US007130630B1
`
`(12)
`
`United States Patent
`Enzmann et a].
`
`(10) Patent N0.:
`(45) Date of Patent:
`
`US 7,130,630 B1
`Oct. 31, 2006
`
`(54) LOCATION QUERY SERVICE FOR
`WIRELESS NETWORKS
`
`6/1998 Chang et a1. ............. .. 379/142
`5,771,283 A
`8/1998 Goldhaber et a1.
`705/14
`5,794,210 A
`5,819,155 A 10/1998 Worthy et a1. ............... .. 455/2
`
`(75) Inventors: Mark J. Enzmann, Roswell, GA (US); Robert T. Moton, Jr., Alpharetta, GA
`
`(Us); Samuel N- Zellner, DunWOOdy,
`
`’
`’
`i
`5,875,401 A
`
`'
`£7355“, Jr' 1 My. "" "
`
`2/1999 Rochklnd ................. .. 455/466
`
`(Continued)
`FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`EP
`
`000964542 A2 12/1999
`
`............. .. 705/14 X
`
`(Continued)
`OTHER PUBLICATIONS
`
`“Wireless Application Protocol”, Oct. 1999 Wireless Internet Today,
`pp. 1-20.
`
`_
`(Contmued)
`Przrnary Examzner loseph'Felld
`Asslstant ExamlneriS. Sm1th
`(74) Attorney, Agent, or F irmiMerchant & Gould
`
`. i
`
`.
`
`.
`
`(57)
`
`ABSTRACT
`
`Alocation query service for use with a wireless network that
`tracks the location of network devices, such as a network
`complying with enhanced 911 standards. The service pro
`vides requesters with the locations of network users, based
`on the locations of the users’ wireless network devices. The
`service receives a location query from a requester, retrieves
`location information associated with the network user, and
`returns the location information to the requestor. Alternately,
`before returning the location information to the requester,
`the service authenticates that the requestor is authorized by
`the network user to receive the network user’s location
`information. A requestor can submit a location query, for
`example, by voice calls through the Public Switched Tele
`phone Network (PSTN) to an interactive voice response unit
`(IVRU), personal computer access through a global com
`puter network, and cellular telephone access through a
`global computer network.
`
`22 Claims, 4 Drawing Sheets
`
`REQlFECSTOR
`108/
`6 m a.
`
`GA (Us)
`(73) Assignee: BellSouth Intellectual Property
`Corporation, W1lmmgton, DE (US)
`
`( * ) Notice:
`
`Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this
`patent is extended or adjusted under 35
`U.S.C. 154(b) by 760 days.
`
`(21) APP1~ NOJ 09/739,315
`
`(22) Filed:
`
`Dec. 19, 2000
`
`(51) Int. Cl.
`
`H04Q 7/20
`H04M 11/04
`
`(200601)
`2006 01
`(
`'
`)
`(52) US. Cl. ............................. .. 455/435.1; 455/404.2;
`455/456.1; 340/988
`(58) Field of Classi?cation Search ........... .. 455/435.1,
`455/404'1’ 404'2’ 456'1’ 457’ 521’ 426'1;
`_
`340/988’ 991} 992’ 993
`_
`See apphcanon ?le for Complete Search hlstory'
`References Cited
`
`(56)
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`
`104
`
`—{
`
`— NETWORK
`
`DEVICE
`
`“8
`
`T l
`
`HANDH l-D ~
`
`1\22
`
`NETWORK-BASED
`
`LOCATION SYSTEM
`
`124
`
`LOCATION SYSTEM
`\v12o
`
`Ruiz Food Products, Inc.
`Exhibit 1004
`
`

