United States Patent
`US 11,122,418 B2
`10) Patent No:
`(12)
`Mullen
`(45) Date of Patent:
`Sep. 14, 2021
`
`
`US011122418B2
`
`(54) SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR LOCATING
`5,086,390 A
`2/1992 Matthews
`
`
`CELLULAR PHONES AND SECURITY 3,993 Matthews|’oorGo. ‘
`.
`ambul
`MEASURES FOR THE SAME
`5,305,201 A
`4/1994 Matthews
`5,327,144 A
`7/1994 Stilp et al.
`5,337,334 A
`8/1994 Antero Alvesalo
`5,341,410 A
`8/1994 Aronetal.
`5,384,824 A
`1/1995 Alvesalo
`5,388,147 A
`2/1995 Grimes
`(Continued)
`
`(*) Notice:
`
`Subject to any disclaimer, the term ofthis
`patent is extended or adjusted under 35
`US.C. 154(b) by 6 days.
`
`(76)
`
`Inventor:
`
`Jeffrey D Mullen, New York, NY (US)
`
`(21) Appl. No.: 11/485,161
`Tad:
`Filed:
`
`FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
`WO 99/007170
`2/1999
`WO 99/009775
`2/1999
`Jul. 12, 2006
`(22)
`(Continued)
`Prior Publication Data
`(65)
`
`US 2006/0252431 Al=Nov. 9, 2006 OTHER PUBLICATIONS
`
`WO
`WO
`
`Related U.S. Application Data
`(63) Continuation of application No. 10/400,296,filed on
`Mar, 25, 2003, now Pat. No. 9,635,540.
`(60) Provisional application No. 60/367,967, filed on Mar.
`25, 2002.
`
`(2006.01)
`(2009.01)
`(2009.01)
`(2009.01)
`
`(51)
`
`(56)
`
`Int. Cl.
`HO4M 11/00
`HOAW 8/14
`HO4W 64/00
`HOAW 8/16
`(52) US. Cl.
`CPC veeececcscen HO4W 8/14 (2013.01); HO4W 64/00
`(2013.01); HO4W 8/16 (2013.01)
`(58) Field of Classification Search
`CPC ceesessssssssssssessesstensssseestessetstnsees Ho4w 64/006
`USPC ..... 455/404.1. 404.2. 410. 456.1-456.3. 457
`See applicationfile for complete search history.
`References Cited
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`ETSI TS 101 513. “Digital Cellular Telecommunications System
`(Phase 2): Location Services (LCS),” GSM 12.71, version 8.0.1.
`1999.
`
`Continued
`(Continued)
`.
`Primary Examiner — William J Deane, Jr.
`
`(57)
`
`ABSTRACT
`
`Systems and methods for locating a cellular phone are
`provided. Moreparticularly, systems and methods for pro-
`viding the location of a requested user’s cellular phone from
`4 requesting user’s device (e.g., a second cellular phone)
`based on access rights defined by the requested user. Loca-
`tion descriptions may be provided at a multitude of levels.
`For example,if'a cellular phone,or anidentity associatedto
`(e.g., logged into) a cellular phone, has been given access
`rights to a cell phone’s exact
`location for an indefinite
`amount of time, that cell phone can receive, on command,
`the exact location of the approved cell phone. Other levels
`of location information that can be granted include, for
`example, proximities, states, and countries.
`
`30 Claims, 17 Drawing Sheets
`
`4,654,879 A
`5,043,736 A
`
`3/1987 Goldman etal.
`8/1991 Darnell et al.
`
`202
`
`
`Location Request
`Received
`
`
`
`
` Access Allowed?
`
`
`
`206
`
`Get Location
`Accarding to
`Allowed Attributes
`
`
`208
`
`210
`
`
`
`Provide Location
`
`Google Exhibit 1001
`Google Exhibit 1001
`Google v. Mullen
`Google v. Mullen
`
`

`

`US 11,122,418 B2
`
`Page 2
`
`6,446,118 Bl
`6,449,486 Bl
`D464,033 S
`6,532,360 Bl
`6,556,831 B1*
`6,564,064 B1
`6,580,904 B2*
`
`9/2002 Gottlieb
`9/2002 Rao
`10/2002 Piano Poirier
`3/2003 Shaffer
`4/2003 Buppelmann ..... sae are
`5/2003 Ciganeretal.
