Locating a mobile station and applications therefor

• US 8,994,591 B2
• Filed: 08/23/2010
• Issued: 03/31/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: FineTrak, LLC (Dennis J. Dupray)
• Original Assignee: TracBeam LLC (Dennis J. Dupray)
• Inventors: Karr, Charles L, Dupray, Dennis J, LeBlanc, Frederick W, Goldberg, Sheldon F
• Primary Examiner(s): Phan, Dao
• Application Number:
  US12/861,817
• Publication Number:
  US 20110244887A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,681 Days
• Field of Search: 342/450, 342/457, 342463-465, 455/456.1, 455/456.6, 455/456.2
• US Class Current: 342/457
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/206 specially adapted for indoor navigation
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 1/026 of associated receivers
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 1/028 Simulation means, e.g. of beacon signals therefor for teaching or training purposes G09B9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 1/045 Receivers
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2205/006 for emergency situations
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2205/008 using a mobile telephone network
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2205/06 Emergency
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0009 Transmission of position information to remote stations involving assistance data G01S5/0236
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0018 Transmission from mobile station to base station
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0054 of actual mobile position, i.e. position calculation on base station
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/021 Calibration, monitoring or correction G01S5/0252 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0244 Accuracy or reliability of position solution or of measurements contributing thereto
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0252 Radio frequency fingerprinting
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0257 Hybrid positioning by coordinating position lines of different shape G01S5/12
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/06 Position of source determined by co-ordinating a plurality of position lines defined by path-difference measurements G01S5/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/04 Error control
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/027 using movement velocity, acceleration information
• 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 76/50 for emergency connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 : adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

A location system and applications therefor is disclosed for wireless telecommunication infrastructures. The system is an end-to-end solution having one or more location systems for outputting requested locations of hand sets or mobile stations (MS) based on, e.g., CDMA, GSM, GPRS, TDMA or WIFI communication standards, for processing both local mobile station location requests and more global mobile station location requests via, e.g., Internet communication between a distributed network of location systems. The following applications may be enabled by the location system: 911 emergency calls, tracking, navigation, people and animal location including applications for confinement to and exclusion from certain areas, friend finder applications, and applications for allocating user desired resources based on the user'"'"'s location.

Claims

1. A method for providing, for each mobile (M) of more than one of a plurality of wireless mobile telecommunication stations including vehicular embodiments thereof, corresponding one or more notifications for a condition related to an event or circumstance for the mobile M or a user thereof, wherein there is a network having a plurality of geographically spaced apart stationary network access units for receiving wireless signals from the mobile M, comprising performing, for the mobile M, by computational equipment a step at each of (a) through (d) following:

(a) a step of receiving an electronic input from a first user for a service, the service for providing the corresponding one or more notifications for the mobile M, the input for controlling a data content to a persistent machine data storage;

wherein the data content includes;

an identification of at least one entity authorized by the first user to be notified of an occurrence of the condition by receiving the one or more notifications, wherein one or more notification criteria are available whose evaluation is for determining whether;

the at least one entity is to receive the one or more notifications for the occurrence of the condition;

wherein the notification criteria are for at least determining whether the mobile M has moved into or out of one or more zones or areas;

(b) subsequently, a step of receiving status information for the mobile M, the status information including geolocation data indicative of a location, L, for the mobile M, wherein;

(b-1) the geolocation data is obtained from location indicative measurements of a plurality of wireless signals communicated to or from the mobile M, each signal, S, of the plurality of wireless signals;

(i) has a corresponding different location from which the signal S is transmitted to, or received from, the mobile M, and (ii) for the location indicative measurement of the signal S, the location indicative measurement is dependent upon a geographic position of the corresponding different location for the signal S, and

(b-2) the status information is wirelessly communicated between the mobile M and the network;

(c) a step of using an identification for the mobile M to access the data content in the persistent machine data storage for evaluating the notification criteria using the status information for at least determining whether the mobile M has moved into or out of the one or more zones or areas; and

