Application-based tracking and mapping function in connection with vehicle-based services provision

• US 10,750,311 B2
• Filed: 02/04/2020
• Issued: 08/18/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: X One Inc.
• Original Assignee: X One Inc.
• Inventors: Haney, Richard D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Karikari, Kwasi
• Application Number:
  US16/781,267
• Publication Number:
  US 20200178022A1
• Time in Patent Office: 196 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/01 Satellite radio beacon positioning systems transmitting time-stamped messages, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System], GLONASS [Global Orbiting Navigation Satellite System] or GALILEO
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/03 Cooperating elements; Interaction or communication between different cooperating elements or between cooperating elements and receivers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/322 Aspects of commerce using mobile devices [M-devices]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1046 Joining mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/54 Presence management, e.g. monitoring or registration for receipt of user log-on information, or the connection status of the users
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0202 Portable telephone sets, e.g. cordless phones, mobile phones or bar type handsets constructional features of telephone transmitters or receivers, e.g. of speakers or microphones H04M1/03
• 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 1/72457 according to geographic location
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/38 Displays
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2044 Group features, e.g. closed user group
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/04 for emergency applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/30 Determination of the location of a subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/10 : including a GPS signal receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42093 : Notifying the calling party of information on the called or connected party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4228 : in networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42348 : Location-based services which utilize the location information of a target
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42365 : Presence services providing information on the willingness to communicate or the ability to communicate in terms of media capability or network connectivity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/033 : of the user plane, e.g. user's traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 : Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 : Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/63 : Location-dependent; Proximity-dependent
• 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 4/022 : with dynamic range variability
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 : using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/025 : using location based information parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/027 : using movement velocity, acceleration information
• 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 4/21 : for social networking applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/50 : Service provisioning or reconfiguring
• 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 64/003 : locating network equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/12 : Inter-network notification
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/121 : for groups of terminals or users
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/14 : Direct-mode setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 : Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

A system for exchanging GPS or other position data between wireless devices for purposes of group activities, child location monitoring, work group coordination, dispatching of employees etc. Cell phones and other wireless devices with GPS receivers have loaded therein a Buddy Watch application and a TalkControl application. The Buddy Watch application communicates with the GPS receiver and other wireless devices operated by buddies registered in the users phone as part of buddy groups or individually. GPS position data and historical GPS position data can be exchanged between cell phones of buddies and instant buddies such as tow truck drivers via a buddy watch server. Emergency monitoring services can be set up with notifications to programmable individuals in case an individual does not respond. Positions and tracks can be displayed. TalkControl simplifies and automates the process of joining talk groups for walkie talkie services such as that provided by Nextel.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising instructions stored on non-transitory processor-readable media, the instructions embodied as a software application adapted for selective download to already-deployed web-enabled cellphones possessing GPS receivers, said instructions when executed adapted to cause a processor of a respective one of the cellphones to:

install the software application on the respective one of the cellphones;

permit a user of the respective one of the cellphones to selectively establish an account, the account conditioned on submission of payment information by the user of the respective one of the cellphones, the submission being executable via a user-interface of the respective one of the cellphones; and

conditioned on establishment of the account and conditioned on launch of the software application in connection with a request for a service, the request accompanied by request information also entered by the user of the respective one of the cellphones into the user-interface of the respective one of the cellphones, provide a tracking and position-mapping function, via the software application, to permit the user of the respective one of the cellphones to see on a map the location of a vehicle associated with provision of the service;

