Apparatus and method for conveying location event information based on access codes

• US 8,149,113 B2
• Filed: 04/22/2009
• Issued: 04/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PerdiemCo LLC
• Original Assignee: Geofence Data Access Controls LLC
• Inventors: Diem, Darrell
• Primary Examiner(s): CROSLAND, DONNIE L
• Application Number:
  US12/428,008
• Publication Number:
  US 20090207015A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,077 Days
• Field of Search: 340/539.13
• 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 objects among a plurality of users of a plurality of computing devices associated with user identification codes, including a first user identification code and a second user identification code and a third user identification code, the method comprising:

receiving a zone information from a computing device associated with the first user identification code, the zone information relating to a zone having at least one coordinate within a coordinate system;

associating an object location event information with the zone information, the object location event information being defined in terms of a condition based upon a relationship between the zone and a location of a moving object associated with the second user identification code, the second identification code being different from the first user identification code, each location of the object having corresponding object location information;

associating an access code with at least one of the object location information, the zone information, or the object location event information, wherein the access code is based on the third user identification code, and wherein the third user identification code is different from the first and second user identification codes;

and

conveying at least one of the object location information, the zone information, or the object location event information to a computing device associated with the third user identification code based on said information access code.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the access code comprises a plurality of user identification codes including the third user identification code.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the access code includes the second user identification code, and wherein at least one of the object location information, the zone information, or the object location event information is conveyed to a computing device associated with the second user identification code based on the access code.

4. The method of claim 2 further comprising associating an administrator that specifies an access privilege to an authorized user associated with the first identification user code, said authorized user being selected from a group of users associated with the plurality of user identification codes, including the first user identification code, and granting access to the zone information and the object location event information based on the access privilege of the authorized user.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising receiving a user log-in information from the authorized user before granting access to associate the access code with at least one of the object location information, the zone information, or the object location event information.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the user log-in information comprises an entered user-defined password.

7. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

associating the plurality of user identification codes with said plurality of users wherein at least one or more of the object location information, the zone information related, or the object location event information is conveyed to at least one of the plurality of users associated with the access code.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second user identification codes comprise a plurality of user phone numbers.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the third user identification comprises at least one of a phone number or an e-mail address.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the access code associates the zone information with a zone information access code.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the access code associates the object location event information with an object location event access code.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

associating at least one location information source with the object, the location information source determining the location of the object.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the at least one location information source comprises at least one of a Global Positioning System or a cellular positioning system.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the at least one location information source comprises an outdoor positioning system source and an indoor positioning system source.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the zone information comprises a boundary.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the at least one object location source comprises a video surveillance location system a.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of computing devices comprises a control station that receives sensor information from the object.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the at least one object location source comprises a simulation location information source.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein the at least one object location source comprises a weather location information source.

20. The method of claim 2, further comprising conveying at least one of the object location information or the zone information for display on a map associated with on one of the plurality of computing devices.

21. The method of claim 20 further comprising receiving map size information from a computing device and adjusting a map size.

22. The method of claim 2, wherein the object location event information comprises a time associated with occurrence of the event and wherein said time is associated with a schedule.

23. The method of claim 15 further comprising displaying the boundary on a map.

24. The method of claim 1, wherein the zone information comprises a range defining a boundary of the zone within an established coordinate system.

25. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

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

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the information package comprises a document associated with at least one of the object location information, the zone information, or the object location event information.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein the information package comprises an image that is accessible based on an information package access code.

28. The method of claim 25, wherein the information package comprises a data file associated with the object location event information, and wherein the object location event information comprises schedule information.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein the image comprises a picture, and wherein at least one computing device comprises a camera.

30. The method of claim 25, wherein the information package comprises at least one of a movie or an audio file.

31. A method for conveying information, comprising:

associating a first user identification code with a first user;

associating a second user identification code with a second user that is different from the first user;

associating one or more user identification codes with a privilege to receive an information update relating to an event, said one or more user identification codes including a third user identification code associated with a third user that is different from the first and second users;

receiving zone information and event information from a computing device associated with the first user identification code;

said zone information comprising at least one coordinate within a defined coordinate system that is associated with a boundary;

said event information comprising information about the event which occurs based on a relationship between the boundary and a location of a computing device that is associated with the second user;

receiving location information comprising the location of the computing device associated with the second user identification code; and

conveying said information update to a computing device associated with the third user identification code when the event occurs.

32. The method of 31, wherein the first and second user identification codes correspond to first and second phone numbers associated with first and second mobile devices.

33. The method of 32, wherein the third user identification code correspond to an e-mail address.

34. The method of 31, wherein the boundary is fixed on a display of the computing device associated with the first user identification code.

35. The method of 31, wherein the boundary is adjustable on a display of the computing device associated with the first user identification code.

