Systems and methods for locating cellular phones and security measures for the same

• US 8,374,575 B2
• Filed: 03/22/2006
• Issued: 02/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Mullen Industries LLC
• Original Assignee: Jeffrey D. Mullen
• Inventors: Mullen, Jeffrey D
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, QUYNH H
• Application Number:
  US11/387,384
• Publication Number:
  US 20060183486A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,519 Days
• Field of Search: 455/404.1, 455/404.2, 455/410, 4554561-4563, 455/457
• US Class Current: 455/404.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/14 between corresponding nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/16 selectively restricting mobility data tracking

Abstract

Systems and methods for locating a cellular phone are provided. More particularly, systems and methods for providing the location of a requested user'"'"'s cellular phone from a requesting user'"'"'s device (e.g., a second cellular phone) based on access rights defined by the requested user. Location descriptions may be provided at a multitude of levels. For example, if a cellular phone, or an identity associated to (e.g., logged into) a cellular phone, has been given access rights to a cell phone'"'"'s exact location for an indefinite amount of time, that cell phone can receive, on command, the exact location of the approved cell phone. Other levels of location information that can be granted include, for example, proximities, states, and countries.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

obtaining a location of a first wireless telephone;

transmitting said location from said first wireless telephone to a remote server;

changing, at the direction of said first wireless telephone, a list of users on said remote server for a profile associated with said first wireless telephone that are allowed to access said location, wherein each user of said list of users is representative of one of a plurality of wireless telephones;

transmitting said location from said remote server to at least one of said users of said list of users;

determining a second location associated with one of said plurality of wireless telephones; and

providing directional information to said one of said plurality of wireless telephones, wherein said directional information is representative of directions between said location and said second location.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said changing comprises adding an additional user to said list of users.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting the address of said location to said at least one of said users of said list of users.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

obtaining the address of said location from a remote information provider; and

transmitting the address of said location to said at least one of said users of said list of users.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving said location by at least one of said plurality of wireless telephones; and

displaying said location on said at least one of said plurality of wireless telephones.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining a third location associated with one of said plurality of wireless telephones.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving said location by at least one of said plurality of wireless telephones; and

displaying the name of said location on said at least one of said plurality of wireless telephones.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining the distance between said first wireless telephone and at least one of said plurality of wireless telephones.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving said location by at least one of said plurality of wireless telephones; and

displaying a map on said at least one of said plurality of wireless telephones with a marker representative of said location.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the location is obtained by way of manual input that is received by way of a locate button provided on said first wireless telephone.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a third location of a device based on the IP address of said device; and

transmitting said location to said device.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving manual input for a third location wherein said third user is associated with said manually input third location.

13. A method comprising:

determining a location of a first wireless telephone;

transmitting said location from said first wireless telephone to a remote server;

changing a list of users on said remote server for a profile associated with said first wireless telephone that are allowed to access said location, wherein each user of said list of users is representative of one of a plurality of wireless telephones;

transmitting an alert message, comprising information associated with said location, from said remote server to a user of said list of users when said user is within a certain distance of said location;

determining a second location associated with said wireless telephone associated with said one user; and

providing directional information to said wireless telephone associated with said user, wherein said directional information is representative of directions between said location and said second location.

23. The method of claim 13, wherein said changing comprises adding an additional user to said list of users.

24. The method of claim 13, further comprising transmitting the address of said location to at least one of said users of said list of users.

25. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

obtaining the address of said location from a remote information provider; and

transmitting the address of said location to at least one of said users of said list of users.

26. The method of claim 13, further comprising determining a third location associated with said wireless telephone associated with said user.

27. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

receiving said location by said wireless telephone associated with said user; and

displaying the name of said location on said wireless telephone associated with said user.

28. The method of claim 13, further comprising determining the distance between said first wireless telephone and said wireless telephones associated with said user.

29. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

receiving said location by said wireless telephone associated with said user; and

displaying a map on said wireless telephone associated with said user, wherein a marker is displayed on said map that is representative of said location.

14. A method comprising:

obtaining a location of a first wireless telephone;

transmitting said location from said first wireless telephone to a remote server;

changing, at the direction of said first wireless telephone, a list of users on said remote server for a profile associated with said first wireless telephone that are allowed to access said location, wherein each user of said list of users is representative of one of a plurality of wireless telephones; and

transmitting said location from said remote server to at least one of said users of said list of users;

receiving manual input for a second location;

determining an identity of a second user for a device by way of a login; and

transmitting said location to said device, wherein said second user is associated with said manually input second location.