(d) when the notification criteria evaluates to a first, result, a step is performed of notifying the at least one entity by a network transmission of at least one of the one or more notifications, the at least one notification identifying the mobile M, and the at least one notifications including location information for identifying the location L of the mobile M, wherein the location information is determined using the geolocation data.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the condition includes at least one of (a) an emergency or distress call, (b) the mobile M moving into or out of the one or more zones or areas, (c) a sensor input signal provided by a sensor at the mobile M.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of notifying includes a step of providing routing or direction information to the at least one entity for navigating to the mobile M.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first user is the user of the mobile M.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the location indicative measurements include one or more of a signal strength, a signal time delay related measurement, and a characteristic of a multipath signal;

and

wherein the location indicative measurements includes satellite data obtained from at least one of the plurality of wireless signals from the corresponding different location for the at least one wireless signal, the corresponding different location being a location of a satellite.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein for at least one mobile (M₁) of the more than one of the plurality of wireless mobile telecommunication stations, further including:

a step of obtaining a second status information for the mobile M₁, wherein the second status information includes second geolocation data indicative of a location, L₁, for the mobile M₁, wherein the second geolocation data is obtained from location indicative measurements of a plurality of second wireless signals communicated to or from the mobile M₁, each signal, T, of the second wireless signals having a corresponding different location from which the signal T is transmitted to, or received from, the mobile M₁, the location indicative measurement for each of the corresponding different locations, for the second wireless signals, being indicative of a geographic position of the corresponding different location for the second wireless signals;

a step of evaluating a second one or more notification criteria using the second status information for the mobile M₁, for determining an availability of one or more resources, which a user of the mobile M₁ desires to utilize, and

a step of transmitting to the mobile M₁ a corresponding notification related to the availability of one of the one or more resources according to a result from the step of evaluating the second one or more notification criteria.

7. The method of claim 6, further including a step of transmitting at least one navigation instruction to the mobile M₁, the at least one navigation instruction for navigating the user of the mobile M₁ to the one resource.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the one resource is one of:

(i) a parking space to be utilized for parking a user vehicle, and (ii) a gaming station.

16. The method of claim 2, further including a step of activating a conference call between the at least one entity, the mobile M, and another entity.

93. The method of claim 1, wherein, the location indicative measurement of the signal S is such that the geographic position, of the different location for the signal S and for which the location indicative measurement is indicative, is a position from which the signal S is transmitted to the mobile M.

94. The method of claim 5, wherein the mobile unit M is a mobile base station.

9. A method, for each mobile (M) of more than one of a plurality of wireless mobile telecommunication stations including vehicular embodiments thereof of providing for a condition related to an event or circumstance of the mobile M or a user thereof a notification related to the condition, wherein there is a network having a plurality of spaced apart stationary network access units, the access units selectively receiving wireless signals from the mobile M as the mobile M moves in an area having wireless coverage provided by the network, comprising performing the following steps by computational equipment:

(a) a step of receiving input from a first user who is a subscriber for providing a wireless service to the nubile M, wherein the input is used for establishing a data content in a persistent machine data storage, the data content including an identification by the first user of at least one entity authorized by the first user, to receive an instance of the notification when an occurrence of the condition is detected, wherein one or more notification criteria are available whose evaluation is for determining whether the at least one entity is to receive the instance of the notification related to the occurrence of the condition, wherein the one or more notification criteria are for at least determining whether the mobile M has moved into or out of one or more zones or areas;

(b) a step of receiving, from the mobile M, a communication via one of the spaced apart stationary network access units of the network, the communication including status information for the mobile M, the status information including geolocation data indicative of a location, L, for the nubile M, wherein the geolocation data is obtained from location indicative measurements, including related wireless signal transmission device identification data, of a plurality of wireless signals communicated to or from the mobile M, each signal, S, of the plurality of wireless signals having a corresponding different location from which the signal S is transmitted to, or received from, the mobile M;

wherein for one of the location indicative measurements for the corresponding different location of each signal S, the one location indicative measurement is indicative of a geographic position of the corresponding different location, and a geographical position of the mobile M relative to the geographic position of the corresponding different location;

(c) a step of evaluating at least a portion of the notification criteria for determining whether the status information identifies that the nubile M has moved into or out of the one or more zones or areas;

(d) a step of accessing the data content in the persistent machine data storage for identifying the at least one entity to receive the instance of the notification related to the occurrence of the condition; and

