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`1
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`METHOD OF PROVIDING A CELLULAR PHONE/PDA COMMUNICATION
`SYSTEM DESCRIPTIONESTABLISHING A CELL PHONE NETWORK OF
`PARTICIPANTS
`WITH A COMMON INTEREST
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`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
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`This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Patent Application Serial No.
`5
`11/308,648
`filed April 17, 2006 which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Patent Application Serial No.
`10/711,490 now U.S. Patent No. 7,031,728.
`
`1.Field of the Invention
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`10
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`A communications system using a plurality of cellular phones each having an
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`This invention relates generally to an integrated
`(Para 1)
`communications system using a plurality of cellular/PDA/ and GPS
`phonesreceiver for the management of a group oftwo or more people through the use
`of a communications net and, specifically, to provide each user with a
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`of a communications network. The method and system provide each user with an
`integrated
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`handheld cellular/PDA/GPS/phone that has advanced communication software
`application programs and databases that permit all the users to
`continuously know each other's locations and status, to rapidly call and
`communicate voice, high speed internet data, photographs and video
`clips among the users by touching display screen symbols and to
`enable the users to easily access data concerning other users and other
`database information.
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`programs (hereinafter referred to as ACS) and databases used in conjunction with a
`remote
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`server that enable a user to establish a cell phone network of cell phone participants
`15
`having a
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`common interest or relationship.
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`2. Description of Related Art
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`(Para 2) The purpose of a communications system is to transmit informationinfo!
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`2
` ____________________________________________ 'alien bearing signalsdigital
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`messages from a source, located at one point, to a user destination, located at another point
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`20 some distance away. A communications system is generally comprised of three basic
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`elements: transmitter, information channel and receiver. One form of communication in
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`recent years is cellular phone telephony. A network of cellular communication systems set up
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`around an area such as the United States allows multiple users to talk to each other, either on
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`individual calls or on group calls. Some cellular phone services enable a cellular phone to
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`25
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`engage in conference calls with a small number of users. Furthermore, cellular conference
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`3
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`calls can be established through 800 number services. Cellular telephony also now includes
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`systems that include Global Positioning System (GPS) navigation that utilizes satellite
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`navigation. These devices thus unite cellular phone technology with navigation information,
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`computer information transmission and receipt of data.
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`5 The method and operation of communication devices used herein are described in U.S.
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`Patent 7,031,728 which is hereby incorporated by reference and pending U.S. Patent
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`Application Serial No. 11/308,648.
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`It would be advantageous to provide a communication network with a plurality of cell
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`phones wherein polling could be performed by one or more users to find other remote cell
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`10 phone participants that share a common interest or common relationship for
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`interactive communication.
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`Digital Smart Message Service (SMS) and TCP/IP messages can be
`(Para 3)
`transmitted using cellular technology such as various versions of GSM and
`CDMA or via a WiFi local area
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`network. One implementation of these GPS location reporting cellular systems is for
`the data to go to a remote central site where the information is displayed for a person
`to monitor the locations of the cellular units that have the combined cellular GPS
`phone. Another implementation permits the cellular phone users to also view the
`location of other GPS equipped units. A drawback of the current implementation is
`that these systems are either all on or all off. There is no way to selectively activate
`participants or to stop the participants from participating in the network or for
`participants to set their reporting intervals that is based on time or distance traveled.
`The use of the current combined cellular phone/PDA technology has drawbacks when
`calling. When an operator makes a cellular phone call using the PDA to display a map
`(that also may depict geo-referenced businesses, homes and other facilities'
`locations and phone numbers), the cellular phone/PDA operator is required to display
`the numeric phone number by touching the display screen at the correct location of
`that entity on the map, memorize the numeric phone number, and select a different
`display to physically enter the phone number to make the call and then, if desired, go
`back to the map display. Needless to say, this is a cumbersome process. Sending a
`text message or an email to a location, business, home or facility that appears on a
`PDA map display or to another cellular phone can also be a cumbersome process as
`the PDA operator has to find the phone number or email address of the location on
`the map display, memorize the phone number or email address, then go to a different
`display to enter a text message, enter the text message, send the text message and
`then shift back to the map display program. Furthermore, for a phone to send data
`concerning a new entity of interest, not currently on the geo-referenced map display
`(car, person, tank, accident, or other entity), the operator must type in the information
`and the latitude and longitude of the new entity of interest.
