System and method for locating a mobile phone with moveable wireless beacons
First Claim
1. A method for locating a mobile phone using one or more moveable wireless beacons and a direction server;
- the method comprising;
(a) sending from said direction server a beacon detection request to said mobile phone;
(b) receiving by said direction server a beacon status report from at least one of said one or more moveable wireless beacons, said beacon status report comprising an identifier and a location;
(c) receiving by said direction server a beacon detection report from said mobile phone, said beacon detection report comprising zero or more wireless beacon identifiers;
(d) determining by said direction server a search pattern; and
(e) determining and then sending by said direction server at least one movement direction to at least one of said one or more moveable wireless beacons according to said search pattern.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The invention addresses the problem of efficiently locating a target device such as a mobile phone, by directing the movement of moveable wireless beacons along a search pattern, using the target device as a moveable wireless beacon detection device. Preferably, the target device is equipped with a WiFi and/or Bluetooth radio and the moveable wireless beacons are WiFi-equipped and/or Bluetooth-equipped mobile phones in possession of first responders. To locate a target device, the WiFi and/or Bluetooth radios in the moveable wireless beacons are activated such that they transmit a unique identifier. As moveable wireless beacons report their locations and as the target device reports updated beacon detection information, movement directions are determined and sent to the moveable wireless beacons to coordinate an efficient search of the target device. Once at least one moveable wireless beacon is detected by the target mobile phone, updated movement directions are provided to the moveable wireless beacon to direct them toward the target device.
10 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A method for locating a mobile phone using one or more moveable wireless beacons and a direction server;
- the method comprising;
(a) sending from said direction server a beacon detection request to said mobile phone; (b) receiving by said direction server a beacon status report from at least one of said one or more moveable wireless beacons, said beacon status report comprising an identifier and a location; (c) receiving by said direction server a beacon detection report from said mobile phone, said beacon detection report comprising zero or more wireless beacon identifiers; (d) determining by said direction server a search pattern; and (e) determining and then sending by said direction server at least one movement direction to at least one of said one or more moveable wireless beacons according to said search pattern. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
- the method comprising;
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10. A system for locating a mobile phone using one or more moveable wireless beacons and a direction server;
- the system comprising;
(a) memory comprising instructions; and (b) a processor in communication with the memory, wherein the processor, when executing the instructions, performs operations comprising; i) sending from said direction server a beacon detection request to said mobile phone; (ii) receiving by said direction server a beacon status report from at least one of said one or more moveable wireless beacons, said beacon status report comprising an identifier and a location; (iii) receiving by said direction server a beacon detection report from said mobile phone, said beacon detection report comprising zero or more wireless beacon identifiers; (iv) determining by said direction server a search pattern; and (v) determining and then sending by said direction server at least one movement direction to at least one of said one or more moveable wireless beacons according to said search pattern. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
- the system comprising;
Specification