Location Monitoring Patents (Class 455/404.2)
  • Patent number: 9014661
    Abstract: In one implementation, a computer-implemented method includes determining a location of a mobile computing device using one or more of a plurality of data sources; communicating, by the mobile computing device, with another computing device as part of a two-way video chat session over a first network connection, the communicating including transmitting the location of the mobile computing device; displaying, as part of the two-way video chat session, real-time video from the other computing device; recording video using one or more cameras that are accessible to the mobile computing device; and transmitting, over a second network connection, the video to a remote storage system for persistent storage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Inventor: Christopher deCharms
  • Patent number: 9014714
    Abstract: A method of providing location privacy of a mobile station in a wireless access system is disclosed. The method of providing location privacy of a mobile station comprises the steps of transmitting a deregistration request message to a serving base station, the deregistration message requesting entry to an idle mode; and receiving a deregistration command message from the serving base station, the deregistration command message including a temporary identifier allocated to the mobile station. In this case, the temporary identifier is an identifier for uniquely identifying the mobile station from a paging group to which the serving base station belongs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Gene Beck Hahn, Ki Seon Ryu, Yong Ho Kim
  • Patent number: 9014718
    Abstract: A system and method are provided for providing precise location sensing for wireless devices in an indoor environment using channel fading fingerprinting. An indoor environment within which wireless devices are used is surveyed to develop a channel fading database for the indoor environment. The surveying of the indoor environment determines a specific channel fading profile according to 30 subcarrier frequencies in a wireless signal for numerous locations within the indoor environment. A wireless device scans for available wireless access points and extracts a channel fading profile for a current location of the wireless device. The extracted channel fading profile for the current location of the wireless device is compared with the channel fading database. A best match comparison between the extracted channel fading profile and the channel fading database is used to determine an actual physical location of the wireless device in the indoor environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Lei T. Yang, Xue Yang, Xingang Guo
  • Patent number: 9014660
    Abstract: Computerized systems and methods may be used to enable users to report crimes, safety hazards or other perceived problems to the appropriate authorities via an alert. Such alerts may be communicated to the authorities through any suitable communication method such as, for example, phone calls, email and/or SMS text messages. In some example embodiments, the reporting system includes a computing device including, but not limited to, a mobile smartphone, tablet device, laptop computer, or desktop computer programmed with a software application.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Livesafe, Inc.
    Inventor: Ehsan Pahlevani
  • Patent number: 9014859
    Abstract: A control system for controlling at least one environmental parameter in an operating area in response to sensor signals. The system includes a central control unit, actuators and mobile sensor units, and also at least one, preferably a plurality, of communication nodes which are placed in the operating area. Each one of the communication nodes is configured to mediate signals between the sensor units and the central control unit in a monitoring area by wirelessly receiving sensor signals from sensor units located within its monitoring area and forwarding the sensor signals to the central control unit. A monitoring area of a communication node is defined by the signal coverage of the communication node.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: ABB Research Ltd.
    Inventors: Alf Isaksson, Lars Brannstrom
  • Patent number: 9014715
    Abstract: Systems for and methods of determining likelihood of atypical transmission characteristics of reference points in a positioning system are disclosed. A method of determining a measure of likelihood that a designated wireless device exhibits signal transmission characteristics atypical of a wireless device of a type matching the designated device includes determining reference points associated with the designated device, which are a geographic position at which signals from the designated device were detected and/or another wireless device from which signals were also detected by a receiver within a selected period of time during which the signals from the designated device were detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Skyhook Wireless, Inc.
    Inventors: Farshid Alizadeh-Shabdiz, Nicolas Brachet, Gerald Cavanaugh, Andrei Dancus, Russel K. Jones, Christopher Steger
  • Patent number: 9014656
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for reacting to an alert message, such as a commercial mobile alert system (CMAS) message, is provided. A mobile device in receipt of an alert message automatically obtains status information such as mobile device position, for example via GPS, and prompts a user for status information such as emergency preparedness. A response message is automatically generated and transmitted to designated recipients, such as address book contacts or a datacentre.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: BlackBerry Limited
    Inventor: Sean Alexander Courtney
  • Patent number: 9008607
    Abstract: In a two-way radio frequency (RF) communications system having a plurality of subscriber units (SUs) and a supporting infrastructure including a wireless core network, a service request is received indicating one of a device, application, and transport link that will be removed from service. One or more SUs out of the plurality of SUs are identified that will be impacted by the removal from service. A determination is then made of whether any one of the SUs is currently involved in an incident response. For each SU determined to be currently involved in an incident response, it is determined whether the respective incident response is of a non-interruptible incident response type. Responsive to determining that a SU is currently involved in a non-interruptible incident response, a notification is caused to appear at a network management console or a dispatch console, and the service request is at least temporarily suspended.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Motorola Solutions, Inc.