(e) a step of transmitting, via a transmission on a network, the instance of the notification to the at least one entity, wherein the instance of the notification identifies the mobile M.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the instance of the notification includes location information for identifying the location L, the location information determined using the geolocation data;

and

wherein the location indicative measurements includes GPS data, the GPS data obtained from at least one of the plurality of wireless signals from the corresponding different location, the corresponding different location being a location of a satellite.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the location information includes a confidence value, wherein the confidence value provides an indication of reliability or accuracy of at least one location estimate of the mobile M.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein at least one of the geolocation data and the location information is dependent upon one of:

triangulation, a trilateration, and a multilateration wireless location determining process;

wherein the one of the triangulation, the trilateration, and the multilateration uses a portion of the location indicative measurements.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the location indicative measurements include one or more of a signal strength;

a signal time delay, and a characteristic of a multipath signal;

wherein the one or more of the signal strength, the signal time delay, and the characteristic of a multipath signal are for determining a location estimate of the mobile M, the location estimate provided in the location information.

14. The method of claim 9, further including a step of establishing a call between mobile M and the at least one entity.

15. The method of claim 9, further including a step of determining that the at least one entity is nearer for reaching the mobile M than another entity.

17. The method of claim 10 wherein for at least one mobile (M₁) of the more than one of the plurality of wireless mobile telecommunication stations, further including:

a step of obtaining a second status information for the mobile M₁, wherein the second status information includes second geolocation data indicative of a location, L₁, for the mobile M₁;

wherein the second geolocation data is obtained from particular location indicative measurements of a plurality of second wireless signals communicated to or from the mobile M₁;

wherein each signal, T, of the second wireless signals has a distinct corresponding location from which the signal T is transmitted to, or received from, the mobile M₁;

wherein for each signal T, there is one or more of the particular location indicative measurements obtained from the distinct corresponding location, the one or more particular location indicative measurements being dependent upon a geographic position of the distinct corresponding location;

a step of second evaluating at least a portion of a second notification criteria for determining whether the second status information identifies that the mobile M₁ has moved into or out of second one or more particular zones or areas;

a step of second accessing a second data content in the persistent machine data storage far identifying a second entity, allowed by a second user who is a subscriber for providing the wireless service to the mobile M₁, to receive a notification related to an occurrence of a condition that includes movement of the mobile M₁ into or out of the second one or more particular zones or areas;

wherein second status information is wirelessly obtained from another network different from the network, wherein the network and the another network are operated by different commercial mobile radio service providers.

18. The method of claim 9, wherein for at least one mobile (M₁) of the more than one of the plurality of wireless mobile telecommunication stations, further including:

a step of obtaining a second status information for the mobile M₁, wherein the second status information includes second geolocation data indicative of a location, L₁, for the mobile M₁;

wherein the second geolocation data is obtained from second location indicative measurements of a plurality of second wireless signals communicated to or from the mobile M₁;

wherein each signal, T, of the second wireless signals has a corresponding distinct location from which the signal T is transmitted to, or received from, the mobile M₁;

wherein for each signal T, there is one or more of the second location indicative measurements obtained from the corresponding distinct location, the one or more second location indicative measurements being dependent upon a geographic position of the corresponding distinct location;

a step of evaluating one or more second notification criteria using the second status information for the mobile M₁, for determining an availability of one or more resources, which a user of the mobile M₁ desires to utilize, and

a step of transmitting to the mobile M₁ a corresponding notification related to the availability of one of the one or more resources according to a result from the step of evaluating the one or more second notification criteria.

19. The method of claim 18, further including a step of transmitting at least one navigation instruction to the mobile M₁, the at least one navigation instruction for navigating the user of the mobile M₁ to the one resource.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the one resource is one of:

(i) a parking space to be utilized for parking a user vehicle, and (ii) a gaming station.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the one resource is one of a restaurant, a theme park attraction, and a convention presentation.

22. The method of claim 9, further including a step of providing routing or direction information to the at least one entity for navigating to the mobile M.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the at least one entity receives at least one navigational direction via the network, wherein the at least one navigational direction is for navigating the at least one entity to the mobile M, and the at least one navigational direction is audibly provided.

24. The method of claim 9, further including a step of selecting the at least one entity for providing thereto the instance of the notification, wherein the step of selecting is dependent upon a proximity of the at least one entity to the mobile M.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the at least one entity is a person identified by the first user, and said step of selecting includes a step of determining an authorization for the at least one entity to obtain the instance of the notification.

