Devices, systems and methods for SMS-based location querying

• US 8,655,317 B2
• Filed: 03/04/2013
• Issued: 02/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: McNamara, Justin Michael Anthony, Davis, John Potts III, Rector, Jay Daryl
• Primary Examiner(s): SHAHEED, KHALID W
• Application Number:
  US13/783,942
• Publication Number:
  US 20130178193A1
• Time in Patent Office: 351 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456.2, 455/466, 455/550.1, 455/456.1, 455/457, 455/456.5, 455/456.6, 455/412.2, 455/412.1, 455/404.2, 455/414.1, 455/414.2, 455/414.3
• US Class Current: 455/411
• 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 4/14 Short messaging services, e.g. short message services [SMS] or unstructured supplementary service data [USSD]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/20 Services signaling; Auxiliary data signalling, i.e. transmitting data via a non-traffic channel

Abstract

The disclosure provides devices, systems, and methods for determining a position of a mobile communication device by communicating with the device via a Short Messaging System (SMS). A location query is submitted to an SMS center, which formats a first SMS message for delivery to the device. The first SMS message is delivered to a designated SMS port on the device. A location logic on the device receives the SMS via the SMS port, extracts the location query, and attempts to calculate a location from received satellite signals. The calculated location is submitted back to the SMS server, either to be forwarded to the location server, or to a network element or device that submitted the location query to the SMS center in the first place. Assistance data may additionally be delivered to the mobile communication device via the SMS port.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a processor; and

a memory storing logic that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to perform operations comprising

receiving, from a first device, a location query, the location query comprising an identifier of a second device and a request for a location of the second device,

transmitting, via a user plane, the location query to the second device,

receiving an error code indicating that the second device is unable to receive requests via the user plane,

in response to the error code, transmitting the location query to a short messaging system center for generation of a short messaging system message comprising the location query,

storing the error code, and

using the error code when a future location query associated with the second device is received for determining to transmit the future location query to the short messaging system server.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving, from the short messaging system center, the location of the second device; and

transmitting, to the first device, the location of the second device.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the operations further comprise transmitting, to the first device along with the location of the second device, other information about the second device, wherein the other information comprises presence information of the second device.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the operations further comprise transmitting, to the first device along with the location of the second device, other information about the second device, wherein the other information comprises past locations of the second device.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise determining whether the first device is authorized to access information about the location of the second device.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein determining whether the first device is authorized to access information about the location of the second device is based on security settings provided by the second device.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving, from the second device via the short message system center, a request for assistance data to be used by the second device to determine the location of the second device; and

providing the assistance data.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the assistance data comprises an approximate location of the second device and ephemeris data for a satellite selected based on the approximate location of the second device.

9. A method comprising:

receiving, at a location server comprising a processor, a location query from a first device, the location query comprising an identifier of a second device and a request for a location of the second device;

transmitting, by the location server via a user plane, the location query to the second device;

receiving, at the location server, an error code indicating that the second device is unable to receive requests via the user plane;

in response to the error code, transmitting, by the location server, the location query to a short messaging system center for generation of a short messaging system message comprising the location query;

storing, by the location server, the error code; and

using, by the location server, the error code when a future location query associated with the second device is received for determining to transmit the future location query to the short messaging system server.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

receiving, from the short messaging system center, the location of the second device; and

transmitting, to the first device, the location of the second device.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising transmitting, to the first device along with the location of the second device, other information about the second device, wherein the other information comprises presence information of the second device.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising transmitting, to the first device along with the location of the second device, other information about the second device, wherein the other information comprises past locations of the second device.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising determining whether the first device is authorized to access information about the location of the second device.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein determining whether the first device is authorized to access information about the location of the second device is based on security settings provided by the second device.

15. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

receiving, from the second device via the short message system center, a request for assistance data to be used by the second device to determine the location of the second device; and

providing the assistance data.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the assistance data comprises an approximate location of the second device and ephemeris data for a satellite selected based on the approximate location of the second device.

17. A device, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory storing logic that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to perform operations comprising

receiving, via a user plane, a location query, the location query comprising a request for a location of the device,

providing an error code indicating that the device is unable to receive requests via the user plane,

in response to providing the error code, receiving a first short message service message comprising the location query,

determining a location of the device, and

transmitting a second short message service message in response to the first short message service message, the second short message service message comprising the location of the device.

18. The device of claim 17, wherein the location query further comprises information identifying an original sender of the location query, and wherein the operations further comprise verifying that the original sender has permission to access the location of the device.

19. The device of claim 17, wherein the location query comprises information identifying an original sender of the location request, and wherein the operations further comprise providing a prompt to a user of the device that the original sender is querying the location of the device.

20. The device of claim 19, wherein the operations further comprise receiving, in response to the prompt, an indication whether the original sender is authorized to receive the location of the device.