wherein said instructions are to, via execution of the software application on the respective one of the cellphones, cause the respective one of the cellphones to receive via a cellular wireless service GPS information of the vehicle and to receive via a wide area network a map from a server and, responsive to the received GPS information, render as part of the tracking and position-mapping function a moving map on a display of the respective one of the cellphones, the moving map being rendered using the map received from the server, the moving map rendered on the display of the respective one of the cellphones so as show the most recent location of the vehicle associated with provision of the service.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the instructions when executed are to cause the respective one of the cellphones to, in connection with execution of the software application on the respective one of the cellphones, render the moving map in a manner that traces a path from the vehicle to a current position of the respective one of the cellphones.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the instructions when executed are to cause the respective one of the cellphones to, in connection with execution of the software application on the respective one of the cellphones, render the moving map in a manner that conveys speed and direction of travel of the vehicle.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 the instructions when executed are to cause the respective one of the cellphones to, in connection with execution of the software application on the respective one of the cellphones, establish the tracking and position-mapping function on a mutual basis and, in connection therewith, transmit GPS position information of the respective one of the cellphones for provision to a wireless receiver associated with the vehicle, wherein the transmission of the GPS position information is to be effectuated on a packetized, encrypted basis.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the instructions when executed are to cause the respective one of the cellphones to associate an equipment identification number (EIN) of the respective one of the cellphones with the account and to, in connection with execution of the software application on the respective one of the cellphones, establish the tracking and position-mapping function contingent on dynamic verification of the EIN of the respective one of the cellphones.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the instructions when executed are to cause the respective one of the cellphones to, in connection with execution of the software application on the respective one of the cellphones, receive the GPS information of the vehicle via a TCP/IP packet format, in a manner explicitly addressed to an IP address and port associated with the software application on the respective one of the cellphones.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the instructions when executed are to cause the respective one of the cellphones to, in connection with execution of the software application on the respective one of the cellphones, display an option on a visual display screen of the respective one of the cellphones for the user to initiate a text message for a wireless device associated with the vehicle and, in connection with exercise of said option, cause the respective one of the cellphones to send the text message directly to the wireless device.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the instructions when executed are to cause the respective one of the cellphones to, in connection with execution of the software application on the respective one of the cellphones, display an option on a visual display screen of the respective one of the cellphones for the user cellphones to initiate voice communications with a wireless device associated with the vehicle and, in connection with exercise of said option, cause the respective one of the cellphones to initiate voice communications directly with the wireless device.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the instructions when executed are to cause the respective one of the cellphones to, in connection with execution of the software application on the respective one of the cellphones, automatically terminate tracking and position-mapping function, once established, upon occurrence of a predetermined event.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the instructions are to cause, in connection with execution of the software application on the respective one of the cellphones, display of an option on a visual display of the respective one of the cell phones for the user to send information associated with travel of the user to select at least one third party selected by the user from amongst a list of contacts presented on the visual display of the respective one of the cellphones and, upon exercise of said option, transmit the information associated with the travel to the at least one third party via short message system (SMS) communication.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the software application is to provide the position and position-tracking function in a manner not requiring concurrent voice communications between the respective one of the cellphones and a wireless device associated with the vehicle.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the instructions when executed are to cause the respective one of the cellphones to, in connection with execution of the software application on the respective one of the cellphones, permit the user of the respective one of the cellphones to selectively change a size of a geographic area displayed by the moving map.

13. An apparatus comprising instructions stored on non-transitory processor-readable media, the instructions embodied as a software application adapted for selective download to already-deployed web-enabled cellphones possessing GPS receivers, said instructions when executed adapted to cause a processor of a respective one of the cellphones to:

install the software application on the respective one of the cellphones;

permit a user of the respective one of the cellphones to selectively establish an account, the account conditioned on submission of payment information by the user of the respective one of the cellphones, the submission being executable via a user-interface of the respective one of the cellphones; and

conditioned on establishment of the account and conditioned on launch of the software application in connection with a request for a service, the request accompanied by request information also entered by the user of the respective one of the cellphones into the user-interface of the respective one of the cellphones, provide a tracking and position-mapping function, via the software application, to permit the user of the respective one of the cellphones to see on a map the location of a vehicle associated with provision of the service;

wherein said instructions are to, via execution of the software application on the respective one of the cellphones, cause the respective one of the cellphones to receive via a cellular wireless service GPS information of the vehicle and to receive via a wide area network a map from a server and, responsive to the received GPS information, render as part of the tracking and position-mapping function a moving map on a display of the respective one of the cellphones, the moving map being rendered using the map received from the server, the moving map rendered on the display of the respective one of the cellphones so as to show the most recent location of the vehicle associated with provision of the service; and

wherein said instructions when executed are to cause the respective one of the cellphones to, in connection with execution of the software application on the respective one of the cellphones, render the moving map in a manner that depicts updated position of the user of the respective one of the cellphones and updated position of the vehicle, wherein the moving map is automatically re-centered and resized in a manner dependent on each of updated GPS position information of the respective one of the cellphones and updated GPS position information of the vehicle.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 the instructions when executed are to cause the respective one of the cellphones to, in connection with execution of the software application on the respective one of the cellphones, establish the tracking and position-mapping function on a mutual basis and, in connection therewith, transmit GPS position information of the respective one of the cellphones for provision to a wireless receiver associated with the vehicle, wherein the transmission of the GPS position information is to be effectuated on a packetized, encrypted basis.

15. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said instructions when executed are further to cause the respective one of the cellphones to, in connection with execution of the software application on the respective one of the cellphones, display a cursor to the user of the respective one of the cellphones, via a visual display of the respective one of the cellphones, permit the user to define a location by user-positioning of a cursor on the visual display on the respective one of the cellphones, and transmit to the vehicle position information identifying the location defined by the user-positioning.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the location defined by the user of the respective one of the cellphones is a proposed meeting point.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the visual display comprises a touch screen and wherein the instructions when executed are to permit, in connection with execution of the software application on the respective one of the cellphones, the user of the respective one of the cellphones to define the proposed meeting point by dragging and dropping of the cursor on the touch screen.

18. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein:

the instructions, when executed, are to cause the respective one of the cellphones to communicate with a server and store an activation code from the server on the respective one of the cellphones, contingent on submission to the server of the payment information; and

responsive to launch, the software application is to cause the respective one of the cellphones to check for validity of the activation code and is to enable the location tracking and position-mapping function of the software application on the respective one of the cellphones contingent on validity of the activation code.

19. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the software application is to provide a common application programming interface to extract commercial enterprise-specific content associated with multiple parties for presentation to the user via the respective one of the cellphones, and said instructions when executed are to, in connection with execution of the software application on the respective one of the cellphones, cause the respective one of the cellphones to receive a choice from the user of the respective one of the cellphones, entered via a user interface of the respective one of the cellphones, the choice free to designate the commercial enterprise-specific content of any of the multiple parties.

20. An apparatus comprising instructions stored on non-transitory processor-readable media, the instructions embodied as a software application adapted for selective download to already-deployed web-enabled cellphones possessing GPS receivers, said instructions when executed adapted to cause a processor of a respective one of the cellphones to:

install the software application on the respective one of the cellphones;

permit a user of the respective one of the cellphones to selectively establish an account, the account conditioned on submission of payment information by the user of the respective one of the cellphones, the submission being executable via a user-interface of the respective one of the cellphones;

conditioned on establishment of the account and conditioned on launch of the software application in connection with a request for a service, the request accompanied by request information also entered by the user of the respective one of the cellphones into the user-interface of the respective one of the cellphones, provide a tracking and position-mapping function, via the software application, to permit the user of the respective one of the cellphones to see on a map the location of a vehicle associated with provision of the service;

wherein said instructions are to, via execution of the software application on the respective one of the cellphones, cause the respective one of the cellphones to receive via a cellular wireless service GPS information of the vehicle and to receive via a wide area network a map from a server and, responsive to the received GPS information, render as part of the tracking and position-mapping function a moving map on a display of the respective one of the cellphones, the moving map being rendered using the map received from the server, the moving map rendered on the display of the respective one of the cellphones so as to show the most recent location of the vehicle associated with provision of the service; and

wherein said instructions when executed are further to cause the respective one of the cellphones to, in connection with execution of the software application on the respective one of the cellphones, display a cursor to the user of the respective one of the cellphones, via a visual display of the respective one of the cellphones, permit the user to define a location by user-positioning of a cursor on the visual display on the respective one of the cellphones, and transmit to the vehicle position information identifying the location defined by the user-positioning.

21. The apparatus of claim 20 the instructions when executed are to cause the respective one of the cellphones to, in connection with execution of the software application on the respective one of the cellphones, establish the tracking and position-mapping function on a mutual basis and, in connection therewith, transmit GPS position information of the respective one of the cellphones for provision to a wireless receiver associated with the vehicle, wherein the transmission of the GPS position information is to be effectuated on a packetized, encrypted basis.

22. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein the instructions when executed are to cause the respective one of the cellphones to, in connection with execution of the software application on the respective one of the cellphones, receive the GPS information of the vehicle via a TCP/IP packet format, in a manner explicitly addressed to an IP address and port associated with the software application on the respective one of the cellphones.

23. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein:

said instructions when executed are further to cause the respective one of the cellphones to, in connection with execution of the software application on the respective one of the cellphones, display a cursor to the user of the respective one of the cellphones, via a visual display of the respective one of the cellphones, permit the user to define a location by user-positioning of a cursor on the visual display on the respective one of the cellphones, and transmit to the vehicle position information identifying the location defined by the user-positioning;

the location defined by the user of the respective one of the cellphones is a proposed meeting point;

the visual display comprises a touch screen; and

the instructions when executed are to permit, in connection with execution of the software application on the respective one of the cellphones, the user of the respective one of the cellphones to define the proposed meeting point by dragging and dropping of the cursor on the touch screen.

