Methods and apparatuses for transmission of an alert to multiple devices

• US 8,831,635 B2
• Filed: 07/21/2011
• Issued: 09/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: X One Inc.
• Original Assignee: X One Inc.
• Inventors: Haney, Richard D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Karikari, Kwasi
• Application Number:
  US13/188,414
• Publication Number:
  US 20120071129A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,146 Days
• Field of Search: 455/521, 455/456.2
• US Class Current: 455/456.2
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/01 Satellite radio beacon positioning systems transmitting time-stamped messages, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System], GLONASS [Global Orbiting Navigation Satellite System] or GALILEO
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/03 Cooperating elements; Interaction or communication between different cooperating elements or between cooperating elements and receivers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/322 Aspects of commerce using mobile devices [M-devices]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1046 Joining mechanisms
• 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 1/0202 Portable telephone sets, e.g. cordless phones, mobile phones or bar type handsets constructional features of telephone transmitters or receivers, e.g. of speakers or microphones H04M1/03
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72406 by software upgrading or downloading
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72418 for supporting emergency services
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/38 Displays
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2044 Group features, e.g. closed user group
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/04 for emergency applications
• 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 3/42093 : Notifying the calling party of information on the called or connected party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4228 : in networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42348 : Location-based services which utilize the location information of a target
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42365 : Presence services providing information on the willingness to communicate or the ability to communicate in terms of media capability or network connectivity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/033 : of the user plane, e.g. user's traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 : Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 : Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/63 : Location-dependent; Proximity-dependent
• 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 4/023 : using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/025 : using location based information parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/027 : using movement velocity, acceleration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 : Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/08 : User group management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/10 : Push-to-Talk [PTT] or Push-On-Call services
• 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 4/21 : for social networking applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/50 : Service provisioning or reconfiguring
• 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 64/00 : Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/003 : locating network equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/12 : Inter-network notification
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/121 : for groups of terminals or users
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/14 : Direct-mode setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 : Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

A system for exchanging GPS or other position data between wireless devices for purposes of group activities, child location monitoring, work group coordination, dispatching of employees etc. Cell phones and other wireless devices with GPS receivers have loaded therein a Buddy Watch application and a TalkControl application. The Buddy Watch application communicates with the GPS receiver and other wireless devices operated by buddies registered in the users phone as part of buddy groups or individually. GPS position data and historical GPS position data can be exchanged between cell phones of buddies and instant buddies such as tow truck drivers via a buddy watch server. Emergency monitoring services can be set up with notifications to programmable individuals in case an individual does not respond. Positions and tracks can be displayed. TalkControl simplifies and automates the process of joining talk groups for walkie talkie services such as that provided by Nextel.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

transmitting an alert to mobile communication devices that are in a selectively-defined group of one or more communication devices wherein

transmitting the alert is in response to not receiving a response to a periodic message transmitted to a first mobile communication device, the first mobile communication device including a GPS receiver adapted to generate GPS coordinates of the first mobile communication device,

the response requires input of a secret code from a user of the first mobile communication device,

the alert includes position of the first mobile communication device dependent on the GPS coordinates from the first mobile device, and

the alert comprises a timestamp associated with the position, the timestamp representing time at which the GPS coordinates were generated.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the alert comprises a prerecorded voice message.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the method further comprises

selectively activating a mode of the first mobile communication device that provides for tracking of location of the first mobile communication in dependence on way points, and

transmitting the way points from the first mobile communication device to a remote server for storage;

the activation of the mode is effective to trigger periodic transmission of said periodic message to the first mobile communication device; and

the transmitting of the alert is in response to not receiving a response to at least one instance of said periodic message.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the method further comprises identifying a number of attempts to establish contact with no response, the number of attempts being configurable to be greater than one, and wherein the transmitting of the alert is in response to not receiving a response after a number of consecutive instances of said periodic message equal to the number of attempts.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the alert comprises an email transmission sent to one or more email addresses associated with the group, the email transmission including text identifying a situation associated with the alert, at least one contact phone number, and an attachment of pertinent waypoints.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the alert comprises an email transmission sent to one or more email addresses associated with the group.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the email transmission comprises text describing a situation associated with the alert, a time indication, and at least one contact phone number.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises maintaining a database that defines contacts and further, responsive to not receiving a response to a periodic message being transmitted to the first mobile communication device, querying the database for a subset of the contacts to which the alert is to be dispatched, and wherein the transmitting of the alert includes transmitting the alert to the subset of the contacts.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

maintaining a database that defines subsets of the contacts listed in the database with respective, alternative alerts; and

identifying, responsive to an indication from the first mobile communication device, a specific subset of contacts associated with a selected one of the respective, alternative alerts; and

transmitting the selected one of the respective, alternative alerts to the specific subset of contacts.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises maintaining a database that defines contacts and further, responsive to not receiving a response to a periodic message being transmitted to the first mobile communication device, identifying a subset of contacts listed in the database that are within a geographic zone proximate to the first mobile communication device, and wherein the transmitting of the alert includes transmitting the alert to the subset of the contacts.

11. A method comprising:

transmitting an alert to mobile communication devices that are in a selectively-defined group of one or more communication devices wherein

transmitting the alert is in response to not receiving a response to a periodic message transmitted to a first mobile communication device, the first mobile communication device including a GPS receiver adapted to generate GPS coordinates of the first mobile communication device,

the response requires input of a secret code from a user of the first mobile communication device,

the alert includes position of the first mobile communication device dependent on the GPS coordinates from the first mobile device, and

the method is embodied as a method of operating the first mobile communication device, wherein transmitting the alert includes receiving a command from a server to transmit the alert and responsively transmitting the alert, wherein responsive to the command from the server, the first mobile communication device is to generate current GPS coordinates and wherein the position is dependent on the current GPS coordinates.