Multi-device location monitoring system

• US 8,095,147 B2
• Filed: 09/15/2006
• Issued: 01/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications USA Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Ahlgren, Erik Anders
• Primary Examiner(s): Pérez-Gutiérrez, Rafael
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kirk, Lameka J.
• Application Number:
  US11/532,300
• Publication Number:
  US 20070254626A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,943 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456.1, 455/456.2, 455/456.3, 455418-420, 340/5.1, 3405391-53932
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/43 using carrier phase measurements, e.g. kinematic positioning; using long or short baseline interferometry
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/51 Relative positioning
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2205/008 using a mobile telephone network
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0018 Transmission from mobile station to base station
• 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 device are provided for receiving a wireless location tracking activation signal. Location monitoring in initiated based on the received wireless location tracking activation. A geographic location is periodically determined and transmitted to a remote device.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

at a first mobile device, receiving a wireless location tracking activation signal from a separate second mobile device, where the wireless location tracking activation signal is transmitted from the second mobile device to the first mobile device using a near field communication (NFC) protocol;

initiating location monitoring at the first mobile device based on the received wireless location tracking activation signal;

periodically determining a geographic location of the first mobile device; and

transmitting the geographic location of the first mobile device from the first mobile device though a network to a remote device that is separate from the first and second mobile devices,

where the transmitting the geographic location to the remote device includes;

including the geographic location in cellular radiotelephone registration signals; and

periodically transmitting the cellular radiotelephone registration signals to an antenna associated with a cellular service provider.

2. The method of claim 1,

where the receiving includes:

receiving the wireless location tracking activation signal via a passive wireless receiver; and

where the initiating the location monitoring includes;

drawing power from the wireless location tracking activation signal to transmit a signal from the passive wireless receiver to location monitoring logic of the first mobile device for initiating the location monitoring.

3. The method of claim 1, where the periodically determining a geographic location includes:

receiving global positioning satellite signals; and

calculating the geographic location based on the received global positioning satellite signals.

4. The method of claim 1, where the periodically determining a geographic location includes:

receiving cellular radiotelephone location signals; and

calculating the geographic location based on the received cellular radiotelephone location signals.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing the geographic location in a memory of the first mobile device; and

transmitting the geographic location to the remote device from the memory of the first mobile device.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a wireless location tracking deactivation signal; and

using power from the wireless location tracking deactivation signal to terminate the location monitoring.

7. The method of claim 1, where the first mobile device comprises one of a laptop computer, a cellular telephone, or a personal digital assistant.

8. The method of claim 1, where the first mobile device comprises at least one of an input device or an output device.

9. The method of claim 1, where the second mobile device comprises at least one of a laptop computer, a cellular telephone, or a personal digital assistant.

10. The method of claim 1, where the location tracking activation signal is sent from the second mobile device to the first mobile device in response to a user selection at the second mobile device.

11. A mobile device comprising:

a passive wireless receiver to;

receive a first activation signal from another mobile device,

transmit a second activation signal using power from the first activation signal,

receive a first deactivation signal from the other mobile device, and

transmit a second deactivation signal using power from the first deactivation signal;

a geographic location device to;

receive the second activation signal,

periodically receive location monitoring signals from remote location monitoring devices in response to receiving the second activation signal,

periodically calculate geographic location information based on the periodically received location monitoring signals,

periodically transmit a geographic location information signal including the geographic location information, and

cease calculating geographic location information upon receiving the second deactivation signal; and

a wireless transceiver to;

receive the geographic location information signal,

establish a wireless connection with a remote device in response to receiving the geographic location information signal, and

periodically transmit the geographic location information to the remote device via the wireless connection.

12. The mobile device of claim 11, where the passive wireless transceiver receives the first activation signal via a near field communication (NFC) protocol.

13. The mobile device of claim 11, where when transmitting the second activation signal, the passive wireless receiver is configured to:

transmit the second activation signal via a bus.

14. The mobile device of claim 11, where the mobile device includes a mobile telephone.

15. The mobile device of claim 11, where the geographic location device consumes no power prior to receiving the second activation signal.

16. A network device comprising:

means for receiving a first location tracking activation signal from an external device using a near field communication (NFC) protocol;

means for transmitting a second location tracking activation signal in response to receiving the first location tracking activation signal, the second location tracking activation signal causing location monitoring logic within the network device to power up, where power for transmitting the second location tracking activation signal is drawn from the first location tracking activation signal;

means for periodically determining a geographic location of the network device upon power up of the location monitoring logic, where said means for determining the geographic location of the network device comprises means for storing location monitoring data;

means for periodically transmitting the determined geographic location to a remote device;

means for receiving a wireless location tracking deactivation signal; and

means for using power from the wireless location tracking deactivation signal to terminate the location monitoring.