Identifying the location of mobile stations

• US 8,478,230 B2
• Filed: 04/24/2012
• Issued: 07/02/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Zohar, Tsaba
• Primary Examiner(s): FARAGALLA, MICHAEL A
• Application Number:
  US13/455,067
• Publication Number:
  US 20120231811A1
• Time in Patent Office: 434 Days
• Field of Search: 455/404.2, 4554561-4566, 455/418
• US Class Current: 455/404.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72436 for text messaging, e.g. short messaging services [SMS] or e-mails
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/652 Call initiation triggered by text message
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/30 Determination of the location of a subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/10 including a GPS signal receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/02 Calling substations, e.g. by ringing selective calling H04Q
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4228 in networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42357 where the information is provided to a monitoring entity such as a potential calling party or a call processing server
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42382 Text-based messaging services in telephone networks such as PSTN/ISDN, e.g. User-to-User Signalling or Short Message Service for fixed networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/14 Short messaging services, e.g. short message services [SMS] or unstructured supplementary service data [USSD]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/245 from a network towards a terminal

Abstract

A user of a first mobile station, which is lost either in silent mode or switch-off mode may send a ‘Find-Me’ message to the first mobile station from a second mobile station. The first mobile station, after receiving the ‘Find-Me’ message, may power-on the first mobile station enabling the first mobile station to receive voice call and messages. Also, if the first mobile station is in silent mode, the first mobile station may change the profile of the first mobile station from a silent to a regular-noisy mode. The user of first mobile station may call-up the first mobile station and identifies the location of the first mobile station by tracking the ringing sound. The first mobile station may send a location message to the second mobile station in response to receiving the ‘Find-Me’ message that may be used to identify the location of the first mobile station.

Claims

1. A method in a first mobile device comprises:

receiving a message,

generating a location information of the first mobile device in response to receiving the message;

wherein generating the location information comprises,

determining whether the message includes a pre-defined string in response to receiving the message in the first mobile device;

determining whether the first mobile device is in a switched-off mode;

powering on the first mobile device if it is determined that the first mobile device is in the switched-off mode in response to receiving the message including the pre-defined string;

generating coordinate values of the first mobile device, wherein the location information is determined based on the coordinate values;

sending the location information to a second mobile device; and

identifying a location of the first mobile device based on the location information received in the second mobile device.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprises:

parsing the message to check if the message includes the pre-defined string; and

forwarding the message to an identification logic if the message includes the pre-defined string.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprises:

determining whether the identification logic is in a sleep-mode;

waking-up the identification logic in response to receiving the message if the identification logic is in the sleep-mode; and

generating a power-on signal in the identification logic after waking-up the identification logic.

4. The method of claim 3 comprises sending the power-on signal to a power logic to enable the power-logic to power-on a processing logic.

5. The method of claim 4 comprises generating a power signal, in the power logic, in response to receiving the power-on signal.

6. The method of claim 5 comprises powering-on the processing logic in response to generating the power signal.

7. The method of claim 3 further comprises sending a ‘

location retrieve’

signal to a location manager to retrieve the coordinate values.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprises enabling the location manager to support global positioning system (GPS).

9. The method of claim 8 further comprises generating the coordinate values based on a data provided by the location manager, which supports standards based on the global positioning system (GPS).

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the message sent by the second mobile device is a text message.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the text message includes a “

Find Me”

string.

12. A cell phone, comprising:

a user interface, wherein the user interface is to receive a message;

a parser coupled to the user interface, wherein the parser to receive the message and determine whether the message includes a pre-defined string;

an identification logic coupled to the parser, wherein the identification logic to determine whether at least portions of the cell phone are in a switched-off mode in response to receiving the message;

a power logic coupled to the identification logic, wherein the power logic to generate a power signal to power on the cell phone if it is determined that the cell phone is in the switched-off mode;

a processing unit coupled to the parser, the identification logic, the power logic and a memory, wherein the processing unit to,

generate a location information of the cell phone in response to receiving the message; and

sending the location information to a second mobile device; and

a user to identify the location of the cell phone based on the location information.