24. An apparatus comprising instructions stored on non-transitory processor-readable media, the instructions embodied as a software application adapted for selective download to already-deployed web-enabled cellphones possessing GPS receivers, said instructions when executed adapted to cause a processor of a respective one of the cellphones to:

install the software application on the respective one of the cellphones;

permit a user of the respective one of the cellphones to selectively establish an account, the account conditioned on submission of payment information by the user of the respective one of the cellphones, the submission being executable via a user-interface of the respective one of the cellphones; and

conditioned on establishment of the account and conditioned on launch of the software application in connection with a request for a service, the request accompanied by request information also entered by the user of the respective one of the cellphones into the user-interface of the respective one of the cellphones, provide a tracking and position-mapping function, via the software application, to permit the user of the respective one of the cellphones to see on a map the location of a vehicle associated with provision of the service;

wherein said instructions are to, via execution of the software application on the respective one of the cellphones, cause the respective one of the cellphones to receive via a cellular wireless service GPS information of the vehicle and to receive via a wide area network a map from a server and, responsive to the received GPS information, render as part of the tracking and position-mapping function a moving map on a display of the respective one of the cellphones, the moving map being rendered using the map received from the server, the moving map rendered on the display of the respective one of the cellphones so as to show the most recent location of the vehicle associated with provision of the service;

wherein the instructions, when executed, are to cause the respective one of the cellphones to communicate with a server and store an activation code from the server on the respective one of the cellphones, contingent on submission to the server of the payment information; and

wherein responsive to launch, the software application is to cause the respective one of the cellphones to check for validity of the activation code and is to enable the location tracking and position-mapping function of the software application on the respective one of the cellphones contingent on validity of the activation code.

25. The apparatus of claim 24 wherein said instructions when executed are further to cause the respective one of the cellphones to, in connection with execution of the software application on the respective one of the cellphones, display a cursor to the user of the respective one of the cellphones, via a visual display of the respective one of the cellphones, permit the user to define a location by user-positioning of a cursor on the visual display on the respective one of the cellphones, and transmit to the vehicle position information identifying the location defined by the user-positioning.

26. The apparatus of claim 25 wherein the location defined by the user of the respective one of the cellphones is a proposed meeting point.

27. The apparatus of claim 26 wherein the visual display comprises a touch screen and wherein the instructions when executed are to permit, in connection with execution of the software application on the respective one of the cellphones, the user of the respective one of the cellphones to define the proposed meeting point by dragging and dropping of the cursor on the touch screen.

28. The apparatus of claim 24 wherein the software application is to provide a common application programming interface to extract commercial enterprise-specific content associated with multiple parties for presentation to the user via the respective one of the cellphones, and said instructions when executed are to, in connection with execution of the software application on the respective one of the cellphones, cause the respective one of the cellphones to receive a choice from the user of the respective one of the cellphones, entered via a user interface of the respective one of the cellphones, the choice free to designate the commercial enterprise-specific content of any of the multiple parties.

29. An apparatus comprising instructions stored on non-transitory processor-readable media, the instructions embodied as a software application adapted for selective download to already-deployed web-enabled cellphones possessing GPS receivers, said instructions when executed adapted to cause a processor of a respective one of the cellphones to:

install the software application on the respective one of the cellphones;

permit a user of the respective one of the cellphones to selectively establish an account, the account conditioned on submission of payment information by the user of the respective one of the cellphones, the submission being executable via a user-interface of the respective one of the cellphones; and

conditioned on establishment of the account and conditioned on launch of the software application in connection with a request for a service, the request accompanied by request information also entered by the user of the respective one of the cellphones into the user-interface of the respective one of the cellphones, provide a tracking and position-mapping function, via the software application, to permit the user of the respective one of the cellphones to see on a map the location of a vehicle associated with provision of the service;

wherein said instructions are to, via execution of the software application on the respective one of the cellphones, cause the respective one of the cellphones to receive via a cellular wireless service GPS information of the vehicle and to receive via a wide area network a map from a server and, responsive to the received GPS information, render as part of the tracking and position-mapping function a moving map on a display of the respective one of the cellphones, the moving map being rendered using the map received from the server, the moving map rendered on the display of the respective one of the cellphones so as to show the most recent location of the vehicle associated with provision of the service; and

wherein the software application is to provide a common application programming interface to extract commercial enterprise-specific content associated with multiple parties for presentation to the user via the respective one of the cellphones, and said instructions when executed are to, in connection with execution of the software application on the respective one of the cellphones, cause the respective one of the cellphones to receive a choice from the user of the respective one of the cellphones, entered via a user interface of the respective one of the cellphones, the choice free to designate the commercial enterprise-specific content of any of the multiple parties.