26. The method of claim 9, wherein the notification criteria include a condition for determining whether the mobile M is within a predetermined proximity of one or more merchants.

27. The method of claim 9, wherein the notification criteria includes a condition for determining whether the mobile M has moved into a zone or area such that the mobile M is in proximity for navigational directions to be provided to the user of the mobile M for moving to a resource to be utilized by the user of the mobile M.

28. The method of claim 9, wherein the notification criteria include a condition that is dependent upon a sensor signal indicative of a change in acceleration at the mobile M.

29. The method of claim 9, wherein the first user is the user of the mobile M.

30. The method of claim 9, wherein the geolocation data is for a previous location of the mobile M when a current location estimate of the mobile M is unavailable.

31. The method of claim 9, wherein the first user accesses the persistent machine data storage via an Internet for establishing the data content.

32. A system for providing a notification of a condition related to an event or circumstance of a mobile M or a user thereof, the mobile M being any one of a plurality of wireless mobile telecommunication stations, including vehicular embodiments thereof;

for wirelessly communicating with a network having a plurality of spaced apart stationary network access units, the access units selectively receiving wireless communications from the mobile M as the mobile M moves in an area having wireless coverage provided by the network, comprising;

(a) an electronic communications interface for communicating one or more location related messages with the mobile M, via one of the access units of the network, wherein the messages include status information of the mobile M or the user thereof, the status information including geolocation data indicative of a location, L, for the mobile M;

wherein (i) the geolocation data is obtained from location indicative measurements of a plurality of wireless signals communicated to or from the mobile M, each of the wireless signals having a corresponding different location for being transmitted to, or received from, the mobile M, and (ii) for each such corresponding different location, there is a particular one or more of the location indicative measurements that is indicative of a geographic position of the such corresponding different location, the particular one or more location indicative measurements being for one of the wireless signals having the such corresponding different location for being transmitted to, or received from, the mobile M;

(b) a location based service operably provided on electronic equipment for communicating with the network or an Internet to receive input, and for providing the location based service as related to the mobile M;

wherein the input is used for accessing a data content in a persistent machine data storage, the data content includes (a-1) and (a-2) following;

(a-1) an identification of at least one entity authorized by the user, to receive an instance of the notification when an occurrence of the condition is detected, and

(a-2) one or more notification criteria whose evaluation is for determining whether the at least one entity is to receive an instance of the notification related to the occurrence of the condition, wherein the one or more notification criteria are for at least determining whether the mobile M has moved into or out of one or more zones or areas;

wherein the location based service is configured on the electronic equipment to perform (b-1) and (b-2) following;

(b-1) evaluate at least a portion of the one or more notification criteria for determining whether the status information identifies that the nubile M has moved into or out of the one or more zones or areas; and

(b-2) access the data content in the persistent machine data storage for identifying the at least one entity to receive the instance of the notification related to the occurrence of the condition; and

wherein the electronic communications interface transmits the instance of the notification to the at least one entity, wherein the instance of the notification provides information related to the occurrence for the mobile M.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein the electronic communications interface includes (1) a first programming interface component that communicates with a home location register for the mobile M to determine a previous location of the mobile M, and (2) an automatic call distributor that communicates with the at least one entity.

34. The system of claim 32, wherein the instance of the notification includes location information for identifying the location L, the location information determined using the geolocation data.

35. The system of claim 34, wherein the location based service initiates a transmission of navigation information to the at least one entity for navigating the at least one entity and the mobile M together.

95. The system of claim 32, wherein for at least one of the wireless signals, the corresponding different location therefor is a location of a satellite for wirelessly transmitting the at least one signal S for receipt by the mobile M.