`6/2003 Cox ween HO4M 3/42
`340/905
`
`(56)
`
`References Cited
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`5,771,280 A *
`
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`6,920,328 B2*
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`6,928,279 B2
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`6,061,561 A
`
`
`6,091,959 A 6,932,698 B2—8/2005 Sprogis7/2000 Souissiet al.
`6,138,003 A
`10/2000 Kingdonetal.
`6,944,447 B2
`9/2005 Portman etal.
`6,975,998 BL* 12/2005 Jones ....ceeeeeneen 705/8
`6,157,841 A
`12/2000 Bolducet al.
`
`
`.. 455/456.1
`6,166,626 A
`12/2000 Janky et al.
`6,999,777 BL*
`2/2006 Ganesh
`3/2006 Dew ue HO4N 5/445 13
`6,173,182 Bl
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`7,009,659 B2*
`6,201,803 BL
`3/2001 Mundayet al.
`348/553
`3/2006 Joraschet al.
`6,208,866 Bl
`3/2001 Rouhollahzadeh et al.
`vee 379/207.04
`
`2/2007 Cromwell
`........... HOIL 23/4006
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`6,236,858 Bl
`5/2001 Griffith
`257/E23.084
`6,240,069 BL
`5/2001 Alperovich
`2/2007 Alimassy ....ccccceceee 455/456.1
`6,246,376 Bl
`6/2001 Bork etal.
`5/2007 Fournier et al.
`.
`455/456.1
`
`7/2007 Bassett et al. 455/433
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`6/2001 Messieret al.
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`7/2001 Lim etal.
`7,433,836 BL* 10/2008 August... G06Q 10/10
`6,275,771 Bl
`8/2001 Berstis etal.
`705/30
`6,311,060 B1
`10/2001 Evansetal.
`8/2009 Krasner et al... 455/456.1
`6,314,365 Bl
`11/2001 Smith
`3/2011 Sheha occ. HO4L 51/04
`6,317,718 Bl
`11/2001 Fano
`701/532
`2002/0042277 Al
`6,321,092 BL
`11/2001 Fitch etal.
`4/2002 Smith
`2002/0102989 Al*
`6,324,404 Bl
`11/2001 Dennisonetal.
`8/2002 Calvert et al. eee 455/456
`2002/0115453 AL*
`6,330,452 Bl
`12/2001 Fattoucheetal.
`8/2002 Poulin etal. .
`w.. 455/456
`
`
`
`6,360,101 Bl=3/2002 Irvin 2002/0164998 A1* 11/2002 Younis... w.. 455/456
`
`1/2003 Bateset al.
`-. 455/456
`6,360,102 BL*
`3/2002 Havinis et al.
`..........-.. 455/457
`2003/0013456 Al*
`1/2003 Rice et al.
`wissen 709/225
`Ceeeee BL
`obo pansten et al.
`2003/0023726 Al*
`
`;
`;
`ognazzini
`**
`9
`.
`5/2003 ‘Tranchina0.0... oeerst
`6,377,810 BL*
`4/2002 Geiger veces: HOAL 63/123
`2003/0080897 AL
`34213574
`2003/0119522 Al*
`6/2003 Barclayet al. vecccsesse 455/456
`6,393,274 BL
`5/2002 Peltonen
`2004/0077359 Al*
`4/2004 Bernaset al
`455/456.1
`*
`Pte ret sees
`6,397,065 Bl
`5/2002 Huuskoet al.
`6400946 Bl
`6/2002. Varvan
`2004/0127231 Al
`—-7/2004'-~Dor
`nN
`:
`9/2004 Kall
`2004/0180669 Al
`6,400,956 Bl
`6/2002 Richton
`6,408,186 BL
`6/2002 Park et al.