    Inventor: Craig A. Ibbotson
  • Patent number: 9008710
    Abstract: Methods, apparatuses, and computer program products for controlling communication between whitespace devices are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Malolan Chetlur, Harish Ganapathy, Shivkumar Kalyanaraman, Mukundan Madhavan
  • Patent number: 9008298
    Abstract: A method may include receiving, from a network, a call request in a communication device, the call request including an identification of a calling party; notifying a user of the communication device of the call request; receiving an indication to deny the call request; prompting the user of the communication device, in response to receiving the indication to deny the call request, regarding automatically denying call requests having the identification of the calling party; receiving, from the user, an indication to deny call requests having the identification of the calling party; and sending an instruction to the network to automatically deny the call requests having the identification of the calling party.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen Wright, Stuart Langham, Hinal K. Balia
  • Patent number: 9008617
    Abstract: A system, method and computer program product for graphically overlaying multiple types of events in order to facilitate determining one or more courses of action are each disclosed. Events are received from an event detection system or from another source, correlated with an address or location, and representatively mapped on an electronic map configured to be displayed on a display device. Mapped events may include cyber attacks or intrusions, credit card fraud based on the location of use of the credit card, check (and check-card) fraud based on usage location, 911 calls, law enforcement demographic data, and telecommunications based fraud.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc.
    Inventor: James T. McConnell
  • Patent number: 9008692
    Abstract: A method and system for handling position determination devices and related position in mobile equipment is described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Telit Automotive Solutions NV
    Inventors: Jean-Christophe Dupuy, Guilaume Blanc
  • Patent number: 9008606
    Abstract: A method for requesting an emergency service to a base station and a mobile station using the same are disclosed. During initial network entry, a mobile station may transmit an emergency message to a base station using an emergency Flow Identifier (FID), and receive from the base station information about resources allocated according to a default service flow parameter predefined for the emergency service by the base station. The mobile station may transmit to the base station a ranging request message including an emergency service indicator indicating an emergency service request, and receive from the base station a ranging response message including an emergency FID allocated by the BS as a response to the emergency service request. The emergency FID is the emergency FID received in the ranging response message.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Ae Ran Youn, Yong Ho Kim, Ki Seon Ryu, Hee Jeong Cho, Young Soo Yuk
  • Patent number: 9008605
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing an emergency signal to a wireless transmit receive unit (WTRU). The WTRU is configured to receive a system information message including an emergency message notification and emergency system information messages, wherein the system information messages are segmented and overlap non-emergency system information messages. The WTRU is further configured to process the emergency information messages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: InterDigital Patent Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Peter S. Wang, Guodong Zhang, Shankar Somasundaram
  • Patent number: 9008686
    Abstract: It is inter alia disclosed to estimate at least one of a location and an orientation of a first-type device (11) at least based on respective location estimates for one or more signal sources (10), wherein at least one location estimate for a signal source (10) of the one or more signal sources is determined at least based on respective signals from the signal source (10) received at one or more second-type devices (12) and respective locations of the one or more second-type devices (12), and respective position relationships between the one or more signal sources (10) and the first-type device (11).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Nokia Corporation
    Inventors: Miska Hannuksela, Pasi Ojala
  • Publication number: 20150099482
