FIELD OF THE INVENTION
`
`This invention relates generally to an integrated communications system using a
`plurality of cellular /PDA/GPS phones for the management of a group of people
`through the use of a communications net and, specifically, to provide each user with a
`cellular /PDA/GPS/phone that has featuressoftware application programs and
`databases that permit all the users to continuously know each other's locations and
`status, to rapidly call and communicate datavoice, 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.
`
`DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART
`
`The purpose of a communications system is to transmit information bearing signals
`from a source, located at one point, to a user destination, located at another point some
`distance away. A communications system is generally comprised of three basic
`elements: transmitter, information channel and receiver. One form of communication
`in recent years is cellular phone telephony. A network of cellular communication
`cellssystems set up around an area such as the United States allows multiple users to
`talk to each other, either on individual calls or on group calls. Some cellular phone
`services enable a cellular phone to engage in conference calls with a small number of
`users. Furthermore, cellular conference calls can be established through 800 number
`services. Cellular telephony also now includes systems that include Global
`Positioning System (GPS) navigation that utilizes satellite navigation. These devices
`thus unite cellular phone cellular technology with navigation information and,
`computer information transmission and receipt of data.
`
`Digital SMS (Smart Message Service (SMS) and TCP/IP messages can be transmitted
`using cellular technology such as the various versions of GSM and CDMA or via a
`WiFi local area 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 cellular 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 Another drawback of theor 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 is that whenhas drawbacks when calling. When an operator makes a
`cellular phone call using the PDA to display a map (that also may depict
`
`Google 1009
`U.S. Patent No. 9,445,251
`
`0001
`
`

`

`georeferencedgeo-referenced businesses, homes and other facilities' locations and
`phone numbers), and the operator wants to place a call, the cellular phone/PDA
`operator is required to obtaindisplay the numeric phone number by touching the
`display screen at the correct location of that entity on the map to obtain, memorize the
`numeric phone number, then the operator has to memorize the phone number, then go
`toand 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 (car, person, tank,
`accident, or other entity) the operator must type in the information and the latitude and
`longitude of the entity.
`
`In spite of the rapid advance in cellular phone technology, it would also be desirable
`to actuate a remote cellular phone to annunciate an audio message to alert the remote
`user that there is an emergency (or for another reason) and that the calling cellular
`phone should be called immediately. Furthermore, it would be desirable to cause the
`remote phone to display a text message, photograph, video clip or video transmission,
`to announce the caller's name and to be able to control a remote phone and cause the
`remote phone to call another phone number (as an example, to automatically establish
`an 800 number conference call), to vibrate, or increase the loudness of an
`announcement without any action by the remote phone operator.
`
`The present software invention overcomes many of these problems shown in the prior
`art by providing a cellular phone/PDA/GPS user: a) the ability to selectively poll each
`of the other PDA/GPS phones to start reporting their positions and status information
`directly to all or selected users equipped with cellular phone/PDA
`communication/GPS system in the communications net so that each of the systems
`that the data is transmitted to is provided a display of the location, status and other
`information of the other users; b) the ability to exchange other entities of interest
`information and to assign these entities a category (car, person, tank, accident, or
`other entity) by touching the display screen at their locations on the map, and
`selecting the appropriate category switch; c) the ability to make rapid voice and data
`call initiation to locations, businesses, homes and facilities whose phone number is
`available in a georeferenced database including the cellular phone/PDA/GPS systems
`in a communications net by touching the display screen at the appropriate location on
`the PDA display and selecting a call switch; d) the ability to make rapid voice and
`
`0002
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`

`

`data conference call initiation to locations, businesses, homes and facilities whose
`phone number is available in a georeferenced database including the cellular
`phone/PDA/GPS systems in a communications net by touching the display screen at
`the appropriate locations on the PDA display and selecting a conference call switch;
`e) the ability to remotely control from one cellular phone/PDA/GPS any of the other
`cellular phone/PDA/GPS systems phones including the ability to control remote
`cellular phones to make verbal prerecorded announcements, place return calls, place
`calls to another phone number, vibrate, execute text to speech software, change sound
`intensity and process and display information by touching the display screen at their
`location on the PDA display and selecting the appropriate switch; and f) the ability to
`layer a sufficient number of switches or buttons on the PDA display to perform the
`above functions without overlaying the map. , 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.
`
`U.S. Patent Application No. 2003/0139150 published Jul. 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 communication system operating
`the PDA in a conventional manner. 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 locationlocations. 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.
`
`
`0003
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`