`

`US 7,130,630 B1
`Page 2
`
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
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`
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`
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`-
`-
`’
`-'
`U.S.O?' lAt dtdOt.4,2005 U.S.Al.N.
`10,819 93a C ‘on H C
`m
`pp
`0
`copending Us‘ App,‘ NO‘ 11,252,039, ?led Oct‘ 17, 2005‘
`Us Om .
`l A .
`d d J1 26 2005 . Us A l N
`09'/7'40 4121a
`“1011
`ate
`‘1'
`’
`‘n
`'
`'
`PP‘
`0'
`’
`'
`_
`“
`APP1~f 1181199530434’ ent1tled,,g1[eg1°d and System for
`De {VSYY ° lalgazl?g Peg SkLJOCEaUOH’
`,6 $5551’ 22018,’ We?‘
`tom amue '
`6 “er,
`‘11
`'
`_ nzmffnn’ a‘?
`0 e“ _'
`°t°n_ 1'
`U~S~ APPI; N°~ 09/740’414, fentltlfd Locatlon Blocklng Semce
`from a Wireless Service Provider, ?led Dec. 19, 2000, Inventors:
`Samuel N~ Zellner; Mark I Enzmann; and Robert T Moton J‘
`U~S;APP1~N°~99/740,3_72,entl?ed?demltyBlocklng Servlcefrom
`aW1reless Service Provider,” ?led Dec. 19, 2000, Inventors: Samuel
`N~ Zellner; Mark I Enzmann; and Robert T Moton 1L
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`surveyingwirelessDeviceUsersbyLocation,”?ledDee19,2000,
`Inventors: Samuel N. Zellner; Mark J. EnZmann; and Robert T.
`Moton Jr
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`Moton Jr~
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`
`_
`_
`Q9/7403”;
`U.S. O?‘icial Act1on dated Oct. 30, 2003 in U.S. Appl. No.
`09/740,372.
`
`Ruiz Food Products, Inc.
`Exhibit 1004
`
`

`

`US 7,130,630 B1
`Page 3
`
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`11/252,039.
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`09/630,134.
`
`* cited by examiner
`
`Ruiz Food Products, Inc.
`Exhibit 1004
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`0a. 31, 2006
`
`Sheet 1 014
`
`US 7,130,630 B1
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`Ruiz Food Products, Inc.
`Exhibit 1004
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`

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`U.S. Patent
`
`Oct. 31, 2006
`
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`Exhibit 1004
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`Ruiz Food Products, Inc.
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`U.S. Patent
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`Oct. 31, 2006
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`

