GPS data management module for use in location-based service systems

• US 8,265,650 B2
• Filed: 09/01/2006
• Issued: 09/11/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/01/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Radio IP Software Inc.
• Original Assignee: Radio IP Software Inc.
• Inventors: Emond, Germain
• Primary Examiner(s): Pérez-Gutiérrez, Rafael
• Assistant Examiner(s): VIANA DI PRISCO, GERMAN
• Application Number:
  US11/514,223
• Publication Number:
  US 20070049292A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,202 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456.1, 342/357.2
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0018 Transmission from mobile station to base station
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

A system and method are presented to provide radio and GPS coverage versatility in a location-based service (LBS) system, such as an automatic vehicle location (AVL) system. A mobile client in communication with one or more servers of an LBS system includes one or more mobile communication devices and one or more GPS devices for establishing a position of the client. The client is configured to determine whether none of the one or more GPS devices provide the server access to the position through a wireless protocol implemented therewith, or whether the position should be communicated to the server using the one or more communication devices.

Claims

1. A Location-Based Service (LBS) system comprising:

a mobile communication system comprising;

a fixed part comprising a first coverage area and a second coverage area outside of said first area;

a mobile part comprising at least one mobile device, each of said at least one mobile device comprising a Global Positioning System (GPS) device for establishing a GPS position of said mobile device and a management module for determining when said mobile device is within said first coverage area or said second coverage area; and

a data communication link between said fixed part and said mobile part; and

an LBS server for maintaining a current position of said at least one mobile device;

wherein said current position of said at least one mobile device is available within said fixed part when said at least one mobile device is within said first coverage area and wherein said current position is unavailable within said fixed part when said at least one mobile device is within said second coverage area;

wherein when said mobile device is within said first coverage area, said current position of said at least one mobile device is received at said LBS server from said fixed part and wherein when said management module determines that said mobile device is within said second coverage area, said GPS position of said at least one mobile device is transmitted periodically to said LBS server from said mobile device via a TCP/IP data connection established between said mobile device and said LBS server using said data communication link.

2. The LBS system of claim 1, wherein said first coverage area comprises a first base station and further wherein when said mobile device is within said first coverage area, said GPS position is transmitted to said first base station using said communication link and wherein said current position is said GPS position.

3. The LBS system of claim 1, wherein said fixed part comprises a plurality of base stations and wherein said current position is determined by said fixed part using triangulation between said plurality of base stations.

4. The LBS system of claim 1, wherein said mobile device further comprises a mobile gateway and a plurality of drivers, each said drivers associated with said GPS device for providing a communications interface between said mobile gateway and said GPS device.

5. The LBS system of claim 1, wherein said fixed part further comprises an LBS platform and wherein said LBS server is within said platform, said LBS platform including a base GPS data management module (BGDMM) for management of said position current gathered from said at least one mobile device as well as from network access terminals within said LBS platform.

6. The LBS system of claim 1, wherein said at least one mobile device is located in a vehicle and further wherein said LBS server comprises an application for monitoring a movement of said vehicle.

7. The LBS system of claim 1, further comprising a strap for attaching said at least one mobile device to a convicted criminal and further wherein said LBS server comprises an application for monitoring a current location of said convicted criminal.

8. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein said TCP/IP data connection has been optimised for wireless communications.

9. The mobile device of claim 8, wherein said optimised for wireless communications comprises reduced header length, elimination of duplicate TCP/IP packets and data compression.

10. A method for providing a current position of a mobile device comprising a Global Positioning System (GPS) device to a Location-Based Service (LBS) server, the mobile device moving within a fixed network comprising a first coverage area where the current position is transmitted periodically from the mobile device to the fixed network as part of normal operation of a communication system between the mobile device and the fixed network such that the current position of the mobile device is available within the fixed network when the mobile device is within the first coverage area and a second coverage area outside of said first coverage area where the current position is not transmitted from the mobile device to the fixed network as part of normal operation of the communication system such that the current position is not available within the fixed network when the mobile device is within the second coverage area, the method comprising:

establishing the current position using the GPS device;

determining if the mobile device is within the first coverage area or the second coverage area;

if the current position is within the first coverage area, communicating the current position to the LBS server using a data connection established between the fixed network and the LBS server; and

if the current position is within the second coverage area, communicating the current position periodically to the LBS server directly using a TCP/IP data connection established between the mobile device and the LBS server using the communication system.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said TCP/IP data connection is optimised for wireless communications.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said optimised for wireless communications comprises reduced header length, elimination of duplicate TCP/IP packets and data compression.

13. A mobile device for use in a wireless communication system, the system including at least one server adapted for communication over a fixed network and for providing a Location-Based Service (LBS) wherein a current position of the mobile device is available within the fixed network when the mobile device is within a first coverage area and wherein the current position is unavailable within the fixed network when the mobile device is within a second coverage area, the device comprising:

a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver for establishing the current position of the mobile device;

a transceiver for providing a communication link with the fixed network, and

a management module for determining whether the mobile device is within one of the first coverage and the second coverage area,

wherein if the management module determines that the mobile device is within the second coverage area, said device establishes a TCP/IP data connection with the server using said communication link and transmits said current position periodically to the server using said TCP/IP data connection.

14. The mobile device of claim 13, comprising a pair of transceivers for providing a pair of communication links with the fixed network wherein a first of said pair of communication links is available in a first coverage area and a second of said pair of communication links is available in a second coverage area not overlapping with said first coverage area, wherein when the mobile device is within said first coverage area the server has access to said current position within the fixed network and wherein when the mobile device is within said second coverage the server does not have access to said current position within the fixed network.

15. The mobile device of claim 14, wherein said current position is transmitted systematically to said fixed network as part of the normal operation of said first communication link.

16. A computer program product embodied on at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium within a mobile device, the mobile device in communication through a mobile communication system and a fixed network with a Location-Based Service (LBS) system, the device comprising a transceiver and a GPS receiver for establishing a position of the client, the computer program product comprising:

computer code for obtaining the current position from the GPS device;

computer code for determining if the current position is within one of a first coverage area where the current position is transmitted periodically from the mobile device to the fixed network and therefore is available within the fixed network as part of normal operation of the mobile communication system between the mobile device and the fixed network when the mobile device is within said first coverage area and a second coverage area outside of said first coverage area where the current position is not transmitted between the mobile device and the fixed network and therefore the current position is not available within the fixed network when the mobile device is within said second coverage area as part of normal operation of the mobile communication system; and

computer code for establishing a TCP/IP data connection between the mobile device and the LBS server using the communication link and periodically communicating the current position to the LBS server via said TCP/IP data connection if the current position is not transmitted periodically to the fixed network as part of normal operation of the mobile communication system.