`

`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`
` A
`
` method and system employing cellular telephone communications to provide the
`location information to a group of geographically dispersed people, and to enable the
`rapid transmission of data concerning entities of interest to the members of the group
`and to coordinate the activities of the group through data and voice communications.
`Each of the cellular telephones includes a visual display with a touch screen, a global
`positioning system (GPS) receiver and navigation display, a CPU, memory, power
`supply, battery, microphone, speaker and commercially available software. To this is
`added: a) communications data and voice exchange software, b) a map database and a
`database of geographically referenced fixed locations including military bases, homes,
`businesses, government facilities, street locations and the like, each with a specified
`latitude and longitude, along with, if available, phone numbers that are associated
`with of each of these entities, c) another database with the constantly updated GPS
`location and status of all the software equipped cellular phone/PDA/GPS systems that
`are part of the communications net.
`
`Each cellular phone/PDA/GPS system is identified on the display of the other phone
`systems by a symbol that is generated to indicate its identity. The symbol is placed at
`the correct geographical location and is correlated with the map on the display. Each
`cellular phone/PDA/GPS System may enter other entities (locations of people,
`vehicles, buildings, facilities, and other entities)plurality of cellular
`phone/WiFi/PDA/GPS devices each having application software and databases to
`provide a communication network having: a) the ability to selectively poll each of the
`other PDA/GPS phone devices with each participant to start reporting its position and
`status information directly to all or selected users equipped with the same cellular
`phone/PDA communication/GPS devices in the communications net so that each of
`the devices that the data is transmitted to is provided a display of the location, status
`and other information of the other users; b) the ability of each of the cellular
`phone/PDA devices to report to another device at an operator selected time rate or at a
`rate based on distance traveled; c) the ability to exchange other entities' of interest
`information and to assign these entities a category (car, person, tank, accident, or
`other event) by touching the display screen at the entity's location on the displayed
`map, and selecting the appropriate category switch; d) the ability to make rapid voice
`and data call initiation to any other participant in the cellular phone/WiFi net whose
`phone number is available in a geo-referenced database including the cellular
`phone/PDA/GPS devices in a communications net by touching the display screen at
`the appropriate map location on the PDA map display and selecting a call switch; e)
`the ability to make rapid voice, and conference call initiation to locations, businesses,
`homes and facilities whose phone numbers are available in a geo-referenced database
`including the cellular phone/PDA/GPS devices in a communications net by touching
`
`0004
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`

`

`the display screen at the appropriate other user locations on the PDA map display and
`selecting a conference call switch; f) the ability to access a facility's URL or to
`automatically fill in their E-mail address; g) the ability to remotely control from one
`cellular phone/PDA/GPS any of the other cellular phone/PDA/GPS systems phones
`including the ability to control remote cellular phones to make verbal prerecorded
`announcements, place return calls, place calls to another phone number, vibrate,
`execute text to speech software, change sound intensity, remotely control software
`and functions resident on the remote phone and process and display information by
`touching the display screen at their location on the PDA display and selecting the
`appropriate switch; and g) the ability to layer a sufficient number of switches or
`buttons on the PDA display to perform the above functions without overlaying the
`map. into its database. This information can be likewise transmitted to all the other
`participants on the communications net. The map, fixed entities, and cellular
`phone/PDA/GPS System communications net participants' latitude and longitude
`information is related to the display x, y display locations by a mathematical
`correlation algorithm.
`
`When the cellular phone/PDA/GPS System user uses his stylus or finger to touch one
`or more of the symbols or a location on the cellular phone display, the system's
`software causes the status and latitude and longitude information concerning that
`symbol or location to be displayed.
`
`To operate the present invention, the operator ("cellular phone one" or "phone one")
`starts the system by selecting the software which causes: a) the cellular phone to
`initiate (if it has not already been activated), b) the GPS interface to be established, c)
`a map of the geographic area where the operator is located and operator's own unit
`symbol to appear at the correct latitude and longitude on the map, d) the locations of
`people, vehicles, buildings, and the like that are part of the database appear as
`symbols on the map, e) the system selected item read out area (which provides
`amplification information for the communications net participant or object that has
`been touched on the display screen) to appear on the display, f) an insert area that
`contains various varying data including: the list of net participants, a list of messages
`to be read, an indication of what portion of the map is being displayed in major area
`and other information to appear on the display, and g) a row of primary software
`created "soft switches" that are always present on the display. One of these soft
`switches when touched causes a matrix of software driven layered switches (soft
`switches) to appear on the display in place of the readout and insert areas. Some of
`these soft switches, when touched, cause the system's functions to occur. Other soft
`switches cause yet another layer of soft switches to appear, replacing those that were
`previously displayed. The operator is provided an indication of where the operator is
`in the layer of switches, and is able to return to the previous layer or to cause the
`
`0005
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`