`(Para 4)
`U.S. Patent Application No. 2003/0139150 published July 24, 2003 shows
`a portable navigation and communication system. In one embodiment, the system
`combines within a single enclosure a GPS satellite positioning unit, mobile
`telephony using cellular phone technology and personal computing capable of wired
`or wireless internet or intranet access using a standard operating system. The
`purpose of this invention is to provide portable navigation for an individual.
`However, to operate the device, one still needs to utilize a keypad with the telephone
`functions. U.S. Patent Application No. 2003/0139150 described a wireless
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`communication system operating the PDA in a conventional manner.
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`There is no provision for displaying the location of other similarly equipped
`systems. There is no provision to cause other similarly equipped cellular phone/PDA
`users to transmit their locations. There is no provision for entering other entities of
`interest by touching the display screen at their locations on a map. There is no
`provision for making a telephone call by touching the display screen at a net
`participant's symbol or entered facility (police station, fire station, etc.) symbol to
`initiate automatically the telephone call to that user or by touching multiple symbols
`to make conference calls. There is no provision for sending text messages,
`photographs or videos by touching the net participant(s)' symbol(s) on the display
`screen to automatically send text messages, photographs or videos to that
`participant or participants. There is no provision to go to a facility's web site or to
`automatically fill in a facility's E-mail address. There is no description or disclosure
`of a procedure to cause digital messages to be sent to a remote cellular phone that
`would cause the cellular phone to make verbal announcements, increase sound
`intensity, vibrate or to call back or to call another phone number. There is no
`description of the uses of layered soft switches which confine the switches to a
`particular vicinity of the PDA's display screen.
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`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
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`15
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`Applicant's communication system and method described herein is embodied in the
`advanced communication software (ACS) application programs developed by applicant and installed
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`in the integrated PDA/GPS cell phones used herein.
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`(Para 5)
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`A plurality of cellular phone/WiFi/PDA/GPS devices each having ACS
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`application softwareprograms and databases to provideprovides a communication network having:
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`a)in conjunction with a remote
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`20
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`server with the ability to: a) selectively poll each of the other PDA/GPS phone devices with
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`each participant to start reporting its position and status information directly to all or selected users
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`equipped with the same cellular phone/PDA communication/GPSsoftware devices in the
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`communications net so that each of the devices that the data is transmitted to is
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`provided a display of theexchange location, status and other information of the other
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`users; b) the ability of each of the cellular phone/PDA devices to report
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`to another device at an operator selected time rate or at a rate based on
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`distance traveled; c) the ability to exchange other entities' of interest
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`information and to assign these entities a category (car, person, tank,
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`accident, or other event), (b) display information by touching the display screen at the
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`entity'sremote phone's location on the displayed map,PDA display, (c) make calls to
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`or send data to remote phones by touching their display symbol and selecting the
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`appropriate category switch; d) the ability to make rapid voice and data
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`call initiation to any other participant in the cellular phone/WiFi net
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`whose phone number is
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`available in a geo-referenced database including the cellular phone/PDA/GPS devices
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`in a communications net by touching the display screen at the appropriate map
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`location on the PDA map display and selecting a call switch; e) the ability to make
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`rapid voice, and conference call initiation to locations, businesses, homes and
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`facilities whose phone numbers are available in a geo-referenced database
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`including the cellular phone/PDA/GPS devices in a communications net by touching
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`the display screen at the appropriate other user locations on the PDA map display
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`and selecting a conference call switch; f) the ability to access a facility's URL or to
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`automatically fill in their E-mail address; g) the ability to remotely control from one
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`cellular phone/PDA/GPS any of the other cellular phone/PDA/GPS systems phones
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`including the ability to control remote cellular phones to make verbal prerecorded
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`announcements, place return calls, place calls to another phone number, vibrate,
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`execute text to speech software, change sound intensity, remotely control software
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`and functions resident on the remote phone and process and display information
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`by touching the display screen at their location on the PDA display and selecting
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`the appropriate switch; and g) the ability to5 appropriate soft switch; (d) layer a sufficient
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`number of switches or buttons on the PDA display to perform the above functions without overlaying the
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`map; and (e) to allow a polling mode in each cell phone that allows a user to contact other cell phone
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`users that have a common interest or relationship for communication.
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`It is an object of this invention to provide an improved cellular telephone
`(Para 6)
`communication network among a plurality of cellular phones for greatly decreasing
`the operator actions necessary to establish calling and conferencing between each of
`the cellular phones.
