System and method for defining an event based on relationship between an object location and a user-defined zone

• US 7,525,425 B2
• Filed: 01/20/2006
• Issued: 04/28/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/20/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: PerdiemCo LLC
• Original Assignee: PerDiem, LLC
• Inventors: Diem, Darrell
• Primary Examiner(s): Crosland, Donnie L
• Application Number:
  US11/335,699
• Publication Number:
  US 20070171046A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,194 Days
• Field of Search: 340/539.13, 340/573.3, 340/825.36, 340/825.49
• US Class Current: 340/539.13
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10366 the interrogation device being adapted for miscellaneous applications
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 5/22 using electric transmission; using electromagnetic transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/101 Access control lists [ACL]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/104 Grouping of entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/105 Multiple levels of security
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/107 wherein the security policies are location-dependent, e.g. entities privileges depend on current location or allowing specific operations only from locally connected terminals
• 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 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/10 including a GPS signal receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/084 using delegated authorisation, e.g. open authorisation [OAuth] protocol
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/64 using geofenced areas
• 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 4/024 : Guidance services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 : Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/20 : Services signaling; Auxiliary data signalling, i.e. transmitting data via a non-traffic channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/30 : Services specially adapted for particular environments, situations or purposes
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/33 : for indoor environments, e.g. buildings
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 : Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• 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 84/12 : WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Abstract

An improved system and method for defining an event based upon an object location and a user-defined zone and managing the conveyance of object location event information among computing devices where object location events are defined in terms of a condition based upon a relationship between user-defined zone information and object location information. One or more location information sources are associated with an object to provide the object location information. One or more user-defined zones are defined on a map and one or more object location events are defined. The occurrence of an object location event produces object location event information that is conveyed to users based on user identification codes. Accessibility to object location information, zone information, and object location event information is based upon an object location information access code, a zone information access code, and an object location event information access code, respectively.

Claims

1. A method for conveying information relating to an object among a plurality of users of a plurality of computing devices, including a first user and a second user, the method comprising the steps of:

defining a zone by said first user, the zone having corresponding zone information;

defining an object location event in terms of a condition based upon a relationship between the zone and a location of the object, the location of the object having corresponding object location information, and the object location event having corresponding object location event information;

associating an information access code with at least one of the object location information, the zone information, or the object location event information;

associating said information access code with the second user; and

conveying at least one of the object location information, the zone information, or the object location event information based on the association of said information access code with the second user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said first user associates the information access code with the at least one of the object location information, the zone information, or the object location event information to authorize the second user to access the information related to the object.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one of the object location information, the zone information, or the object location event information is conveyed upon receipt of the information access code from the second user.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the object location event is defined by the first user.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the object location information, the zone information, or the object location event information is associated with a corresponding one of a location information access code, a zone information access code and an object location event information access code, and wherein the object location information, the zone information, or the object location event information are conveyed based on the association of a corresponding one of the location information access code, zone information access code or object location event information access code with different one of the plurality of users.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the condition relates to at least one of the object entering the zone, the object exiting the zone, or the object being within a defined proximity of the zone.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

associating a user identification codes with the second user, wherein one or more of the object location information, the zone information related, or the object location event information is conveyed to the second user based on the user identification codes.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

associating a location information source with the object and determining the location of the object based information received from the location information source.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the location information source comprises a Global Positioning System.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the location information source comprises one of an outdoor Global Positioning System source, an indoor Global Positioning System source, a cellular network based wide area location system, an infrared-based location system, an ultrasound-based location system, a video surveillance location system, an RF signal-based location system, a WLAN-based location system, an ultra wideband location system, a near field electromagnetic ranging location system, a space based augmentation system (SBAS) or a local area augmentation systems (LAAS), a radar-based location information source, or a data file.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein any one of said plurality of users can associate the location information source with the object.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein a computing device of said plurality of computing devices comprises the location information source.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of computing devices comprises a wireless computing device, a personal computer, a telephone, a personal digital assistant, a digital television, a smart phone, or a control station.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the object comprises one of a vehicle, a person, an animal, a building, a place, a moving object, a stationary object, or one of the plurality of computing devices.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the place comprises one of a restaurant, gas station, destination, airport, hospital, first aid station, hazardous location, vehicle repair shop, shopping mall, museum, park, residence, business, train station, bus station, post office, bank, police station, fire station, department store, or storage bin.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the object location information or the zone information is indicated on a map displayed on one of the plurality of computing devices.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said map is received via the Internet.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein one or more of said plurality of computing devices is connected to the Internet.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the object location information comprises one or more coordinates within an established coordinate system corresponding to one or more locations of the object.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the zone information comprises one of a plurality of coordinates or a coordinate and a range defining a boundary of the zone within an established coordinate system.

21. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

associating an information package with one of the object location information, the zone information, or the object location event information.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein any one user of said plurality of users can associate the information package.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the information package corresponds to at least one of a picture, movie, audio file, document, or data file.

24. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

associating at least one time stamp with the information package.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein the information package is accessible using an information package access code.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the one of the plurality of users that associates the information package also defines the information package access code.

27. A method executed in a first computing device that is associated with a first user comprising the steps of:

creating a user defined zone comprising at least one point on a coordinate system that is associated with a map information source;

defining an object location event in terms of a condition based upon a relationship between the user defined zone and a location of an object;

associating an information access code with information relating to the object, said information relating to the object comprising at least one of a object location information, a zone information or an object location event information; and

associating said information access code with a second user of a second computing device in order to enable conveying to the second computing device the information relating to the object based on the association of said information access code with the second user.

28. The method of claim 27 further comprising displaying a user interface on the first computing device for changing the coordinates of the user defined zone.

29. The method of claim 27 further comprising receiving from an information location source an object location information associated with said object;

determining whether the condition is satisfied based on the object location information; and

performing a function.

30. The method of claim 27 further comprising retrieving a user identification associated with the first user and accessing the location information source using the user identification.