Location sharing and tracking using mobile phones or other wireless devices

• US 20080227473A1
• Filed: 03/11/2008
• Published: 09/18/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: X One Inc.
• Original Assignee: X One Inc.
• Inventors: Haney, Richard D.
• Granted Patent: US 8,538,458 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/457
• 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. A method for receiving a GPS position from a second wireless device at a first wireless devices, comprising:

in a first wireless device to which one or more GPS position data bearing packets is addressed, recovering the data of the one or more packets and reassembling the one or more packets;

reading header data of the one or more recovered packets and routing the one or more packets to a GPS position data sharing software application;

in the GPS position data sharing software application decrypting the GPS position data from payload sections of the one or more packets and using header information of the one or more packets to determine an identity of a person whose GPS position data was decrypted and using the decrypted position data to update the displayed position data of the person;

reading GPS position data from a GPS receiver in the first wireless device and encrypting the GPS position data;

encapsulating the GPS position data into payload portions of packets and addressing the packets to the second wireless device; and

transmitting the one or more packets containing GPS position data of the first wireless device to a transceiver in a cell in which the first wireless device is registered.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

making a position update request from the first wireless device to the second wireless device and starting a timer in the first wireless device at the time the request is made; and

if the timer reaches a predetermined time without having received a position update from the second wireless device, changing the color of a display of a position of the second wireless device to a color which indicates the second wireless device is out of cellular coverage or not responding.

3. An apparatus comprising a wireless cell phone, PCS device, Blackberry or other device capable of receiving and making wireless phone calls and having a GPS receiver, and programmed to communicate with a server so as to be able to exchange GPS location data with another wireless cell phone, PCS device, Blackberry or other device capable of receiving and making wireless phone calls such that the locations of individuals or groups can be known.

4. A method, comprising:

receiving, at a first device, a request from a second device for a geographic position of the first device;

receiving, at the first device, position data corresponding to the geographic position of the first device; and

communicating the position data to the second device.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein prior to the communicating the position data, encapsulating the received position data into one or more data packets.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the position data received at the first device is position data originating from a global positioning satellite system.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein the first device and the second device are wireless devices.

8. A method, comprising:

receiving at a first device a request from a second device for a geographic position of the first device;

receiving, at the first device, first position data corresponding to the geographic position of the first device;

communicating the first position data to the second device; and

receiving, at the first device, second position data corresponding to the geographic position of the second device.

9. A system, comprising a server to:

receive first position data from a first device including an address to a second device;

communicate the first position data to the second device based on the address to the second device;

receive second position data from the second device including an address to the first device; and

communicate the second position data to the first device based on the address to the first device.