`2009/0029717 Al
`1/2009 Bates et al. we. 455/456.1
`6,421,009 B2
`7/2002 Suprunoy
`6,438,376 Bl
`8/2002 Elliott et al.
`6,438,381 Bl
`8/2002 Alberth, Jr. et al.
`6,442,391 B1*
`8/2002 Johansson............. HO4W 12/06
`455/433
`
`7,010,110 B2*
`7,171,742 B2*
`
`7,177,651 BL*
`7,215,965 B2*
`7,248,872 B2*
`7,269,428 BI*
`
`7,570,958 B2*
`7,913,179 B2*
`
`FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`Wo
`wo
`
`WO 99/051051
`WO 00/028760
`
`3/1999
`5/2000
`
`

`

`US 11,122,418 B2
`Page 3
`
`(56)
`
`WO
`WO
`WO
`WO
`WO
`WO
`WO
`WO
`WO
`WO
`WO
`WO
`WO
`WO
`WO
`WO
`WO
`WO
`
`References Cited
`
`FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`WO 00/035228
`WO 00/038350
`WO 00/064075
`WO 00/076194
`WO 00/076243
`WO 01/001711
`WO 01/001718
`WO 01/003406
`WO 01/003454
`WO 01/003461
`WO 01/020938
`WO 01/033885
`WO 01/039525
`WO 01/039528
`WO 01/041468
`WO 01/050544
`WO 01/086880
`WO 01/089251
`WO 02/003718
`
`6/2000
`6/2000
`10/2000
`12/2000
`12/2000
`1/2001
`1/2001
`1/2001
`1/2001
`1/2001
`3/2001
`5/2001
`5/2001
`5/2001
`6/2001
`7/2001
`11/2001
`11/2001
`1/2002
`
`OTHER PUBLICATIONS
`
`ETSI TS 101 527 “Digital Cellular Telecommunications System
`(Phase 2+): Location Services (LCS): Mobile Station (MS): Serving
`Mobile Location Centre (SMLC),” Radio Resource LCS Protocol
`(RRLP), GSM 04.31, version 8.1.0. 1999.
`
`* cited by examiner
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Sep. 14, 2021
`
`Sheet 1 of 17
`
`US 11,122,418 B2
`
`
`
`
`POSITIONING
`POSITIONING
`SATELLITE
`
`
`SATELLITE
`
`
`
`POSITIONING
`SATELLITE
`
`
`
`FIG. 1
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Sep. 14, 2021
`
`Sheet 2 of 17
`
`US 11,122,418 B2
`
`
`
` Location Request No Access
`
`
`
`Received
`
`202
`
`AccessAllowed?
`
`
`
`
`
`Get Location
`According to
`Allowed Attributes
`
`208
`
`
`
`210
`
`Provide Location
`
`
`
`FIG. 2
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Sep. 14, 2021
`
`310
`
`Sheet 3 of 17
`
`US 11,122,418 B2 (300
`
`DISPLAY SCREEN
`
`320
`
`360
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Sep. 14, 2021
`
`Sheet 4 of 17
`
`US 11,122,418 B2
`
`Locate_
`
`—
`
`“BillMarantz.
`Brenden Epps
`Eric Nicklaus
`Jef Leon
`Ken Gould
`Mike Gerome
`Bee
`
`——"N
`|
`
`|
`
`FIG. 4 \ 400
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Sep. 14, 2021
`
`Sheet 5 of 17
`
`US 11,122,418 B2
`
`510
`
`Locating Susan Pracht...
