Method for pulling geographic location data from a remote wireless telecommunications mobile unit

• US 7,848,763 B2
• Filed: 02/12/2009
• Issued: 12/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Karma Automotive LLC (Wanxiang Group Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Airbiquity Incorporated
• Inventors: Fournier, Andre F. A., Sawyer, Michael S., Jahani, Allen A., Grant, Stephen M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gesesse, Tilahun
• Application Number:
  US12/370,062
• Publication Number:
  US 20090149196A1
• Time in Patent Office: 663 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456.1, 455/456.2, 455/456.4, 455/12.1, 455/13.1
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72409 by interfacing with external accessories hands-free H04M1/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/10 including a GPS signal receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

A method to remotely determine a location of a mobile unit without intervention by a user of the mobile unit is provided. The mobile unit may receive a location query, download location data from a GPS, and transmit the location data via a wireless telecommunications network. For example, a call center may initiate a location query using a voice channel call to the mobile unit. In addition, the mobile unit may select a mode of communication from a number of alternative modes of digital wireless communication based upon a determined characteristic of the transmission mode. By way of example, the determined characteristic could be a transmission speed, cost of transmission, or signal strength of the selected communication mode. Furthermore, the unit may be a battery pack or other accessory device attachable to a wireless telephone handset, or integrated within a mobile unit.

Claims

1. A remote method of determining a geographic location of a wireless mobile unit capable of communicating with a wireless telecommunications network, the method comprising the steps of:

at the mobile unit, receiving a location query via a wireless telecommunications network serving the mobile unit;

responsive to the location query, downloading location data from a GPS unit in the mobile unit; and

transmitting the location data via said wireless telecommunications network

wherein the mobile unit supports at least two communication modes and further comprising;

determining what wireless communication modes are currently available to the mobile unit on the network;

assessing at least one selected characteristic of each of the currently available communication modes;

based on the assessment, determining a preferred one of the currently available communication modes communication mode to transmit the location data; and

transmitting the location data via the preferred communication mode.

2. The method of determining a geographic location of a wireless mobile unit according to claim 1 wherein the location query is initiated by a call center.

3. The method of determining a geographic location of a wireless mobile unit according to claim 2 wherein the location query is initiated from the call center via a voice channel call to the mobile unit.

4. The method of determining a geographic location of a wireless mobile unit according to claim 2 wherein the location query is initiated by another user remote from the mobile unit.

5. The method of determining a geographic location of a wireless mobile unit according to claim 1 further comprising:

processing the location information transmitted by the mobile unit via said wireless telecommunications network; and

reporting the processed location information to another location remote from the mobile unit.

6. The method of determining a geographic location of a wireless mobile unit according to claim 1 further comprising receiving and processing the transmitted location data at a call center.

7. The method of determining a geographic location of a wireless mobile unit according to claim 1 wherein the selected characteristic is selected from a group of characteristics comprising return signal strength, cost, available bandwidth, transmission speed, user preference, carrier preference, data type and cellular roaming.