Method and apparatus using location-based communication

• US 8,875,176 B2
• Filed: 09/10/2009
• Issued: 10/28/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hill, Nicholas Peter, Duva, Anthony
• Primary Examiner(s): Flynn, Nathan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chowdhury, Sumaiya A
• Application Number:
  US12/557,183
• Publication Number:
  US 20110061080A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,874 Days
• Field of Search: 725/62, 725/106, 725/131, 725 33- 34, 455/456.1, 455/456.3
• US Class Current: 725/34
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/17 Emergency applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/75 Indicating network or usage conditions on the user display
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25841 involving the geographical location of the client retrieval from the Internet by querying based on geographical locations G06F16/9537; arrangements for identifying locations of receiving stations in broadcast systems H04H60/51; location of the user terminal in data switching networks H04L67/52; services making use of the location of users or terminals in wireless networks H04W4/02; locating users or terminals in wireless networks H04W64/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4882 for displaying messages, e.g. warnings, reminders arrangements for providing short real-time information to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1895
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• 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

A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a set top box (STB) having a controller to communicate with a location server on an interactive TV network used by the STB to find a mobile communication device of a targeted party, receive information from the location server that monitors a communication network to find a location of the mobile communication device when the mobile communication device approaches or traverses a predetermined boundary or approaches a targeted location where the targeted party carries the mobile communication device operating on the communication network that has location determining functionality, and presents the location of the mobile communication device. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. A set top box, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, facilitate performance of operations, comprising;

communicating with a location server coupled to an interactive television network, wherein the location server monitors a communication network to determine a location of a mobile communication device of a targeted party relative to a predetermined boundary by power sensing, at the mobile communication device, a wireless fidelity base station located in the predetermined boundary, wherein the targeted party carries the mobile communication device operating on the communication network that has location determining functionality;

receiving, via the interactive television network, location information from the location server describing the location of the mobile communication device relative to the predetermined boundary;

receiving a task request;

matching the location information to a first task location of a plurality of task locations in a database responsive to the task request;

determining compatibility between the first task location and the task request;

generating a simulated speech task message responsive to determining of the compatibility;

transmitting the simulated speech task message to the mobile communication device;

presenting a map having a representation of the location of the mobile communication device relative to the predetermined boundary according to the location information;

transmitting a first warning message to a second communication device when the mobile communication device is detected traversing the predetermined boundary;

transmitting a second warning message to the mobile communication device of the targeted party when the mobile communication device of the targeted party is detected outside the predetermined boundary;

receiving a request from a second set top box for the location information for the mobile communication device; and

transmitting the location information from the set top box to the second set top box.

2. The set top box of claim 1, wherein the processor further performs operations comprising transmitting the map to the second set top box.

3. The set top box of claim 1, wherein the processor, responsive to executing the executable instructions, further performs operations comprising setting the predetermined boundary responsive to user input received by the set top box.

4. The set top box of claim 3, wherein the processor, responsive to executing the executable instructions, further performs operations comprising presenting the predetermined boundary on the map responsive to the user input received by the set top box and wherein the set top box includes a video processor for presenting broadcast channels.

5. The set top box of claim 3, wherein the processor, responsive to executing the executable instructions, further performs operations comprising transmitting boundary information associated with the predetermined boundary to the location server.

6. The set top box of claim 1, wherein the processor, responsive to executing the executable instructions, further performs operations comprising transmitting the warning message to a cellular phone of a user of the set top box when the targeted party is detected traversing the predetermined boundary.

7. The set top box of claim 1, wherein the set top box operates in an interactive television network, wherein the processor, responsive to executing the instructions, further performs operations comprising receiving the location information via the interactive television network from the location server when the targeted party traverses the predetermined boundary or approaches a targeted location, and wherein the interactive television network corresponds to one of an Internet protocol television network, an interactive cable television network, or an interactive satellite television network.

8. A machine-readable storage device, comprising executable instructions, which when executed by a processor, facilitate performance of operations comprising:

communicating with a location server via an interactive television network to locate a mobile communication device of a targeted party to determine when the mobile communication device approaches or traverses a predetermined boundary by power sensing, at the mobile communication device, a wireless fidelity base station located in the predetermined boundary, wherein the mobile communication device operates on a communication network that has location determining functionality;

receiving location information from the location server of the interactive television network responsive to the mobile communication device approaching or traversing the predetermined boundary;

matching the location information to a first task location of a plurality of task locations in a database responsive to a task request;

determining compatibility between the first task location and the task request;

generating a simulated speech task message responsive to determining of the compatibility;

transmitting the simulated speech task message to the mobile communication device;

transmitting a first warning message to a second communication device when the mobile communication device is detected traversing or approaching the predetermined boundary;

transmitting a second warning message to the mobile communication device of the targeted party when the mobile communication device of the targeted party is detected outside the predetermined boundary;

receiving a request from a second set top box for the location information for the mobile communication device; and

transmitting the location information from the set top box to the second set top box.

9. The machine-readable storage device of claim 8, wherein the executable instructions further cause the processor to perform operations comprising transmitting the map to the second set top box.

