Locator system

• US 9,232,356 B2
• Filed: 07/06/2015
• Issued: 01/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bryan Holland
• Original Assignee: Bryan Holland
• Inventors: Holland, Bryan
• Primary Examiner(s): Ferguson, Keith
• Application Number:
  US14/791,880
• Publication Number:
  US 20150312723A1
• Time in Patent Office: 183 Days
• Field of Search: 455/404.2, 455/404.1, 4554561-457, 455/521, 455/403, 455/422.1, 455/500, 455/517, 4554141-4144, 455/426.1, 455/426.2, 342/357.01, 342/357.06, 342/357.09, 342/357.21, 342/357.44
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/09 providing processing capability normally carried out by the receiver
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/17 Emergency applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/34 Power consumption
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/42 Determining position
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2205/008 using a mobile telephone network
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0027 of actual mobile position, i.e. position determined on mobile
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0054 of actual mobile position, i.e. position calculation on base station
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0231 Emergency, distress or locator beacons
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/563 Data redirection of data network streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• 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 52/0254 detecting a user operation or a tactile contact or a motion of the device
• 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: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A locator system and method of use is disclosed. The locator system may be used to receive radiolocation signals, calculate location data based on the radiolocation signals, and send the current location data over a telecommunication network to a server computer. A client may request the location data from the server computer and the server may send the location data to the client.

Claims

1. A system for receiving and transmitting position data of a locator device, the system comprising:

a locator device including an antenna operable to receive radiolocation signals from a plurality of radiolocation transmitters, a CPU configured to provide the position data based on the radiolocation signals received by the antenna, and a wireless communication interface operable to transmit the position data to the server computer as directed by the CPU;

a server computer in data communication with the locator device and a client, wherein the server computer comprises a processor, memory and a non-transitory computer readable medium containing program instructions for receiving and transmitting position data, the program instructions operative for causing the server computer to;

receive position data from a locator device; and

transmit a response based on the position data to the client, the response being generated without any direct communication between the client and the locator device, wherein the locator device is not provided with any information regarding the request from the client for the provisioning of the position data of the locator device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the program instructions are further configured to cause the server computer to receive position data at predetermined time intervals.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the program instructions are further configured to cause the server computer to store in the memory at least one predefined location and a predefined proximity from the at least one predefined location.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the program instructions are further configured to cause the server computer to determine whether the position data indicates that the locator device is within the predefined proximity relative to at least one predefined location.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the program instructions are further configured to cause the server computer to send information based on the position data when the position data indicates that the locator device is outside the predefined proximity relative to at least one predefined location.

6. The system of claim 3, wherein the program instructions are further configured to cause the to verify that the client is authorized to receive information relating to the position data.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the program instructions are further configured to cause the server computer to store in the memory at least one street address and a predefined proximity relative to said at least one street address.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the program instructions are further configured to cause the server computer to receive a request from the client for the position data of the locator device, the request being received without providing information to the locator device regarding the request.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the memory comprises the non-transitory computer readable medium.