System and method for monitoring the location of individuals via the world wide web using a wireless communications network

• US 8,320,935 B2
• Filed: 10/16/2007
• Issued: 11/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Meadows, Vernon, Harper, Michael S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Agosta, Steve D
• Application Number:
  US11/872,837
• Publication Number:
  US 20080146251A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,869 Days
• Field of Search: 455/404.2, 455/414.1, 4554561-457, 455/466, 455/521, 701/200, 340/989
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/00 Affiliation to network, e.g. registration; Terminating affiliation with the network, e.g. de-registration
• 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 64/006 with additional information processing, e.g. for direction or speed determination

Abstract

A system is described for monitoring the geographical location of a subscriber'"'"'s mobile cellular telephone, and for providing the location information to an authorized user through the world wide web. The geographical location of the subscriber'"'"'s mobile cellular telephone is tracked using registration signals transmitted over the control channel by the cellular telephone. This information is supplied to a geographical location coordinator system, which determines the geographical coordinates for the cellular telephone. A database stores the geographical location information along with a subscriber'"'"'s telephone number and account code. The database is updated to track the movement of the cellular telephone user across a geographical area.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring a location of a wireless communication device within a geographical region from a remote location, comprising:

an input for receiving control signals detected from the wireless communication device by a plurality of receivers located across the geographical region, wherein the control signals are continuously transmitted from the wireless communication device even when the wireless communication device is turned off;

an output for providing location information corresponding to the wireless communication device determined according to the received control signals detected by the plurality of receivers to only authorized users through the Internet via an Internet server, wherein the location information is provided on an Internet website accessible by an authorized user on a personal computer, the location information corresponding to the wireless communication device is output to the Internet server via a geographic location database that maintains location information for a plurality of wireless communication devices sorted by authorized user access code, and location information for a plurality of wireless communication devices associated with the same access code is accessible by the authorized user.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the location information corresponding to the wireless communication device is provided to a mapping graphical user interface accessible via the authorized user.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the location information corresponding to the wireless communication device is provided as a text message accessible to the authorized user on an interactive pager.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the location information corresponding to the wireless communication device is provided to the authorized user as an audio signal.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein location information for a plurality of wireless communication devices is simultaneously accessible by the authorized user.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a processor for determining the location information corresponding to the wireless communication device according to the received control signals detected from the wireless communication device by the plurality of receivers.

7. A method for monitoring a location of a wireless communication device within a geographical region from a remote location, comprising:

receiving control signals detected from the wireless communication device by a plurality of receivers across the geographical region, wherein the control signals are continuously transmitted from the wireless communication device even when the wireless communication device is turned off; and

providing location information corresponding to the wireless communication device determined according to the received control signals detected by the plurality of receivers to only authorized users via an Internet server, wherein the location information is provided on an Internet website accessible by an authorized user on a personal computer, the location information corresponding to the wireless communication device is output to the Internet server via a geographic location database that maintains location information for a plurality of wireless communication devices sorted by authorized user access code, and location information for a plurality of wireless communication devices associated with the same access code is accessible by the authorized user.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the location information corresponding to the wireless communication device is provided to a mapping graphical user interface accessible via the authorized user.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the location information corresponding to the wireless communication device is provided as a text message accessible to the authorized user on an interactive pager.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the location information corresponding to the wireless communication device is provided to the authorized user as an audio signal.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein location information for a plurality of wireless communication devices is simultaneously accessible by the authorized user.

12. A system for monitoring locations of a plurality of wireless communication devices within a geographical region from a remote location, comprising:

an input for receiving control signals detected from the wireless communication devices by a plurality of receivers across the geographical region, wherein the control signals are continuously transmitted from the wireless communication devices even when the wireless communication devices are turned off; and

an output for providing location information corresponding to each of the wireless communication devices determined according to the received control signals detected by the plurality of receivers to only authorized users via an Internet server, wherein the location information corresponding to the wireless communication devices is provided on an Internet website accessible by an authorized user via a personal computer, the location information corresponding to the wireless communication devices is output to the Internet server via a geographic location database that maintains location information for the plurality of wireless communication devices sorted by authorized user access code, and location information for a plurality of wireless communication devices associated with the same access code is accessible by the authorized user.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the location information corresponding to the wireless communication device is provided to a mapping graphical user interface accessible via an authorized user.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the location information corresponding to each of the wireless communication devices is provided as a text message accessible to an authorized user on an interactive pager.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the location information corresponding to the wireless communication device is provided to an authorized user as an audio signal.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the location information for each of the plurality of wireless communication devices is simultaneously accessible by an authorized user.

17. The system of claim 12, further comprising a processor for determining the location information corresponding to each of the wireless communication devices according to the received control signals detected by the plurality of receivers.