Utilizing information about mobile communication devices with respect to an area of interest

• US 9,307,385 B2
• Filed: 12/29/2014
• Issued: 04/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited (Trimble Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited (Trimble Inc.)
• Inventors: Best, Gregory C.
• Primary Examiner(s): POPE, DARYL C
• Application Number:
  US14/585,014
• Publication Number:
  US 20150118990A1
• Time in Patent Office: 463 Days
• Field of Search: 340/539.1, 340/539.11, 340/539.19
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096775 where the origin of the information is a central station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/20 Monitoring the location of vehicles belonging to a group, e.g. fleet of vehicles, countable or determined number of vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1895 for short real-time information, e.g. alarms, notifications, alerts, updates
• 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 4/08 User group management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]

Abstract

A method for establishing an approximate number of persons in an area of interest comprises providing a request to one or more communications providers that cover an area of interest. The request is for a listing of any mobile communication devices located within the area of interest. The listing of any mobile communication devices located within the area of interest is utilized to establish an approximate number of persons in the area of interest.

Claims

1. A method for establishing an approximate number of persons in an area of interest, the method comprising:

providing a request to one or more communications providers that cover the area of interest for a listing of any mobile communication devices located within the area of interest;

utilizing the listing of any mobile communication devices located within the area of interest to establish an approximate number of persons in the area of interest; and

including a safety margin border in an initial area of interest for an event in the area of interest.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the request to one or more communications providers further comprises:

requesting a location of each mobile communication device within the area of interest.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

providing a non-responsive broadcast message to each mobile communication device within the area of interest, the broadcast message including information selected from the group consisting of;

an instruction, an egress route, an action plan, a safety precaution, a gathering location, and event specific advice for an event within the area of interest.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

providing a request for user information to each mobile communication device within the area of interest, the request consisting of;

a user identity confirmation, a specific location, and a list of any other persons with a user.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

providing a command to each mobile communications device within the area of interest to initiate location capabilities.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

providing a command to each mobile communications device within the area of interest to activate WiFi to enable additional communications activities.

7. The method of Claim 1 further comprising:

updating the area of interest for an event in the area of interest; and

generating a new request to the one or more communications providers for a listing of any mobile communication devices located within the updated area of interest.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving at least one situational report from within the area of interest for an event in the area of interest, the situational report consisting of event information selected from the group consisting of;

location, damage, structure issues, road conditions, and environmental conditions.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving at least one status report from within the area of interest, the status report consisting of personal information selected from the group consisting of;

an injury information, a number of other people within the area of interest, a location of other people within the area of interest, a special need, an immediate need and a contact information for one or more other unaccounted for persons.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

accessing one or more other sources of information with respect to the area of interest, the sources of information selected from the group consisting of;

Internet, a car based location service, AM/FM radio, television, satellite imagery, a web camera, a road camera, a security camera, a utility company, municipal services dispatch information and municipal vehicle cameras.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

accessing any information sent from or to any mobile communications device within the area of interest; and

evaluating the information for event information for an event in the area of interest.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

generating a request to one or more communications providers that cover the area of interest for a listing of any mobile communication devices approaching the area of interest; and

providing a warning message to each mobile communication device approaching the area of interest, the warning message selected from the group consisting of;

a detour, an approach-no-closer-than location, and egress information.

13. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

instructing the one or more communications providers to prioritize communication to the mobile communication devices located with the area of interest.

14. A method for providing information to mobile communication devices with respect to an area of interest, the method comprising:

receiving information defining an area of interest;

in response to receiving the information defining the area of interest, providing a request to one or more communications providers that cover the area of interest for a listing of any mobile communication devices located within the area of interest; and

utilizing the listing of any mobile communication devices located within the area of interest to provide a broadcast to each mobile communication device on the listing.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the broadcast is selected from the group consisting of:

a non-responsive broadcast message which includes information for users of mobile communication devices on the listing;

a broadcast request for user information from the users of mobile communication devices on the listing; and

a broadcast command to mobile communication devices on the listing to initiate location capabilities.

16. An event location configuration and messaging system comprising:

a communication system and process to request a listing of mobile communication devices located within an area of interest from one or more communications providers that cover the area of interest, the listing incorporated in a database;

a mobile communication device location provider with access to the listing in the database and configured to obtain and provide locations of mobile communication devices on the listing; and

a message generator to generate a message based on an event within the area of interest, the message provided via a communication module to the one or more communications providers for delivery to mobile communications device on the listing and within the area of interest,

wherein the message generator generates a first message for any mobile communications device of the listing that is in a first location and a second message for any mobile communications device of the listing that is in a second location, the second message different from the first message.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein when a mobile communications device on the listing departs the area of interest an updated listing that shows the mobile communications device is clear of the area of interest is provided.

18. The system of claim 16 wherein the mobile communications device is selected from the group consisting of:

a mobile phone, a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), a smart phone, a Navigation Satellite System (NSS) receiver, and a car based location service.