Method to provide ad hoc and password protected digital and voice networks

• US 8,880,042 B1
• Filed: 09/16/2013
• Issued: 11/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AGIS Software Development LLC (AGIS Holdings Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Advanced Ground Information Systems, Inc. (AGIS Holdings Inc.)
• Inventors: Beyer, Malcolm K. Jr., Blackwell, Sandel
• Primary Examiner(s): Obayanju, Omoniyi
• Application Number:
  US14/027,410
• Time in Patent Office: 414 Days
• Field of Search: 455/414.2, 455/403, 455/420
• US Class Current: 455/414.2
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/17 Emergency applications
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/65 Telephone numbers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5007 Internet protocol [IP] addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/065 for group communications cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key management involving conference or group key H04L9/0833
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/104 Grouping of entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/27475 using interactive graphical means or pictorial representations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72406 by software upgrading or downloading
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72418 for supporting emergency services
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/7243 with interactive means for internal management of messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72469 for operating the device by selecting functions from two or more displayed items, e.g. menus or icons
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/10 including a GPS signal receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/62 user interface aspects of conference calls
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/56 Arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities video conference systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 : Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42
• 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 4/08 : User group management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/10 : Push-to-Talk [PTT] or Push-On-Call 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 4/90 : Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 : Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/00 : User notification, e.g. alerting and paging, for incoming communication, change of service or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/04 : multi-step notification using statistical or historical mobility data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/11 : Allocation or use of connection identifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/15 : Setup of multiple wireless link connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/45 : for Push-to-Talk [PTT] or Push-to-Talk over cellular [PoC] services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/50 : for emergency connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/042 : Public Land Mobile systems, e.g. cellular systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 : Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

A method and system includes the ability for individuals to set up an ad hoc digital and voice network easily and rapidly to allow users to coordinate their activities by eliminating the need for pre-entry of data into a web or identifying others by name, phone numbers or email. This method is especially useful for police, fire fighters, military, first responders or other emergency situations for coordinating different organizations at the scene of a disaster to elevate conventional communication problems either up and down the chain of command or cross communication between different emergency units. The method and system provides that the users are only required to enter a specific Server IP address and an ad hoc event name, a password and perhaps the name of the particular unit. The system therefore defines the method of accomplishing the ad hoc network by providing all responding personnel that need to communicate with PC'"'"'s or PDA'"'"'s which are interconnected to the IP Server using cellular or other communications. Additional communications can be established between users that have RFID tags.

Claims

1. A method of communicating among a group of participants/designated users each having a cell phone including a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) or smart PDA/Personal Computing (PC) device, a touch screen display, and associated Global Positioning System (GPS) and Advanced Communication Software (ACS) allowing each of said cellular phone users to exchange data through a server for establishing a network of participants to exchange or display identity, location, status, said method including establishing a private ad hoc digital network that includes an ad hoc event name for rapidly coordinating activities that eliminates the need for pre-entry data to a web or identifying others by name, E mail address or phone number comprising the steps of:

providing for sending a message from a first user cell phone PDA/PC to the Server by entering the Server'"'"'s Internet Protocol (IP) address and an ad hoc event name and a password onto the Server identifying said first user;

providing the Server storing the first user'"'"'s IP address and the first user'"'"'s ad hoc event name

and a password onto the Server'"'"'s database;

providing notification to the first user that the cell phone PDA/PC of the first user is connected to the Server;

providing for reporting the first user'"'"'s cell phone PDA/PC GPS location and status information including cell strength and GPS and battery status to the Server;

providing recognition at the Server other users'"'"' cell phone PDA/PC devices that sign on the Server with the same ad hoc event name and password and storing each of the other users'"'"' cell phone PDA/PC'"'"'s IP addresses;

providing for passing cell phone users'"'"' location and status, information between all the ad hoc network users'"'"' cell phone PDA/PC devices who are signed on through the Server; and

providing for transmitting received information that a particular cell phone ad hoc event user has addressed to another cell phone ad hoc event user by entering the other cell phone users'"'"' names or selecting other users'"'"' symbol; and

providing for automatically establishing voice communications between all cell phone participants in the ad hoc event name digital network.

