Method and system for tracking mobile electronic devices while conserving cellular network resources
First Claim
1. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon an executable agent component that directs a mobile electronic device to communicate with a monitoring center according to a protocol in which:
- during a first time period, the mobile device attempts to establish a communication session with the monitoring center over a computer network without use of a cellular network;
if the attempt to establish the communication session over the computer network is unsuccessful, a call is placed over the cellular network between the mobile device and the monitoring center during a scheduled call time by connecting from a telephone number that is time-shared by multiple mobile devices, said scheduled call time falling after expiration of a time lag following the first time period;
if the attempt to establish the communication session over the computer network is successful, the scheduled call time is made available to another mobile electronic device; and
when a communication session is established between the mobile device and the monitoring center over the computer network or the cellular network, information is conveyed between the mobile device and the monitoring center to enable the monitoring center to track the mobile device;
whereby the protocol conserves cellular network resources by attempting to convey said information to the monitoring center without use of the cellular network.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system and associated methods are disclosed for tracking mobile electronic devices while conserving cellular network resources used for such tracking. The tracking may be performed for purposes of facilitating recovery of lost or stolen devices. To conserve network resources, different telephone numbers may be assigned depending upon the location of each device and the time of each call, and individual calls may be made only after a determination has been made that a telephone call is required. A determination that a telephone call is required may be made depending upon whether a protected electronic device had been reported lost or stolen, and/or whether an internet communication between the protected electronic device and a monitoring center has been made within a selected previous period of time. A dynamic schedule permits reserved telephone call slots to be freed up if not needed so that they can be used for devices that need the communication time.
32 Citations
19 Claims
-
1. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon an executable agent component that directs a mobile electronic device to communicate with a monitoring center according to a protocol in which:
-
during a first time period, the mobile device attempts to establish a communication session with the monitoring center over a computer network without use of a cellular network; if the attempt to establish the communication session over the computer network is unsuccessful, a call is placed over the cellular network between the mobile device and the monitoring center during a scheduled call time by connecting from a telephone number that is time-shared by multiple mobile devices, said scheduled call time falling after expiration of a time lag following the first time period; if the attempt to establish the communication session over the computer network is successful, the scheduled call time is made available to another mobile electronic device; and when a communication session is established between the mobile device and the monitoring center over the computer network or the cellular network, information is conveyed between the mobile device and the monitoring center to enable the monitoring center to track the mobile device; whereby the protocol conserves cellular network resources by attempting to convey said information to the monitoring center without use of the cellular network. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
-
-
10. A monitoring center, comprising:
-
a computer system configured to communicate with, and to monitor the locations of, a plurality of mobile electronic devices, the computer system programmed to; assign to the mobile devices, based at least partly on the respective locations of the mobile devices, telephone numbers from which to call the monitoring center over a cellular network; assign call times to the mobile devices for placing calls to the monitoring center over the cellular network; and when a mobile device conducts a communication session with the monitoring center without use of the cellular network, updating a call time assigned to the mobile device to postpone placement of a call by the mobile device over the cellular network and to make the call time available to another mobile device; wherein the computer system is configured to assign the telephone numbers and call times to the mobile devices such that a single telephone number is time-shared by multiple mobile devices. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12)
-
-
13. A mobile device programmed to communicate with a monitoring system according to a method that comprises:
-
receiving, from the monitoring system, a call time assignment that specifies a call time for placing a call over a wireless telephone network to the monitoring system, said call time selected according to a method that enables multiple mobile devices to time-share a telephone number; prior to a time lag preceding the assigned call time, attempting to establish a communication session with the monitoring session over a computer network without use of the wireless telephone network; if the attempt to establish the communication session is successful, obtaining an updated call time assignment that postpones the call over the wireless telephone network to the monitoring system, said updated call time selected according to a method that enables multiple mobile devices to time-share a telephone number as a telephone number from which to place telephone calls; and if the attempt to establish the communication session is unsuccessful, placing a call via the wireless telephone network to the monitoring system based on the assigned call time using a telephone number that is time-shared by multiple mobile devices. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15)
-
-
16. A method for controlling communications between a plurality of mobile electronic devices and a monitoring system, the method comprising the processor implemented steps of:
-
assigning a common telephone number to the plurality of mobile devices as a telephone number from which to place calls on a wireless telephone network to the monitoring system on a time-shared basis; for each of the plurality of mobile devices, repeatedly performing a scheduling process that comprises; scheduling a first time slot for an internet communication between the monitoring system and the mobile device; and scheduling a second time slot for the mobile device to place a call on the wireless telephone network to the monitoring system using said telephone number, the second time slot falling after the first time slot by a selected time lag, said second time slot capable of being reassigned to a different mobile device of the plurality of mobile devices if the mobile device successfully uses the first time slot for the internet communication with the monitoring system; wherein the scheduling process assigns the second time slots to the plurality of mobile devices on a non-conflicting basis such that the mobile devices can time-share the telephone number. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19)
-
Specification