Updating a Mobile Device's Location

• US 20110136508A1
• Filed: 01/31/2011
• Published: 06/09/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ENOVSYS LLC
• Original Assignee: ENOVSYS LLC
• Inventors: Fomukong, Mundi, Chesney, Denzil Willoughby
• Granted Patent: US 8,559,942 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18567 Arrangements for providing additional services to the basic mobile satellite telephony service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/10 between location register and external networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/16 selectively restricting mobility data tracking
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/022 One-way selective calling networks, e.g. wide area paging
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/025 with acknowledge back capability

Abstract

A location reporting paging communication system comprising space satellites, ground stations and a remote receiving unit adapted to resolve a global position from signals transmitted from a communication transmitter. The subscriber in possession of the remote receiving unit updates the paging network with global positioning information. A caller paging a subscriber in possession of the remote receiving unit may request the global location of the remote receiving unit. The paging network could divulge or block such information from a caller depending on the requirements of the subscriber.

Claims

1. A method for obtaining the current location information of a mobile remote unit comprising:

receiving a request to provide current location information for a mobile remote unit to an authorized resource connected to a communication system;

using a time stamp of a prior location information update for the mobile remote unit to verify that the mobile remote unit has not provided location information to the communication system within a predetermined time interval;

requesting the current location information from the mobile remote unit; and

providing the authorized resource with the current location information for the mobile remote unit.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the request to provide current location information is generated by the communication system in response to a query from the authorized resource.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the authorized resource is selected from the group consisting of:

a second mobile remote unit, a personal computer, an internet site, and the communication system.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing the prior location information to the authorized resource in place of current location information in response to a privacy setting of the mobile remote unit.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein location information is a position resolved from reference to apparatus at least three locations.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the apparatus are either all satellites or all terrestrial transmitters.

7. A system for obtaining the current location information of a mobile remote unit comprising:

a network to request current location information from a mobile remote unit; and

a control station, connected to the network, that uses a time stamp of a prior location information for the mobile device to verify that the mobile remote unit has not provided location information to the communication system within a predetermined time interval and provides the authorized resource with the current location information for the mobile remote unit.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the request to provide current location information is generated by the communication system in response to a query from the authorized resource.

9. The system of claim 7 wherein the authorized resource is selected from the group consisting of:

a second mobile remote unit, a personal computer, an internet site, and the communication system.

10. The system of claim 7 wherein location information is a position resolved from reference to apparatus at least three locations.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the apparatus are either all satellites or all terrestrial transmitters.

12. A method for resolving a current location information of a mobile remote unit comprising:

receiving current location information for the mobile remote unit generated by the mobile remote unit in response to data indicating that the mobile remote unit has changed locations;

using previously-stored location information for the mobile remote unit and the current location information to verify that the current location of the mobile remote unit has changed; and

providing an authorized resource with the current location information for the mobile remote unit.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the data indicating that the mobile remote unit has changed locations is data representative of the change of the terrestrial based transmitter being used by the mobile remote unit.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein the authorized resource is an internet site.

15. The method of claim 12 wherein the previously-stored location information includes a time-based log of prior locations of the mobile remote unit.

16. The method of claim 12 further comprising providing the prior location information to the authorized resource in place of current location information in response to a privacy setting of the mobile remote unit.

17. The method of claim 12 wherein location information is a position resolved from reference to apparatus at least three locations.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the apparatus are either all satellites or all terrestrial transmitters.

19. A system for resolving the current location information of a mobile remote unit comprising:

a network for receiving current location information for a mobile remote unit generated by the mobile remote unit in response to data indicating that the mobile remote unit has changed locations;

a control station for using previously-stored location information for the mobile remote unit and the current location information to verify that the current location of the mobile remote unit has changed; and

providing an authorized resource with the current location information for the mobile remote unit.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein the data indicating that the mobile remote unit has changed locations is data representative of the change of the terrestrial based transmitter being used by the mobile remote unit.

21. The system of claim 19 wherein the authorized resource is an internet site.

22. The system of claim 19 wherein the previously-stored location information includes a time-based log of prior locations of the mobile remote unit.

23. The system of claim 19 wherein location information is a position resolved from reference to apparatus at least three locations.

24. The system of claim 23 wherein the apparatus are either all satellites or all terrestrial transmitters.

25. A method for logging location information pertaining to a mobile remote unit comprising:

receiving first location information for the mobile remote unit;

incorporating the first location information into existing location information for the mobile remote unit in a database;

receiving second location information from the mobile remote unit;

incorporating the second location information into the existing location information for the mobile remote unit in the database; and

providing access to a log of the mobile remote unit location information using the existing location information stored in the database.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein the log is stored on an internet site.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein access to the log is provided to an authorized resource.

28. The method of claim 25 further comprising excluding at least one location information from inclusion in the database in response to a privacy setting of the mobile remote unit.

29. The method of claim 25 wherein location information is a position resolved from reference to apparatus at least three locations.

30. The method of claim 30 wherein the apparatus are either all satellites or all terrestrial transmitters.

31. A system for logging location information pertaining to a mobile remote unit comprising:

a control station for receiving first location information and second location information for the mobile remote unit;

a database, connected to the control station, for incorporating the first location information and second location information into existing location information for the mobile remote unit; and

a network, connected to the database, for communicating a log of the mobile remote unit location information using the existing location information stored in the database.

32. The system of claim 31 wherein the log is stored on an internet site.

33. The system of claim 31 wherein the network provides access to the log by an authorized resource.

34. The system of claim 31 wherein the location information is a position resolved from reference to apparatus at least three locations.

35. The system of claim 34 wherein the apparatus are either all satellites or all terrestrial transmitters.

36. The system of claim 34 wherein apparatus are at four locations.