36. A method for providing for each mobile (M) of more than one of a plurality of wireless mobile telecommunication stations, including vehicular embodiments thereof corresponding one or more notifications for a condition being an event or circumstance for the mobile M or a user thereof, wherein there is a network having a plurality of geographically spaced apart stationary network access units for receiving wireless signals from the mobile M, comprising performing, for the mobile M, the following steps by computational equipment:

(a) a step of receiving an electronic input related to the user for a service, the service for providing the corresponding one or more notifications, the input used for providing the service according to a data content in a persistent machine data storage;

wherein the data content includes information used in authorizing at least one entity to be notified of the condition occurring, the at least one entity notified by receiving at least one of the corresponding one or more notifications;

(b) subsequently, a step of receiving status information including (i) data identifying the mobile M, (ii) information related to an occurrence of the condition, and (iii) geolocation data indicative of a location, L, for the mobile M, wherein (b-1) and (b-2) following hold;

(b-1) the geolocation data is obtained using location indicative measurements of signals, S, communicated wirelessly to or from the mobile M, at least two of the signals S corresponding to different locations;

wherein for each of the different locations the corresponding signal S therefor is;

(i) wirelessly transmitted from the different location and received by the mobile M, or (i) wirelessly received, by one of the access units from a transmission by the mobile M;

wherein for each of the different locations, the geolocation data is dependent upon a geographic position of the different location; and

(b-2) the status information is wirelessly communicated between the mobile M and the network;

(c) a step of using the data identifying the mobile M to access the data content in the persistent machine data storage, the data content accessed for determining the at least one entity to be notified regarding the occurrence of the condition;

wherein at least one of;

(c-1) identifying the occurrence of the condition, and

(c-2) the determining the at least one entity

is dependent upon;

a location of the mobile M obtained from the geolocation data, or a determination that the mobile M has moved into or out of one or more zones or areas;

(d) a step of providing, for telecommunication transmission, at least one notification for the at least one entity, the at least one notification identifying the mobile M, and the at least one notification including location related information for identifying the location, L, for the mobile M, wherein the location related information is obtained using the geolocation data;

wherein, in response to determining the at least one entity, at least a three party telecommunications conference call is established, parties to the conference call including the user of the mobile M and the at least one entity.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein the status information is wirelessly received in response to a network transmission corresponding to a vehicle sensor output signal.

38. The method of claim 36, further including providing routing or direction information to the at least one entity for navigating to the mobile M.

39. The method of claim 36, wherein the location indicative measurement includes, for each of the different locations, one of:

(i) a signal strength, (ii) a signal transmission time, and (iii) one or more characteristics of signal multipath wherein the one or more characteristics are dependent upon a change to one or more wireless signal transmissions such that each such change is dependent upon a wireless signal result of one or more objects impinging upon a wireless path of one of the wireless transmissions, wherein the wireless signal transmissions each includes one of the signals S corresponding to one of the different locations; and

further including a step of inputting the geolocation data, dependent on the one or more characteristics, into a similarity determining computational machine that determines location related data for obtaining the location related information, the similarity determining computational machine performing a pattern recognition between;

(i) signal characteristics of wireless transmission paths of signals S, and (ii) previously obtained signal characteristics from a plurality wireless transmission paths.

40. The method of claim 36, wherein the location indicative measurements (i) includes data D, obtained from transmitters not supported on the surface of the Earth, for locating the mobile unit M, or (ii) are used to perform one of a triangulation, a trilateration and a multilateration according to geographic positions of the access units for obtaining the location related information.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein each of the location related information and the geolocation data is dependent upon information from the data D, the information indicative of a distance between (i) the mobile M, and (ii) one of the transmitters.

42. The method of claim 36, wherein a pattern recognition is performed for obtaining the location related information, wherein the pattern recognition determines a similarity between (i) one or more wireless characteristics, the one or more wireless characteristics dependent upon the location indicative measurements, and (ii) wireless signal characteristics indicative of previously determined geographic locations;

wherein the one or more wireless characteristics are dependent upon a change to one or more wireless signal transmissions such that each such change is dependent upon a wireless signal result of one or more objects impinging upon a wireless path of one of the wireless transmissions, wherein the wireless signal transmissions each includes one of the signals S.

43. The method of claim 36, wherein the location related information is used to navigate the at least one entity to the mobile M.

44. The method of claim 36, wherein for the information related to the occurrence of the condition includes data for contacting an entity for dispatching an emergency response to the user of the mobile.

45. The method of claim 36, further including a step of authorizing, by the user, the at least one entity to receive the at least one notification.

46. The method of claim 36, further including a step of selecting the at least one entity to be notified for receiving the at least one notification.

47. The method of claim 46, wherein the step of selecting is dependent on a step of determining an indication of a proximity of the at least one entity to the mobile M, the indication of the proximity determined.