13. The cell phone of claim 12, wherein the parser to forward the message to the identification logic if the message includes the pre-defined string.

14. The cell phone of claim 12, wherein the identification logic to,

wake-up in response to receiving the message;

and

generate a power-on signal after waking up.

15. The cell phone of claim 14, wherein the identification logic to send the power-on signal to a power logic in response to receiving the message.

16. The cell phone of claim 15, wherein the power logic to generate a power signal to power on the processing unit in response to receiving the power-on signal.

24. The cell phone of claim 12, wherein the message received is a text message.

17. The cell phone of 16 the processing unit further comprises a processor, wherein the processor to power on in response to receiving the power signal.

18. The cell phone of claim 17, wherein the processor to generate and send a ‘

location retrieve’

signal.

19. The cell phone of claim 18 the processing unit further comprises a location manager, wherein the location manager to generate one or more coordinate values in response to receiving the ‘

location retrieve’

signal.

20. The cell phone of claim 19, wherein location manager is to determine the location information based on the one or more coordinate values.

21. The cell phone of claim 19, wherein the location manager is enabled with a global positioning system (GPS).

22. The cell phone of claim 20, wherein the location manager to generate the coordinate values based on a data provided by the GPS.

23. The cell phone of claim 21, wherein the processor to generate the location information based on the coordinate values.

25. The cell phone of claim 22, wherein the text message includes a “

Find Me”

string.

27. The mobile communication system of claim 25 the first mobile device further comprises an interface, a parser, an identification logic, a power logic, a memory, and a processing unit, wherein the processing unit to generate the location information of the first mobile device in response to receiving the message.

29. The mobile communication system of claim 27, wherein the location manager to generate one or more coordinate values in response to receiving the ‘

location retrieve’

signal, wherein the location information is determined based on the one or more coordinate values.

31. The mobile communication system of claim 25, wherein the first network device to support global system for mobile (GSM) standards.

32. The mobile communication system of claim 25, wherein the first network device to support general packet radio system (GPRS) standard.

33. The mobile communication system of claim 25, wherein the first network device is a base station.

34. The mobile communication system of claim 25, wherein the second network device to set-up and release end-to-end connections.

35. The mobile communication system of claim 33, wherein the second network device is a mobile switching center.

36. The mobile communication system of claim 25, wherein the third network device may perform store-and-forward operation while delivering the message to the first mobile device.

37. The mobile communication system of claim 35, wherein the third network device to store the message and attempt to have the message delivered to the first mobile device one or more times.

38. The mobile communication system of claim 35, wherein the third network device is a sort message serving center.

39. The mobile communication system of claim 25, wherein the switches, routers, and bridges support IEEE®

802.11a and IEEE®

802.11g wireless technologies.

40. The mobile communication system of claim 25, wherein the message received and forwarded by the first, second, and the third network devices includes a text message.

41. The mobile communication system of claim 25, wherein the text message includes a “

Find Me”

text message.

26. A mobile communication system comprising:

a plurality of mobile devices comprising a first mobile device and a second mobile device;

a plurality of network devices; and

a network including one or more switches, routers, and bridges;

wherein a first network device to examine the message received from the second mobile device before forwarding the message to a second network device;

wherein the second network device to set-up a connection with a third network device after determining that the message includes a pre-defined string;

wherein the third network device to interface with the network before sending the message to the network;

wherein the network to forward the message to first mobile device;

wherein the first mobile device to,

receive the message, determine whether the message includes a pre-defined string, determine whether at least portions of the first mobile device are in a switched-off mode in response to receiving the message, power-on the portions of the first mobile device, which were switched-off prior to receiving the message, and generate a location information of the first mobile device in response to receiving the message, and send the location information to a second mobile device; and

wherein a user to identify the location of the first mobile device using the location information sent to the second mobile device.

28. The mobile communication system of claim 26 the processing unit further comprises a processor and a location manager, wherein the processor to generate and send a ‘

location retrieve’

signal in response to receiving the message.

30. The mobile communication system of claim 28, wherein the location manager is enabled to support a global positioning system (GPS) to determine the one or more coordinate values.