`N
`
`FIG. 5
`
`NL 500
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Sep. 14, 2021
`
`Sheet 6 of 17
`
`US 11,122,418 B2
`
`Susan Pracht Found At
`
`1251 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY
`(49th-5O0th Street&6th Avenue)—640
`620
`
`|
`
`Susan Pracht
`is 2.5 Miles Away
`
`FIG. 6
`
`—~¢o0
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Sep. 14, 2021
`
`Sheet 7 of 17
`
`US 11,122,418 B2
`
`LocatingOptions—_______
`
`=
`-Mapofyour‘location
`Mapof Susan Pracht's Location
`
`Set Location Alerts
`
`_ Directions
`
`Susan Pracht's Travel Time To You
`
`— 700
`
`FIG. 7
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Sep. 14, 2021
`
`Sheet 8 of 17
`
`US 11,122,418 B2
`
`Locate Rights
`
`Susan Pracht Has Not Given You
`
`FIG. 8
`
`800
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Sep. 14, 2021
`
`Sheet 9 of 17
`
`US 11,122,418 B2
`
`
`
`
`Give/ModityLocateRightsTc
`BilMarantz
`Brenden Epps
`Eric Nicklaus
`
`910
`
`
`
`
` Jef Leon
`
`Mike Gerome SusanPrachtss
`
`
`Ken Gould
`
`FIG. 9
`
`900
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Sep. 14, 2021
`
`Sheet 10 of 17
`
`US 11,122,418 B2
`
`City
`
`Let MikeGeromeLocateYouBy
`. Country
`State
`
`Exact Location
`
`FIG. 10
`
`1000
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Sep. 14, 2021
`
`Sheet 11 of 17
`
`US 11,122,418 B2
`
`IsinTheSameCity
`Is within 1 mile
`
`Locates Me
`Enters New York City
`
`
` Alert Me When Susan Pracht
`
`
`
`
`|
`
`14190
`
`1120
`
`FIG. 11
`
`1100
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Sep. 14, 2021
`
`Sheet 12 of 17
`
`US 11,122,418 B2
`
`ALERT
`
`1210
`
`SUSAN PRACHT HAS JUST
`ENTERED NEW YORK
`
`FIG. 12
`
`KO
`
`1200
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Sep. 14, 2021
`
`Sheet 13 of 17
`
`US 11,122,418 B2
`
`Please Enter Locate Login
`
`**
`Please Enter Locate Password
`
`FIG. 13
`
`1300
`
`FIG. 14
`
`1400
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Sep. 14, 2021
`
`Sheet 14 of 17
`
`US 11,122,418 B2
`
`System
`
`Positioning
`
`FIG. 15
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Sep. 14, 2021
`
`Sheet 15 of 17
`
`US 11,122,418 B2
`
`(1600
`
`1606
`
`1601
`
`1601
`
`System
`
`Wireless Device
`(e.g., Watch, Cell Phone)
`
`
`Cell Phone
`Communications
`Fe Base Station
`
`Database+74= Network
`
`
`
`
`Vine 1610
`
`
`
`
`Non-Wireless Facility (e.g.,
`Credit Card Authorization
`Facility)
`
`604
`
`1603
`
`Non-Wireless Device
`
`(e.9.,
`
`Computer)
`1605
`
`FIG. 16
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Sep. 14, 2021
`
`Sheet 16 of 17
`
`US 11,122,418 B2
`
`1700~\
`
`170
`
`172
`
`equested?
`
`Check Access
`Rights
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`OG Deliver "No-
`Rights
`Access
`
`
`Given?
`Rights?
`Access" Results
`
`
`
`Get Location
`
`According To
`Access Rights
`
`
`Report Location
`Information
`
`170
`
`FIG. 17
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Sep. 14, 2021
`
`Sheet 17 of 17
`
`US 11,122,418 B2
`
`1800~
`
`
`
`180
`
`
`
`FIG. 18
`
`

`

`US 11,122,418 B2
`
`1
`SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR LOCATING
`CELLULAR PHONES AND SECURITY
`MEASURES FOR THE SAME
`
`CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED
`APPLICATIONS
`
`This application is a continuation of U.S. patent applica-
`tion Ser. No. 10/400,296, filed on Mar. 25, 2003, which
`claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No.
`60/367,967, filed on Mar. 25, 2002, both of which are
`incorporated by reference herein in their entirety.
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`
`This invention relates to systems and methods for deter-
`mining a device’s location. More particularly, this invention
`relates to systems and methods for remotely determining a
`device’s location.