10. The machine-readable storage device of claim 8, wherein the mobile communication device includes a global positioning receiver and the location information includes a latitude and longitude coordinate of a present location of the mobile communication device and the instructions cause the processor to further perform operations comprising presenting the present location of the mobile communication device according to the location information.

11. The machine-readable storage device of claim 8, wherein the communication network is a cellular network that uses triangulation to determine an approximate location of the mobile communication device and wherein the processor performs operations comprising receiving the approximate location to determine a present location of the targeted party.

12. The machine-readable storage device of claim 8, wherein the processor responsive to user input performs operations comprising setting the predetermined boundary, and transmitting the predetermined boundary to the location server.

13. The machine-readable storage device of claim 8, wherein the second warning message sent to the second communication device is a short messaging service message.

14. A method of location finding comprising:

communicating, by a set top box, with a location server operating in an interactive television network to find a mobile communication device;

receiving, by the set top box, location information from the location server that monitors a wireless communication network to find a location of the mobile communication device while the mobile communication device approaches or traverses a predetermined boundary or approaches a targeted location by power sensing, at the mobile communication device, a wireless fidelity base station located in the predetermined boundary, wherein the wireless communication network that has location determining functionality;

receiving, by the set top box, a task request;

transmitting, by the set top box, the task request to the location server, wherein the location server matches the location information to a first task location of a plurality of task locations in a database responsive to a task request, wherein the location server determines compatibility between the first task location and the task request, wherein the location server transmits a simulated speech task message to the mobile communication device responsive to determining of the compatibility;

presenting, by the set top box, the location of the mobile communication device according to the information that is received;

transmitting, by the set top box, a first warning message to a second communication device when the mobile communication device is detected approaching or traversing the predetermined boundary;

transmitting, by the set top box, a second warning message to the mobile communication device of a targeted party when the mobile communication device of the targeted party is detected outside the predetermined boundary;

receiving, by the set top box, a request from a second set top box for the information for the mobile communication device; and

transmitting, by the set top box, the information from the set top box to the second set top box.

15. The method of claim 14, comprising:

establishing, by the set top box, the predetermined boundary;

presenting, by the set top box, the predetermined boundary by way of the set top box; and

transmitting, by the set top box, the predetermined boundary to the location server responsive to user input to the set top box.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising transmitting, by the set top box, a map based on the information to the second set top box.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the second warning message comprises a short messaging service.

18. A location server, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, facilitate performance of operations, comprising;

communicating with a set top box coupled to an interactive television network to find a mobile communication device;

monitoring a cellular network to find a location of the mobile communication device when the mobile communication device approaches or traverses a predetermined boundary by power sensing, at the mobile communication device, a wireless fidelity base station located in the predetermined boundary, wherein the mobile communication device operates on the cellular network that has location determining functionality;

matching the location to a first task location of a plurality of task locations in a database responsive to a task request;

generating a simulated speech task message responsive to matching the location to the first task location;

transmitting the simulated speech task message to the mobile communication device;

transmitting a first warning message to a second communication device belonging to an owner of the set top box when the mobile communication device is detected approaching or traversing the predetermined boundary; and

transmitting location information to the set top box, wherein the set top box is used to present the location of the mobile communication device responsive to receiving the location information from the location server and to automatically establish communication with the mobile communication device of a targeted party when the mobile communication device of the targeted party is detected outside the predetermined boundary and wherein the set top box transmits the location information from the set top box to a second set top box and wherein the set top box transmits a second warning message to the mobile communication device of the targeted party responsive to the mobile communication device being detected outside the predetermined boundary.

19. The location server of claim 18, wherein location server extracts global positioning satellite service information from the mobile communication device having a global positioning satellite receiver and the location server transmits to the set top box a latitude and a longitude coordinate of a present location of the mobile communication device, and wherein the latitude and a longitude coordinate is used to present a map having a representation of the location of the mobile communication device.

20. The location server of claim 18, wherein the set top box transmits a map based on the location information to a second set top box.

21. A mobile communication device, comprising;

a processor; and

a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, facilitate performance of operations, comprising;

determining a location of the mobile communication device relative to a predetermined boundary by power sensing a wireless fidelity base station located in the predetermined boundary;

transmitting location information to a location server monitoring a present location of the mobile communication device in a cellular network, wherein the location information describes the location of the mobile communication device relative to the predetermined boundary, wherein the location server is coupled to a set top box via an interactive television network for conveying the location information of the mobile communication device to the set top box, and wherein the set top box further transmits the location information from the set top box to a second set top box, wherein the location server matches the location information to a first task location of a plurality of task locations in a database responsive to a task request, wherein the location server determines compatibility between the first task location and the task request, and wherein the location server generates a simulated speech task message according to the compatibility;

receiving the simulated speech task message from the location server; and

receiving a first warning message from the set top box when the mobile communication device is detected outside the predetermined boundary, wherein a second warning message is sent by the set top box to a second mobile communication device when the mobile communication device is detected traversing the predetermined boundary.

22. The mobile communication device of claim 21, wherein the processor further performs operations comprising transmitting the location information to the set top box through the location server and wherein the set top box presents a map having a representation of the location of the mobile communication device responsive to receiving the location information from the location server, wherein the set top box includes a video processor for presenting broadcast channels, and wherein the set top box transmits the map to a second set top box.