System and method for providing location information for communications through an access network

• US 9,262,542 B2
• Filed: 07/02/2014
• Issued: 02/16/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Unwired Planet LLC (JP Morgan Chase & Co)
• Original Assignee: Unwired Planet LLC (JP Morgan Chase & Co)
• Inventors: Cooper, William T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gelin, Jean
• Application Number:
  US14/322,732
• Publication Number:
  US 20140317102A1
• Time in Patent Office: 594 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456.1, 455/456.2, 455/456.3, 455/456.4, 455/456.5, 455/412.1, 455/412.2, 455/414.2, 455/432.3, 455/445
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9537 Spatial or temporal dependent retrieval, e.g. spatiotemporal queries
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/003 locating network equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/11 Allocation or use of connection identifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Abstract

A system and method for providing location information for communications through an access network in accordance with embodiments of the invention are disclosed. The system and method involve receiving a communication including a message from an origination device. The communication includes access point information and the message includes an identifier of the communication. The access point information from the communication is extracted and the access point information or geographic data based on the access point information is stored in a database. The message including the identifier is sent to a destination device of the message. The storing of the access point information or the geographic data in the database enables the destination device to obtain the access point information or the geographic data using the identifier included in the message by querying the database.

Claims

1. A method for providing location information for communications comprising, at a server system comprising a processor and memory:

receiving a communication including a message from an origination device to a destination device separate from the server system, the communication including data indicative of a geographic location, the message including an identifier;

extracting the data from the communication;

storing the identifier and location information in a database, wherein the location information relates to a geographic location and is based at least in part on the data; and

forwarding the message including the identifier to the destination device;

wherein storing the identifier and the location information in the database enables the destination device to obtain the location information using the identifier.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving a request from the destination device to obtain the location information, the request including the identifier;

looking up the location information in the database using the identifier; and

sending the location information to the destination device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the data includes an access point identifier.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising, at the server system, converting the access point identifier to the location information for storage in the database.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing timestamp information in the database, wherein the timestamp information is associated with the location information.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the timestamp information is used to allow location data to be queried by the destination device for a predetermined period.

7. A system for providing location information for communications, the system comprising:

a server system comprising a processor and memory, configured to;

receive a communication including a message from an origination device to a destination device separate from the server system, the communication including data indicative of a geographic location, the message including an identifier;

extract the data from the communication;

store in a database the identifier and the location information; and

forward the message including the identifier to the destination device;

wherein storage of the identifier and the location information enables the destination device to obtain the location information using the identifier.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the server system is further configured to:

receive a request from the destination device to obtain the location information, the request including the identifier;

look up the location information in the database using the identifier; and

send the location information to the destination device.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the data includes an access point identifier.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the server system is further configured to:

convert the access point identifier to the location information for storage in the database.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein the server system is further configured to:

store timestamp information in the database, the timestamp information being associated with the location information.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the server system is further configured to:

use the timestamp information to allow the location data information to be queried by the destination device for a predetermined period.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by a processor of a server system, instruct the processor to:

receive a communication including a message from an origination device to a destination device separate from the server system, the communication including data indicative of a geographic location, the message including an identifier;

extract the data from the communication;

store the identifier and location information in a database, wherein the location information relates to a geographic location and is based at least in part on the data; and

forward the message including the identifier to the destination device;

wherein storing the identifier and the location information in the database enables the destination device to obtain the location information using the identifier.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor of the server system, instruct the processor to:

receive a request from the destination device to obtain the location information, the request including the identifier;

look up the location information in the database using the identifier; and

send the location information to the destination device.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the data includes an access point identifier.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor of the server system, instruct the processor to:

convert the access point identifier to the location information for storage in the database.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor of the server system, instruct the processor to:

store timestamp information in the database, wherein the timestamp information is associated with the location information.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor of the server system, instruct the processor to:

use the timestamp information to allow location data to be queried by the destination device for a predetermined period.