48. The method of claim 47, wherein the indication of the proximity includes a distance of the at least one entity to the mobile M.

49. The method of claim 46, wherein the step of selecting selects a second entity, the second entity for assisting the user when the second entity travels to the mobile M, wherein the conference call includes the second entity.

50. The method of claim 36, wherein the at least one notification is provided to the at least one entity by a telephony call.

51. The method of claim 36, wherein the step of providing the at least one notification activates an automatic call distributor for providing the at least one notification to the at least one entity.

52. The method of claim 36, wherein the occurrence of the condition includes an air bag deployment.

53. The method of claim 36, wherein the occurrence of the condition includes a vehicle crash or accident.

54. The method of claim 36, wherein the at least one notification is determined remotely from the mobile M.

55. The method of claim 36, wherein the at least one of (c-1) and (c-2) is dependent upon the mobile M having moved into or out of the one or more zones or areas.

56. The method of claim 36, wherein the at least one entity obtains navigation directions for traveling to the mobile M.

57. The method of claim 36, wherein an Internet website is contacted for obtaining the status information.

58. A method for providing for each mobile (M) of more than one of a plurality of wireless mobile telecommunication stations, including vehicular embodiments thereof corresponding one or more notifications for a condition being an event or circumstance related to the mobile M or a user thereof wherein there is a network having a plurality of geographically spaced apart stationary network access units for receiving wireless signals from the mobile M, comprising performing, for the mobile M, the following steps by computational equipment:

(a) a step of receiving an electronic input related to the user for a service, the service for providing the corresponding one or more notifications related to the mobile M or the user thereof;

the input used for establishing the service according to a data content in a persistent machine data storage;

wherein the data content includes information used in selecting at least one entity to be notified of the condition occurring, the at least one entity notified by receiving at least one of the corresponding one or more notifications;

(b) subsequently, a step of receiving status information including (i) data identifying the mobile M, (ii) information related to an occurrence of the condition, and (iii) geolocation data indicative of a location, L, for the mobile M, wherein (b-1) and (b-2) following hold;

(b-1) the geolocation data is obtained using location indicative measurements of signals, S, each signal S communicated wirelessly to or from the mobile M, at least two of the signals S having corresponding different locations, each of the corresponding different locations for one of (i) wirelessly transmitting one of the signals S for receiving by the mobile M, or (ii) wirelessly receiving, from the mobile M, one of the signals S by one of the access units;

wherein for each of the corresponding different locations, the geolocation data is dependent upon data indicative of a geographic position of the corresponding different location; and

(b-2) the status information is wirelessly communicated between the mobile M and the network;

(c) a step of using the data identifying the mobile M to access the data content in the persistent machine data storage, the data content accessed for a step of selecting the at least one entity to be notified regarding the occurrence of the condition;

wherein at least one of (c-1) and (c-2) following holds;

(c-1) an identification of the occurrence of the condition is dependent upon;

a location of the mobile M obtained from the geolocation data, or a determination that the mobile M has moved into or out of one or more zones or areas, and

(c-2) the step of selecting the at least one entity is dependent on a wireless location estimate of the at least one entity, and the step of selecting is dependent upon;

a location of the mobile M obtained from the geolocation data, or a determination that the mobile M has moved into or out of the one or more zones or areas;

(d) a step of providing, for telecommunication transmission, at least one notification for the at least one entity, the at least one notification identifying the mobile M, and the at least one notification including location related information indicative of the location, L, for the mobile M, wherein the location related information is obtained using the geolocation data.

59. The method of claim 58, wherein the location related information includes a confidence value, wherein the confidence value provides an indication of reliability or accuracy of at least one mobile M location estimate provided for the location related information.

60. The method of claim 59 further including a step of adjusting the confidence value for the at least one mobile M location estimate, wherein the step of adjusting the confidence value is dependent upon how closely the at least one mobile M location estimate matches a predetermined route.

61. The method of claim 58, further including a step of determining an estimated velocity of the mobile M, the estimated velocity used in determining the at least one notification.

62. The method of claim 61, wherein the estimated velocity is used in determining the location related information.

63. The method of claim 58, further including a step of determining deceleration indicative data for the mobile M, the deceleration indicative data used for determining the at least one notification.

