Location based communications system

• US 7,233,795 B1
• Filed: 03/19/2002
• Issued: 06/19/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Michael V. Ryden
• Original Assignee: Michael V. Ryden
• Inventors: Ryden, Michael V.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cumming, William D.
• Time in patent office: 1918 Days
• Field of Search: 455/445
• US Class Current: 455/445
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0289 of multiple transceivers, e.g. in ad hoc networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18545 Arrangements for managing station mobility, i.e. for station registration or localisation

Abstract

A location based communications system uses a physical location system (PLS) or relative position system to determine a communication unit'"'"'s location in two or three dimensions, and is configured for radiotelephonic calls through intermediary communications satellite systems, cellular systems or other mobile systems and land line systems, based on the location G# of the called telephone or on a caller-defined estimated area or space termed a G zone number GZ# surrounding the desired callee. The system is particularly advantageous for mobile communications, and may be interfaced with conventional stationary telephones, cellular phones and other communications devices. Multiple telephone units may be simultaneously contacted with messages in user-defined languages. Emergency features enable the location based communication system to locate and notify the nearest and/or best equipped party for assistance in the event of an emergency, issue warnings to all phones in a specific area of any size, calculate vehicle velocities and control traffic.

Claims

1. A communication system for communication between a first communications unit and at least one other communications unit, comprising:

first communications unit, comprising;

radio-telephone means for sending and receiving messages by radio including means for initiating, maintaining and terminating said messages;

means for receiving encoded earth locations of itself in at least two dimensions from a Position Locating Satellite;

means for encodingly defining a selectable geographic zone having boundaries encoded in at least two dimensions to seek connection with a targeted communications unit;

means for initiating a radio call in said selected geographic zone, said radio call including a code of said selected zone; and

second communications unit, comprising;

radio-telephone means for sending and receiving messages by radio including means for initiating, maintaining and terminating said messages;

means for receiving encoded earth locations of itself in at least two dimensions from a Position Locating Satellite;

means for encodingly defining a selectable geographic zone having boundaries encoded in at least two dimensions to seek connection with a targeted communications unit;

means for comparing said geographic zone selected by said first communications unit with said encoded earth location of itself to determine agreement therewith, and

means for responding to said radio call when said encoded earth location of itself is encompassed by said selected geographic zone.

2. A communications system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said selected geographic zone is selectable in at least two of location, size, and shape.

3. A communications system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said selected geographic zone is selectable in coordinates of latitude and longitude with a default vertical value.

4. A communications system in accordance with claim 3, wherein said geographic zone is two-dimensional with a shape of one of full circle, partial circle, full ellipse, partial ellipse, and polygon definable in two dimensions.

5. A communications system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said selected geographic zone is selectable in coordinates of latitude, longitude and elevation.

6. A communications system in accordance with claim 5, wherein said selected geographic zone is three-dimensional with a shape of one of a cube, sphere, pyramid, cylinder, ellipsoid and polyhedron.

7. A communications system in accordance with claim 5, wherein said elevation is the height above sea level.

8. A communications system in accordance with claim 5, wherein said elevation is the height above ground level of solid land and above water level of water bodies.

9. A communications system in accordance with claim 5, wherein said elevation comprises an axial dimension from the center of the earth.

10. A communications system in accordance with claim 1, further comprising means for setting a standard combination of size and shape of geographic zone relative to one of a selectable location and said first communications unit.

11. A communications system in accordance with claim 1, further comprising means for progressively increasing the size of said geographic zone in at least one dimension when there is no radio response to said call within the last previous said geographic zone.

12. A communications system in accordance with claim 11, wherein said geographic zone stops increasing when a radio response to said call is received by said first communications unit.

13. A communications system in accordance with claim 1, further comprising means for progressively decreasing the size of said geographic zone in at least one dimension to discriminate between a plurality of radio responses to said call.

14. A communications system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said first and second communications units of said system are equivalent.

15. A communications system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said call and said response comprise at least one of digital and voice.

16. A communication system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said call and said response are relayed through an intermediary processing unit.

17. A communication system in accordance with claim 16, wherein said intermediary processing unit comprises at least one of a system of communications satellites and a cellular telephone system.

18. A communications system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said radio-telephone means comprises:

digital memory for storage and retrieval of data and operating settings;

an RF transmitter with antenna for initiating and transmitting, radio calls to an intermediary processing unit;

an RF receiver with antenna for receiving radio calls from said intermediary processing unit;

a radio receiver with antenna for receiving signals from a global positioning satellite indicating the position of said radio receiver;

a keyboard;

a display;

a modulator;

a demodulator;

a keyboard actuated controller;

controller memory; and

power supply means.

19. A communications system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said communications units are at least one of stationary telephones, portable telephones, installed in a moveable vehicle, installed in a computer, and installed in a telephone-controlled machine.

20. A communications system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said communications unit includes means for communication by conventional telephone systems and cellular phone systems.

21. A communications system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said communications unit includes means for one of continuously and periodically relaying its specific earth location to said intermediary processing system.

22. A communications system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said second communications unit comprises a plurality of communication units.

23. A communications system in accordance with claim 22, wherein said communications units in said plurality are configured with priority codes for responding to a call.

24. A communications system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said first communications unit further includes user controllable means for determining a geographic zone of an object associated with a second communications unit, said user controllable means comprising:

an activatable direction finder; and

a distance selector for entering an estimated distance to said object;

wherein alignment and activation of said direction finder with a direction of one of sight and sound establishes a direction from said first communications unit, and selection of an estimated distance provides an estimated geographic zone location of said called second communications unit.

25. A communications system in accordance with claim 24, further comprising means for selecting a shape and size of said geographic zone.

26. A communications system in accordance with claim 24, wherein said selectable size is a default size dependent on the selected estimated distance.

27. A communications system in accordance with claim 24, wherein at least one of said zone shape and said zone size is user-selectable.

28. A communications system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said call is initiated by a call string comprising at least one of numeric and alphanumeric codes including:

an identifying number (ID) of said first communications unit;

the geographic location of said first communications unit;

one of a geographic location and a geographic zone surrounding a second communication unit to be called; and

a call initiating code.

29. A communications system in accordance with claim 28, further comprising at least one of an encoded indication of an identifying number (ID) of said first and second communication unit and an encoded indication of said unit'"'"'s designated primary use including one of law enforcement, medical personnel, hazardous response team, aircraft, water vessel, air control team, and group membership, wherein all communication units of said encoded indication respond to said encoded indication.

30. A communications system in accordance with claim 28, further comprising an encoded indicator to initiate an alarm on a called communications unit.

31. A communications system in accordance with claim 28, further comprising means for programming combinations of encoded indications in pre-set calling buttons for placing calls with a single finger movement.