System and methods for locating mobile devices using location and presence information

• US 8,264,352 B2
• Filed: 04/09/2009
• Issued: 09/11/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Holley, Kerrie L., Piotrowski, Michael E., Ramanathan, Sri, Trevathan, Matthew B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Hung T.
• Application Number:
  US12/421,284
• Publication Number:
  US 20100259386A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,251 Days
• Field of Search: 340/568.1, 340/539.1, 340/539.11, 340/539.13, 340/541, 340/571, 340/573.4, 340/825.49, 340/825.69, 455/90, 455/410, 455/466, 455/575
• US Class Current: 340/568.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1016 IP multimedia subsystem [IMS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/54 Presence management, e.g. monitoring or registration for receipt of user log-on information, or the connection status of the users
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

A location based service and method configured to provide recovery assistance for a misplaced or stolen mobile device. The location based system and method is configured to locate (recover) high value mobile devices using location, presence and other IMS (IP Multimedia Subsystem) based telecommunications network assets. The method includes leveraging location dips performed for other services to drive a recovery process for a mobile device to thereby reduce resource overhead on a location platform; locating the mobile device using the location dips performed for other services; and sending a notification to a subscriber of the location of the mobile device for recovery of the mobile device.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method, comprising:

leveraging location dips performed for other services to drive a recovery process for a mobile device to thereby reduce resource overhead on a location platform;

locating the mobile device using the location dips performed for other services; and

sending a notification to a subscriber of the location of the mobile device for recovery of the mobile device are processed and/or controlled by a processor.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the location dips are performed by location capabilities embedded in a core telecommunications IMS and non-IMS network to continuously track the location of the mobile device on a periodic basis.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising reusing presence information to store location information, which is updated anytime the mobile device makes a location request.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising utilizing a carrier location platform to perform both cell sector and precise fixes.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising using pattern matching based on usage/location of the mobile device during predetermined time periods to drive the recovery process and reduce the resource overhead on the location platform.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising using notifications received from an agent on the mobile device to determine the location of the mobile device.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the agent is configured to start a specific sequence of recovery actions on behalf of the subscriber when an incorrect unlock code is entered into the mobile device a certain number of times.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the agent is configured to provide the notifications at predetermined intervals based on battery life of the mobile device.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising charging for the notification of the location.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the steps are provided on a computing infrastructure which is at least one of maintained, deployed, created and supported by a service provider.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the method is implemented in a computer infrastructure having computer executable code tangibly embodied on a computer readable storage medium device having programming instructions operable to perform the steps of claim 1.

12. A computer program product comprising a computer usable storage medium device having readable program code tangibly embodied in the storage medium device, the computer program product being operable to:

receive continuous notifications from an agent residing on a mobile device;

determine a location of the mobile device based on the continuous notifications;

send the location to a subscribing user in order to recover the mobile device are processed and/or controlled by a processor;

leverage location dips performed for other services to drive a recovery process for the mobile device;

locate the mobile device using the location dips performed for other services; and

send a notification to the subscribing user for recovery of the mobile device.

13. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein the computer program product is further operable to maintain track of presence information of the mobile device and reuse the presence information to store location information, which is updated anytime the mobile device makes a location request.

14. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein the computer program product is further operable to use pattern matching based on usage/location of the mobile device during predetermined time periods to drive the recovery and which is configured to reduce resource overhead on a location platform.

15. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein the agent is configured to start a specific sequence of recovery actions on behalf of the subscribing user.

16. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein the agent is configured to take into account battery life of the device when providing the continuous notifications.

17. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein the computer program product is provided on a computing infrastructure which is at least one of maintained, deployed, created and supported by a service provider on a fee and/or subscription basis.