Method and apparatus for wirelessly networked distributed resource usage for data gathering

• US 7,672,993 B2
• Filed: 08/29/2006
• Issued: 03/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Palm, Inc. (TCL Technology Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Creemer, David Z., Flores, Roger
• Primary Examiner(s): Dalencourt; Yves
• Application Number:
  US11/512,871
• Publication Number:
  US 20070271355A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,281 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0226 Incentive systems for frequent usage, e.g. frequent flyer miles programs or point systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/033 of the user plane, e.g. user's traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

A method and system for gathering, collecting, and supplying geographically distributed data. In one embodiment, geographically distributed data is gathered in a server-commanded mode, such that the user of an electronic device need not participate in the capturing or transmitting of the data. In another embodiment, a server initiates requests the user of an electronic device to input data and the data then transmitted to the server. In another embodiment, a user initiates the capture of data with an electronic device and the electronic device transmits the data to a computer server. In another embodiment, the gathering of geographically distributed data is accomplished by the user of an electronic device instructing his electronic device to automatically collect input data and the data is then transmitted to a computer server. In embodiments of the present invention, the electronic device is a palm-sized computer system.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

one or more computer servers configured to receive location data of a plurality of handheld electronic devices using a wireless network, generate automobile traffic information using the received location data of the plurality of handheld electronic devices, and provide the automobile traffic information generated to a computer;

wherein the one or more computer servers are configured to store identification data for the plurality of handheld electronic devices, receive from the plurality of handheld electronic devices an indication of the type of location data each of the plurality of handheld electronic devices is configured to capture, compare the type of location data each of the plurality of handheld electronic devices is configured to capture to a desired type of location data, and determine whether the plurality of handheld electronic devices are appropriate to contribute to the automobile traffic information based on whether each of the handheld electronic devices is configured to capture the desired type of location data; and

wherein the one or more computer servers are configured to select the plurality of handheld electronic devices for generating the automobile traffic information based on the determination.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the automobile traffic information is provided to a computer hosting an Internet site.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more computer servers are further configured to request the location data from the plurality of handheld electronic devices.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the determination is made based further on whether the location of the handheld electronic devices are within a predefined geographic area.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more computer servers are further configured to encrypt the location data so as to keep it private.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more computer servers are further configured to maintain a list of active handheld electronic devices and to add and subtract handheld electronic devices from the list.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more computer servers are further configured to receive at least one of speed, altitude, direction and time of day data of the plurality of handheld electronic devices.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more computer servers are further configured to receive a request from the computer for automobile traffic information.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more computer servers comprise a plurality of servers, wherein at least one server is connected to a wireless transmitter, wherein the at least one server is configured to maintain a list of the plurality of handheld devices.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the at least one server is configured to verify the identity of at least one handheld electronic device.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more computer servers are configured to continuously receive the location data and to generate automobile traffic information using the received location data of the plurality of handheld electronic devices.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the location data is collected transparent to users of the handheld electronic devices.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more computer servers is configured to provide the automobile traffic information to at least one of the handheld electronic devices.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more computer servers are configured to receive location data that is collected by each of the electronic devices and sent by the electronic device to the one or more computer servers.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more computer servers comprises a first server configured to collect information from a wireless communication system and to send data based on the information collected from the wireless communication system to a second server, the second server configured to generate automobile traffic information based on the location data.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the wireless communication system is a cell phone transmission system.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more computer servers comprises a server configured to receive location data from a first cell phone transmission system, a server configured to receive location information from a second cell phone transmission system, and a server configured to generate automobile traffic information based on the location data received.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more computer servers are configured to provide automobile traffic information that indicates that traffic is flowing well.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more computer servers are configured to use a subset of available location data from a subset of available electronic devices that can provide relevant information to generate the automobile traffic information at least a portion of the time.

20. A system, comprising:

means for providing location data associated with a plurality of handheld electronic devices using a wireless network;

means for storing identification data for each of the plurality of handheld electronic devices;

means for receiving from the plurality of handheld electronic devices an indication of the type of location data each of the plurality of handheld electronic devices is configured to capture;

means for comparing the type of location data each of the plurality of handheld electronic devices is configured to capture to a desired type of location data;

means for selecting the plurality of handheld electronic devices for generating the automobile traffic information based on the comparison; and

means for generating automobile traffic information using the location data provided by the means for providing.

21. The system of claim 20, further comprising means for providing the automobile traffic information to a computer.

22. The system of claim 21, further comprising means for receiving a request from the computer for automobile traffic information.

23. The system of claim 20, further comprising means for encrypting the location data so as to keep it private.

24. The system of claim 20, further comprising means for maintaining a list of active handheld electronic devices and for adding and subtracting handheld electronic devices from the list.

25. A system for characterizing traffic conditions by processing location data of a plurality of wireless phones, comprising:

one or more computer servers configured to store location data of the plurality of wireless phones, to generate automobile traffic information using the location data of the plurality of wireless phones, and to provide the automobile traffic information;

wherein the one or more computer servers are configured to store identification data for each of the plurality of wireless phones, receive an indication of the type of location data each of the wireless phones is configured to capture, and select the plurality of wireless phones for generating the automobile traffic information based on comparing the type of location data each of the plurality of wireless phones is configured to capture to a desired type of location data.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the one or more computer servers are configured to store speed data associated with the plurality of wireless phones.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the one or more computer servers are further configured to identify whether the wireless phones are located within a predefined geographic area, to receive a request from a computer for automobile traffic information and to grant password-protected electronic access to the automobile traffic information.