Systems and methods for locating cellular phones and security measures for the same

• US 11,122,418 B2
• Filed: 07/12/2006
• Issued: 09/14/2021
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Mullen Industries LLC
• Original Assignee: Mullen Industries LLC
• Inventors: Mullen, Jeffrey D
• Primary Examiner(s): Deane, Jr., William J
• Application Number:
  US11/485,161
• Publication Number:
  US 20060252431A1
• Time in Patent Office: 5,543 Days
• Field of Search: 4554041, 4554042, 455410, 4554561-4563, 455457
• 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 8/14 between corresponding nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/16 selectively restricting mobility data tracking

Abstract

Systems and methods for locating a cellular phone are provided. More particularly, systems and methods for providing the location of a requested user'"'"'s cellular phone from a requesting user'"'"'s device (e.g., a second cellular phone) based on access rights defined by the requested user. Location descriptions may be provided at a multitude of levels. For example, if a cellular phone, or an identity associated to (e.g., logged into) a cellular phone, has been given access rights to a cell phone'"'"'s exact location for an indefinite amount of time, that cell phone can receive, on command, the exact location of the approved cell phone. Other levels of location information that can be granted include, for example, proximities, states, and countries.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a first wireless device, wherein a location of said first wireless device is operable of being determined and provided to a remote system,

said location of said first wireless device is operable of being requested by a second wireless device outside of a call for communication between said first wireless device and said second wireless device,

a permission is operable of being provided by said first wireless device for said second wireless device to access location information about said location,

said permission is operable of being stored in said remote system, wherein said remote system is located remotely from said first and second wireless devices,

said location information about said location is operable of being provided from said remote system to said second wireless device in accordance with said permission outside of said call, wherein said first wireless device is operable of providing a first map provided with respect to said location.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said first and second wireless devices are wireless telephones.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said second wireless device displays a map with a location marker associated with said location.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein a speed said first wireless device is traveling is operable of being determined.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein a direction said first wireless device is traveling is operable of being determined.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said permission is operable of being removed, by said first wireless device, for said second wireless device to obtain said location.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said location is determined by a positioning system that receives signals from a plurality of positioning satellites, said location is updated by said positioning system, and said updated location is provided to said facility.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein said second wireless device is operable of being alerted when said first wireless device is within a distance of said second wireless device.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein:

a first dating matching profile is operable of being provided by said first wireless device;

a second dating matching profile is operable of being provided by said second wireless device;

a second location is operable of being obtained, wherein said second location is the location of said second wireless device; and

said location, said second location, said first dating matching profile, and said second dating matching profile is operable of being utilized to provide an alert.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein a second location is associated with said second wireless device and said location of said first wireless device is displayed relative to said second location of said second wireless device.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein a direction that said second wireless device is traveling in is operable of being displayed.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein said second wireless device is operable of being allowed to set location alerts associated with said first wireless device.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein said permission is assigned for a period of time.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein said second wireless device is operable of being alerted when said first wireless device enters a geographic region.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein said facility stores a history of locations for said first wireless device.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein said server stores a history of locations for said first wireless device and said history is utilized to provide an approximate location of said first wireless device.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein said first wireless device is OFF when said location is provided to said second wireless device.

18. A system comprising:

a first wireless device, wherein a first location of said first wireless device is operable of being determined,

a second location of a second wireless device is operable of being determined,

said first and second locations are operable of being provided to a server, wherein said server is located remotely from said first and second wireless devices,

said first location is operable of being requested by said second wireless device outside of a call for communication between said first wireless device and said second wireless device,

said second location is operable of being requested by said first wireless device

a first permission is operable of being provided by said first wireless device for said second wireless device to obtain said first location

a second permission is operable of being provided by said second wireless device for said first wireless device to obtain said second location

said first and second permissions are operable of being stored on said server,

said first location from said server is operable of being provided to said second wireless device as a result of said first permission outside of said call, and

said second location is operable of being provided from said server to said first wireless device as a result of said second permission, wherein said first wireless device is operable of providing a first map from a perspective of said first wireless device.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein said first and second wireless devices are wireless telephones.

21. The system of claim 18, wherein said second wireless device displays a map with a location marker associated with said first location.

22. The system of claim 18, wherein a speed of said first wireless device is traveling is operable of being determined.

23. The system of claim 18, wherein the direction said first wireless device is traveling is operable of being determined.

24. The system of claim 18, wherein said first permission is operable of being removed, by said first wireless device, for said second wireless device to obtain said first location.

25. The system of claim 18, wherein said second wireless device is operable of being alerted when said first wireless device is within a distance of said second wireless device.

19. A system comprising:

a first wireless device operable of determining a first location of said first wireless device,

a second location of a second wireless device, is operable of being determined,

said first and second locations are operable of being provided to a server, said server is located remotely from said first and second wireless devices,

said first location is operable of being requested by said second wireless device outside of a call for communication between said first wireless device and said second wireless device,

said second location is operable of being requested by said first wireless device,

a first permission is operable of being provided by said first wireless device for said second wireless device to obtain said first location,

a second permission is operable of being provided by said second wireless device for said first wireless device to obtain said second location,

said first and second permissions are operable of being stored on said server,

said first location is operable of being provided from said server to said second wireless device as a result of said first permission outside of said call,

said second location is operable of being provided from said server to said first wireless device as a result of said second permission,

updates of said first location are operable of being provided to said second wireless device as a result of said first permission, and

updates of said second location are operable of being provided to said first wireless device as a result of said second permission, wherein said first wireless device is operable of providing a first map from a perspective of said first location.

26. The system of claim 19, wherein said first and second wireless devices are wireless telephones.

27. The system of claim 19, wherein said second wireless device displays a map with a location marker associated with said first location.

28. The system of claim 19, wherein a speed said first wireless device is traveling is operable of being determined.

29. The system of claim 19, wherein the direction said first wireless device is traveling is operable of being determined.

30. The system of claim 19, wherein said first permission is operable of being removed, by said first wireless device, for said second wireless device to obtain said first location.