Determination of a location of a communication device

• US 9,743,250 B2
• Filed: 10/28/2013
• Issued: 08/22/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Atestraw Licensing LLC (IP Edge LLC)
• Original Assignee: Empire Technology Development LLC (Allied Inventors Management, LLC)
• Inventors: Maytal, Benjamin
• Primary Examiner(s): Milord, Marceau
• Application Number:
  US14/343,653
• Publication Number:
  US 20160286359A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,394 Days
• Field of Search: 4554561, 455450, 455522, 4554562, 455 6713
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/02213 Receivers arranged in a network for determining the position of a transmitter
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/14 Determining absolute distances from a plurality of spaced points of known location
• 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 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices

Abstract

Technologies are generally described for methods and systems effective to determine a location of a communication device. In some examples, a method may include generating a request for a response from the communication device. The method may also include broadcasting the request over a cellular network. The method may also include receiving the response from the communication device at three or more antennas. The method may also include determining respective signal strengths of the response. The method may also include determining a location of the communication device based on the respective signal strengths. The method may also include analyzing a memory based on the location of the device to identify content. The method may also include sending the content to the communication device.

Claims

1. A method to determine a location of a communication device, the method comprising, by a base station:

generating a request for a response from the communication device;

broadcasting the request over a cellular network;

receiving the response as a first received response from the communication device at a first antenna;

determining a first signal strength of the first received response;

receiving the response as a second received response from the communication device at a second antenna;

determining a second signal strength of the second received response;

receiving the response as a third received response from the communication device at a third antenna;

determining a third signal strength of the third received response;

determining the location of the communication device based on the first signal strength, the second signal strength, and the third signal strength;

analyzing a memory based on the location of the communication device to identify content; and

sending the content to the communication device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the base station is effective to convey communication packets between the communication device and the cellular network.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the first received response, the second received response, and the third received response includes an identification of the communication device, wherein the identification includes international mobile subscriber identity of the communication device.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

analyzing historical data that relates to the communication device, wherein the historical data corresponds to historical locations of the communication device inside a structure;

analyzing a map of the structure, wherein the map includes locations of one or more facilities inside the structure;

identifying particular facilities from the one or more facilities based on the location of the communication device and analysis of the map;

identifying the content based on the particular facilities; and

sending the content to the communication device.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein prior to analyzing the historical data, the method further comprises:

searching for the identification of the communication device in the memory; and

upon finding the identification of the communication device in the memory, updating the historical data based on the location of the communication device.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein prior to analyzing the historical data, the method further comprises:

searching for the identification of the communication device in the memory; and

upon determining an absence of the identification of the communication device in the memory, generating the historical data related to the communication device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the communication device is a first communication device,

each of the first received response, the second received response, and the third received response includes a first identification of the first communication device,

the request is a request for the first identification of the first communication device and for a second identification of a second communication device, and

the content is first content;

the method further comprising;

analyzing the memory to identify the first content, wherein the first content corresponds to historical locations of the first communication device inside a structure;

receiving the second identification from the second communication device;

determining a fourth signal strength associated with the second identification;

determining a location of the second communication device inside the structure based on the fourth signal strength;

analyzing the memory based on the location of the second communication device inside the structure to identify second content, wherein the second content corresponds to historical locations of the second communication device inside the structure; and

sending the first content to the first communication device and sending the second content to the second communication device, wherein the first content and the second content are different from each other.

8. A base station configured to determine a location of a communication device, the base station comprising:

a processor; and

a memory configured to be in communication with the processor,

the processor is effective to;

generate a request for a response from the communication device;

broadcast the request over a cellular network;

receive the response as a first received response from the communication device at a first antenna;

determine a first signal strength of the first received response;

receive the response as a second received response from the communication device at a second antenna;

determine a second signal strength of the second received response;

receive the response as a third received response from the communication device at a third antenna;

determine a third signal strength of the third received response;

determine the location of the communication device based on the first signal strength, the second signal strength, and the third signal strength;

analyze the memory based on the location of the communication device to identify content; and

send the content to the communication device.

9. The base station of claim 8, wherein the processor is further effective to convey communication packets between the communication device and the cellular network.

10. The base station of claim 9, wherein each of the first received response, the second received response, and the third received response includes an identification of the communication device.

11. The base station of claim 8, wherein the processor is further effective to:

analyze historical data stored in the memory, wherein the historical data corresponds to historical locations of the communication device inside a structure;

analyze a map of the structure stored in the memory, wherein the map includes locations of one or more facilities inside the structure;

identify particular facilities from the one or more facilities in the memory based on the location of the communication device and analysis of the map;

identify the content based on the particular facilities; and

send the content to the communication device.

12. The base station of claim 11, wherein each of the first received response, the second received response, and the third received response includes an identification of the communication device and the processor is further effective to:

search for the identification of the communication device in the memory; and

in response to the identification of the communication device being found in the memory, update the historical data based on the location of the communication device.

13. The base station of claim 11, wherein each of the first received response, the second received response, and the third received response includes an identification of the communication device and the processor is further effective to:

search for the identification of the communication device in the memory; and

in response to the identification of the communication device not being found in the memory, generate the historical data related to the communication device.

14. A system effective to determine a location of a communication device, the system comprising:

a processor;

a first antenna inside of a structure, wherein the first antenna is configured to be in communication with the processor;

a second antenna inside of the structure, wherein the second antenna is configured to be in communication with the processor;

a third antenna inside of the structure, wherein the third antenna is configured to be in communication with the processor; and

a memory configured to be in communication with the processor,

the processor is effective to;

generate a request for a response from the communication device;

broadcast the request for an identification of the communication device over a cellular network;

receive the response as a first received response from the communication device at the first antenna;

determine a first signal strength of the first received response;

receive the response as a second received response from the communication device at the second antenna;

determine a second signal strength of the second received response;

receive the response as a third received response from the communication device at the third antenna;

determine a third signal strength of the third received response;

determine the location of the communication device inside of the structure based on the first signal strength, the second signal strength, and the third signal strength;

analyze the memory based on the location of the communication device to identify content; and

send the content to the communication device.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the processor is further effective to:

analyze historical data stored in the memory, wherein the historical data corresponds to historical locations of the device inside of the structure;

analyze a map of the structure stored in the memory, wherein the map includes locations of one or more facilities in the structure;

identify particular facilities from the one or more facilities based on the location of the communication device and analysis of the map;

identify the content based on the particular facilities; and

send the content to the communication device.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein each of the first received response, the second received response, and the third received response includes the identification of the communication device and the processor is further effective to:

search for the identification of the communication device in the memory; and

in response to the identification of the communication device being found in the memory, update the historical data based on the location of the communication device.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein each of the first received response, the second received response, and the third received response includes the identification of the communication device and the processor is further effective to:

search for the identification of the communication device in the memory; and

in response to the identification of the communication device not being found in the memory, generate the historical data related to the communication device.

18. The system of claim 14, further comprising a base station configured to be in communication with the processor, the first antenna, the second antenna, and the third antenna, the base station effective to convey communication packets between the communication device and the cellular network when the communication device is inside the structure.