`(Para 7)
`And yet another object of this invention is to enable each participant
`to automatically exchange IP addresses using SMS or another digital message
`format.
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`A communication server acts as a forwarder for lP communications between any
`10 combination of cell phone/PDA users and/or PC based users. Network participant location, identity and
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`status messages are sent to the server by each user. Network participant entered tracks are also sent to
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`the server. Because this data is of interest to all the network participants, the server forwards the data
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`received from one participant to all other participants, thus providing the information necessary for all
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`network participants to know the identity, location
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`15 and status of all other network participants.
`The server also acts as a forwarder of data addressed from one participant to one or more
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`addressed participants, thus permitting the transmission of free text, prefotinatted messages,
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`photographs, video, E-mail and URL data from one network participant to other selected network
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`participants.
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`20 The above functions can also be accomplished using peer to peer WiFi, WiMax or other peer to peer
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`communications. However, for use with cellular communications and to
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`10
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`assure the level of security that cell phone
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`companies require, a centralized static
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`IP routable server is used.
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`The IP server also fills another role of being a database from which data can be
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`requested by network participants (i.e. maps, satellite images, etc.) or can be pushed to
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`5 network participants (i.e. symbology and soft switch changes, etc.).
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`(Para 8) And yet anotherIt is an object of this invention is to enable each
`participant in the communications net to poll the other net participants to report or
`cease reporting their locations, identity and status on the communication
`net
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`to poll the other net participants to find other cell phone users having a common
`interest or
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`relationship.
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`And yet anotherAnother object of this invention is to enable
`(Para 9)
`each participant in the communications
`10 net to be able to easily transmit an entity of interest to the other participants of the net by
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`touching the display screen at the entity's location on the map and causing a symbol to
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`be generated on the screen and entered and then entering, selecting the soft
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`switch representative of the entity's category informationidentity, causing the
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`symbol's location and identity to be transmitted on the network.
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`(Para 10) And yet another object of this invention is to provide for initiating a
`cellular phone telephone call to another phone by touching the other phone's
`symbol on the screen of the cellular phone, which automatically activates the
`telephone call.
`(Para 11) And yet another object of this invention is to provide a cellular phone
`network that provides for instant voice conference calling and the exchange of free
`text, preformatted messages, photographs and video among a plurality of cellular
`phones by touching the display screen of specific geo-referenced map symbols for
`initiating the calls.
`(Para 12) And yet another object of this invention is to provide a cellular phone
`network that provides for instant conference voice, text, photographs and video
`exchange by preestablishing conferencing sub-nets and the subsequent activation of
`one of those sub-nets to establish a conference call.
`(Para 13) But yet still another object of the invention is to provide for a
`communication system that uses cellular telephone network that allows for
`photographs and video clips to be transferred ("pushed") between and among the
`cellular phone users across multiple cellular carriers, between smart phone and PCs.
`(Para 14)
`In accordance with these and other objects which will become apparent
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`hereinafter, the 15 instant invention will now be described with particular reference to the accompanying
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`drawings.
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`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
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`Figure 1 shows a front plan view of a cellular phone/PDA/GPS having a touch screen
`(Para 15) 20
`display in accordance with the present invention.
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`12
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`(Para 16)
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`Figure 2a shows a
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`front plan view of the cellular
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`phone/PDA of Figure 1 with a different touch screen displayflow chart of a
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`method for providing a polling network among the network's identification, location and
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`status reporting participants.
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`(Para 17)
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`Figure 32b shows a flow chart of the operation of the present
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`inventiona method that provides an all report network among the network's
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`identification, location and status reporting participants.
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`Figure 4 shows a schematic diagram depicting GPS satellites, a
`(Para 18)
`plurality of cellular phone/PDA units, the cellular phone company, the
`internet and the command server that allows automatic shifting between high
`speed cellular internet communications and voice communications.
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`(Para 19) 5 Figure 52c shows a process flow diagram of the transfer protocol in
`accordancechart of a method that provides a common interest network
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`among the network's identification, location and status reporting participants.
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`Figure 2d shows a flow chart of a method that provides a friends and family
`network
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`among the network's identification, location and status reporting participants.
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`Figure 3a shows the first segment of a flow chart that allows interested parties
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`to
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`with 10
`contact other people for dating or social interaction purposes using the present
`invention.