`

`layered switches to disappear and only the basic switches to remain. The operator can
`also use the phone's hardware pointing device (Navigation Pad) to control the soft
`switches. By using these soft switches, and hard switches that are part of the cellular
`phone, the operator can activate different maps, change map scales, select which fixed
`entities are desired to be displayed, display the information concerning the symbol the
`operator has touched, initiate phone voice calls, send messages (text, photographs and
`videos), enter symbols and information representative of other entities, view the
`locations and statuses of the other communications net participants, establish
`conference calls, pre-establish conference sub-nets that, when activated, cause all the
`phone numbers that are specified to be conferenced for voice, text and photograph and
`video communications, and transmit messages to remote phones which cause the
`remote phones to make calls, verbal announcements, vibrate, increase sound levels
`and other functions. To initialize the communications net, the cellular phone one
`operator selects, from a list, the other users (or all of them), that the operator desires to
`be part of the communications net. The system then polls the selected phones to
`activate and become part of the communications net. The selected phones then
`transmit their positions to all the other phones in the established net. Through
`interaction with one or more other software enabled cellular phones, symbols are
`generated on the operators' displays based on the participants' latitude and longitude
`that is exchanged between the cellular phones. The transmission of this information is
`based on an algorithm that considers time and or movement or upon a polling request.
`Each of the communication net symbols on the display represent a different cellular
`phone remote from cellular phone one. Each of the cellular phones has the phone
`numbers of all the phones in the communications net in its database. Each of the
`phones also has in its database the pre-established phone numbers for the fixed
`locations: people, buildings, facilities, military bases, and other desired locations that
`can be called in its database. The touch screen provided with the LCD display in the
`cellular phone includes x, y coordinates that are correlated with the map on the
`cellular phone display and the geographic location of the fixed sites and the cellular
`phones in the communications net. Each cellular phone can enter objects of interest by
`touching the display screen at the object's location on the display screen map. The
`operator can then assign these objects a category (car, person, tank, accident, or other
`category). The latitude and longitude of these objects along with their category and
`other information is then sent on the communications network. Because each of the
`receiving telephone units has software that automatically converts the received data to
`the correct map location, the transmitted symbols appear at the correct location
`without operator intervention and their category information is available by touching
`the symbol on the display screen.
`
`Each cellular phone/PDA/GPS has the communications hardware along with the
`circuitry in software to initiate a voice telephone call or transmit data messages,
`
`0006
`
`

`

`photographs, or videos by touching the screen with a stylus or finger at the symbol
`location displayed on the screen of the desired phone to be called and then selecting
`the "call" software switch on the display touch screen. The software will then cause
`the cellular phone to call to the specific phone number represented by the symbol on
`the screen. This is done automatically. This action alleviates completely the necessity
`of actually looking up a phone number and manually entering the phone numbers
`required to make a cellular phone call.
`
` further benefit of the present invention is that more than one symbol can be
`specified to receive a cellular phone voice call and or data call, thus automatically
`conferencing them. The operator of the cellular phone can conference a small number
`of phones by touching the display screen locations of the communications net
`participant symbols that the operator wishes to conference by selecting a "conference"
`soft switch. This action will then cause the selected units to be conferenced together.
`The conference call can be expanded to a greater number of users by providing
`additional software that would conference phones by sending a digital message to the
`remote cellular phones from the operator cellular phone causing each of the remote
`cellular phones to dial a specified 800 conference call number and enter each
`individual phone participant code. The originator phone calls the same number and
`automatically enters the originator host code. Once all the phones have dialed the 800
`number and entered their appropriate participant and host numbers, the conference
`call will be established. Furthermore, the operator of cellular phone one can pre-
`establish conference nets for voice and data exchange by either selecting them from a
`list or a table or by touching the display screen locations of the communication net
`participant symbols that the operator wishes to conference and selecting a "conference
`net" soft switch. Once the operator has done that, the software associates those
`communication net participants as being part of an established conference net. When
`the cellular phone operator chooses to call all the net participants, all the operator has
`to do is to select the designated software switch for that net to conference the pre-
`selected conference participants together. That action will then place a call to all the
`conferences without further action. This method of conference calling can be also
`used to send text messages, photographs and videos.
`
`Another embodiment of the invention can include a unique feature in which cellular
`phone one can send a digital message using SMS, TCP/IP or another protocol to
`another cellular phone on the communications net by touching a display screen
`symbol on the geographical screen and then selecting the appropriate software switch
`to transmit a digital message that would then remotely activate a program in the
`remote cellular phone to play a recorded audio file to announce an emergency and that
`a call to cellular phone one is required immediately. Since each of the remote cellular
`phones has the same software as cellular phone one and includes a PDA and the
`
` A
`
`0007
`
`