`
`The Global Positioning System (GPS) has been devel-
`oped in which a ground-based system can receive GPS
`signals from satellites and determine its location based on
`the time that it takes the GPS signals to reach the ground-
`based system. Generally, three satellite signals are needed to
`determine where in the world a receiver is located (1.e.,
`position triangulation).
`GPS systems have been integrated into cellular phones.
`However, these systems are deficient because the location of
`a device that is determined by these GPS signals are only
`minimally utilized. It is therefore desirable to provide sys-
`tems and methods whichbetter utilize the information about
`a device’s location.
`
`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`
`In accordance with the present invention, systems and
`methods are provided for locating cellular phones. More
`particularly,
`the present
`invention provides systems and
`methods for allowing a user of a cellular phone (e.g., a
`requesting user or a requestor) to locate the position of a
`different user’s cellular phone(e.g., a requested user) based
`upon requestor-assigned access rights.
`Oneobject ofthe present invention is to provide a security
`feature which allows a user to limit and/or deny location
`access to a particular user. In preferred embodiments, only
`the users that have been granted access to the location of a
`user’s cellular phone can actually locate that user’s cellular
`phone. Furthermore, different types of access levels may be
`providedthat allow a userto filter location information to a
`different user. In this manner, a cell phone user may give
`access, through his or her cell phone, to a friend so that the
`friend can locate him or her dependent on the level of access
`that is granted to that friend.
`For example, suppose that Phil tells Bill that he will be
`shopping in Manhattan andthat Bill should locate him when
`Bill gets to Manhattan through their cell phones. In such an
`example, Phil may grant Bill access the exact location of his
`cell phone for a specific period of time (e.g., the next two
`hours). As a result, when Bill tries to access Phil’s location,
`Bill will be told exactly where in Manhattan Phil’s cell
`phone is located. Thus, Bill does not have to contact Phil
`directly to see where he is and, therefore, Phil does not have
`to spend any time giving Bill verbal directions; Bill can
`simply see what store Phil is currently in and goto it.
`As mentioned previously, levels in the scope of access
`may be controlled by a user such that, for example; only a
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`user’s exact location, approximate location, city, state, or
`country can be accessed by a particular user.
`Location alerts and monitoring features are also provided.
`For example, Phil may give Jen, a resident of Pittsburgh, city
`access so that when Phil travels into Pittsburgh, Jen will be
`alerted of Phil’s presence. Such an alert may take the form
`of, for example, a display on Jen’s cell phone that commu-
`nicates to Jen “Phil is in Pittsburgh.”
`Locating a cellular phone may be accomplishedin several
`ways. For example,satellite positioning systems such as the
`Global Positional System and the soon to be deployed
`Galileo system may be used to locate a user’s cell phone.
`User positions and security settings may be regularly or
`manually transmitted to a remote system, such a remote
`database so that requesting users can locate a requested
`user’s position even if the requested user turns his/hercell
`phone OFF. Placing the security measures on a remote
`system (e.g., remote database, computer, or server) provides
`an information brokering schemesuchthat the system isstill
`operable even when cell phones are added, removed, or
`modified from the system.
`Additionally, the present invention may be configured to
`provide additional information about the location of a user.
`Such additional information may be, for example, a map, a
`location marker on a map, a map that changes as the user
`moves, a compass, coordinates of the located cell phone,
`directions to the located cell phone, where a user is in
`relation to another user, and information about the location
`the located useris currently positioned in or nearby locations
`such as landmarks. Such information may be provided by a
`remote information provider(e.g., a remote map information
`provider) and accessed by an information broker through a
`communications network.
`
`Many other features are also employed that realizes
`advantageous locating functionality. As per an example,
`supposethat a wife wants to see if her husbandhasleft work
`yet. She can locate her husband, without having to talk to
`him,and realize that he is driving home on a highway. Thus,
`a travel time option may be providedto the user. This option
`would compute the distance between the wife’s location and
`husband’s location by taking multiple location readings of
`the husband’s location to see how fast
`the husband is
`
`traveling. Alternatively, because the husband’s position will
`map to a highway, the system may assumethat the useris
`driving and may provide the wife with an estimate on the
`husband’s arrival time based on an assumed route. In this
`manner, the present invention may determine how much
`time it will take the husband to reach the wife and display
`this information to the wife.
