US006771970C1
`
`(12) EX PARTE REEXAMINATION CERTIFICATE (10744th)
`United States Patent
`Dan
`
`(10) Number:
`US 6,771,970 C1
`(45) Certificate Issued:
`Oct. 22, 2015
`
`(54) LOCATION DETERMINATION SYSTEM
`
`Inventor: Meir Dan, Tel Aviv (IL)
`(75)
`(73) Assignee: LocatioNet Systems, Ltd.
`Reexamination Request:
`No. 90/011 370, Oct. 13, 2014
`Reexamination Certificate for:
`Patent No.:
`6,771,970
`Issued:
`Aug. 3, 2004
`Appl. No.:
`09/677,827
`Filed:
`Oct. 2, 2000
`
`Related U.S. Application Data
`
`(60) Provisional application No. 60/157,643, filed on Oct.
`4, 1999.
`
`(51)
`
`Int. Cl.
`G08G 1/I23
`G08G 1/00
`
`(2006.01)
`(2006.01)
`
`(52) U.S. Cl.
`CPC ...................................... .. G08G 1/20 (2013.01)
`(58) Field of Classification Search
`None
`See application file for complete search history.
`
`(56)
`
`References Cited
`
`To View the complete listing of prior art documents cited
`during the proceeding for Reexamination Control Number
`
`90/013,370, please refer to the USPTO’s public Patent
`Application lnformation Retrieval (PATR) system under the
`Display References tab.
`
`Primary Examiner — Minh T Nguyen
`
`ABSTRACT
`(5 7)
`A system for location tracking of mobile platforms, each
`mobile platform having a tracking unit is described. The
`system includes a location determination system communi-
`cating through a user interface with at least one subscriber;
`said communication including inputs that include the sub-
`scriber identity and the identity of the mobile platform to be
`located; a communication system communicating with said
`location determination system for receiving said remote plat-
`form identity; and,
`a plurality ofremote tracking systems communicating with
`said communication system for determining the location
`of the remote platform;
`The con1r11ui1icatior1 system is arranged to determine an
`appropriate one of the plurality of remote tracking systems
`and to communicate said remote platform identity, the appro-
`priate remote tracking system receiving said mobile platform
`identity and returning mobile platform location information.
`said communication system being arranged to pass said
`mobile platform location information to said location deten-
`tion system. The location determination system is arranged to
`receive said mobile platform location information and to for-
`ward it to said subscriber.
`
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`US 6,771,970 Cl
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`1
`EX PARTE
`REEXAMINATION CERTIFICATE
`
`THE PATENT IS HEREBY AMENDED AS
`INDICATED BELOW.
`
`Matter enclosed in heavy brackets [ ] appeared in the
`patent, but has been deleted and is no longer a part of the
`patent; matter printed i11 italics indicates additions made
`to the patent.
`
`AS A RESULT OF REEXAMINAHON, ll HAS B
`DETERMINED THAT:
`
`-N
`
`'ll1e patentability of claims 1-17 and 19 is confirmed.
`New claims 20-42 are added and determined to be
`patentable.
`Claim 18 was not reexamined.
`
`20. The system according to claim 1, wherein the property
`that ispredeterminedfor each mobileplatformfor determin-
`ing the location ofthe mobile platform is the remote tracking
`system ’s identifier ofthe mobile platform to be located.
`21. The system according to claim 1, wherein each ofthe
`plurality ofremote tracking systems includes the tracking unit
`of'a mobile platform.
`22. The system according to claim 21, wherein the tracking
`unit of a mobile platform is physically separated from the
`remote tracking system.
`23. A system for location tracking of mobile platforms,
`each mobile platform having a tracking unit;
`the system
`including:
`a location determination system communicating through a
`user interface with at least one subscriber; said commu-
`nication including inputs that include the subscriber
`identity and the identity of the mobile platform to be
`located;
`a communication system communicating with said loca-
`tion determination system for receiving said mobile
`platform identity; and,
`aplurality ofremote tracking systems communicating with
`said communication system each ofthe remote tracking
`systems being adapted to determine the location of a
`respective mobileplatform according to aproperty that
`ispredeterminedfor each mobile platformfor determin-
`ing the location ofthe mobile platform;
`wherein the property that ispredeterminedfor each mobile
`platformfor determining the location ofthe mobileplat-
`form is the remote tracking system’s identifier of the
`mobile platform to be located;
`a user database linked to said location determination sys-
`tem for cross—referencing the mobile platforms to be
`tracked with the remote tracking systems capable of
`tracking them;
`wherein said location determination system is arranged to
`determine an appropriate one ofthe plurality ofremote
`tracking systems, the appropriate remote tracking sys-
`tem receiving said mobile platform identity from said
`communication system and returning mobile platform
`location information, said communication system being
`arranged to pass said mobile platform location infor-
`mation to said location determination system;
`said location determination system being arranged to
`receive said mobile platform location information and
`toforward it to said subscriber
`24. A system according to claim 23, wherein said location
`determination system communicates with a mapping system
`
`'
`
`2
`having at least one map database, said mapping system
`accepting mobile platform location information. correlating
`said location information with a location on a mapfrom said
`at least one map database, generating a map on which said
`location is marked and communicating said map to said
`location determination system, wherein said location deter-
`mination system is arranged to forward said map to said
`subscriber
`25. A system according to claim 24. wherein said mapping
`system communicates with at least one location information
`system, said location information system accepting mobile
`platform location information, obtaining location informa-
`tion and returning said location information for association
`with said map.
`26. A system according to claim 25, wherein said location
`information system obtains
`location information from
`selected ones o_f'tra_]fic information systems, electronic Yellow
`Page databases, video databases, L-commerce systems and
`‘ free advertising systems.
