Providing location of a mobile device

• US 8,965,404 B2
• Filed: 05/16/2012
• Issued: 02/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LiveViewGPS, Inc.
• Original Assignee: LiveViewGPS, Inc.
• Inventors: Karonis, George Peter III
• Primary Examiner(s): Eisner, Ronald
• Application Number:
  US13/473,423
• Publication Number:
  US 20130309997A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,014 Days
• Field of Search: 455/404.1, 455/404.2, 4554561-457, 455405-408, 340/539.13, 340988-996
• US Class Current: 455/456.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1432 Metric aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/43 Billing software details
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/70 Administration or customization aspects; Counter-checking correct charges
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/72 by the user
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8033 location-dependent, e.g. business or home
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/02 Coin-freed or check-freed systems , e.g. mobile- or card-operated phones, public telephones or booths
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

A computer server provides location of a mobile device to a user. The computer server allocates to an account for the user a predetermined number of location credits associated with a purchase made by the user; The computer server receives, from the user, identification information that identifies the mobile device. Upon the user requesting a current location of the mobile device, the computer server checks to see whether there remains location credits allocated to the account for the user and, provided there remains location credits allocated to the account for the user, provides to the user location information about the current location of the mobile device.

Claims

1. A method, performed by a computer server, for providing location of a mobile device, comprising:

receiving, at the server, from a user a registration code obtained by the user from a prepaid card, each location credit authorizing one user request for a current location of the mobile device;

verifying, by the server, whether the registration code is valid and has not been previously used; and

upon determining that the registration code is valid and has not been previously used, allocating, by the server, to an account for the user a predetermined number of location credits associated with the registration code from the prepaid card, and marking the registration code as used;

allowing, by the server, the user to log in to the account, and receiving at the server, from the user who is logged into the account, identification information that identifies the mobile device; and

,

associating, by the server, the identification information of the mobile device with the account;

upon the user who is logged into the account requesting a current location of the mobile device, performing, by the server, the following;

checking to see whether there remains location credits allocated to the account for the user, and

if there remain no location credits allocated to the account for the user, refusing the location request, and

provided there remains location credits allocated to the account for the user, providing to the user location information about the current location of the mobile device, and decrementing by one the location credits allocated to the account for the user.

2. A method as in claim 1 wherein the registration code is obtained from the prepaid card via removing a scratch off surface or a sticker.

3. A method as in claim 1 wherein before allocating the predetermined number of location credits associated with the registration code from the prepaid card, the computer server checks in a non-transitory database to determine whether the registration code is valid.

4. A method as in claim 1 wherein the mobile device is a cell phone and the identification information is a phone number.

5. A method as in claim 1 wherein before receiving the registration code from the user, the server allows the user to log in to the server.

6. A method as in claim 1 wherein the server provides the location information to the user by displaying on a map a current location for the mobile device.

7. A method as in claim 1 wherein the current location of the mobile device is obtained using cell tower triangulation.

8. A system used for tracking a mobile device, the system comprising:

a non-transitory database on which is stored account information; and

,

a server enabled to;

receive from a user a registration code obtained by the user from a prepaid card, each location credit authorizing one user request for a current location of the mobile device;

verify whether the registration code is valid and has not been previously used; and

allocate, upon determining that the registration code is valid and has not been previously used, to an account for the user a predetermined number of location credits associated with the registration code from the prepaid card, and mark the registration code as used;

allow the user to log in to the account; and

receive, from the user who is logged into the account, identification information that identifies the mobile device, and

associate the identification information of the mobile device with the account;

upon the user who is logged into the account requesting a current location of the mobile device, perform the following;

check to see whether there remains location credits allocated to the account for the user, and

refuse the location request, if there remain no location credits allocated to the account for the user, and

provided there remains location credits allocated to the account for the user, provide to the user location information about the current location of the mobile device when the user requests a current location of the mobile device and there remains location credits allocated to the account for the user, and decrement by one the location credits allocated to the account for the user.

9. A system as in claim 8 wherein the server is additionally enabled to decrement by one the location credits allocated to the account for the user after is provided location information about the current location of the mobile device.

10. A system as in claim 8 wherein the registration code is obtained from the prepaid card via removing a scratch off surface or a sticker.

11. A system as in claim 8 wherein before allocating the predetermined number of location credits associated with the registration code from the prepaid card, the server checks in the non-transitory database to determine whether the registration code is valid.

12. A system as in claim 8 wherein the mobile device is a cell phone and the identification information is a phone number.

13. A system as in claim 8 wherein before receiving the registration code from the user, the server allows the user to log in to the server.

14. A system as in claim 8 wherein the server provides the location information to the user by displaying on a map a current location for the mobile device.

15. A system as in claim 8 wherein the current location of the mobile device is obtained using cell tower triangulation.

16. A method, performed by a computer server, for providing location of a mobile device, comprising:

receiving from a user a registration code obtained by the user from a prepaid card, each location credit authorizing one user request for a current location of the mobile device;

verifying whether the registration code is valid and has not been previously used; and

upon determining that the registration code is valid and has not been previously used, allocating to an account for the user a predetermined number of location credits associated with the registration code from the prepaid card, and marking the registration code as used;

allowing the user to log in to the account, and receiving, from the user who is logged into the account, identification information that identifies the mobile device; and

,

associating the identification information of the mobile device with the account;

upon the user who is logged into the account requesting a current location of the mobile device, performing the following;

checking to see whether there remains location credits allocated to the account for the user, and

if there remain no location credits allocated to the account for the user, refusing the location request, and

provided there remains location credits allocated to the account for the user, providing to the user location information about the current location of the mobile device, and decrementing by one the location credits allocated to the account for the user.

17. A method as in claim 16 wherein when the computer server provides to the user location information about the current location of the mobile device the computer server also decrements by one the location credits allocated to the account for the user.

18. A method as in claim 17 wherein the mobile device is a cell phone and the identification information is a phone number.

19. A method as in claim 17 wherein the server provides the location information to the user by displaying on a map a current location for the mobile device.

20. A method as in claim 17 wherein the current location of the mobile device is obtained using cell tower triangulation.