`

`ability to receive digital messages, the ability to control remote cellular phones to
`make verbal announcements, display images, place return calls, place calls to another
`phone number, vibrate, change sound intensity and process and display pre-stored
`data, images and video can be achieved.
`
`In accordance with the present invention, a multiple cellular phone communication
`network is set up using the invention. Each cellular phone contains the same software
`and circuitry that includes cellular phone technology, GPS navigation technology, and
`a PDA for displaying maps, georeferenced symbols, and data concerning symbols of
`interest and software created soft switches, transmitting and receiving digital SMS,
`TCP/IP and other protocol messages. To establish each other's communication net IP
`addresses, the cellular phones first exchange SMS messages (or use another method)
`that identifies their IP addresses. Each phone then transmits to all others its location
`and status in accordance with an established algorithm that is based on time and or
`movement. Each cellular phone is also able to poll the other cellular phones to
`transmit their locations. Each user is able to transmit to all the other users: text
`messages, photographs and videos. Using the present invention, a cellular telephone
`network can be set up in which all of the parties in the network have almost automatic
`and instant access to and status of any and all other parties in the network by touching
`the display screen symbol of the party he desires to initiate voice and data calls, thus,
`instantly activating the calls. This is an immense time saver in dealing with a cellular
`phone network for all the parties combined.
`
`It is an object of this invention to provide an improved cellular telephone
`communication network among a plurality of cellular phones for greatly
`increasingdecreasing the call upoperator actions necessary to establish calling and
`initiation speed ofconferencing between each of the cellular phones with each other.
`
`And yet another object of this invention is to enable each participant to automatically
`exchange IP addresses using SMS or another digital message format.
`
`And yet another 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.
`
`And yet another object of this invention is to enable each participant in the
`communications net to be able to easily transmit entitiesan entity of interest to the
`other participants of the net by touching the display screen at the entities'entity's
`location on the map and causing a symbol to be generated on the screen and entered
`and then entering the entities'entity's category information.
`
`
`0008
`
`

`

`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.
`
`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.
`
`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 pre-
`establishing conferencing sub-nets and the subsequent activation of one of those sub-
`nets to establish a conference call.
`
`AndBut yet still another object of thisthe invention is to provide for a communication
`system that uses cellular phonetelephone network that allows for remote alarm
`activation on another cellular phone to cause a remotephotographs and video clips to
`be transferred ("pushed") between and among the cellular phone users across multiple
`cellular phone to make verbal announcements, display images, place return calls,
`place calls to another phone number, vibrate, change sound intensity and process and
`display pre-stored data, images and videocarriers, between smart phone and PCs.
`
`In accordance with these and other objects which will become apparent hereinafter,
`the instant invention will now be described with particular reference to the
`accompanying drawings.
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`
`FIG. 1 shows a front plan view of a cellular phone/PDA andhaving a touch screen
`display in accordance with the present invention.
`
`FIG. 2 shows a front plan view of the cellular phone/PDA of FIG. 1 with a different
`display.
`
`FIG. 3 shows a flow chart of the operation of the present invention.
`
`DETAILED DESCRIPTIONtouch screen display.
`
`FIG. 3 shows a flow chart of the operation of the present invention.
`
`
`0009
`
`

