said second electronic device and said query containing said position information of said first format.

29. The computer system as described in claim 19, wherein said position information of said first format is selected from a group comprising:

mobile network carrier tower identification;

mobile network carrier cell ID;

mobile network ID;

global positioning satellite (GPS) coordinates;

Internet IP address;

street name;

street address; and

user ID;

sun angle; and

network frequency.

30. The computer system as described in claim 19, wherein said position information of said second format is selected from a group comprising:

zip code and postal code;

global positioning satellite (GPS) coordinates;

city name or code;

country name or code;

state name or code;

county name or code;

closest major airport name or code;

phone area code;

train station name or code;

time zone;

daylight saving time;

mobile network ID;

mobile network name;

mobile network cellular ID;

IP address;

local time;

street name;

street address; and

user ID.