64. The method of claim 58, wherein one or more notification criteria are evaluated for determining whether the mobile M is within a predetermined proximity of one or more merchants, wherein the one or more notification criteria are used for a step of determining whether the at least one entity is to receive the corresponding one or more notifications for the occurrence of the condition.

65. The method of claim 58 wherein the mobile M is a vehicle, and further including a step of wirelessly communicating, via the network, with the mobile M such that control data is wirelessly communicated to the mobile M to control or operate a vehicular actuator of the mobile M.

66. The method of claim 65, wherein the vehicular actuator is for operating a vehicular door lock of the mobile M.

67. The method of claim 65, wherein the control data is transmitted according to an Internet protocol.

68. The method of claim 58, wherein the status information is wirelessly received in response to a network transmission corresponding to a vehicle sensor output signal.

69. The method of claim 58, wherein the mobile M is a vehicle having sensors for sensing one or more of a door position, a keypad depression, a condition of an engine, a condition of a brake, and an amount of a fluid level;

wherein the sensors are operatively connected to a communications network within the mobile M for providing a two way wireless communication with remote computational machinery that is configured to remotely control at least one operation at the vehicle for accessing an interior of the vehicle.

70. The method of claim 58, wherein the mobile M includes a sensor for sensing one of:

(i) a change in an acceleration or deceleration force of the mobile M, (ii) the mobile M hitting an object, or (iii) an air bag deployment for the mobile M;

wherein an output from the sensor is used to determine the at least notification.

71. The method of claim 70, wherein the sensor is operatively connected to a communications network within the mobile M, the communications network for providing a two way wireless communication with computational machinery for the service, the computational machinery being remote from the mobile M, the computational machinery for performing at least the step of providing the at least one notification.

72. The method of claim 70, wherein the occurrence of the condition includes the air bag deployment.

73. The method of claim 70, wherein the occurrence of the condition includes the mobile M hitting the object.

74. The method of claim 58 wherein the at least one notification is determined remotely from the mobile M, and further including:

a step of identifying the occurrence of the condition, and

a step of determining whether the mobile M has moved into or out of the one or more zones or areas.

75. The method of claim 58 wherein the location related information includes a confidence value, wherein the confidence value provides an indication of reliability or accuracy of at least one mobile M location estimate provided for the location related information;

and further including a step of adjusting the confidence value for the at least one mobile M location estimate, wherein the step of adjusting the confidence value is dependent upon how closely the at least one mobile M location estimate corresponds to a different estimate for locating the mobile M.

76. The method of claim 58, wherein the location related information includes a confidence value, wherein the confidence value provides an indication of reliability or accuracy of at least one mobile M location estimate provided in the location related information;

and further including a step of adjusting the confidence value for the at least one mobile M location estimate, wherein the step of adjusting the confidence value is dependent upon how closely the at least one mobile M location estimate corresponds to an extrapolated location estimate of the mobile M.

77. The method of claim 58, further including a step of comparing at least two location estimates of the mobile M for determining the location related information.

78. The method of claim 58, further including a step of providing routing or direction information to the at least one entity for navigating to the mobile M.

79. The method of claim 58, wherein the step of selecting is dependent upon on data indicative of a proximity of the at least one entity to the mobile M.

80. The method of claim 79, wherein the at least one entity is a person identified by the user for storing an identification of the at least one entity in the data content, and said step of selecting includes a step of determining an authorization for the at least one entity to obtain the at least one notification.

81. The method of claim 58, wherein the location related information is obtained using the geolocation data to obtain a location of the mobile M by performing at least one of:

(1) a triangulation, (2) a multilateration, (3) a trilateration, or (4) a pattern recognition.

82. The method of claim 81, wherein the pattern recognition is performed for obtaining the location related information, wherein the pattern recognition determines a correspondence between (i) one or more wireless characteristics of the geolocation data, the one or more wireless characteristics obtained from the wireless signals S, and (ii) wireless signal characteristics indicative of previously determined locations for at least one of the wireless mobile telecommunication stations.

83. The method of claim 58, wherein the at least one entity obtains navigation directions for traveling to the mobile M, wherein the navigation directions are transmitted via the network to the at least one entity, and further including:

obtaining an estimated location of each of the at least one entity and the mobile M, the estimated location of the mobile M obtained from the geolocation data; and

inputting each of the estimated locations into computational equipment for determining the navigation directions, the computational equipment including an persistent machine data storage having geographical mapping data that is queried in determining the navigation directions.