`

`FIG. 4 shows a schematic diagram depicting GPS satellites, a 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.
`
`FIG. 5 shows a process flow diagram of the transfer protocol in accordance with the
`present invention.
`
`FIG. 6 shows a flow diagram for automatic shifting between voice and high speed
`cellular internet communications.
`
`PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION
`
`Referring now to the drawings and, in particular, FIG. 1, the present invention is
`shown generally at 10 that includes a small handheld cellular phone/ that includes a
`personal digital assistant (PDA) and a global positioning system receiver (GPS)
`communications systemdevice in housing 12 that includes an on/off power switch 19,
`a microphone 38, and an LCD display 16 that is also a touch screen system. The small
`area 16a is the Navigation Barnavigation bar that depicts the telephone, GPS and other
`status data and the active software. AGIS software refers to the application software
`used in this invention. AGIS is a trademark of AGIS Corporation. Each cell phone
`includes a CPU and databases that store information useful in the communication
`network. The CPU also includes a symbol generator for creating touch screen display
`symbols discussed herein. With the touch screen system16, the screen symbols are
`entered through GPS inputs or by the operator using a stylus 14 (or operator finger 14)
`by manipulatively directing the stylus or finger 14 to literally touch display screen 16.
`The soft switches 16d displayed on the screendisplay 16 are likewise activated by
`using a stylus or finger 14 and physically and manipulatively directing the stylus or
`finger to literally touch display screen 16. The display x, y coordinates of the touched
`point are known by a CPU in the PDA section of the communication system in
`housing 12 that can coordinate various information contained in the PDA portion
`relative to the x, y coordinate position on the screendisplay 16. Inside housing 12 is
`contained the conventional cellular phone elements including a modem, a CPU for use
`with a PDA and associated circuitry connected to a speaker 24 and a microphone 38.
`A GPS navigational systemreceiver that receives signals from satellites that can
`determine the latitude and longitude of the cellular phone housing 12 can be internal
`or external to the housing 12. PDA/cellular phone units such as these are currently on
`sale and sold as a complete unit (or with an external connected GPS) that can be used
`for cellular telephone calls and sending cellular SMS and TCP/IP or other messages
`using the PDA's display 16 and computer. (CPU). The GPS system including a
`receiver in housing 12 is capable of determining the latitude and longitude and
`
`0010
`
`

`

`through SMS, TCP/IP, WiFi or other digital messaging software, to also transmit this
`latitude and longitude information of housing 12 to other cellular phones in the
`communication network via cellular communications, WiFi or radio. The unitdevice
`10 includes a pair of cellular phone hardware activating buttons 20 to turn the cellular
`phone on and 22 to turn the cellular phone off. Navigation Padpad actuator 18 is
`similar to a joy or force stick in that the actuator 18 manually provides movement
`commands that can be used by the PDA's software to move a cursor. on display 16.
`Switches 26 and 28 are designed to quickly select an operator specified software
`program. DeviceSpeaker 24 is the system's speaker. Device 38 is the system's and
`microphone. 38 are used for audio messages. Switch 19 at the top left of the
`unitdevice 10 is the power on and power off switch for the entire device.
`
`The heart of the invention lies in the AGIS software applications provided in the
`systemdevice. Mounted insidewithin housing 12 as part of the PDA is the display
`function screen16 and the CPU. The internal CPU includes databases that provide for
`a geographical map and georeferenced entities that is shown as display portion 16b
`that includes as part of the display various areas of interest in the particular local map
`section.
`
`When looking at display 16, the software switches (soft switches) which appear at the
`very bottom of the display 16d are used to control by touch many of the software
`driven functions of the cellular phone and PDA. The software drawn and controlled
`switches are activated through the operator's use of the Navigation Padnavigation pad
`18, or a small track ball, force stick or similar hardware display cursor pointing
`device. Alternatively, the operator may chosechoose to activate the software switch
`matrix by touching the screen with his finger or a stylus 14 (or finger) at the switches'
`16d locations. When some of the software switches are activated, it will cause yet
`different software switches to appear. The bar display 16d shows the software
`switches "ZM IN, (zoom in)")," "ZM OT (zoom out),",)," "CENT (center)" and
`"GRAB, (pan/grab)" at the bottom of the screen. These software switches are for the
`operator to perform these functions. The "SWITH (switch)" software switch at