`27. A system according to claim 24, wherein said map
`database includes maps formatted as at least one ofthefol-
`lowing: Raster [Map in various scales, vector maps and air
`photo.
`28. A system according to claim 24, wherein said user
`interface accepts multiple mobileplatforms to be located, the
`mapping system accepting multiple mobileplatform location
`information and generating a map on which each location is
`marked.
`29. A system according to claim 24, wherein data for-
`warded to said subscriber comprises at least one mobile
`platform location in a map represented in HTJWL and an
`image.
`30. A system according to claim 23, wherein the commu-
`nication between said subscriber and said location determi-
`nation system is over the Internet.
`31. A System according to claim 23, wherein the commu-
`nication between said communication system and the corre-
`sponding remote tracking service is over the Internet.
`32. A system according to claim 23, wherein said location
`determination system, said mapping system and said commu-
`nication system are accommodated in the same web site.
`33. A system according to claim 23, wherein said mobile
`, platform is a vehicle.
`34. A system according to claim 23, wherein said mobile
`platform is a person.
`35. A system according to claim 23, wherein each remote
`tracking system belongs to a dtflerent company and super-
`vises a dijferent group ofmobile platforms.
`36. The system according to claim 23, wherein each ofthe
`plurality ofremote tracking systems includes the tracking unit
`ofa mobile platform.
`3 7. The system according to claim 36, wherein the tracking
`unit of a mobile platform is physically separated from the
`remote tracking system.
`38. A method ofdetermining the location ofmobile plat-
`forms, said mobile platforms between them being locatable
`by a plurality of remote tracking systems, each which is
`adapted to determine the location of a respective mobile
`platform according to a property that is predetermined for
`each mobile platform, the method comprising.‘
`(a) accepting inputsfrom a subscriber identifying one or
`more mobile platforms to be located;
`(b) cross—referencing the mobile platforms to be tracked
`with the remote tracking systems capable of tracking
`them;
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`3
`(c) determining for each mobile platform an appropriate
`one of the plurality of remote tracking systems that is
`capable oflocating said mobile platform;
`(d) communicating the identity ofthe one or more mobile
`platforms to be located to the determined remote track-
`ing system(s);
`(e) causing the remote tracking system(s) to determine the
`location ofa respective mobileplatform according to the
`property that is predetermined for each mobile plat-
`form; wherein said property that is predetermined for
`each mobile platform is each remote tracking system 's
`identifier ofthe mobileplatform to be located,‘
`(f) receiving the location ofeach mobile platjbrmfrom the
`respective remote tracking system; and
`(g) transmitting the location of each mobile platform to
`said subscriber
`39. A method according to claim 3 8, wherein transmitting
`the location ofeach mobile platform further comprises cor-
`relating the location of each mobile platform with a map
`database and transmitting a map having marked said mobile
`platform location(s) to said subscriber.
`40‘ A computer program product comprising a computer
`useable medium having computer readable program code
`embodied therein to enable determination of the location of
`mobileplatforms, said mobileplatforms between them being '
`locatable by a plurality of‘ remote tracking systems, each
`which is adapted to determine the location of a respective
`mobile platform according to a property that is predeter-
`minedfor each mobile platform, the computer readable pro-
`gram product comprising:
`computer readable program codefor causing a computer
`to accept inputs from a subscriber identijj/ing one or
`more mobile platforms to be located;
`computer readable program code for cross-referencing
`mobile platforms to be tracked with the remote tracking
`systems capable oftracking them;
`computer readableprogram codefor causing the computer
`to determine for each mobile platform an appropriate
`one of the plurality of remote tracking systems that is
`capable oflocating said remote platform;
`computer readableprogram codefor causing the computer
`to communicate the identity ofthe one or more mobile
`platforms to be located to the determined remote track-
`ing system(s);
`computer readableprogram codefor causing the computer
`to determine the location ofa respective mobileplatform
`
`4
`according to theproperty that ispredeterminedfor each
`mobile platform; wherein saidproperty that is predeter-
`minedfor each mobile platform is each remote tracking
`System ’s identifier ofthe mobile platform to be located;
`computer readableprogram codefor causing the computer
`to receive the location ofeach mobileplatformfrom the
`respective remote tracking system; and
`computer readableprogram codefor causing the computer
`to transmit the location ofeach mobileplatform to said
`subscriber.
`41. A computer program product according to claim 39,
`further comprising computer readable codefor causing the
`computer to correlate the location of each mobile platform
`with a map database and to transmit a map having marked
`said mobileplatform location(s) to said subscriber.
`42. Aprogram storage device readable by a machine, tan-
`gibly embodying a program ofinstructions executable by the
`machine to perform a method ofdetermining the location of‘
`‘ mobile platforms, said mobile platforms between them being
`locatable by a plurality ofremote tracking systems, each of
`which is adapted to determine the location ofa respective
`mobile platform according to a property that is predeter-
`minedfor each mobile platform, the method comprising:
`(a) accepting inputsfrom a subscriber identifying one or
`more mobile platforms to be located;
`(b) cross-referencing mobile platforms to be tracked with
`the remote tracking systems capable oftracking them;
`(c) determiningfor each mobile platform an appropriate
`one of the plurality of remote tracking systems that is
`capable oflocating said mobile platform;
`(d) communicating the identity ofthe one or more mobile
`platforms to be located to the determined remote track-
`ing system(s);
`(e) causing the computer to determine the location ofa
`respective mobile platform according to the property
`that ispredeterminedfor each mobileplatform; wherein
`sa idproperty that ispredeterminedfor each mobileplat-
`form is each remote tracking system ’s identifier of the
`mobile platform to be located;
`(f) receiving the location ofeach mobile platformfrom the
`respective remote tracking system; and
`(g) transmitting the location of each mobile platform to
`said subscriber
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