4. A method as in claim 1 comprising the steps of:

providing for automatically dropping cell phones from the ad hoc network when a cell phone participant sends a drop me message or does not report within a specified time period.

2. A method of communicating among a group of participants/designated users each having a cell phone including a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) or smart PDA/Personal Computing (PC) device, a touch screen display, and associated Global Positioning System (GPS) and Advanced Communication Software (ACS) allowing each of said cellular phone users to exchange data through a server for establishing a network of participants to exchange or display identity, location, status, said method including establishing a private ad hoc temporary digital network that includes an ad hoc event name for rapidly coordinating activities that eliminates the need for pre-entry data to a web or identifying others by name, E mail address or phone number enabling location, status, VoIP, and video communications between radios and cell phones and comprising the steps of:

providing for sending a message from a first user cell phone PDA/PC to the Server by entering the Server'"'"'s Internet Protocol (IP) address and an ad hoc event name and a password onto the Server identifying said first user;

providing for the Server storing the first user'"'"'s IP address and the first user'"'"'s ad hoc event name

and a password onto the Server'"'"'s database;

providing notification to the first user that the cell phone PDA/PC of the first user is connected to the Server;

providing reporting the first user'"'"'s cell phone PDA/PC GPS location and status information including cell strength and GPS and battery status to the Server;

providing recognition at the Server other users'"'"' cell phone PDA/PC devices that sign on the Server with the same ad hoc event name and password and storing each of the other users'"'"' cell phone PDA/PC'"'"'s IP addresses;

providing for passing cell phone users'"'"' location and status, and entered tracks, information between all the ad hoc network users'"'"' cell phone PDA/PC devices who are signed on through the Server; and

providing for transmitting received information that a particular cell phone ad hoc event user has addressed to another cell phone ad hoc event user by entering the other cell phone users'"'"' names or selecting other users'"'"' symbol; and

providing for automatically establishing voice communications between all cell phone participants in the ad hoc event name digital network.

3. A method of communicating among a group of participants/designated users each having a cell phone including a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) or smart PDA/Personal Computing (PC) device, a touch screen display, and associated Global Positioning System (GPS) and Advanced Communication Software (ACS) allowing each of said cellular phone users to exchange data through a server for establishing a network of participants to exchange or display identity, location, status, said method including establishing a private ad hoc temporary digital network that includes an ad hoc event name for rapidly coordinating activities that eliminates the need for pre-entry data to a web or identifying others by name, E mail address or phone number comprising the steps of:

providing for sending a message from a first user cell phone PDA/PC to the Server by entering the Server'"'"'s Internet Protocol (IP) address and an ad hoc event name and a password onto the Server identifying said first user;

providing for the Server storing the first user'"'"'s IP address and the first user'"'"'s ad hoc event name

and a password onto the Server'"'"'s database;

providing notification to the first user that the cell phone PDA/PC of the first user is connected to the Server;

providing reporting the first user'"'"'s cell phone PDA/PC GPS location and status information including cell strength and GPS and battery status to the Server;

providing recognition at the Server other users'"'"' cell phone PDA/PC devices that sign on the Server with the same ad hoc event name and password and storing each of the other users'"'"' cell phone PDA/PC'"'"'s IP addresses;

providing for passing cell phone users'"'"' location and status, entered tracks, geo-referenced white boards and chat information between all the ad hoc network users'"'"' cell phone PDA/PC devices who are signed on through the Server; and

transmitting received information that a particular cell phone ad hoc event user has addressed to another cell phone ad hoc event user by entering the other cell phone users'"'"' names or selecting other users'"'"' symbol.