`

`US 7,130,630 B1
`
`1
`LOCATION QUERY SERVICE FOR
`WIRELESS NETWORKS
`
`BACKGROUND
`
`1. Field of the Invention
`The present invention relates to the ?eld of Wireless
`networks, and in particular, to Wireless netWorks that track
`the location of Wireless netWork devices.
`2. Background of the Invention
`In compliance With regulations promulgated by the Fed
`eral Communications Commission (FCC), Wireless net
`Works Will soon provide services that are able to determine
`the location of all netWork users. These federally mandated
`services, knoWn as enhanced Wireless 911 (E911) services,
`Will require Wireless telephones to provide 911 call centers,
`or Public Safety AnsWering Points (PSAPs), With vital
`information necessary to locate and identify a caller in an
`emergency. To comply With E911 standards, Wireless net
`Work providers Will track the location and identity informa
`tion of all Wireless callers, With the purpose of providing
`such information to emergency personnel When a caller dials
`911 from a Wireless telephone. The FCC’s Wireless E911
`rules require certain Commercial Mobile Radio Services
`(CMRS) carriers to begin transmission of enhanced location
`and identity information in tWo phases. Phase I requires
`carriers to transmit a caller’s telephone number and general
`location to a PSAP. Phase II requires carriers to provide
`more precise location information to the PSAP.
`Under the FCC rules, Wireless netWorks and the corre
`sponding Wireless handheld devices, such as cellular tele
`phones, Will provide both the identity and location of the
`caller to a 911 dispatcher. To provide a caller’s identity, the
`Wireless handheld device Will furnish a mobile identi?cation
`number (MIN), indicating in most instances the telephone
`number of the device. The Wireless netWork and Wireless
`handheld devices Will provide the location of callers using a
`netWork-based location system (e.g., triangulation), global
`positioning systems (GPSs) Within the handheld devices, or
`a combination of the tWo systems.
`Although, in large part, Wireless netWork providers Will
`implement the location tracking systems to comply With the
`FCC standards, once completed, the providers Will have the
`ability to offer other location-based services supported by
`the E911 infrastructure. Indeed, beyond the needs of PSAPs
`in emergency situations, there are many instances in Which
`it is helpful to knoW the location of a netWork user. For
`example, a service dispatcher monitoring the activities of his
`service technicians may Wish to determine the exact loca
`tions of his technicians to facilitate ef?cient scheduling.
`Although, With conventional mobile telephone netWorks, the
`dispatcher could call and ask the technician for his location,
`the dispatcher may prefer to ascertain the location informa
`tion Without interrupting the technician’s activities.
`Other location tracking systems provide the ability to
`determine a person’s location Without communicating With
`(or interrupting) the person. HoWever, these solutions
`require dedicated netWorks and netWork devices. For
`instance, although a global positioning system can provide
`a person’s location Without contacting the person, the sys
`tem requires that the party requesting the location informa
`tion (referred to herein as the “requester”) have communi
`cation hardWare that receives the location information from
`the person’s GPS receiver. For example, in a typical ?eet
`vehicle tracking system, the ?eet manager must purchase
`and maintain a central processor that communicates With the
`GPS receiver in each vehicle.
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`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`
`The present invention is a location query service for use
`With a Wireless netWork that tracks the location of netWork
`devices. The service provides requesters With the locations
`of netWork users, based on the locations of the users’
`Wireless netWork devices. The service enables a requestor to
`obtain a netWork user’s location Without requiring commu
`nication With the user. In addition, the service relieves a
`requester of the burden of purchasing and maintaining
`dedicated location tracking equipment by taking advantage
`of existing communication infrastructures, such as global
`computer netWorks, Public SWitched Telephone NetWorks
`(PSTNs), and Wireless netWorks (With their soon-to-be
`implemented location systems).
`According to a preferred embodiment of the present
`invention, the location query service receives a location
`query from a requestor for a netWork user, retrieves the
`location information of the netWork user, and returns the
`location information to the requestor. Preferably, the
`requestor is an authorized requestor and the service authen
`ticates that the requestor is authorized before returning the
`location information to the requestor. Within the query, the
`requestor provides an identi?cation of the netWork user,
`such as a name, telephone number, Internet address, or
`electronic mail (email) address. The service of the present
`invention supports a variety of communication methods
`through Which a requestor can submit a location query, for
`example, voice calls through the Public SWitched Telephone
`NetWork (PSTN) to an interactive voice response unit
`(IVRU), personal computer access through a global com
`puter netWork, and cellular telephone access through a
`global computer netWork.
`In processing location queries, a preferred embodiment of
`the present invention gives the netWork user control of Who
`can receive his location information. The netWork user
`provides the service With a list of authorized requestors Who
`may receive the user’s location information. The service
`authenticates that a requestor is authorized before forWard
`ing location information.
`In an alternate preferred embodiment of the present
`invention, the location query service prompts a netWork user
`each time an unauthorized requestor asks for location infor
`mation. An unauthorized requestor is a requestor Who is not
`designated on a netWork user’s list of authorized requestors
`and Who has not been pre-approved to receive the user’s
`location information. With these “off-list” requests, the
`netWork user permits or denies access for unauthorized
`(off-list) requestors on an individual basis, While automati
`cally permitting access by authorized (on-list) requesters.
`In a preferred embodiment, the system of the present
`invention includes a user Wireless netWork and a location
`server. The user Wireless netWork is in communication With
`a plurality of netWork devices operated by a plurality of
`netWork users. The user Wireless netWork is also in com
`munication With a location system for determining the
`location of each netWork device. The location server is in
`communication With the Wireless netWork and With a plu
`rality of requestors. The location server accommodates a
`variety of interfaces in communicating With the plurality of
`requestors. For example, for Internet protocol (IP) commu
`nication, the location server communicates With the plurality
`of requestors through a global computer netWork, e.g., the
`Internet. As another example, for voice communication, the
`location server communicates With the plurality of request
`ors through a PSTN.
`
`Ruiz Food Products, Inc.
`Exhibit 1004
`
`