    Abstract: A method of transmitting emergency and non-emergency communications between a system backend facility (system) and at least one mobile platform (platform), the method comprising establishing a communication link between the system and the platform, providing a single-action voice calling module of the platform for communicating with the system, providing a message reception module of the platform for receiving a message sent from the system, providing a single-action location information transmission module of the platform for sending location information of the platform to the system, providing a single-action location information extraction module of the system for locating at least one recipient associated with the platform based on a predetermined attribute of the platform, and providing a single-action information dispatch module of the system for sending information to the located at least one recipient associated with the platform via the first protocol.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2014
    Publication date: April 9, 2015
    Inventor: Anthony Schmitz
  • Publication number: 20150099481
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method and system for providing various alert notifications to individuals. More specifically, the embodiments disclosed herein are directed to obtaining an alert notification from an external source and determining a geographic area associated with the alert notification. Once the geographic area has been determined the methods and systems described determine one or more users in the geographic area that meet one or more alert criteria. An alert notification is then generated and is provided to one or more users in geographic areas that meet the one or more alert criteria.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 3, 2014
    Publication date: April 9, 2015
    Inventors: Heather Maitre, Andrew Claiborne, J. Christopher Connelly, Patrick Johnson, Sharon Matthews, Mark Nery, Richard Von Feldt, Victoria Winters, Karie Willyerd
  • Patent number: 9001739
    Abstract: The disclosure claims an Evolved Universal Mobile Telecommunication System (UMTS) Radio Access Network (E-UTRAN) system and a task tracking method thereof. The method comprises the steps of: creating a message, which carries the parameters of multiple tasks for tracking a same user; sending the message to an Evolved NodeB (eNodeB), which is used for the eNodeB to create multiple tasks to track the user according to the parameters. The disclosure also claims an E-UTRAN system, which comprises: a creation module, configured to create a message which carries the parameters of multiple tasks for tracking a same user; a sending module, configured to send the message to the eNodeB; an eNodeB, configured to establish multiple tasks to track the user according to the parameters. The disclosure can guarantee that multiple tasks track one appointed user synchronously.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: ZTE Corporation
    Inventor: Wei Tian
  • Patent number: 9002372
    Abstract: Mentally challenged persons such as autistic children and Alzheimer's patients can become lost and they are hard to find because they have difficulty communicating or they are confused and disoriented. The present invention provides an apparatus, system and methods for locating lost persons (or animals or packages) whether they are indoors or outdoors. The apparatus comprises a cellular telephone unit which can be activated by a RF signal and which a child or patient can wear. The wearable unit can be activated by a caregiver's smart phone having a locating application installed therein. The locating application enables the caregiver to locate the lost person using radio direction finder triangulation when the lost person is within a few hundred feet of the caregiver. When the lost person is further away, the locating application employs cell phone tower triangulation or the wearable unit GPS/Assisted GPS application to determine an approximate location of the lost person.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Danielle's Buddy, Inc.
    Inventors: Walter Jeffrey Shakespeare, Clarence William Crompton, Lawrence P. Levitt, Sharone Vaknin, Phillip William Wallace
  • Patent number: 9002371
    Abstract: A system and method retrieve location-centric information. The method includes providing geographic position information of a wireless device to an information system or database and receiving location identifiers based on the geographic position. Each location identifier has related location-centric information that can be viewed by the user of the wireless device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Smarter Agent, LLC
    Inventors: Brad W. Blumberg, Eric M. Blumberg
  • Patent number: 9002376
    Abstract: The present invention is broadly directed to systems and methods for gathering information about wireless transceiver devices in a defined boundary region. To this end, the disclosure is more particularly directed to gathering movement information (e.g., via detection and location) about two-way end-user wireless terminals within three-dimensional boundaries of defined local space (“DLS”) to allow for selective control of the terminals and other subsystems, as desired. Additionally, the data collected can be used to improve accuracy and precision regarding the prediction of behavior characteristics and tendencies of populations based on a sampling of observed terminals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Prima Research, LLC.
