Systems and methods for generating called device location based on cell sector information

• US 8,700,063 B2
• Filed: 08/09/2009
• Issued: 04/15/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Jagetiya, Vikas, Nacham, Ranganath
• Primary Examiner(s): Siddiqui, Kashif
• Assistant Examiner(s): Behnamian, Shahriar
• Application Number:
  US12/538,141
• Publication Number:
  US 20110034181A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,710 Days
• Field of Search: 455/434, 4554321-4322, 4554352-4352, 455436-453, 455/507, 455/509, 455511-515, 455/517, 455524-525, 370328-329, 370331-332, 370338-350, 379/207.13, 379/201.06
• US Class Current: 455/456.2
• 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 4/20 Services signaling; Auxiliary data signalling, i.e. transmitting data via a non-traffic channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

Implementations relate to systems and methods for generating called device location based on cell sector information for the called mobile device. Implementations relate to platforms and techniques relate in which a calling device can call a called device, such as a cellular telephone or network-enabled media player. The network can locate the called device using a paging process transmitted via the mobile switch(es) and associated base station(s) of the called device service provider. The called device can respond to the paging process by transmitting a message. The cell sector location of the base station to which the called device responds can be captured as the current location of the called device. The network can report the location of the called device to the calling device using different message formats, including SMS or USSD messages.

Claims

1. A method of generating location data for a mobile device, comprising:

initiating a voice call from a calling device to a called mobile device;

receiving a request from the calling device to capture location data of the called mobile device;

initiating a paging process to locate the called mobile device via a called device service provider;

identifying a cell sector location for the called mobile device based on a paging response of the called mobile device via the called device service provider;

generating called device location data for the called mobile device based on the cell sector location identified via the called device service provider;

transmitting the called device location data to the calling device; and

storing information related to the voice call between the calling device and the called mobile device, wherein the storing information includes storing at least one geographic location of the called device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the called mobile device comprises at least one of a cellular telephone, a Global Positioning System (GPS) device, a network-enabled personal digital assistant device, or a network-enabled media player device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the request to capture location data of the called mobile device comprises at least one of automatically initiating the request based on a user profile or initiating the request based on a user-supplied input.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the called device location comprises at least a set of longitude and latitude readings based on the cell sector location.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting the called device location data to the calling device comprises at least one of transmitting the called device location data via a SMS (short message service) message, or transmitting the called device location data via a GSM (Global System for Mobile communication) Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) message.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating an update to the called device location data based on a change in position of the called mobile device.

49. The method of claim 1, wherein the storing information related to the voice call between the calling device and the called mobile device comprises one at least one of storing the information on the calling device or the called device.

7. A system for generating location data for a mobile device, comprising:

a server, communicating with a wireless interface to a called mobile device, the server being configured to;

initiate a voice call from a calling device to the called mobile device,

receive a request from the calling device to capture location data of the called mobile device,

initiate a paging process to locate the called mobile device via a called device service provider,

identify a cell sector location for the called mobile device based on a paging response of the called mobile device via the called device service provider,

generate called device location data for the called mobile device based on the cell sector location identified via the called device service provider,

transmit the called device location data to the calling device; and

store information related to the voice call between the calling device and the called mobile device, wherein the server configured to store information includes storing at least one geographic location of the called device.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the called mobile device comprises at least one of a cellular telephone, a Global Positioning System (GPS) device, a network-enabled personal digital assistant device, or a network-enabled media player device.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the request to capture location data of the called mobile device comprises at least one of automatically initiating the request based on a user profile or initiating the request based on a user-supplied input.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the called device location comprises at least a set of longitude and latitude readings based on the cell sector location.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein the called device location data is transmitted to the calling device via at least one of transmitting the called device location data via a SMS (short message service) message, or transmitting the called device location data via a GSM (Global System for Mobile communication) Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) message.

12. The system of claim 7, wherein the server is further configured to generate an update to the called device location data based on a change in position of the called mobile device.

