System and method for integrating location information into an internet phone system

• US 20090258655A1
• Filed: 04/09/2008
• Published: 10/15/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CSR Technology Incorporated (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: SIRF Technology Incorporated (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Inventors: Cookro, Daniel A., McCarthy, Timothy Dennis, Shabaniani, Parham
• Granted Patent: US 8,478,305 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.100
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2535 adapted for voice communication over an Internet Protocol [IP] network Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) network equipment and services H04M7/006; implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP] H04L69/16
• 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 3/5116 for emergency applications
• 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 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

A system and a method for integrating the receipt and transmission of location information into VoIP phone systems. The system may include a location device that includes a SATPS receiver and an antenna together with one or more connectors that allow connection of the location device to other devices, such as a VoIP telephone and a router, that are connected to and made a part of a VoIP phone system. A method of operating such a system is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A location device for receiving Satellite Positioning System (SATPS) signals for use in a Voice over Internet Protocol (“

VoIP”

) phone system, the location device comprising;

a receiver configured to receive the SATPS signals from a remote location via a wireless communications link;

a digital processor in signal communication with the receiver configured to determine the location of a device configured to receive and transmit messages over the VoIP phone system; and

a first connector connecting the location device to the device configured to receive and transmit messages over the VoIP phone system.

2. The location device of claim 1, further including a memory in signal communication with the digital processor.

3. The location device of claim 2, wherein the device configured to receive and transmit messages over the VoIP phone system is a software telephone installed on a mobile computer.

4. The location device of claim 3, wherein the mobile computer is a laptop, notebook, sub-notebook, or personal digital assistant (“

PDA”

).

5. The location device of claim 4, wherein the receiver, the digital processor, and the memory are installed on the mobile computer and the first connector is a data bus between the location device and the mobile computer.

6. The location device of claim 4, wherein the receiver, the digital processor, and the memory are enclosed in an external dongle and the first connector includes a Universal Serial Bus (“

USB”

) connecting the external dongle with the mobile computer.

7. The location device of claim 2, further including a second connector connecting the location device to a network.

8. The location device of claim 2, wherein the device configured to receive and transmit messages over the VoIP phone system is a VoIP telephone.

9. The location device of claim 8, wherein the receiver, the digital processor, and the memory are enclosed in an external dongle adaptable for connection to the VoIP telephone by the first connector.

10. The location device of claim 9, wherein the first connector includes an RJ-11 jack configured to connect the location device to the VoIP telephone, and the second connector includes an RJ-11 jack configured to connect the location device to a digital phone adapter in signal communication with a network.

11. The device of claim 9, wherein the first connector includes an Ethernet RJ-45 jack configured to connect the location device to the VoIP telephone, and the second connector includes an Ethernet RJ-45 jack configured to connect the location device to a router in signal communication with a network.

12. The device of claim 9, wherein the receiver is also configured to receive location aiding signals from a second remote location via a second wireless communications link

13. The device of claim 9, further including an output data stream comprising messages from the VoIP telephone and location data generated by the location device.

14. A method of integrating location information into a Voice over Internet Protocol (“

VoIP”

) phone system, the method comprising the steps of;

receiving SATPS signals from a remote location via a wireless communications link at a location device in signal communication with a device configured to receive and transmit messages over the VoIP phone system;

determining the location of the device configured to receive and transmit messages from the received SATPS signals; and

storing information related to the location of the device configured to receive and transmit messages in a memory in signal communication within the location device.

15. The method of claim 14, further including the steps of:

receiving VoIP packets from the device configured to receive and transmit messages;

determining if the received VoIP packets require the location information of the device configured to receive and transmit messages;

retrieving the location information of the device configured to receive and transmit messages from the memory responsive to the determination of the requirement for the location information;

combining the retrieved location information and the received VoIP packets in an output data stream; and

transmitting the output data stream over a network to a predetermined destination.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the device configured to receive and transmit messages over the VoIP phone system is a VoIP telephone.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the step of receiving SATPS signals further includes the steps of:

receiving aiding signals from at least one other remote location via another wireless communications link; and

utilizing the aiding signals to determine the location of the VoIP telephone.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the device configured to receive and transmit messages over the VoIP phone system is a software telephone installed on a mobile computer.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the step of receiving SATPS signals further includes the steps of:

receiving aiding signals from another remote location via another wireless communications link; and

utilizing the aiding signals to determine the location of the software telephone.

20. A method of operating a Voice over Internet Protocol (“

VoIP”

) phone system with integrated location information, the method comprising the steps of;

determining if the VoIP phone system has location information related to a device configured to receive and transmit messages over the VoIP phone system stored in memory of a location device in signal communication with the device configured to receive and transmit messages;

if the location information is not found in the memory, searching for SATPS signals from a remote location via a wireless communications link;

receiving SATPS signals from the remote location at a receiver of the location device;

determining the location of the device configured to receive and transmit messages from the received SATPS signals;

storing information related to the location of the device configured to receive and transmit messages in the memory; and

responsive to the search for the SATPS signals, displaying results of the search to a user of the VoIP phone system.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the step of searching for SATPS signals further includes the steps of:

searching for aiding signals from at least one other remote location via at least one other wireless communications link;

receiving the aiding signals from the another remote location at the receiver of the location device;

utilizing the aiding signals to determine the location of the device configured to receive and transmit messages; and

and storing information related to the location of the device configured to receive and transmit messages in the memory.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the step of displaying results further includes the steps of:

responsive to the SATPS signals being received, notifying the user that the location of the device configured to receive and transmit messages has been determined and stored in the memory; and

responsive to the SATPS signals not being received, notifying the user that the location of the device configured to receive and transmit messages is unable to be determined.

23. The method of claim 22, further including the steps of:

responsive to the SATPS signals not being received;

powering down the VoIP phone system;

repositioning the VoIP system;

powering up the VoIP system; and

repeating the steps of claim 20.

24. The location device of claim 23, wherein the device configured to receive and transmit messages over the VoIP phone system is a VoIP telephone.