Location information system for a wireless communication device and method therefore

• US 8,014,797 B2
• Filed: 09/11/2009
• Issued: 09/06/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: NorthStar Systems LLC (Alpha Alpha Intellectual Partners LLC), AmeriTech Properties Inc.
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Walsh, Patrick J., Kaschke, Kevin Daniel
• Primary Examiner(s): SING, SIMON P
• Application Number:
  US12/557,965
• Publication Number:
  US 20100003962A1
• Time in Patent Office: 725 Days
• Field of Search: 455 412- 413, 4554561-4566, 455/457
• US Class Current: 455/457
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/09 providing processing capability normally carried out by the receiver
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2205/02 Indoor
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0009 Transmission of position information to remote stations involving assistance data G01S5/0236
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0205 Details
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/14 Determining absolute distances from a plurality of spaced points of known location
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/50 for emergency connections

Abstract

The present application is directed to location information systems for wireless communication devices. In one implementation, a location information system sends location information to a wireless communication device present in a predetermined area in a facility over a short-range wireless communication channel. The location information informs the wireless communication device a location of the wireless communication device in the facility. The location information system sends the location information to the wireless communication device from a location in the facility other than the location of the wireless communication device in the facility.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, performed by a location information system, comprising:

sending, at a processor of the location information system, location information over a short-range wireless communication channel to a wireless communication device present in a predetermined area in a facility, the location information informing the wireless communication device of a location of the wireless communication device in the facility;

wherein the location information is sent to the wireless communication device from a location in the facility other than the location of the wireless communication device in the facility.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving area-specific location information, including the location information sent to the wireless communication device, the area-specific location information representing a plurality of location descriptions associated respectively with a plurality of predetermined areas in the facility.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a request to send location information to the wireless communication device;

wherein sending the location information to the wireless communication device comprises;

sending the location information to the wireless communication device in response to the request to send location information to the wireless communication device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein sending the location information to the wireless communication device comprises:

sending the location information to the wireless communication device unsolicited by the wireless communication device.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a request from the wireless communication device to determine whether a location information service is available to the wireless communication device in the facility; and

a processor of the location information system sending a response to the wireless communication device indicating that the location information service is available to the wireless communication device in the facility.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the request from the wireless communication device is received over the short-range wireless communication channel and the response to the request is sent to the wireless communication device over the short-range wireless communication channel.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

broadcasting a signal to the wireless communication device over the short-range wireless communication channel indicating that a location information service is available to the wireless communication device in the facility.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining the location information based on received global positioning system signals.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the short-range wireless communication channel is configured to operate in accordance with the Bluetooth technology specification.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless communication device comprises a cellular telephone.

11. A tangible computer-readable storage medium comprising a set of instructions for directing a processor to at least:

send location information to a wireless communication device present in a predetermined area in a facility over a short-range wireless communication channel, the location information informing the wireless communication device of a location of the wireless communication device in the facility;

wherein the location information is sent to the wireless communication device from a location in the facility other than the location of the wireless communication device in the facility.

12. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, further comprising a set of instructions to direct the processor to at least:

receive a request from the wireless communication device to determine whether a location information service is available to the wireless communication device in the facility; and

send a response to the wireless communication device indicating that the location information service is available to the wireless communication device in the facility.

13. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, further comprising a set of instructions to direct the processor to at least:

broadcast a signal to the wireless communication device over the short-range wireless communication channel indicating that a location information service is available to the wireless communication device in the facility.

14. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the short-range wireless communication channel is configured to operate in accordance with the Bluetooth technology specification.

15. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the wireless communication device comprises a cellular telephone.

16. A location information system comprising:

a wireless communication unit configured to send location information to a wireless communication device present in a predetermined area in a facility over a short-range communication channel, the location information informing the wireless communication device of a location of the wireless device in the facility, wherein the wireless communication unit sends the location information to the wireless communication device from a location in the facility other than the location of the wireless communication device in the facility.

17. The location information system of claim 16, further comprising:

a controller in communication with the wireless communication unit, the controller being configured to direct the wireless communication unit to send the location information to the wireless communication device in response to receipt of a request from the wireless to determine whether a location information service is available to the wireless communication device in the facility.

18. The location information system of claim 16, wherein the wireless communication unit broadcasts a signal to the wireless communication device of the short-range wireless communication channel indicating that a location information service is available to the wireless communication device in the facility.

19. The location information system of claim 16, wherein the wireless communication unit is configured to operate in accordance with the Bluetooth technology specification.

20. The location information system of claim 16, wherein the wireless communication device comprises a cellular telephone.