Method to provide ad hoc and password protected digital and voice networks

• US 10,341,838 B2
• Filed: 11/10/2017
• Issued: 07/02/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AGIS Software Development LLC (AGIS Holdings Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AGIS Software Development LLC (AGIS Holdings Inc.)
• Inventors: Beyer, Jr., Malcolm K., Rice, Christopher R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Obayanju, Omoniyi
• Application Number:
  US15/809,102
• Publication Number:
  US 20180152556A1
• Time in Patent Office: 599 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/17 Emergency applications
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/65 Telephone numbers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5007 Internet protocol [IP] addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/065 for group communications cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key management involving conference or group key H04L9/0833
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/104 Grouping of entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/27475 using interactive graphical means or pictorial representations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72406 by software upgrading or downloading
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72418 for supporting emergency services
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/7243 with interactive means for internal management of messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72469 for operating the device by selecting functions from two or more displayed items, e.g. menus or icons
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/10 including a GPS signal receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector digitizers for touch screens G06F3/041
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/62 user interface aspects of conference calls
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/56 Arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities video conference systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 : Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 : Services making use of location information
• 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 4/029 : Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/08 : User group management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/10 : Push-to-Talk [PTT] or Push-On-Call services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/14 : Short messaging services, e.g. short message services [SMS] or unstructured supplementary service data [USSD]
• 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 64/00 : Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/00 : User notification, e.g. alerting and paging, for incoming communication, change of service or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/04 : multi-step notification using statistical or historical mobility data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/11 : Allocation or use of connection identifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/15 : Setup of multiple wireless link connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/45 : for Push-to-Talk [PTT] or Push-to-Talk over cellular [PoC] services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/50 : for emergency connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/042 : Public Land Mobile systems, e.g. cellular systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 : Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

A method and system includes the ability for individuals to set up an ad hoc digital and voice network easily and rapidly to allow users to coordinate their activities by eliminating the need for pre-entry of data into a web or identifying others by name, phone numbers or email. This method is especially useful for police, fire fighters, military, first responders or other emergency situations for coordinating different organizations at the scene of a disaster to elevate conventional communication problems either up and down the chain of command or cross communication between different emergency units. The method and system provides that the users are only required to enter a specific Server IP address and an ad hoc event name, a password and perhaps the name of the particular unit.

Claims

1. A method performed by one or more servers each having one or more processors, the method comprising:

executing operations on the one or more processors, the operations comprising;

obtaining first data provided by a first mobile device corresponding to a vehicle, the first data including a first identifier;

permitting the first mobile device corresponding to the vehicle to join a communication network, the permitting based on a determination regarding the first data;

obtaining second data provided by a second mobile device corresponding to a participant, the second data including a second identifier associated with the participant;

allowing the second mobile device corresponding to the participant to join the communication network, the allowing based on a determination regarding the second data;

receiving vehicle location data provided by the first mobile device corresponding to the vehicle, wherein the vehicle location data are associated with the first identifier and indicate coordinates of a geographical location of the first mobile device;

receiving participant location data provided by the second mobile device corresponding to the participant, wherein the participant location data are associated with the second identifier and indicate coordinates of a geographical location of the second mobile device;

sending participant data to the second mobile device corresponding to the participant, wherein the participant data comprise the vehicle location data, wherein the second mobile device corresponding to the participant is configured to (1) determine coordinates of a position on the participant map corresponding to the coordinates of the geographical location of the second mobile device, (2) display the participant map, and (3) place a first symbol on the participant map at the determined coordinates of the position on the participant map corresponding to the coordinates of the geographical location of the second mobile device;

sending vehicle data to the first mobile device corresponding to the vehicle, wherein the vehicle data comprise the participant location data, wherein the first mobile device corresponding to the vehicle is configured to (1) determine coordinates of a position on the vehicle map corresponding to the coordinates of the geographical location of the first mobile device, (2) display the vehicle map, and (3) place a second symbol on the vehicle map at the determined coordinates of the position on the vehicle map corresponding to the coordinates of the geographical location of the first mobile device;

receiving participant selection data provided by the second mobile device corresponding to the participant, the participant selection data corresponding to user input provided via a display of the second mobile device;

based on the participant selection data, performing one or more acts selected from the group consisting of;

sending updated vehicle data to the first mobile device corresponding to the vehicle, sending updated participant data to the second mobile device corresponding to the participant, and sending a message to the first mobile device corresponding to the vehicle;

receiving entity-of-interest data transmitted by the second mobile device, the entity-of-interest data comprising coordinates of a geographical location of a new entity of interest, wherein the second mobile device is configured to (1) identify participant interaction with a display of the second mobile device, the participant interaction indicating selection of a position on the participant map and entry of the new entity of interest at the selected position, (2) display an entity symbol representing the new entity of interest at the selected position on the participant map, (3) determine coordinates of a geographical location of the new entity of interest based on coordinates of the selected position on the participant map, and (4) transmit the entity-of-interest data; and