15. A method comprising:

obtaining a location of said first wireless telephone;

transmitting said location from said first wireless telephone to a remote server;

changing a list of users on said remote server for a profile associated with said first wireless telephone that are allowed to access said location, wherein each user of said list of users is representative of one of a plurality of wireless telephones;

transmitting an alert message, comprising information associated with said location, from said remote server to a user of said list of users when said user is within a certain distance of said location;

determining a second location associated with said wireless telephone associated with said one user; and

providing directional information to said wireless telephone associated with said user, wherein said directional information is representative of directions between said location and said second location.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said changing comprises adding an additional user to said list of users.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising transmitting the address of said location to at least one of said users of said list of users.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

obtaining the address of said location from a remote information provider; and

transmitting the address of said location to at least one of said users of said list of users.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising determining a third location associated with said wireless telephone associated with said user.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

receiving said location by said wireless telephone associated with said user; and

displaying the name of said location on said wireless telephone associated with said user.

21. The method of claim 15, further comprising determining the distance between said first wireless telephone and said wireless telephones associated with said user.

22. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

receiving said location by said wireless telephone associated with said user; and

displaying a map on said wireless telephone associated with said user, wherein a marker is displayed on said map that is representative of said location.

30. A method comprising:

obtaining a location of said first wireless telephone;

changing, at the direction of said first wireless telephone, a list of users on a remote server for a profile associated with said first wireless telephone that are allowed to access said location, wherein each user of said list of users is representative of one of a plurality of wireless telephones;

transmitting said location from said remote server to at least one of said users of said list of users;

determining a second location associated with one of said plurality of wireless telephones; and

providing directional information to said one of said plurality of wireless telephones, wherein said directional information is representative of directions between said location and said second location.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein said changing comprises adding an additional user to said list of users.

32. The method of claim 30, further comprising transmitting the address of said location to said at least one of said users of said list of users.

33. The method of claim 30, further comprising:

obtaining the address of said location from a remote information provider; and

transmitting the address of said location to said at least one of said users of said list of users.

34. The method of claim 30, further comprising:

receiving said location by at least one of said plurality of wireless telephones; and

displaying said location on said at least one of said plurality of wireless telephones.

35. The method of claim 30, further comprising determining a third location associated with one of said plurality of wireless telephones.

36. The method of claim 30, further comprising:

receiving said location by at least one of said plurality of wireless telephones; and

displaying the name of said location on said at least one of said plurality of wireless telephones.

37. The method of claim 30, further comprising determining the distance between said first wireless telephone and at least one of said plurality of wireless telephones.

38. A method comprising:

obtaining a location of said first wireless telephone;

changing a list of users on a remote server for a profile associated with said first wireless telephone that are allowed to access said location, wherein each user of said list of users is representative of one of a plurality of wireless telephones;

transmitting an alert message, comprising information associated with said location, from said remote server to a user of said list of users when said user is within a certain distance of said location;

determining a second location associated with said wireless telephone associated with said one user; and

providing directional information to said wireless telephone associated with said user, wherein said directional information is representative of directions between said location and said second location.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein said changing comprises adding an additional user to said list of users.

40. The method of claim 38, further comprising transmitting the address of said location to at least one of said users of said list of users.

41. The method of claim 38, further comprising:

obtaining the address of said location from a remote information provider; and

transmitting the address of said location to at least one of said users of said list of users.

42. The method of claim 38, further comprising determining a third location associated with said wireless telephone associated with said user.

43. The method of claim 38, further comprising:

receiving said location by said wireless telephone associated with said user; and

displaying the name of said location on said wireless telephone associated with said user.

44. The method of claim 38, further comprising determining the distance between said first wireless telephone and said wireless telephones associated with said user.

45. The method of claim 38, further comprising:

receiving said location by said wireless telephone associated with said user; and

displaying a map on said wireless telephone associated with said user, wherein a marker is displayed on said map that is representative of said location.

46. The method of claim 38, wherein location is obtained by way of manual input manual input that is received by way of a locate button provided on said first wireless telephone.