System and method for managing location services in wireless networks

• US 9,538,320 B2
• Filed: 07/07/2014
• Issued: 01/03/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Disney Enterprises Incorporated (The Walt Disney Company)
• Original Assignee: Disney Enterprises Incorporated (The Walt Disney Company)
• Inventors: Mangold, Stefan, Aiello, Roberto, Gorlatova, Maria
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, DANH C
• Application Number:
  US14/324,723
• Publication Number:
  US 20140323150A1
• Time in Patent Office: 911 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456.5, 455/456.1, 455/561
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/02 Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/16 selectively restricting mobility data tracking

Abstract

Described herein are methods, systems, apparatuses and products for managing location services in wireless networks. One aspect provides a method of receiving in a mobile device an identifier broadcast from a terrestrial wireless device located at a particular position; and using the identifier broadcast from the terrestrial wireless device to determine a physical location of the mobile device even in absence of a logical connection existing between the mobile device and the terrestrial wireless device. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

broadcasting an identifier from a terrestrial wireless device, wherein the identifier comprises a geocode having an indicia of geographical location of the terrestrial wireless device; and

repeatedly changing, based on a timing policy, the identifier of the terrestrial wireless device without changing the geographic location of the terrestrial wireless device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the geocode comprises explicit location information.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the explicit location information includes one or more of latitude, longitude and altitude.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the explicit location information is inserted into a broadcast identifier of the terrestrial wireless device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the geocode comprises implicit location information.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the implicit location permits derivation of one or more of latitude, longitude and altitude.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

establishing a connection between the terrestrial wireless device and a client device.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising encrypting the geocode.

9. A terrestrial wireless device, comprising:

a processor that broadcasts an identifier from the terrestrial wireless device, wherein the identifier comprises a geocode having an indicia of geographical location of the terrestrial wireless device;

wherein the processor repeatedly changes, based on a timing policy, the identifier of the terrestrial wireless device without a change to the geographic location of the terrestrial wireless device.

10. The terrestrial wireless device of claim 9, wherein the geocode comprises explicit location information.

11. The terrestrial wireless device of claim 10, wherein the explicit location information includes one or more of latitude, longitude and altitude.

12. The terrestrial wireless device of claim 11, wherein the explicit location information is inserted into a broadcast identifier of the terrestrial wireless device.

13. The terrestrial wireless device of claim 9, wherein the geocode comprises implicit location information.

14. The terrestrial wireless device of claim 13, wherein the implicit location permits derivation of one or more of latitude, longitude and altitude.

15. The terrestrial wireless device of claim 9, wherein:

the processor establishes a connection between the terrestrial wireless device and a client device.

16. The terrestrial wireless device of claim 9, wherein the processor encrypts the geocode.

17. A non-transitory program product, comprising:

a storage device that stores code executable by a processor, the code comprising;

code that broadcasts an identifier from a terrestrial wireless device, wherein the identifier comprises a geocode having an indicia of geographical location of the terrestrial wireless device;

wherein the identifier of the terrestrial wireless device is repeatedly changed, based on a timing policy, without changing the geographic location of the terrestrial wireless device.

18. The program product of claim 17, wherein the geocode comprises explicit location information.

19. The program product of claim 18, wherein the explicit location information includes one or more of latitude, longitude and altitude.