    Inventors: Christopher Price, Gregory J. Beveridge
  • Patent number: 9002370
    Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a system for detecting in-person meetings between users of mobile devices. During operation, the system collects information regarding characteristics of features of the users' surrounding environment as detected by the mobile devices. The characteristics of the detected features are compared with each other to produce observations and the observations are applied to a hidden Markov model to detect meetings between the users. Features detected from the surroundings may include Wi-Fi signals, discoverable Bluetooth signals, and ambient sounds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Palo Alto Research Center Incorporated
    Inventors: Oliver Brdiczka, Jens Weppner
  • Publication number: 20150094013
    Abstract: A device and method for post event data retrieval uses an electronic communications system, wherein the method and system can utilize a detection device for detecting the event and facilitating the post event data retrieval. The system and method include detecting an event using a detection device. The detection device includes a location tool configured to determine a position of the detection device. The detection device defines a specified vicinity with respect to itself. A location is determined of the detection device using the location tool, after the event has occurred. Data including an identification (ID) is automatically requested of a communications device in the specified vicinity, using the detection device. A reply is received by the detection device which includes the ID from the communications device for identifying the communications device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2013
    Publication date: April 2, 2015
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Jennifer L. Dimitri, Wilfredo Ferre, Peter K. Malkin, Marc P. Yvon
  • Publication number: 20150094016
    Abstract: Efficient processing and/or routing of emergency calls in an IMS (IP Multimedia Subsystem) for VoIP (Voice over IP) subscribers can be enabled. In one aspect, an E911 profile is generated, for example, by an application server, for each VoIP subscriber based in part on current location information associated with the subscriber, such as, the subscriber's IP address. The E911 profile is pushed to the HSS (Home Subscriber Server) of the IMS. The E911 profile can then be stored in the HSS and can be queried by an E-CSCF (Emergency Call Session Control Function) during emergency call processing. Moreover, when an emergency call is received from the subscriber, the E-CSCF can retrieve the E911 profile associated with the subscriber from the HSS and route the call to an appropriate PSAP (Public Safety Answering Point) based on an analysis of the information in the E911 profile.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2014
    Publication date: April 2, 2015
    Inventors: Dwayne Crawford, Richard L. Khan, Min Lu
  • Publication number: 20150094014
    Abstract: A multi-standard indoor mobile radio access network having a centralized device is provided. In one embodiment of the present invention, a centralized device is configured to transmit a wake-up signal to a wireless device once the wireless device has entered a service area, wherein the wake-up signal triggers the downloading and/or opening of an application on the wireless device configured to determine whether a 911 call has been made. If a 911 call has been made, the application transmits a notification signal to the centralized device. In response thereto, the centralized device transmit location information of the wireless device to an emergency responder. The centralized device also transmits a “ping” to the wireless device during predetermined periods of time in order to keep the application open and/or installed on the wireless device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2014
    Publication date: April 2, 2015
    Applicant: Key2mobile LLC
    Inventors: Patrick Diamond, Anthony Giraudo, John Shay
  • Publication number: 20150094015
    Abstract: A location privacy configuration module enables location determination to emergency services only relating to an emergency text message or emergency text message session. An emergency text message transmitted to an emergency number is routed to an emergency text message server, which initiates an emergency text indicator for each emergency text message, and requests location information for the emergency texting device by transmitting the emergency text indicator and a location request to a location determination server. Location of the emergency texting device may be obtained without acquiring customer authorization for location determination. The originating text messaging device acknowledges receipt of the emergency text indicator/location request combination and checks the location privacy setting configured thereon. Location determination is permitted if configured to permit location determination if emergency text messaging.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2014
    Publication date: April 2, 2015
    Inventor: Dara Ung, JR.
