Location request authorization for communication devices

• US 8,787,935 B2
• Filed: 09/24/2009
• Issued: 07/22/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: T-Mobile Innovations LLC (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Nelson, Rodney Dewaine, McMullen, Michael P., Schuler, John R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bost, Dwayne
• Assistant Examiner(s): MUMMALANENI, MRUNALINI YERNENI
• Application Number:
  US12/566,084
• Publication Number:
  US 20110070865A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,762 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456, 455/414, 455/404, 455/457, 455/521
• US Class Current: 455/456.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0807 using tickets, e.g. Kerberos cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using tickets or tokens H04L9/3213
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/02 Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

In a communication system, a wireless communication device receives and processes a text message including a location request code and a communication code. In response to the location request code, the wireless communication device transfers a location query indicating the communication code. An authorization computer system receives the location query and processes the communication code to determine if the location request should be authorized. If the location request should be authorized, the authorization computer system transfers a location authorization. The wireless communication device processes the location authorization, and in response, transfers geographic location information using the communication code to control delivery of the geographic location information to a location receiving system.

Claims

1. A method of operating a communication system comprising:

in a wireless communication device, receiving and processing a text message transferred by a location requesting system that includes a location request code and a communication code comprising a text message number assigned to a location receiving system, and in response to the location request code, transferring a location query comprising a first Internet Protocol (IP) message indicating the communication code for delivery to an authorization computer system;

in the authorization computer system, receiving the location query and processing at least the text message number against authorized text message numbers to determine if the location query should be authorized, and transferring a location authorization comprising a second IP message for delivery to the wireless communication device if the location query should be authorized; and

in the wireless communication device, receiving and processing the location authorization, and in response, transferring geographic location information for the wireless communication device using the text message number for the location receiving system.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the communication code for the location receiving system further comprises a uniform resource locator for the location receiving system.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the communication code for the location receiving system further comprises an internet protocol address for the location receiving system.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the text message and the location query indicate a text message source number for the text message and further comprising, in the authorization computer system, processing the text message source number to determine if the location query should be authorized.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising, in the authorization computer system, processing the text message source number to determine location instructions, wherein the location authorization includes the location instructions, and wherein transferring the geographic location information from the wireless communication device comprises transferring the geographic location information based on the location instructions.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein processing the communication code and the text message source number comprises processing the text message source number to obtain at least one authorized code and comparing the communication code to at least one authorized code to determine if the location query should be authorized.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the text message and the location query indicate a location instruction code and further comprising, in the authorization computer system, processing the location instruction code to determine location instructions, wherein the location authorization includes the location instructions, and wherein transferring the geographic location information from the wireless communication device comprises transferring the geographic location information based on the location instructions.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the location query includes an identifier for the wireless communication device, and further comprising in the authorization computer system, processing the identifier for the wireless communication device to determine if the location query should be authorized.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising processing the identifier for the wireless communication device to determine location instructions, wherein the location authorization includes the location instructions, and wherein transferring the geographic location information from the wireless communication device comprises transferring the geographic location information based on the location instructions.

10. A communication system comprising:

a wireless communication device that receives and processes a text message transferred by a location requesting system that includes a location request code and a communication code comprising a text message number assigned to a location receiving system, and in response to the location request code, transfers a location query comprising a first Internet Protocol (IP) message indicating the communication code;

an authorization computer system that receives the location query and processes at least the text message number against authorized text message numbers to determine if the location query should be authorized, and transfers a location authorization comprising a second IP message for delivery to the wireless communication device if the location query should be authorized; and

the wireless communication device that receives and processes the location authorization, and in response, transfers geographic location information for the wireless communication device using the text message number for the location receiving system.

11. The communication system of claim 10 wherein the communication code for the location receiving system further comprises a uniform resource locator for the location receiving system.

12. The communication system of claim 10 wherein the communication code for the location receiving system further comprises an internet protocol address for the location receiving system.

13. The communication system of claim 10 wherein the text message includes a text message source number and:

the wireless communication device is configured to transfer the text message source number in the location query; and

the authorization computer system is configured to process the text message source number to determine if the location query should be authorized.

14. The communication system of claim 13 wherein:

the authorization computer system is configured to process the text message source number to determine location instructions and transfer the location instructions in the location authorization; and

the wireless communication device is configured to transfer the geographic location information based on the location instructions.

15. The communication system of claim 13 wherein the authorization computer system is configured to process the text message source number to obtain at least one authorized code for the text message source number and compare the communication code to at least one authorized code to determine if the location query should be authorized.

16. The communication system of claim 10 wherein the text message includes a location instruction code and:

the wireless communication device is configured to transfer the location instruction code in the location query;

the authorization computer system is configured to process the location instruction code to determine location instructions and transfer the location instructions in the location authorization; and

the wireless communication device is configured to transfer the geographic location information based on the location instructions.

17. The communication system of claim 10 wherein:

the wireless communication device is configured to transfer an identifier for the wireless communication device in the location query; and

the authorization computer system is configured to process the identifier for the wireless communication device to determine if the location query should be authorized.

18. The communication system of claim 17 wherein:

the authorization computer system is configured to process the identifier for the wireless communication device to determine location instructions and transfer the location instructions in the location authorization; and

the wireless communication device is configured to transfer the geographic location information based on the location instructions.