13. A system for generating location data for a mobile device, comprising:

means for serving data to a called mobile device, the means for serving data being configured to;

initiate a voice call from a means for calling to the called mobile device,

receive a request from the means for calling to capture location data of the called mobile device,

initiate a paging process to locate the called mobile device via a called device service provider,

identify a cell sector location for the called mobile device based on a paging response of the called mobile device via the called device service provider,

generate called device location data for the called mobile device based on the cell sector location identified via the called device service provider,

transmit the called device location data to the means for calling; and

store information related to the voice call between the means for calling and the called mobile device, wherein the means configured to store information further includes storing at least one geographic location of the called device.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the called mobile device comprises at least one of a cellular telephone, a Global Positioning System (GPS) device, a network-enabled personal digital assistant device, or a network-enabled media player device.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the request to capture location data of the called mobile device comprises at least one of automatically initiating the request based on a user profile or initiating the request based on a user-supplied input.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the called device location comprises at least a set of longitude and latitude readings based on the cell sector location.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the called device location data is transmitted to the calling device via at least one of transmitting the called device location data via a SMS (short message service) message, or transmitting the called device location data via a GSM (Global System for Mobile communication) Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) message.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein the means for serving is further configured to generate an update to the called device location data based on a change in position of the called mobile device.

19. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising:

at least one instruction for causing a computer to initiate a voice call from a calling device to a called mobile device;

at least one instruction for causing the computer to receive a request from the calling device to capture location data of the called mobile device;

at least one instruction for causing the computer to initiate a paging process to locate the called mobile device via a called device service provider;

at least one instruction for causing the computer to identify a cell sector location for the called mobile device based on a paging response of the called mobile device via the called device service provider;

at least one instruction for causing the computer to generate called device location data for the called mobile device based on the cell sector location identified via the called device service provider;

at least one instruction for causing the computer to transmit the called device location data to the calling device; and

at least one instruction for causing the computer to store information related to the voice call between the calling device and the called mobile device, wherein the at least one instruction to store information includes storing at least one geographic location of the called device.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 19, wherein the called mobile device comprises at least one of a cellular telephone, a Global Positioning System (GPS) device, a network-enabled personal digital assistant device, or a network-enabled media player device.

21. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 19, wherein the request to capture location data of the called mobile device comprises at least one of automatically initiating the request based on a user profile or initiating the request based on a user-supplied input.

22. The non-transitory computer-readable medium product of claim 19, wherein the called device location comprises at least a set of longitude and latitude readings based on the cell sector location.

23. The non-transitory computer-readable of claim 19, wherein the transmitting the called device location data to the calling device comprises at least one of transmitting the called device location data via a SMS (short message service) message, or transmitting the called device location data via a GSM (Global System for Mobile communication) Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) message.

24. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 19, further comprising generating an update to the called device location data based on a change in position of the called mobile device.

25. A method of receiving location information for a called device, comprising;

initiating a voice call to a called mobile device serviced by a called device service provider;

generating a request to capture location data of the called mobile device;

initiating a paging process to locate the called mobile device via the called device service provider;

receiving called device location data for the called mobile device based on a cell sector location identified via the paging process of the called device service provider; and

storing the received called device location data for the called mobile device.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the called mobile device comprises at least one of a cellular telephone, a Global Positioning System (GPS) device, a network-enabled personal digital assistant device, or a network-enabled media player device.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein the request to capture location data of the called mobile device comprises at least one of automatically initiating the request based on a user profile or initiating the request based on a user-supplied input.

28. The method of claim 25, wherein the called device location comprises at least a set of longitude and latitude readings based on the cell sector location.

29. The method of claim 25, wherein the called device location data is received in the communications device via at least one of transmitting the called device location data via a SMS (short message service) message, or transmitting the called device location data via a GSM (Global System for Mobile communication) Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) message.

