System and method for providing routing, mapping, and relative position information to users of a communication network

• US 8,509,412 B2
• Filed: 12/02/2011
• Issued: 08/13/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Artax LLC (IPValuation Partners, LLC)
• Original Assignee: TeleCommunication Systems Inc (Comtech Telecommunications Corporation)
• Inventors: Sheha, Michael A., Petilli, Stephen, Sheha, Angie
• Primary Examiner(s): ADDY, THJUAN KNOWLIN
• Application Number:
  US13/373,841
• Publication Number:
  US 20120087485A1
• Time in Patent Office: 620 Days
• Field of Search: 379/207.12, 379/201.06, 379/201.11, 379/201.1, 379/201.01, 709/207, 709/223
• US Class Current: 379/207.12
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/575 Means for retrieving and displaying personal data about calling party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/22 Automatic class or number identification arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/10 including a GPS signal receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42 Systems providing special services or facilities to subscribers specially adapted for wireless communication networks H04W4/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42042 Notifying the called party of information on the calling party details within substation equipment H04M1/57, signalling details H04Q3/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42093 Notifying the calling party of information on the called or connected party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42348 Location-based services which utilize the location information of a target

Abstract

A system and method providing real-time position information of one party to another party by utilizing a conventional telecommunication network system (e.g., the telephone network, a mobile telecommunications network, a computer network, or the Internet). The present invention allows a caller and a receiver of a telephone call to provide to and receive from each other position information related to the caller and/or receiver'"'"'s location, including address information, GPA coordinates, nearby fixed locations (e.g., a parking structure), etc. The present invention allows a caller and receiver to retrieve routing instructions or maps for travelling to/from one another. A party may locate the position of another party via entry of the other party'"'"'s unique identifier (e.g., a phone number of the other party'"'"'s mobile phone). The position information of a party may be concurrently delivered to another party'"'"'s computer terminal whereby the other party can process the information in further detail.

Claims

1. A method of providing position information of a first wireless user device to a second wireless user device of a communication network, comprising:

receiving first wireless user device information including first phone number information associated with a first wireless user device;

receiving second user information including second phone number information associated with a second wireless user device;

receiving first wireless user device position information indicating a real-time location of said first wireless user device; and

transmitting call-related information including said first wireless user device position information to said second wireless user device.

2. The method of providing position information of a first wireless user device to a second wireless user device of a communication network according to claim 1, wherein:

said first wireless user device position information includes address information.

3. The method of providing position information of a first wireless user device to a second wireless user device of a communication network according to claim 1, wherein:

said first wireless user device position information includes Global Positioning System (GPS) coordinate information.

4. The method of providing position information of a first wireless user device to a second wireless user device of a communication network according to claim 1, wherein:

said first wireless user device position information includes nearby fixed location information.

5. The method of providing position information of a first wireless user device to a second wireless user device of a communication network according to claim 4, wherein:

said nearby fixed location information relates to a parking structure.

6. The method of providing position information of a first wireless user device to a second wireless user device of a communication network according to claim 1, further comprising:

accessing first user privacy information indicating a privacy setting associated with said first wireless user device, and indicating a duration of time during which permission is given to transmit said first wireless user device position information.

7. The method of providing position information of a first wireless user device to a second wireless user device of a communication network according to claim 6, further comprising:

said first user privacy information identifies a group of user devices that have permission to access said first wireless user device position information;

wherein said second wireless user device is permitted to access said first wireless user device position information.

8. The method of providing position information of a first wireless user device to a second wireless user device of a communication network according to claim 6, further comprising:

said duration of time corresponds to a duration of a telecommunication event between said first wireless user device and said second wireless user device.

9. The method of providing position information of a first wireless user device to a second wireless user device of a communication network according to claim 1, further comprising:

determining a route of travel between said real-time location of said first wireless user device and a real-time location of said second wireless user device; and

transmitting said route of travel to at least one of said first wireless user device and said second wireless user device.

10. The method of providing position information of a first wireless user device to a second wireless user device of a communication network according to claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting at least one of map data and point of interest data associated with said first wireless user device position information to at least one of said first wireless user device and second wireless user device.

11. A server to provide position information of a first wireless user device to a second wireless user device of a communication network, comprising:

a receiver, at a server, to receive first wireless user device information including first phone number information associated with a first wireless user device, to receive second user information including second phone number information associated with a second wireless user device, and to receive first wireless user device position information indicating a real-time location of said first wireless user device; and

a call related information provider, at said server, to provide call related information including said first wireless user device position information to said second wireless user device.

12. The server to provide position information of a first wireless user device to a second wireless user device of a communication network according to claim 11, wherein:

said first wireless user device position information includes address information.

13. The server to provide position information of a first wireless user device to a second wireless user device of a communication network according to claim 11, wherein:

said first wireless user device position information includes Global Positioning System (GPS) coordinate information.

14. The server to provide position information of a first wireless user device to a second wireless user device of a communication network according to claim 11, wherein:

said first wireless user device position information includes nearby fixed location information.

15. The server to provide position information of a first wireless user device to a second wireless user device of a communication network according to claim 14, wherein:

said nearby fixed location information relates to a parking structure.

16. The server to provide position information of a first wireless user device to a second wireless user device of a communication network according to claim 11, further comprising:

accessing first user privacy information indicating a privacy setting associated with said first wireless user device, indicating a duration of time during which permission is given to transmit said first wireless user device position information.

17. The server to provide position information of a first wireless user device to a second wireless user device of a communication network according to claim 16, wherein:

said first user privacy information identifies a group of user devices that have permission to access said first wireless user device position information;

wherein said second wireless user device is permitted to access said first wireless user device position information.

18. The server to provide position information of a first wireless user device to a second wireless user device of a communication network according to claim 16, further comprising:

said duration of time corresponds to a duration of a telecommunication event between said first wireless user device and said second wireless user device.

19. The server to provide position information of a first wireless user device to a second wireless user device of a communication network according to claim 11, further comprising:

a determiner to determine a route of travel between said real-time location of said first wireless user device and a real-time location of said second wireless user device; and

a transmitter to transmit said route of travel to at least one of said first wireless user device and said second wireless user device.

20. The server to provide position information of a first wireless user device to a second wireless user device of a communication network according to claim 11, further comprising:

a transmitter to transmit at least one of map data and point of interest data associated with said first wireless user device position information to at least one of said first wireless user device and second wireless user device.