`

`US 7,130,630 B1
`
`3
`According to a preferred method of the present invention,
`the location server receives a location query for a netWork
`user from a requestor, retrieves the user’s location from the
`location system, and forwards the location back to the
`requestor. Preferably, the location server also con?rms that
`the requestor is authorized to receive the user’s location. In
`an alternate preferred embodiment, if the location system
`provides the location in a “raW” form, not easily understood
`by the typical requestor (e.g., x-y position coordinates), the
`method further includes translating the location from the raW
`form to a “displayable” form (e.g., a street address, building
`name, or area name). The system component that executes
`this translation function is a mapping converter. The map
`ping converter can be provisioned in several locations Within
`the system, from the requestor’s device to the devices of the
`plurality of requestors.
`Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to
`provide a requester With the location of a Wireless netWork
`user.
`Another object of the present invention is to provide a
`Wireless netWork user With the ability to automatically
`furnish speci?ed requesters With the location of the netWork
`user.
`Another object of the present invention is to provide a
`Wireless netWork user With the ability to approve or deny
`access to the user’s location information by a requestor Who
`has not been pre-approved.
`These and other objects of the present invention are
`described in greater detail in the detailed description of the
`invention, the appended draWings, and the attached claims.
`
`DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`
`FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a system architecture
`that provides the location query service according to a
`preferred embodiment of the present invention.
`FIG. 2 is a How chart tracing the steps for providing a
`location query service according to a preferred embodiment
`of the present invention.
`FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a system architecture
`that provides the location query service according to an
`alternate preferred embodiment, in Which a device’ s location
`is periodically recorded in a location database 300.
`FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of a system architecture
`that provides the location query service according to an
`alternate preferred embodiment of the present invention,
`With the mapping converter provisioned in alternate loca
`tions.
`
`DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE
`INVENTION
`
`The present invention is a location query service for use
`With a Wireless netWork that tracks the locations of netWork
`users. The location query service provides a requestor With
`the location of a netWork user. In providing this service, the
`present invention contemplates future enhanced digital cel
`lular netWorks, in Which netWork users Will use digital
`cellular handheld devices to access data from a global
`computer netWork, and in Which digital cellular netWork
`providers Will track the location of each netWork user.
`Referring to FIG. 1, the primary components of a pre
`ferred embodiment of the present invention include a loca
`tion server 100 and a user Wireless netWork 102. User
`Wireless netWork 102 is in communication With a plurality of
`netWork devices 104. Location server 100 is in communi
`cation With user Wireless netWork 102 and With a plurality of
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`requestors 106. The plurality of requesters 106 employ any
`suitable means to communicate With location server 100, but
`preferably use at least one of a PC requestor 108, a Wireless
`requestor 110, and a Wireline requestor 112. For communi
`cation betWeen location server 100 and PC requestor 108,
`the present invention includes a global computer netWork
`114. For communication betWeen location server 100 and
`Wireless requestor 110 (Which has IP messaging capabili
`ties), the present invention includes a requestor Wireless
`netWork 116 and global computer netWork 114 for IP mes
`saging, and requestor Wireless netWork 116 and a PSTN 118
`for voice communication. For communication betWeen loca
`tion server 100 and Wireline requestor 112, the present
`invention includes PSTN 118.
`According to a preferred embodiment of the present
`invention, user Wireless netWork 102 is in communication
`With a location system 120 that provides the locations of the
`plurality of netWork devices 104. Location system 120
`includes one or both of handheld location systems 122 and
`a netWork-based location system 124. Handheld location
`systems 122 are provisioned in Wireless handheld devices
`104. NetWork-based location systems 124 are part of user
`Wireless netWork 102.
`Location system 120 provides the location information,
`e.g., position coordinates, of a handheld device, Which
`indicates Where a netWork user is located. Location system
`120 can be a part of the Wireless netWork or can be contained
`in the handheld devices. In the preferred embodiment of the
`present invention, as shoWn in FIG. 1, location system 120
`is both a part of the Wireless netWork and is also contained
`in the handheld devices. For example, suitable methods of
`determining location as a part of the Wireless netWork
`include Wireless Access Protocol (WAP) location services,
`Time Difference of Arrival (TDOA) location systems, Angle
`of Arrival (AOA) location systems, and other systems using
`triangulation across cell sites or cell sectors. An example of
`a suitable location system in the handheld devices is a GPS.
`If location system 120 provides location information in
`raW form, a further preferred embodiment of the present
`invention includes a mapping converter 126. An example of
`information in raW form Would be GPS coordinates, With
`Which the typical telephone user is unfamiliar. As used
`herein, “raW” refers to location information in a rudimentary
`form, such that a typical telephone user Would ?nd it difficult
`to understand. “Displayable” refers to location information
`easily understood by a typical netWork user. Although dis
`playable may imply a visual communication, as used herein,
`the term extends to other forms of communication, such as
`audio-based communication. Mapping converter 126
`includes a cross-referenced database that alloWs mapping
`converter 126 to translate raW location information into
`displayable location information. For example, the database
`of mapping converter 126 could include an entry associating
`coordinates “R-S” (raW information) With the description
`“101 Park Place” (displayable information).
`Although shoWn as a separate component of the system in
`FIG. 1, mapping converter 126 could be integral to a
`component described above. One of ordinary skill in the art
`Would understand that the functions and structure of map
`ping converter 126 could be located in several different
`places, anyWhere from location system 120 to the commu
`nication devices of the requestors 106. For example, map
`ping converter 126 could be located Within netWork-based
`location system 124. As another example, mapping con
`verter 126 could also be located Within location server 100.
`Regardless of Where mapping converter 126 is provisioned,
`
`Ruiz Food Products, Inc.
`Exhibit 1004
`
`