  • Patent number: 8995913
    Abstract: A method for performing a cooperative function and a device thereof are provided. It is determined whether another device is in a surrounding area of a device. When it is determined that the other device is in the surrounding area, the cooperative function is performed by the device with the other device according to a location of the other device. Accordingly, the cooperative function may be performed automatically if devices are in adjacent areas without a user's command.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Seung-dong Yu, Woo-yong Chang, Se-jun Park, Min-jeong Moon
  • Patent number: 8995947
    Abstract: While a mobile wireless device (102) operates in a home region (106), the mobile wireless device (102) displays public broadcast messages in accordance with the default broadcast message display settings (244) for the home region (106). In the event that the mobile wireless device (102) transits to a different region (110) for which region-specific broadcast message display settings have not already been configured, the mobile wireless device (102) queries a user to configure the broadcast message display settings (244) to be used for the new region (110). The display settings for a given region may be stored such that when the mobile wireless device (102) enters a region previously visited, the previously-configured display settings for the previously-visited region may be automatically implemented without user prompting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC
    Inventors: Scott T Droste, Howard P Benn, Jian Jun Wu
  • Patent number: 8995945
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a mobile communicator that includes a speed detection system for determining whether the mobile communicator is moving faster than a threshold speed. The mobile communicator further includes a sleep mode wherein both the speed detection system and a second function of the mobile communicator are disabled. An attempt to use the second function causes the mobile communicator to enable the speed detection system. Further, the mobile communicator includes a disabling circuit configured to disable the second function of the mobile communicator if the speed detection system determines that the mobile communicator is moving faster than the threshold speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Mobile Communication Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Robert C. Ewell, Jr., Douglas L. Garmany, Charles T. Kelly
  • Patent number: 8996673
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a method and apparatus for handling emergency signaling in an IP Multimedia Subsystem network. A Proxy-Call Session Control Function receives a message requesting set up of a session. The message is associated with an IP Multimedia Private Identity. The P-CSCF determines that the message relates to an emergency call. If an emergency override tag associated with the IMPI is provisioned or set at the P-CSCF, then the message is forwarding the SIP message to a Serving-Call Session Control Function (S-CSCF) for further handling. However, if an emergency override tag associated with the IMPI is not provisioned or set at the P-CSCF, the message is forwarded to an Emergency-Call Session Control Function (E-CSCF). The P-CSCF exercises control over the handling of emergency signaling, according to embodiments of the invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ)
    Inventors: Fredrik Lindholm, Per Oberg
  • Patent number: 8994516
    Abstract: A control device may include a control unit to control transmission of a predetermined control command to a controlled device, when an operation surface is put face down is detected from a detection result of at least one sensor indicating the operation surface is put face down.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Shin Ito, Yoshinori Ohashi, Eiju Yamada, Tsuyoshi Honma
  • Patent number: 8996649
    Abstract: Methods and apparatuses are provided that facilitate downloading and/or applying policies for a current configuration of network interfaces. Where a network interface of a device is deactivated or otherwise losses connection, the device can ensure policies for communicating without the network interface are enforced. Where such policies are not available, the policies can be downloaded to ensure the device stores policies for the network interface configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Gerardo Giaretta, Patrick Stupar, Peter C. Thompson
  • Publication number: 20150087258
    Abstract: Concepts and technologies are disclosed herein for a remotely activated monitoring service. The monitoring service can be executed by a server computer. The server computer can detect an event associated with a user device. The server computer can determine that monitoring of a proximity of the user device is to be initiated based upon the event. The server computer can determine a geographic location of the user device and identify monitoring hardware that is to monitor the proximity of the user device. The server device also can issue a command to the monitoring hardware to initiate monitoring of the proximity of the user device by the monitoring hardware.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2013
    Publication date: March 26, 2015
    Applicant: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: Bruce Barnes, Christopher Baldwin, Wayne Robert Heinmiller, Patrick Kenny, Susan Kenny, Dolores J. Mallian, Nikhil S. Marathe, Michael Towster
  • Publication number: 20150087259
    Abstract: A person and property protection system has a portable handheld transmitter, a control center comprising a receiving unit for receiving the emergency call signal from the handheld transmitter with a localization unit designed to determine a location of the handheld transmitter and a communication unit which is designed to inform an emergency service. A signal transmitted to the emergency service comprises details of the handheld transmitter and its location. The control center is provided with a person protection module and a property protection module. The communication unit is connected at least to the person protection module. The property protection module features an uplink interface which is designed to transmit blocking signals to financial institutions and further a downlink interface which is designed to send protection signals to a home base of the handheld transmitter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2014
    Publication date: March 26, 2015
    Applicant: ULTRAVEX TRADING LLC
    Inventor: Otmar HINSEN