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`Figure 3b is a continuation of the flow chart begun in Figure 3a.
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`Figure 3c is the termination portion of the flow chart begun in Figures 3a and 3b.
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`Figure 6 shows a flow diagram for automatic shifting between voice and
`(Para 20)
`high speed cellular internet communications.
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`PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION
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`15
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`A method and communication system that joins a communications network of participants
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`using handheld cell phones having integrated PDA and GPS circuitry with ACS application programs
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`that allow a participant having an Advanced Communications Software (ACS) equipped cell phone
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`to activate and control other participants' remote cell
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`20 phones/PDAs that contain ACS.
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`14
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`A communication server acts as a
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`forwarder
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`for
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`IP
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`communications
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`between any combination of cell phone/PDA users and/or PC based user. Network
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`participant location, identity and status messages are sent to the server by each user.
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`Network participant entered tracks are also sent to the server. Because this data is of
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`interest to all the network participants,
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`5 the server forwards the data received from one participant to all other participants, thus
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`providing the information necessary for all network participants to know the identity,
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`location and status of all other network participants.
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`The server also acts as a forwarder of data addressed from one participant to one or more
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`addressed participants, thus permitting the transmission of free text, preformatted 10
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`messages, photographs, video, E-mail and URL data from one network participant to
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`other selected network participants.
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`(Para 21)
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`Referring now to the drawings and, in particular, Figure 1, the
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`present invention is shown generally at 10 that includes a small handheld
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`cellular phone 10 is shown that includes a personal digital assistant (PDA) and a global
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`positioning system receiver (GPS) communications device integrated in housing 12 that
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`includes an on/off
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`15
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` power switch 19, a microphone 38, and an LCD display 16 that is also a touch screen system.
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`The small area 16a is the navigation bar that depicts the telephone, GPS and other status data
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`and the active software. AGIS software refers to the application software used
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`in this invention. AGIS is a trademark of AGIS Corporation. Each cell phone
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`includes a CPU and databases that store information useful in the communication network. The
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`CPU also includes a symbol generator for
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`15
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`creating touch screen display symbols
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`discussed herein. With the touch screen 16, the screen symbols
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`20 are entered through GPS inputs or by the operator using a stylus 14 (or operator finger) by
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`manipulatively directing the stylus 14 to literally touch display 16. The soft switches 16d
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`16
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`displayed on the display 16 are likewise activated by using a stylus 14 and physically and
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`manipulatively directing the stylus to literally touch display 16. The display x, y coordinates of
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`the touched point are known by a CPU in the PDA section of the communication system in
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`housing 12 that can coordinate various information contained in the PDA portion relative to
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`the x, y
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`coordinate position on the display 16. Inside housing 12 is contained the conventional cellular
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`phone elements including a modem, a CPU for use with a PDA and associated circuitry connected
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`to speaker 24 and microphone 38. A GPS navigational receiver that receives signals from
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`satellites that can determine the latitude and longitude of the cellular phone housing 12 can be
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`internal or external to the housing 12. Conventional PDA/cellular phone units such as
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`thesephones are currently
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`10 on sale and sold as a complete unit (or with an external connected GPS) that can be used for
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`cellular telephone calls and sending cellular SMS and TCP/IP or other messages using the PDA's
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`display 16 and computer (CPU). The GPS system including a receiver in housing 12 is capable
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`of determining the latitude and longitude and through SMS, TCP/IP, WiFi or other digital
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`messaging software, to also transmit this latitude and longitude information of housing
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`15
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`12 to other cellular phones in the
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`communication network via cellular communications, WiFi
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`or radio. The device 10 includes a pair of cellular phone hardware activating buttons 20 to turn the cellular
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`phone on and 22 to turn the cellular phone off. Navigation pad actuator 18 is similar to a joy or force stick
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`in that the actuator 18 manually provides movement commands that can be used by the PDA's software to
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`move a cursor on display 16. Switches 26 and 28
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`20 are designed to quickly select an operator specified network software program. Speaker 24 and
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`18
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`microphone 38 are used for audio messages.
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`Switch 19 at the top left of device 10 is the
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`power on and power off switch for the entire device.