sending the entity-of-interest data to the first mobile device corresponding to the vehicle, wherein the first mobile device is configured to place the entity symbol representing the new entity of interest on the vehicle map at a position on the vehicle map corresponding to the geographical location of the new entity of interest.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein performing the one or more acts comprises sending, based on the participant selection data, the updated participant data to the second mobile device corresponding to the participant, wherein the second mobile device is configured to display the updated participant data within the participant map.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the updated participant data comprise updated vehicle location data indicating coordinates of an updated geographical location of the first mobile device corresponding to the vehicle.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein performing the one or more acts comprises sending, based on the participant selection data, the updated participant data to the second mobile device corresponding to the participant, wherein the second mobile device is configured to replace the participant map with an updated participant map on the display of the second mobile device based at least in part on the updated participant data.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein performing the one or more acts comprises sending, based on the participant selection data, the message to the first mobile device corresponding to the vehicle.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the message to the first mobile device corresponding to the vehicle includes the second identifier and updated participant location data.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein performing the one or more acts comprises sending, based on the participant selection data, the updated vehicle data to the first mobile device corresponding to the vehicle, wherein the first mobile device is configured to display the updated vehicle data within the vehicle map.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein performing the one or more acts comprises sending, based on the participant selection data, the updated vehicle data to the first mobile device corresponding to the vehicle, wherein the first mobile device is configured to replace the vehicle map with an updated vehicle map on the display of the first mobile device based at least in part on the updated vehicle data.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the vehicle map is interactive.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the participant map is interactive.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the new entity of interest is an event and the location of the new entity of interest is a location of the event.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the new entity of interest location is different from the locations of the first and second mobile devices.

13. The method of claim 5, wherein the message comprises at least one of a text message, a photograph, or a video.

14. A system comprising:

one or more servers each having one or more processors, the processors configured to execute instructions to perform operations comprising;

obtaining first data provided by a first mobile device corresponding to a vehicle, the first data including a first identifier;

permitting the first mobile device corresponding to the vehicle to join a communication network, the permitting based on a determination regarding the first data;

obtaining second data provided by a second mobile device corresponding to a participant, the second data including a second identifier associated with the participant;

allowing the second mobile device corresponding to the participant to join the communication network, the allowing based on a determination regarding the second data;

receiving vehicle location data provided by the first mobile device corresponding to the vehicle, wherein the vehicle location data are associated with the first identifier and indicate coordinates of a geographical location of the first mobile device;

receiving participant location data provided by the second mobile device corresponding to the participant, wherein the participant location data are associated with the second identifier and indicate coordinates of a geographical location of the second mobile device;

sending participant data to the second mobile device corresponding to the participant, wherein the participant data comprise the vehicle location data, wherein the second mobile device corresponding to the participant is configured to (1) determine coordinates of a position on the participant map corresponding to the coordinates of the geographical location of the second mobile device, (2) display the participant map, and (3) place a first symbol on the participant map at the determined coordinates of the position on the participant map corresponding to the coordinates of the geographical location of the second mobile device;

sending vehicle data to the first mobile device corresponding to the vehicle, wherein the vehicle data comprise the participant location data, wherein the first mobile device corresponding to the vehicle is configured to (1) determine coordinates of a position on the vehicle map corresponding to the coordinates of the geographical location of the first mobile device, (2) display the vehicle map, and (3) place a second symbol on the vehicle map at the determined coordinates of the position on the vehicle map corresponding to the coordinates of the geographical location of the first mobile device;

receiving participant selection data provided by the second mobile device corresponding to the participant, the participant selection data corresponding to user input provided via a display of the second mobile device;

based on the participant selection data, performing one or more acts selected from the group consisting of;

sending updated vehicle data to the first mobile device corresponding to the vehicle, sending updated participant data to the second mobile device corresponding to the participant, and sending a message to the first mobile device corresponding to the vehicle;

receiving entity-of-interest data transmitted by the second mobile device, the entity-of-interest data comprising coordinates of a geographical location of a new entity of interest, wherein the second mobile device is configured to (1) identify participant interaction with a display of the second mobile device, the participant interaction indicating selection of a position on the participant map and entry of the new entity of interest at the selected position, (2) display an entity symbol representing the new entity of interest at the selected position on the participant map, (3) determine coordinates of a geographical location of the new entity of interest based on coordinates of the selected position on the participant map, and (4) transmit the entity-of-interest data; and

sending the entity-of-interest data to the first mobile device corresponding to the vehicle, wherein the first mobile device is configured to place the entity symbol representing the new entity of interest on the vehicle map at a position on the vehicle map corresponding to the geographical location of the new entity of interest.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein performing the one or more acts comprises sending, based on the participant selection data, the updated participant data to the second mobile device corresponding to the participant, wherein the second mobile device is configured to display the updated participant data within the participant map.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the updated participant data comprise updated vehicle location data indicating coordinates of an updated geographical location of the first mobile device corresponding to the vehicle.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein performing the one or more acts comprises sending, based on the participant selection data, the updated participant data to the second mobile device corresponding to the participant, wherein the second mobile device is configured to replace the participant map with an updated participant map on the display of the second mobile device based at least in part on the updated participant data.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein performing the one or more acts comprises sending, based on the participant selection data, the message to the first mobile device corresponding to the vehicle.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the message to the first mobile device corresponding to the vehicle includes the second identifier and updated participant location data.

20. The system of claim 14, wherein performing the one or more acts comprises sending, based on the participant selection data, the updated vehicle data to the first mobile device corresponding to the vehicle, wherein the first mobile device is configured to display the updated vehicle data within the vehicle map.

21. The system of claim 14, wherein performing the one or more acts comprises sending, based on the participant selection data, the updated vehicle data to the first mobile device corresponding to the vehicle, wherein the first mobile device is configured to replace the vehicle map with an updated vehicle map on the display of the first mobile device based at least in part on the updated vehicle data.

22. The system of claim 14, wherein the vehicle map is interactive.

23. The system of claim 14, wherein the participant map is interactive.

24. The system of claim 14, wherein the new entity of interest is an event and the location of the new entity of interest is a location of the event.

25. The system of claim 14, wherein the new entity of interest location is different from the locations of the first and second mobile devices.

26. The system of claim 18, wherein the message comprises at least one of a text message, a photograph, or a video.