Opt-in pinging and tracking for GPS mobile telephones

• US 20040171380A1
• Filed: 02/28/2003
• Published: 09/02/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited (Trimble Inc.)
• Original Assignee: At Road Incorporated
• Inventors: Walker, Michael, Tiwari, Anil, Puranik, Shirish
• Granted Patent: US 6,922,566 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/423
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0027 of actual mobile position, i.e. position determined on mobile
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

A method and system allowing a mobile phone user to “opt in” to requests with multiple response options, to respond indicating that user wishes not to be tracked, or to respond indicating some information about state, possibly in addition to PVT information. The user has options besides allowing ping responses or turning off GPS tracking. When a ping is received, user chooses whether or not to opt in to the ping. The user may refuse to respond, to respond normally with or without PVT or other information, or to respond saying only that the mobile phone is turned on. GPS tracking continues to operate, so that upon return to normal responses, no cold start of GPS tracking is involved. More intelligent, such as for example rules-based, responses can be made to ping messages, in which GPS tracking interacts with a user interface to determine how to respond flexibly to pings.

Claims

1. A method, including steps of

receiving a message, at a mobile device, from a server requesting information from the mobile device;

in response to said message, requesting a response from a user of said mobile device; and

in response to said response, taking one of a plurality of possible actions in response to said message, said plurality of possible actions including at least;

responding to said message in a first way, responding to said message in a second way, declining to respond to said message.

2. A method as in claim 1, wherein said message includes a request for tracking information.

3. A method as in claim 2, wherein said first way does not include said tracking information.

4. A method as in claim 2, wherein said first way includes information other than said tracking information.

5. A method as in claim 2, wherein said first way includes said tracking information.

6. A method, including steps of

receiving information from a user regarding how to respond to a message, said message being from a server and requesting information from the mobile device;

maintaining a state of said mobile device in response to said information; and

being prepared to respond to said message in response to said state.

7. A method as in claim 6, wherein said state includes a selection of one of a plurality of possible actions in response to said message, said plurality of possible actions including at least:

responding to said message in a first way, responding to said message in a second way, declining to respond to said message.

8. A method as in claim 6, wherein said state is responsive to at least one of:

a position of said mobile device, a velocity of said mobile device, a time, or a combination or conjunction of two of said values.

9. A method as in claim 6, wherein said message includes a request for tracking information.

10. A method as in claim 9, wherein said first way does not include said tracking information.

11. A method as in claim 9, wherein said first way includes information other than said tracking information.

12. A method as in claim 9, wherein said first way includes said tracking information.

13. A method, including steps of

from time to time, obtaining GPS information regarding a mobile device at said mobile device;

receiving a message from a server requesting said GPS information; and

declining to deliver said GPS information to said server, while continuing to obtain said GPS information at said mobile device;

whereby when said mobile device desires to deliver said GPS information to said server, a cold start of the steps of obtaining GPS information is not required.

14. Apparatus including instructions capable of being performed by a computing device to

receive a message, at a mobile device, from a server requesting information from the mobile device;

in response to said message, request a response from a user of said mobile device; and

in response to said response, take one of a plurality of possible actions in response to said message, said plurality of possible actions including at least;

responding to said message in a first way, responding to said message in a second way, declining to respond to said message.

15. Apparatus as in claim 14, wherein said message includes a request for tracking information.

16. Apparatus as in claim 15, wherein said first way does not include said tracking information.

17. Apparatus as in claim 15, wherein said first way includes said tracking information.

18. Apparatus as in claim 15, wherein said first way includes information other than said tracking information.

19. Apparatus including instructions capable of being performed by a computing device to

receive information from a user regarding how to respond to a message, said message being from a server and requesting information from the mobile device;

maintain a state of said mobile device in response to said information; and

be prepared to respond to said message in response to said state.

20. Apparatus as in claim 19, wherein said state includes a selection of one of a plurality of possible actions in response to said message, said plurality of possible actions including at least:

responding to said message in a first way, responding to said message in a second way, declining to respond to said message.

21. Apparatus as in claim 19, wherein said state is responsive to at least one of:

a position of said mobile device, a velocity of said mobile device, a time, or a combination or conjunction of two of said values.

22. Apparatus as in claim 19, wherein said message includes a request for tracking information.

23. Apparatus as in claim 22, wherein said first way does not include said tracking information.

24. Apparatus as in claim 22, wherein said first way includes said tracking information.

25. Apparatus as in claim 22, wherein said first way includes information other than said tracking information.

26. Apparatus including instructions capable of being performed by a computing device to

from time to time, obtain GPS information regarding a mobile device at said mobile device;

receive a message from a server requesting said GPS information; and

decline to deliver said GPS information to said server, while continuing to obtain said GPS information at said mobile device;

whereby when said mobile device desires to deliver said GPS information to said server, a cold start of the steps of obtaining GPS information is not required.

27. Apparatus including

means for receiving a message, at a mobile device, from a server requesting information from the mobile device;

means for, in response to said message, requesting a response from a user of said mobile device; and

means for, in response to said response, taking one of a plurality of possible actions in response to said message, said plurality of possible actions including at least;

responding to said message in a first way, responding to said message in a second way, declining to respond to said message.

28. Apparatus as in claim 27, wherein said message includes a request for tracking information.

29. Apparatus as in claim 28, wherein said first way does not include said tracking information.

30. Apparatus as in claim 28, wherein said first way includes said tracking information.

31. Apparatus as in claim 28, wherein said first way includes information other than said tracking information.

32. Apparatus including

means for receiving information from a user regarding how to respond to a message, said message being from a server and requesting information from the mobile device;

means for maintaining a state of said mobile device in response to said information; and

means for being prepared to respond to said message in response to said state.

33. Apparatus as in claim 32, wherein said state includes a selection of one of a plurality of possible actions in response to said message, said plurality of possible actions including at least:

responding to said message in a first way, responding to said message in a second way, declining to respond to said message.

34. Apparatus as in claim 32, wherein said state is responsive to at least one of:

a position of said mobile device, a velocity of said mobile device, a time, or a combination or conjunction of two of said values.

35. Apparatus as in claim 32, wherein said message includes a request for tracking information.

36. Apparatus as in claim 35, wherein said first way does not include said tracking information.

37. Apparatus as in claim 35, wherein said first way includes said tracking information.

38. Apparatus as in claim 35, wherein said first way includes information other than said tracking information.

39. Apparatus including

means for, from time to time, obtaining GPS information regarding a mobile device at said mobile device;

means for receiving a message from a server requesting said GPS information; and

means for declining to deliver said GPS information to said server, while continuing to obtain said GPS information at said mobile device;

whereby when said mobile device desires to deliver said GPS information to said server, a cold start of the steps of obtaining GPS information is not required.