84. The method of claim 58, wherein the data indicative of the geographic position of one of the corresponding different locations includes one or more signal characteristics used for determining the location L relative to the one of the corresponding different locations, the one or more signal characteristics used includes one of a signal strength, a signal transmission time, and a characteristic of a signal that has experienced multipath.

85. The method of claim 58, wherein the geolocation data is for a previous location of the mobile M when a current location estimate of the mobile M is unavailable.

96. The method of claim 58, wherein for at least one of the signals S, the corresponding different location therefor is a location of a satellite for wirelessly transmitting the at least one signal S for receipt by the mobile M.

86. A system for providing a notification of a condition related to an event or circumstance of a mobile M or a user thereof, the mobile M being any one of a plurality of wireless mobile telecommunication units, including vehicular embodiments thereof for wirelessly communicating with a network having a plurality of spaced apart stationary network access units, the access units receiving wireless communications from the mobile M as the mobile M moves in an area having wireless coverage provided by the network, comprising:

(a) electronic communications interface componentry for communicating one or more wireless messages between the mobile M and the access units of the network, wherein the one or more wireless messages include status information of the mobile M or the user thereof the status information including;

(1) data identifying the mobile M, (2) information indicative of an occurrence of the condition, and (3) geolocation data indicative of a location, L, for the mobile M;

wherein the geolocation data is obtained from location indicative data of signals, S, each signal S communicated wirelessly to or from the mobile M, each of the signals S having a corresponding different location for transmitting to, or receiving from, the mobile M, each of the corresponding different locations for one of;

(i) wirelessly transmitting one of the signals S for receiving by the mobile M, or (ii) wirelessly receiving, by one of the access units, one of the signals S from the mobile M;

(b) a location based service provided by equipment to communicate with the network or an Internet, and to access a data content in a persistent machine data storage, the data content being associated with an identification of the mobile M, and the data content including information related to one or more notification criteria for determining whether at least one entity is to receive at least one notification related to the occurrence of the condition;

wherein the equipment providing the location based service determines whether the one or more notification criteria are satisfied for notifying the at least one entity, wherein determining whether the one or more notification criteria are satisfied is dependent upon;

an estimate of the location L of the mobile M determined using the geolocation data, or a determination that the mobile M has moved into or out of one or more zones or areas dependent upon the geolocation data;

wherein the location based service is configured to perform (b-1) and (b-2) following;

(b-1) receive the status information; and

(b-2) access the data content in the persistent machine data storage for identifying the at least one entity to receive the at least one notification related to the occurrence of the condition; and

wherein the electronic communications interface componentry transmits the at least one notification to the at least one entity, wherein the at least one notification provides information related to the occurrence; and

wherein in response to determining the at least one entity, at least a three party telecommunications conference call is established, participants in the conference call include the user of the mobile M and the at least one entity.

87. The system of claim 86, wherein the electronic communications interface componentry communicates with a predetermined network site for obtaining a previous location of the mobile M when a current location of the mobile M is unavailable.

88. The system of claim 86, wherein the at least one notification includes the estimate.

89. The system of claim 88, wherein the location based service initiates a transmission of navigation information for navigating the at least one entity and the mobile M together.

90. The system of claim 86, wherein the mobile M is a vehicle having sensors for sensing one or more of the following statuses for the mobile M:

a door position, a keypad depression, a condition of an engine, a condition of a brake, and an amount of a fluid level;

wherein the sensors are operatively connected to a communications network within the mobile M for providing a two way wireless communication with remote computational machinery that is configured to remotely control at least one operation for accessing an interior of the vehicle.

91. The system of claim 86, wherein the status information is wirelessly received in response to a network transmission corresponding to an output signal of a vehicle sensor, the vehicle sensor provided by the mobile M.

92. The system of claim 86, further including determining acceleration or deceleration indicative data for the mobile M, the acceleration or deceleration indicative data used in determining the at least one notification.

97. The method of claim 86, wherein for at least one of the signals S, the corresponding different location therefor is a location of a satellite for wirelessly transmitting the at least one signal S for receipt by the mobile M.