  • Patent number: 8989696
    Abstract: A method of sharing information related to an emergency event using a situational network includes establishing a situational network having multiple access levels in response to an indication of the occurrence of an emergency event. Access to information related to the emergency event is provided based on an access level of a participant in the situational network, where the access level is automatically obtained based on the role of the participant relative to the emergency event. Communication between participants of the situational network is facilitated based on the access level of the participants.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: Resource Consortium Limited
    Inventors: Thomas Cona, Edward A. Ehrlacher, Leonid Kravets
  • Patent number: 8989698
    Abstract: A supplemental rescue resources system can receive an emergency alert message from a mobile device and use data from the message and other sources to determine and select appropriate supplemental rescue resources, which may include may include any person that has volunteered or is otherwise a participant in the system that is not an on-duty emergency responder. The supplemental rescue resources system may select a supplemental rescue resources based on the location of such resources relative to the location of an incident, and/or the qualifications and/or preferences of such resources. The supplemental rescue resources system may direct resources to the incident and notify emergency services providers of the supplemental resources.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: James W. Fan, Jeffrey A. Aaron, Jennifer K. Lam
  • Patent number: 8989952
    Abstract: A device is provided for use with a vehicle. The device includes a mode-determining component, a first detecting component and a second detecting component. The mode-determining component can generate an in-vehicle signal. The first detecting component can detect a first parameter and can generate a first detector signal based on the first detected parameter. The second detecting component can detect a second parameter and can generate a second detector signal based on the second detected parameter. The mode-determining component can further generate a crash mode signal based on the in-vehicle signal, the first detector signal and the second detector signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: Apio Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Sascha Simon
  • Patent number: 8990043
    Abstract: A floor-reporting computer system may determine the specific floor in a building on which a wireless mobile communication device is located. A network interface may receive device location information from a network communication system which originated from the wireless mobile communication device and which is indicative of the horizontal and vertical location of the wireless mobile communication device. A computer processing system may receive the device location information from the network interface and determine floor location information indicative of the specific floor in the building on which the wireless mobile communication device is located based on the device location information. The computer processing system may consult one or more databases when determining the floor location information, such as a building location database, a ground elevation database, a building floor height database, and/or an atmospheric air pressure database.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: Cellco Partnership
    Inventor: Kris Kolodziej
  • Patent number: 8989764
    Abstract: The ability of a receiver to determine when a transmitter has changed location is important for energy conservation in wireless sensor networks, for physical security of radio tagged objects, and for wireless network security in detection of replication attacks. In embodiments of the present invention, a measured temporal link signature is determined to uniquely identify the link between a transmitter and a receiver. The temporal link signature is an impulse response of a transmitted signal from the transmitter over a channel between the transmitter and a receiver over a channel. When the transmitter changes location, or if an attacker at a different location assumes the identity of the transmitter, the proposed link distinction methodology reliably detects the change in the physical channel. This detection can be performed at a single receiver or collaboratively by multiple receivers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: The University of Utah Research Foundation
    Inventors: Neal Patwari, Sneha Kasera
  • Patent number: 8989694
    Abstract: A system for remotely monitoring and tracking a mobile hand-held device having conventional voice and data communication capabilities, the mobile device having software installed thereon that establishes a data communication link with the server, detects activation of an emergency button on the mobile device that places the device in an emergency operating condition, and, while operating in emergency condition, (i) blocks non-emergency input into the device, (ii) at predetermined time intervals, determines the current location of the mobile hand-held device based on GPS tracking information and mobile communication information, (iii) stores the time-based tracking data in memory, and (iv) using the data communication link, periodically transmits a telematics logic message to the server, wherein the telematics logic message include a unique device ID, an indicator of the emergency condition, and the time-based tracking data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Inventors: Jonathan A. Ventulett, Henry H. Hicks, III, Thomas P. Ventulett, Mary Elizabeth Gorman, Jeoffrey K. Moore, Brian Troxell, David Petchey, Peter Kennard
  • Patent number: 8989699
    Abstract: Various embodiments include communicating emergency information to a vehicle. A computer may receive one or more emergency notifications issued by a government agency. Additionally, a geographic location of a vehicle may be determined based on GPS data. At least one emergency notification may be selected based on the geographic location of the vehicle and a geographic attribute of the emergency notifications. The selected emergency notifications may be output so that the notification may be presented to a vehicle occupant. In some embodiments, the notification may be output depending on the direction that the vehicle is travelling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: David Anthony Hatton, Robert Earl Johnson, Jr.