`

`US 7,130,630 B1
`
`5
`the desired end result is to deliver displayable location
`information to the plurality of requestors 106.
`Location server 100 executes the service logic of the
`present invention, including receiving location queries from
`requesters 106, con?rming the access levels of requestors
`106, obtaining the location information of wireless network
`devices 104, and returning the location information to
`requesters 106. Although shown as a separate component in
`FIG. 1, one of ordinary skill in the art would appreciate that
`location server 100 could be a part of another system
`component, such as user wireless network 102, PSTN 118,
`or global computer network 114.
`In a representative embodiment, location server 100 con
`sists of two components. The ?rst component is a locating
`mechanism (such as location system 120) that determines
`locations of network devices 104 using various technologies
`(e.g., GPS, triangulation, radio signal delay, and cell sector)
`and combinations thereof. The location mechanism can
`reside in a network device (e.g., GPS) or within user
`wireless network 102. The location mechanism produces x-y
`coordinates that are typically transmitted to the second
`component of location server 100, which could be in the
`same box or could be connected via an IP network. The
`second component of location server 100 integrates the
`coordinate information into various mapping systems and
`provides an interface to other applications through various
`protocols, of which IP is the most common.
`In a preferred embodiment of the present invention,
`location server 100 is in communication with a memory
`storage 128. Memory storage 128 is a database or other
`memory storage device that can record relationships
`between device identi?cations (e.g., MINs) and network
`user identi?cations. In addition, memory storage contains
`authoriZed requestor lists for each device identi?cation.
`Although FIG. 1 shows memory storage 128 as a separate
`component of the system accessible to location server 100,
`memory storage 128 could be contained within location
`server 100.
`Wireless handheld devices 104 operate over user wireless
`network 102. Familiar examples include pagers and cellular
`telephones. As a minimum, wireless handheld devices 104
`provide network users with wireless communication and
`cooperate with user wireless network 102 to provide the
`location of the device. This cooperation may simply involve
`wireless transmissions to user wireless network 102 that
`enable network-based location system 124 to ascertain the
`locations of devices 104. Or, in conjunction with network
`based location system 124, wireless handheld devices 104
`may include handheld location systems 122, such as GPSs
`integral to the devices. To facilitate the alternate preferred
`embodiment in which a network user responds to off-list
`requests, wireless handheld devices 104 include messaging
`capabilities that can communicate a request for access, the
`identi?cation of the unauthoriZed requestor, and a response
`by the network user. For example, such messaging capabili
`ties can be audio-based, text-based, or graphical. Preferably,
`wireless handheld devices 104 are WAP-compatible thin
`clients having thin browsers adapted to access global com
`puter network 114 and to communicate with location server
`100.
`Global computer network 114 provides communication
`between TCP/IP requestor devices and location server 100.
`Preferably, global computer network 114 is the Internet.
`Also, preferably, network 114 provides a user-friendly inter
`face, e.g., a graphical user interface, through which a
`requestor can submit a location query. With a graphical user
`interface (GUI), the requestor device, such as PC requestor
`