36. A method for conveying information, comprising the steps of:

associating a first user identification code with a first user;

associating a second user identification code with a second user that is different from the first user;

associating one or more user identification codes with a privilege to receive an information update relating to an event, said one or more user identification codes including a third user identification code associated with a third user that is different from the first and second users;

associating a zone information with at least one coordinate within a defined coordinate system;

associating said zone information with a boundary;

associating an event information with an event that occurs based on a relationship defined by the first user relating the boundary to a received location information associated with the second user identification code; and

conveying said information update to a computing device associated with the third user identification code when the event occurs.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein the first and second user identification codes correspond to first and second phone numbers associated with first and second mobile devices.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein the third user identification codes correspond to an e-mail address.

39. A method for conveying information relating to objects among a plurality of users of a plurality of computing devices that are associated with corresponding user identification codes comprising:

associating a first user identification code with a zone-information, said zone information defining a zone having at least one coordinate on a coordinate system;

associating the first user identification code with an object location event information, said object location event information being defined in terms of an event that occurs based upon a relationship between the zone and a location of an object associated with a second user identification code;

associating the first user identification code with an information access code comprising one or more user identification codes including a third user identification code associated with at least one object location information access privilege; and

performing a function after the event occurs, said function relating to one or more computing devices associated with the one or more user identification codes.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein the function comprises conveying the object location information the device to the one or more computing devices.

41. The method of claim 39, wherein the function comprises conveying the zone information to the one or more computing devices.

42. The method of claim 39, wherein the function comprises conveying the object location event information to the one or more computing devices.

43. The method of claim 39, wherein the function comprises conveying the zone information and object location event information to the one or more computing devices.

44. The method of claim 39, wherein the function comprises receiving sensor information from the device.

45. The method of claim 39, further comprising associating a user group with the plurality of user identification codes specified by an administrator that specifies one or more authorized user identification codes associated with authorized users having access privileges to perform the function.

46. The method of claim 39, wherein the object location information is received from a simulated object location information source.

47. The method of claim 39, wherein the object location information is received from an emergency information source.

48. The method of claim 39, wherein the object location information is received from a weather information source.

49. The method of claim 39, further comprising associating at least one of the object location information, the zone information or event information with an information package.

50. The method of claim 49 further comprising associating an access code with the information package.

51. The method of claim 49, wherein the information package comprises data associated with the object event location information, said object event location information including a schedule associated with the second user identification code.

52. A method for conveying information relating to objects among a plurality of users of a plurality of computing devices that are associated with corresponding user identification codes comprising:

associating a first user identification code with an object location event information that is generated upon occurrence of an event related to an object associated with a second user identification code that is different from the first user identification code, said event being defined based on a relationship between a location of the object and a zone;

granting access to the object location event information;

associating an access code with an access privilege to the object location event information after access is granted, said access code comprising one or more user identification codes, including a third user identification code that is different from the first and second user identification codes, and

conveying the object location event information to one or more computing devices associated with one or more user identification codes after the event occurs.

53. The method of claim 52, wherein the zone has a boundary defined by one of a plurality of coordinates.

54. The method of claim 52, wherein the zone has a coordinate and a range.

55. The method of claim 52 further comprising receiving a user log-in information before granting access to at least one of the object location information, the zone information, or the object location event information.

56. The method of claim 55, wherein the user log-in information comprises a user defined password.

57. The method of claim 52 further comprising associating an administrator that specifies an access privileges to an authorized user identification code selected from the plurality of user identification codes, the plurality of user identification codes including a group of user identification codes that includes the first and second user identification codes, and granting access to the zone information and the object location event information based on the access privilege.

58. The method of claim 57 further comprising receiving a user defined password before granting access to the zone information and the object location event information.

59. The method of claim 52, wherein the plurality of user identification codes comprise the first and second user identification codes, and wherein at least one or more information relating to the object'"'"'s location is conveyed to at least one of the users associated with the first or the second user identification codes.

60. A method for conveying information among a plurality of computing devices associated with a plurality of users including a first user, a second user, and a third user, the method comprising:

associating an administrator that specifies an access privilege to the first user as an authorized user associated with a first user identification code selected from a group of users associated with a plurality of user identification codes including the first user identification code;

granting access to at least one of object location information, zone information or object location event information based on the access privilege of the authorized user;

defining a zone within a coordinate system, said zone having a coordinate within a defined coordinate system;

providing an interface to a computing device associated with the first user to define an object location event based upon a relationship between the zone and a location of a computing device associated with the second user, an occurrence of the object location event producing object location event information; and

conveying at least one of object location information, zone information or the object location event information to a computing device associated with the third user.

61. The method of claim 60, wherein said zone comprises a boundary defined by one of a plurality of coordinates.

62. The method of claim 60, wherein said zone comprises a boundary defined by a coordinate and a range.