Locating a target unit in a wireless network

• US 8,600,422 B2
• Filed: 07/16/2012
• Issued: 12/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fleet Connect Solutions LLC (Empire IP LLC)
• Original Assignee: Seong Sang Investments LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Himmelstein, Richard B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Figueroa, Marisol
• Application Number:
  US13/550,530
• Publication Number:
  US 20120281605A1
• Time in Patent Office: 505 Days
• Field of Search: 455/518, 455/519, 455/456.1, 455/416
• US Class Current: 455/518
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40 Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentials; Review and approval of payers, e.g. check credit lines or negative lists
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0265 Vehicular advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 Wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 15/063 using wireless information transmission between the vehicle and a fixed station identification of vehicles G08G
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3805 with built-in auxiliary receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/03 Protecting confidentiality, e.g. by encryption
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/024 Guidance services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/027 using movement velocity, acceleration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/40 for vehicles, e.g. vehicle-to-pedestrians [V2P]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/46 for vehicle-to-vehicle communication [V2V]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• 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 84/18 : Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 : adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

Communication between a requesting unit and target units in a wireless network is disclosed. Searching is performed to locate target units by comparing identifying information with information received by the requesting unit from a user. Calculating, in real time during a communication, an amount of time left in the communication based on speed, direction and location of the target units and the speed, the direction and the location of the requesting unit may also be performed.

Claims

1. A method of communicating with target units in a wireless network performed by a requesting unit, the method comprising:

storing, by the requesting unit, identifying information of the requesting unit and a plurality of target units;

searching, by the requesting unit, to locate at least one of the plurality of target units, wherein the searching compares the identifying information with information received by the requesting unit from a user; and

calculating, by the requesting unit in real time during a communication, an amount of time left in the communication based on speed, direction and location of the at least one of the plurality of target units and the speed, the direction and the location of the requesting unit.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

notifying, by the requesting unit, the user when the identifying information of the requesting unit matches the identifying information of the at least one of the plurality of target units.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein a mobile unit functions as the requesting unit or the at least one of the plurality of target units.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the storing comprises entering the identifying information, wherein the identifying information comprises temporary identifying information.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the requesting unit is a mobile unit, a motor vehicle, a cellular telephone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), or a wireless communication device.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the identifying information is stored on the wireless network.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the searching comprises comparing the identifying information associated with the at least one of the plurality of target units to the requesting unit'"'"'s identifying information, wherein the at least one of the plurality of target units is located within a predetermined distance of the requesting unit.

8. A method of communicating with target units in a wireless network performed by a target unit, the method comprising:

storing, by the target unit, identifying information of the target unit;

receiving, by the target unit, information provided by a user of a requesting unit;

comparing, by the target unit, the identifying information of the target unit with the information received from the user of the requesting unit to determine a match;

providing, by the target unit, a notification to a user of the target unit of matching information received from the user of the requesting unit;

initiating, by the target unit, a communication between the requesting unit and the target unit using at least one communication packet; and

calculating, by the target unit, in real time during the communication an amount of time left in the communication based on speed, direction and location of the target unit and the speed, the direction and the location of the requesting unit.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein a mobile unit functions as the requesting unit or the target unit.

10. The method according to claim 8, wherein the storing comprises storing temporary identifying information.

11. The method according to claim 8, wherein the identifying information is stored on the wireless network.

12. The method according to claim 8, wherein the comparing comprises matching a predetermined number of items of the identifying information of the target unit with the information from the user of the requesting unit.

13. The method according to claim 8, wherein the notification comprises providing a visual indicator to the user.

14. The method according to claim 8, wherein the notification comprises an audio indicator to each user.

15. The method according to claim 8, further comprising:

detecting, by the target unit, that the target unit is within a predetermined distance of the requesting unit.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the detecting is performed by a global positioning system device contained in a mobile unit.

17. A requesting unit comprising:

memory configured to store identifying information of the requesting unit and a plurality of target units;

circuitry configured to search to locate at least one of the plurality of target units, wherein the searching compares the identifying information with information received by the requesting unit from a user; and

circuitry configured to calculate, in real time during a communication, an amount of time left in the communication based on speed, direction and location of the at least one of the plurality of target units and the speed, the direction and the location of the requesting unit.

18. The requesting unit according to claim 17, further comprising:

circuitry configured to notify the user when the identifying information of the requesting unit matches the identifying information of the at least one of the plurality of target units.

19. The requesting unit according to claim 17, wherein the requesting unit functions as the at least one of the plurality of target units.

20. The requesting unit according to claim 17, wherein the identifying information comprises temporary identifying information.

21. The requesting unit according to claim 17, wherein the identifying information is stored on the wireless network.

22. The requesting unit according to claim 17, further comprising:

circuitry configured to compare the identifying information associated with the at least one of the plurality of target units located within a predetermined distance of the requesting unit.

23. The requesting unit according to claim 17, wherein the requesting unit is a mobile unit, a motor vehicle, a cellular telephone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), or a wireless communication device.

24. A requesting unit comprising:

a processor configured to store identification information of the requesting unit and a plurality of target units;

the processor configured to search to locate at least one of the plurality of target units, wherein the searching compares the identifying information with information received by the requesting unit from a user; and

the processor configured to calculate in real time during a communication, an amount of time left in the communication based on speed, direction and location of the at least one of the plurality of target units and the speed, the direction and the location of the requesting unit.