Method to provide ad hoc and password protected digital and voice networks

• US 8,364,129 B1
• Filed: 04/16/2010
• Issued: 01/29/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AGIS Software Development LLC (AGIS Holdings Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Advanced Ground Information Systems, Inc. (AGIS Holdings Inc.)
• Inventors: Beyer, Malcolm K. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Afshar, Kamran
• Assistant Examiner(s): Obayanju, Omoniyi
• Application Number:
  US12/761,533
• Time in Patent Office: 1,019 Days
• Field of Search: 455/414.2, 455/403, 455/420
• US Class Current: 455/414.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/27475 using interactive graphical means or pictorial representations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72406 by software upgrading or downloading
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/7243 with interactive means for internal management of messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72469 for operating the device by selecting functions from two or more displayed items, e.g. menus or icons
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/10 including a GPS signal receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector digitizers for touch screens G06F3/041
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/62 user interface aspects of conference calls
• 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 4/08 User group management
• 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 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

A method and system includes the ability for individuals to set up an ad hoc digital and voice network easily and rapidly to allow users to coordinate their activities by eliminating the need for pre-entry of data into a web or identifying others by name, phone numbers or email. This method is especially useful for police, fire fighters, military, first responders or other emergency situations for coordinating different organizations at the scene of a disaster to elevate conventional communication problems either up and down the chain of command or cross communication between different emergency units. The method and system provides that the users are only required to enter a specific Server IP address and an ad hoc event name, a password and perhaps the name of the particular unit. The system therefore defines the method of accomplishing the ad hoc network by providing all responding personnel that need to communicate with PC'"'"'s or PDA'"'"'s which are interconnected to the IP Server using cellular or other communications.

Claims

1. A method of communicating among a group of participants/designated users each having a cell phone including a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) or smart PDA/Personal Computing (PC) device, a touch screen display, and associated Global Positioning System (GPS) and Advanced Communication Software (ACS) allowing each of said cellular phone users to exchange data through a server for establishing a network of participants to exchange or display identity, location, status, said method including establishing a private ad hoc temporary digital network that includes an ad hoc event name for rapidly coordinating activities that eliminates the need for pre-entry data to a web or identifying others by name, E mail address or phone number comprising the steps of:

sending a message from a first user cell phone PDA/PC to the Server by entering the Server'"'"'s Internet Protocol (IP) address and an ad hoc event name and a password onto the Server identifying said first user;

the Server storing the first user'"'"'s IP address and the first user'"'"'s ad hoc event name and a password onto the Server'"'"'s database;

notifying the first user that the cell phone PDA/PC of the first user is connected to the Server;

reporting the first user'"'"'s cell phone PDA/PC GPS location and status information including cell strength and GPS and battery status to the Server;

recognizing at the Server other users'"'"' cell phone PDA/PC devices that sign on the Server with the same ad hoc event name and password and storing each of the other users'"'"' cell phone PDA/PC'"'"'s IP addresses;

passing cell phone users'"'"' location and status, entered tracks, geo-referenced white boards and chat information between all the ad hoc network users'"'"' cell phone PDA/PC devices who are signed on through the Server; and

transmitting received information that a particular cell phone ad hoc event user has addressed to another cell phone ad hoc event user by entering the other cell phone users'"'"' names or selecting other users'"'"' symbol;

automatically establishing voice communications between all cell phone participants in the ad hoc event name digital network including Push To Talk (PTT) cellular phones that are on the same network;

automatically dropping cell phones from the ad hoc digital network when a cell phone participant sends a drop me message or does not report within a specified, but adjustable time period; and

commanding all PTT cell phone users on the ad hoc network to cause their radio to shift to a specific PTT radio channel or frequency through the Server.

2. A method of communication as in claim 1 comprising additional steps of:

transmitting to the ad hoc password protected digital network Server for retransmission to the networked cell phones a defined map limited boundary area that limit the ad hoc group to only those user'"'"'s cell phone PDA/PC devices located within the geographical map limited boundary area to define the users of the ad hoc group; and

activating ACS software on the ad hoc networked cell phones that causes the cell phone to automatically send a “

drop me”

message to the ad hoc network Server when the cell phone determines the cell phone is out of the defined map area.

3. A method of communication as in claim 1 comprising an additional step of:

transmitting an IP message to the Server to command a participant cell phone, whose cell phone is on but which is not reporting location and status, to turn on its IP communications and to commence reporting location and status.

4. A method of communication as in claim 1, comprising the additional steps of:

enabling a network cell phone participant to push to talk with all other network cell phone participants that are in the ad hoc digital network;

allowing the network cell phone participant to push to talk with select specific network participants by having the network participant select a push to talk soft switch identifying the symbols of network cell phone participants to be selected; and

specifying a group of network cell phone participants by assigning their symbols to a list of network cell phone participants and associate the list with a soft switch which enables a network cell phone participant to have push to talk communications with all cell phone participants on the selected list.

5. A method of communication as in claim 1, comprising the additional steps of:

providing a network cell phone participant to transmit on a push to talk voice network, while the receiving cell phone network participant'"'"'s cell phone ACS relates the PTT/IP address to the IP address of the cell phone transmitting its identification on the digital ad hoc network that can then be used by the other PTT network participant'"'"'s cell phone ACS for flashing the transmitter cell phone'"'"'s name on screens, attaching a photograph to an ad hoc digital network symbol of the PTT transmitting cell phone to flash the photograph on the receiving cell phone'"'"'s PDA/PC display.