Apparatus and method to transmit content to a cellular wireless device based on proximity to other wireless devices

• US 9,185,522 B1
• Filed: 11/07/2014
• Issued: 11/10/2015
• 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:
  US14/536,487
• Time in Patent Office: 368 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456.3
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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. An apparatus to transmit content to a user of a cellular wireless device, said apparatus comprising instructions stored on non-transitory machine readable media that, when executed, are to cause at least one server to:

access information from server-accessible memory that identifies positions of respective geolocations;

receive, responsive to an authorization by a user of the cellular wireless device, information sufficient to identify position of the cellular wireless device relative to ones of the respective geolocations, where each geolocation of the ones is both within a predetermined proximity relative to the cellular wireless device and also has a group code in common with each other geolocation of the ones, stored in the server-accessible memory, which identifies the geolocation as belonging to a group;

select the content dependent on the position of the cellular wireless device relative to the position of the ones; and

automatically transmit the selected content to the cellular wireless device for display thereon to the user.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the content includes a map corresponding to the position of the cellular wireless device, and wherein the instructions when executed are further to cause the at least one server to select the map dependent on the position of the cellular wireless device, retrieve the selected map from server-accessible memory, and automatically transmit the selected map to the cellular wireless device for display thereon.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the instructions are further to cause the at least one sever to retrieve the map from a third party map server.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the content includes a map corresponding to the position of the cellular wireless device, and wherein the instructions when executed are further to cause the at least one server to retrieve the map from server-accessible memory, to composite on the map the position of the cellular wireless device, and to automatically transmit the map having the position of the cellular wireless device marked thereon for display to user.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein:

the cellular wireless device is a first cellular wireless device and the user is a first user;

the instructions are further to cause the at least one server to store data identifying a user group, represented by cellular wireless devices of respective users, including the first user; and

the instructions are further to cause the at least one server to transmit the map to the first cellular wireless device in a manner sufficient to identify positions of the cellular wireless devices of the respective users.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the content includes commercial content, and wherein the instructions when executed are further to cause the at least one server to retrieve the commercial content from server-accessible memory, and to automatically transmit the commercial content to the cellular wireless device marked thereon for display to the user.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the content includes promotional content for an enterprise, and wherein the instructions when executed are further to cause the at least one server to retrieve the promotional content from server-accessible memory, and to automatically transmit the promotional content to the cellular wireless device for display to the user.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the promotional content includes an advertisement, and wherein the instructions when executed are further to cause the at least one server to transmit the advertisement to the cellular wireless device.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the content includes a map corresponding to the position of the cellular wireless device, and wherein the instructions when executed are further to cause the at least one server to:

receive information from the cellular wireless device which is sufficient to identify updates in position of the cellular wireless device relative to the ones, each update dependent on a delta change in position of the cellular wireless device relative to the ones; and

responsive to each update, automatically transmit the map to the cellular wireless device in a manner corresponding to change in the position of the cellular wireless device for display to the user.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the instructions when executed are further to cause the at least one server to store in server-accessible memory, responsive to the updates, a history of position of the cellular wireless device.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the content is dependent on the history.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the information sufficient to identify position of the cellular wireless device is formatted as transmission control protocol packets, and wherein the instructions, when executed, are further to cause the at least one server to extract the information sufficient to identify position of the cellular wireless device from the transmission control protocol packets.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein information stored in association with respective geolocations includes advertisements, and wherein the instructions when executed are further to cause the at least one server to transmit at least one advertisement to the cellular wireless device as a location-based advertisement.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the cellular wireless device is a first cellular wireless device;

the instructions are further to cause the at least one server to store data identifying a user group, represented by cellular wireless devices of respective users, including the first cellular wireless device; and

the instructions are further to cause the at least one server to transmit the content to the cellular wireless device associated with each respective user in the user group.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cellular wireless device is a web-enabled cell phone, and wherein the instructions when executed are to cause the at least one server to exchange information with the web-enabled cell phone in extensible markup language (XML) format.

16. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the instructions when executed are to cause the at least one server to receive from the cellular wireless device electively-submitted information, and to store the electively-submitted information in server-accessible memory in association with the position of the cellular wireless device.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the user is a first user and the wireless cellular device is a first cellular wireless device, and wherein the instructions when executed are to cause the at least one server to retrieve the electively-submitted information from the server-accessible memory and to transmit the electively-submitted information to a second user of a second cellular wireless device.

18. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the instructions are further to cause the at least one server to store data associated with permissive time for transmission of at least some of the content to the cellular wireless device, and to withhold transmission of the at least some of the content outside of the permissive time.

19. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cellular wireless device includes an application resident thereon, the application selectively-activated by the user, and wherein the instructions when executed are to cause the at least one server to receive the information sufficient to identify position of the cellular wireless device from the application, and to automatically transmit the content to the application for presentation by the application to the user.

20. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the content is dependent on the group code.

21. A method of operating at least one server, the method comprising:

accessing information from server-accessible memory that identifies positions of respective geolocations, wherein each geolocation is associated with a code corresponding to a common group;

receiving, responsive to an authorization by a user of the cellular wireless device, information sufficient to identify position of the cellular wireless device relative to ones of the respective geolocations, where each geolocation of the ones is both within a predetermined proximity relative to the cellular wireless device and also has a group code in common with each other geolocation of the ones, which identifies the geolocation as belonging to a group;

selecting content dependent on the position of the cellular wireless device relative to the position of the ones; and

automatically transmitting the selected content to the cellular wireless device for display thereon to the user.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the selected content includes a map corresponding to the position of the cellular wireless device, wherein selecting includes selecting the map dependent on the position of the cellular wireless device, retrieving the selected map from server-accessible memory, and wherein automatically transmitting includes transmitting the selected map to the cellular wireless device for display thereon.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein retrieving includes causing at least one sever to retrieve the map from a third party map server.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein the selected content includes a map corresponding to the position of the cellular wireless device, wherein selecting includes retrieving the map from server-accessible memory and compositing on the map the position of the cellular wireless device, and wherein automatically transmitting includes transmitting the map having the position of the cellular wireless device marked thereon for display to the user.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein:

the cellular wireless device is a first cellular wireless device and the user is a first user;

the method further comprises storing in server-accessible memory data identifying a user group, represented by cellular wireless devices of respective users, including the first user; and

automatically transmitting includes transmitting the map to the first cellular wireless device in a manner sufficient to identify positions of the cellular wireless devices of the respective users.

26. The method of claim 21, wherein the selected content includes commercial content, wherein selecting includes causing at least one server to retrieve the commercial content from server-accessible memory, and wherein automatically transmitting includes transmitting the commercial content to the cellular wireless device marked thereon for display to the user.

27. The method of claim 21, wherein the selected content includes promotional content for an enterprise, wherein selecting includes causing at least one server to retrieve the promotional content from server-accessible memory, and wherein automatically transmitting includes transmitting the promotional content to the cellular wireless device for display to the user.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the promotional content includes an advertisement, and wherein automatically transmitting includes transmitting the advertisement to the cellular wireless device.

29. The method of claim 21, wherein the selected content includes a map corresponding to the position of the cellular wireless device, and wherein:

receiving includes receiving information from the cellular wireless device which is sufficient to identify updates in position of the cellular wireless device relative to the ones, each update dependent on a delta change in position of the cellular wireless device relative to the ones; and

the method further comprises, responsive to each update, automatically transmitting the map to the cellular wireless device in a manner corresponding to change in the position of the cellular wireless device for display to the user.

30. The method of claim 21, wherein the method further comprises causing at least one server to store in server-accessible memory, responsive to the updates, a history of position of the cellular wireless device.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the selected content is dependent on the history.

32. The method of claim 21, wherein the information sufficient to identify position of the cellular wireless device is formatted as transmission control protocol packets, and wherein the method further comprises using at least one server to extract the information sufficient to identify position of the cellular wireless device from the transmission control protocol packets.

33. The method of claim 21, wherein information stored in association with respective geolocations includes advertisements, and wherein automatically transmitting includes transmitting at least one advertisement to the cellular wireless device as a location-based advertisement.

34. The method of claim 21, wherein:

the cellular wireless device is a first cellular wireless device;

the method further comprises storing in server-accessible memory data identifying a user group, represented by cellular wireless devices of respective users, including the first cellular wireless device; and

automatically transmitting includes transmitting the selected content to the cellular wireless device associated with each respective user in the user group.

35. The method of claim 21, wherein the cellular wireless device is a web-enabled cell phone, and wherein automatically transmitting includes causing at least one server to exchange information with the web-enabled cell phone in extensible markup language (XML) format.

36. The method of claim 21, wherein the method further comprises receiving electively-submitted information from the cellular wireless device, and storing the electively-submitted information in server-accessible memory in association with the position of the cellular wireless device.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein the user is a first user and the wireless cellular device is a first cellular wireless device, wherein selecting includes retrieving the electively-submitted information from the server-accessible memory, and wherein automatically transmitting includes transmitting the electively-submitted information to a second user of a second cellular wireless device.

38. The method of claim 21, wherein the method further comprises storing in server-accessible memory data associated with permissive time for transmission of at least some of the selected content to the cellular wireless device, and withholding transmission of the at least some of the content outside of the permissive time.

39. The method of claim 21, wherein the cellular wireless device includes an application resident thereon, the application selectively-activated by the user, wherein receiving includes receiving the information sufficient to identify position of the cellular wireless device from the application, and wherein automatically transmitting includes transmitting the selected content to the application for presentation by the application to the user.

40. The method of claim 21, wherein the content is dependent on the group code.