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`(Para 22)
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`The heart of
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`the
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`invention
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`lies
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`in
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`the AGIS software
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`applicationsapplicant's ACS application programs provided in the device. The ACS
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`programs are activated by clicking on an icon on the display to turn the
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`5 ACS programs on or off. Mounted within housing 12 as part of the PDA is the display 16
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`and
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`the CPU. The internal CPU includes databases and software application programs that provide for a
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`geographical map and georeferenced entities that isare shown as display portion 16b that includes as part of
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`the display various areas of interest in the particular local map section.(Para 23)
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` When looking at
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`display 16, the software switches (soft switches) which appear at the 10 very bottom of the display 16d are
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`used to control by touch many of the software driven functions of the cellular phone and PDA. The software
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`drawn and controlledsoft switches are activated through the operator's use of the navigation pad 18, or a
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`small track ball, force stick or similar hardware display cursor pointing device. Alternatively, the operator may
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`choose to activate the software switch matrixswitches by touching the screen with a stylus 14 (or finger) at
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`the switches' 16d locations.
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`15 When some of the software switches are activated, different software switches appear. The bar
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`display 16d shows the software switches "ZM IN (zoom in)," "ZM OT (zoom out)," "CENT
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`(center)" and "GRAB (pan/grab)" at the bottom of the screen. These software switches are
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`forenable the operator to perform these functions. The "SWITH (switch)" software switch at
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`the lower right causes a matrix of layered software switches (soft switches) to appear above the
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`bottom
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`20
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`row of switches. Through use of the software
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`19
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`switches, the operator can also manipulate
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`the
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`geographical map 16b or chart display. When looking at Figure 1, display symbols depict
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`permanent
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`geographical
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`locations
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`and
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`buildings are shown. For example, the
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`police station is shown and, when the symbol is touched by the stylus or finger, the latitude and
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`longitude of the symbol's location, as shown in display section 16c, is displayed at the bottom
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`left of the screen. The bottom right side of display 16c is a multifunction inset area that can
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`contain a
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`5
`variety of information including: a) a list of the communication link
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`participants; b) a list of
`received messages; c) a map, aerial photograph
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`or satellite image with an indication of the zoom and off setoffset location of the main map display, which is
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`indicated by a square that depicts the area actually displayed in the main geographical screen 16b; d)
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`applicable status information; and e) a list of the communication net participants. Each participant user would
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`10 have a device 10 shown in Figure 1.
`(Para 24)
`Also shown on the display screen 16, specifically the geographical display 16b, is
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`a pair of different looking symbols 30 and 34, a small triangle and a small square, which are not labeled.
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`These symbols 30 and 34 can represent communication net participants having cellular phones in the
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`displayed geographical area that are part of the overall cellular phone
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`15 communications net, each participant having the same device 10 used in this invention. The latitude and
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`longitude of symbol 30 is associated within a database along with a specific cell phone number and, if
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`available, its IPlP address and email address. The screen display 16b, which is a touch screen, provides x
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`and y coordinates of the screen 16b to the CPU's software from a map in a geographical database. The
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`software has an algorithm that relates the x and y coordinates to
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`20
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`latitude and longitude and can access a communications net participant's symbol or a fixed or
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`movable entity's symbol as being the one closest to that point.
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`- 22 -
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`(Para 25)
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`For
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`describing
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`the network,
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`the
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`operator's phone is cellular phone "one." In order to initiate a telephone call to the
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`cellular phone user (communication net participant) represented by symbol (triangle) 30 at a
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`specific latitude and longitude display on chart 16b, the operator touches the triangle 30 symbol
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`with the stylus 14. The operator then touches a "call" software switch from a matrix of displayed
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`soft switches that would overlay
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`5
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`the display area 16c.e Immediately, the cellular phone will initiate a cellular telephone call to
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`the cellular phone user at the geographical location shown that represents symbol 30. A second
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`cellular phone user (communication net participant) is represented by symbol 34 which is a small
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`square (but could be any shape or icon) to represent an individual cellular phone device in the
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`display area. The ring 32 around symbol 30 indicates that the symbol 30 has
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`10 been touched and that a telephone call can be initiated by touching the soft switch that says "call."
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`When this is done, the telephone call is initiated. Other types of symbolic elements on the
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`display 16 can indicate that a cellular phone call is in effect. Additionally, the operator can
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`touch both symbol 34 and symbol 30 and can activate a conference call between the two cellular
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`phones and users represented by symbols 30 and 34. Again, a symbolic ring around
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`15
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`symbol 34 indicates that a call has been initiated.