30. The method of claim 25, further comprising receiving an update to the called device location data based on a change in position of the called mobile device.

31. A communications device, comprising:

an interface to a called device service provider; and

a processor, communicating with the interface, the processor being configured to;

initiate a voice call to a called mobile device serviced by the called device service provider,

generate a request to capture location data of the called mobile device,

initiate a paging process to locate the called mobile device via the called device service provider,

receive called device location data for the called mobile device based on a cell sector location identified via the paging process of the called device service provider; and

store the received called device location data for the called mobile device.

32. The device of claim 31, wherein the called mobile device comprises at least one of a cellular telephone, a Global Positioning System (GPS) device, a network-enabled personal digital assistant device, or a network-enabled media player device.

33. The device of claim 31, wherein the request to capture location data of the called mobile device comprises at least one of automatically initiating the request based on a user profile or initiating the request based on a user-supplied input.

34. The device of claim 31, wherein the called device location comprises at least a set of longitude and latitude readings based on the cell sector location.

35. The device of claim 31, wherein the called device location data is received in the communications device via at least one of transmitting the called device location data via a SMS (short message service) message, or transmitting the called device location data via a GSM (Global System for Mobile communication) Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) message.

36. The device of claim 31, wherein the processor is further configured to receive an update to the called device location data based on a change in position of the called mobile device.

37. A communications device, comprising:

means to provide an interface to a called device service provider; and

means for processing, communicating with the interface, the means for processing being configured to;

initiate a voice call to a called mobile device serviced by the called device service provider,

generate a request to capture location data of the called mobile device,

initiate a paging process to locate the called mobile device via the called device service provider,

receive called device location data for the called mobile device based on a cell sector location identified via the paging process of the called device service provider; and

store the received called device location data for the called mobile device.

38. The device of claim 37, wherein the called mobile device comprises at least one of a cellular telephone, a Global Positioning System (GPS) device, a network-enabled personal digital assistant device, or a network-enabled media player device.

39. The device of claim 37, wherein the request to capture location data of the called mobile device comprises at least one of automatically initiating the request based on a user profile or initiating the request based on a user-supplied input.

40. The device of claim 37, wherein the called device location comprises at least a set of longitude and latitude readings based on the cell sector location.

41. The device of claim 37, wherein the called device location data is received in the communications device via at least one of transmitting the called device location data via a SMS (short message service) message, or transmitting the called device location data via a GSM (Global System for Mobile communication) Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) message.

42. The device of claim 37, wherein the means for processing is further configured to receive an update to the called device location data based on a change in position of the called mobile device.

43. A non-transitory computer-readable medium, the non-transitory computer-readable medium being configured to program a communications device, comprising:

at least one instruction for causing a computer to initiate a voice call to a called mobile device serviced by a called device service provider;

at least one instruction for causing the computer to generate a request to capture location data of the called mobile device;

at least one instruction for causing the computer to initiate a paging process to locate the called mobile device via the called device service provider;

at least one instruction for causing the computer to receive called device location data for the called mobile device based on a cell sector location identified via the paging process of the called device service provider; and

at least one instruction for causing the computer to store the received called device location data for the called mobile device.

44. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 43, wherein the called mobile device comprises at least one of a cellular telephone, a Global Positioning System (GPS) device, a network-enabled personal digital assistant device, or a network-enabled media player device.

45. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 43, wherein the request to capture location data of the called mobile device comprises at least one of automatically initiating the request based on a user profile or initiating the request based on a user-supplied input.

46. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 43, wherein the called device location comprises at least a set of longitude and latitude readings based on the cell sector location.

47. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 43, wherein the called device location data is received in the communications device via at least one of transmitting the called device location data via a SMS (short message service) message, or transmitting the called device location data via a GSM (Global System for Mobile communication) Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) message.

48. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 43, further comprising at least one instruction for causing the computer to receive an update to the called device location data based on a change in position of the called mobile device.