  • Patent number: 8989767
    Abstract: A wireless communication system may include a wireless access point including a first wireless transceiver and a controller associated therewith and providing wireless communications within a defined space having an entrance, and mobile wireless communications devices, each including a first near field communications (NFC) device and a second wireless transceiver communicating with the first wireless transceiver. The wireless communication system may also include a second NFC device adjacent the entrance of the defined space, and a third NFC device within the defined space. The controller may permit wireless communications of a given mobile wireless communications device with the wireless access point based upon communication of the corresponding first NFC device with the second and third NFC devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: BlackBerry Limited
    Inventor: David Ryan Walker
  • Patent number: 8989700
    Abstract: An interactive community alert network (iCan) system is operable to receive one or more signals indicating a report of an incident. The iCan system may determine a location of the reported incident. One or more visual and/or audio capture devices, which may be within proximity of the determined location of the reported incident may be adjusted. Corresponding visual and/or audio content of the reported incident may be captured and utilized to determine how to handle the reported incident. The location of the reported incident may be determined based on a position of a device and based on a global navigation satellite system position of a device utilized to report the incident. The location of the incident may also be determined based on information within the report of the incident and/or based on localization through use of one or more electronic mapping systems and/or panoramic still images of camera views.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: The Cordero Group
    Inventors: Jose M. Cordero, Tamer Zakhary
  • Patent number: 8989697
    Abstract: An eCall is an emergency call that may (i) be initiated automatically by a wireless terminal due to a trigger event (e.g., a vehicle involved in an accident) or manually by a user and (ii) include additional data sent automatically by the terminal to a recipient entity, e.g., a Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP). Depending on the implementation, Emergency setup signaling (e.g., an Emergency SETUP message) or a location updating message is used to give high priority to registering an eCall-only mode In-Vehicle System (IVS) on a mobile network. The IVS can get higher priority from the mobile network right after an eCall emergency is triggered at the IVS. When requesting a connection to the mobile network, the WS can use one or more fields of the location updating message in order to register on the network with a higher priority.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Nikolai Konrad Leung, Mungal Singh Dhanda
  • Patent number: 8989695
    Abstract: A wireless communication device is disclosed that is capable of transmitting emergency data to a base station even when the wireless communication device is out of range, or has insufficient battery life, to communicate with the base station using normal transmission means. When the wireless communication device is out of range or has low battery, the wireless communication device can transmit the emergency data to the base station by repeatedly transmitting the emergency data at a coding rate below a standard/minimum coding rate of the modulation scheme designated for use by the base station. The second wireless communication device can detect and decode the emergency data by storing the multiple transmitted iterations of the received signal and performing combining processing on those stored iterations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: Broadcom Corporation
    Inventors: Djordje Tujkovic, Erik Stauffer
  • Publication number: 20150079923
    Abstract: A method for communicating traveler information is provided. The method includes: launching a telematics application on a mobile station, the mobile station including at least one sensor configured for monitoring at least one travel dynamic, wherein the mobile station is disposed in a motor vehicle; monitoring the at least one travel dynamic during a trip; and communicating monitoring data through a communications network of the mobile station. A telematics application and a telematics system are described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 15, 2014
    Publication date: March 19, 2015
    Inventor: Joe McNeil
  • Publication number: 20150079924
    Abstract: Emergency communications systems and methods are provided herein. According to some embodiments, methods for mediating transmission of an emergency communication may include establishing a communications path between an emergency response entity and a communications device of a reporting party in response to an emergency event, and delivering to the emergency response entity an alert communication from the communications device, the alert communication comprising at least a location of the communications device and visual content captured by the communications device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2014
    Publication date: March 19, 2015
    Inventor: Tim Lieu
  • Patent number: 8983424
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and products process an emergency communication. A profile is queried for a code received during the emergency communication. If the code matches the profile, then the emergency communication is blocked.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventor: Valerie Binning
  • Patent number: 8983430
    Abstract: A method and system are disclosed for location-dependent billing for services that may be available to mobile terminals. A mobile terminal may forwarded to a central unit of a mobile communication network, in which the mobile terminal is logged, a billing rate code that may be obtained from an external location tag. The central unit may select, based on the billing rate code at the external location tag, a billing rate for billing for service(s) available to the user. The mobile terminal may access the external location tag via a local communication connection, which may be set up between the mobile terminal and external location tag, such as using a corresponding wireless interface therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Swisscom AG
    Inventor: Paul Aebi
  • Patent number: 8983425
    Abstract: In one embodiment, the present invention is a method and apparatus for dynamic location-based message notification. In one embodiment, a method for providing alerts to a computing device includes identifying, via a set of location-specific computing resources, a current location of the computing device and sending at least one alert to the computing device, based on the current location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventor: Leopold Strahs