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`(Para 26)
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`Equally important, the operator of cellular phone "one"a user can call
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`the police station or any other specific geographical facility displayed on the map, including: (buildings,
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`locations of people, vehicles, facilities, restaurants, etc., (whose cellular phone numbers and, if available, E-
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`mail addresses, IP addresses and their URLs were(previously stored in the database) by touching a specific
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`facility
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`20 location on the map display using the stylus 14 and then touching the cellular phone call switch. As an example,
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`the operator can touch and point to call a restaurant using a soft
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`- 24 -
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`switch by touching the restaurant location with hisa stylus and then touching the call soft
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`switch. The cellular phone will then call the restaurant. Thus, using the present invention, each
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`participant can touch and point to call to one or more other net participants symbolically
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`displayed on the map, each of whom havehas a device as shown in Figure 1 and can also point
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`to
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`5 call facilities that had been previously stored in the phone's database. Furthermore, this symbol
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`hooking and soft switch technique can be used to go to a fixed facility's website or to
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`automatically enter the fixed facility's EmailE—mail address in an e-mail.
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`(Para 27)
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`Each cellular phone/PDA/GPS user device is identified on the map
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`display of the other participant user phone devices by a display symbol that is generated on each
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`user phone
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`10 display to indicate each user's identity. Each symbol is placed at the correct geographical location
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`on the user display and is correlated with the map on the display. The operator of each cellular
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`phone/PDA/GPS device may also enter one or more other fixed entities (buildings, facilities,
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`restaurants, police stations, etc.) and geo-referenced events such as fires, accidents, etc.) into its
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`database. This information can be likewise transmitted to all the otherether
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`15 participants on the communications net. The map, fixed entities, events and cellular
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`phone/PDA/GPS device communication net participants' latitude and longitude information is
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`related to the "x" and "y" location on the touch screen display map by a mathematical correlation
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`When the cellular phone/PDA/GPS device user uses a stylus or finger
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`algorithm.
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`(Para 28)
`to touch one or
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`
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`20 more of the symbols or a location displayed on the cellular phone map display, the system's
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`software causes the status and latitude and longitude informationinfoti _ nation concerning
`that symbol or
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`- 26 -
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`location to be displayed. In order to hook a symbol or "track" such as another net participant
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`which represents an entity on the geo-referenced map display, or a fixed geographical entity
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`such as a restaurant, police station or a new entity observed by a cell phone user which is
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`discussed below, the operator points at or near the location of a geo-geo-referenced symbol
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`referenced symbol5 appearing on the cellular phone/PDA display that represents a specific track or specific
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`participant or other entity. The hook application software determines that the stylus is pointed close to or at
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`the location of the symbol and puts a circle, square or other indication around the symbol indicating that
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`amplification information concerning the tracksymbol is to be displayed and indicating that additional data
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`or change in data can be made to the indicated symbol. The
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`10 hook application code then sends a message to the display application code to display the net participant,
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`facility or entity's amplifying data. The display application code retrieves the primary data and amplification
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`data concerning the tracksymbol or entity from the database and displays the information at the correct
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`screen location. The operator can then read the amplification data that relates to that specific symbol at the
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`specific location. The cell phone
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`15 operator can also select soft switches on the touch screen display to change the primary data and amplification
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`data or to take. Furthermore, the operator can use a similar method of hooking and selecting to
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`activate particular soft switches to take other actions which could include: making cellular phone calls,
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`conference calls, 800 number calls,; sending a free text message, operator selected preformatted messages,
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`photographs or videos to the hooked symbol; or to drop thea
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`20 entered symbol.
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`Page 27 of 46
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`- 28 -
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`(Para 29)
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`Each known net
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`participant has a cellular phone number,
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`IP address and, if available, E-mail address that is stored in each participant's device database.
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`(Para 30)
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`To use the present invention, the operator ("cellular
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`phone one" or "phone one")communication system, a user starts the PDA/cellular
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`phone device system by turning on the cell phone power and selecting the cell phone and
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`network software which
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`5 causes: a) the cellular phone to be activated (if it has not already been activated),; b) the GPS
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`interface receiver to be established,; c) a map of the geographic area where the operator is
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`located and operator's own unit symbol to appear at the correct latitude and longitude on the
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`map on the display,; d) the locations of fixed facilities such as restaurants, hotels, fire
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`departments, police stations, and military barracks, that are part of t