`
`As per other examples, a “see my friends” option may
`also be providedthat brings up a mapofa desired area. Dots
`or symbols may be present on the mapto signify the location
`of all user’s from which the requesting user has location
`information for. Similarly, a “find closest friend” option may
`be employed which finds the closest user with which the
`requesting user has location accessto.
`A cell phone location may by accessed by a variety of
`other devices. Alternatively, a cell phone may be used to
`access the location of a variety of other devices. For
`example, if the wife was at home, that wife may connect to
`the internet and access a remote database to either provide
`the most recent location information about the husband’s
`cell phone to her or request a location update from the
`husband’s cell phone. The wife’s location may be already
`stored in such a database by associating the location to the
`IP address of the computer or by a manualinput of the wife’s
`location. The wife’s identity may be determined by, for
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`US 11,122,418 B2
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`3
`example, a login and password on a website. Thus, the
`above-identified security measuresare notlimited to device-
`to-device locating rather user to user locating; the wife may
`only access the husband’s location if the husband has
`granted access for the wife to do so. If, by accident, the
`witfe’s cell phone breaks, she may login on a friend’s cell
`phoneand determine the husband’s location according to the
`device that the husband is logged into.
`Security is preferably taken into account in the present
`invention and, therefore, location rights for a specific user
`may be given to a different user only by that specific user.
`However, a user may request location access rights from a
`different user. For example, a user may be provided with a
`request location screen on his cell phoneandthatuser(e.g.,
`user “X”) may enter in the cell phone numberofthe cell
`phone whoselocation is desired. ‘he user associated to the
`entered cell phone number may then receive an alert that
`says “user X has requested access to your location.” Loca-
`tion access may then be given or denied on multiple levels
`and the requesting user notified of the decision.
`The location feature of the present invention may be
`turned ON or OFF at any time. Users may be added,
`individually or in groups, to a list of users with location
`access rights to a specific user by that specific user. A
`specific user may, at any time, modify, delete, or add users
`allowed to access his or her location. Login and password
`information may be included to increase security or to create
`a user profile, allowing a specific user to log into anycell
`phone and be recognize by the present
`invention (and
`thereby be located with that cell phone or locatable device).
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`
`The principles and advantages of the present invention
`can be more clearly understood from the following detailed
`description considered in conjunction with the following
`drawings, in which the same reference numerals denote the
`same structural elements throughout, and in which:
`FIG. 1 is a network topology of a cell phone locating
`network in accordance with the principles of the present
`invention;
`FIG.2 is a flow chart of the locating feature in accordance
`with the principles of the present invention;
`FIG.3 is an illustration of a cell phone in accordance with
`the principles of the present invention;
`FIG. 4 is a display screen for a locate feature in accor-
`dance with with the principles of the present invention;
`FIG. 5 is a display screen for a retrieving location status
`feature in accordance with the principles of the present
`invention;
`FIG.6 is a display screen for a displaying location feature
`in accordance with the principles of the present invention;
`FIG. 7 is a display screen listing options for a locate
`feature in accordance with the principles of the present
`invention;
`FIG.8 is a display screen ofa failed locate feature due to
`insufficient rights in accordance with the principles of the
`present invention;
`FIG. 9 is a display screen of adding and modifying locate
`rights and optionsto a user in accordance with the principles
`of the present invention;
`FIG. 10 is a display screen of assigning location rights to
`a user in accordance with the principles of the present
`invention;
`FIG. 11 is a display screen of alert options in accordance
`with the principles of the present invention;
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`FIG. 12 is a display screen of an alert feature in accor-
`dance with the principles of the present invention;
`FIG. 13 is a display screen of a login feature in accordance
`with the principles of the present invention;
`FIG. 14 is a display screen of a login feature in accordance
`with the principles of the present invention;
`FIG. 15 is a wireless device in accordance with the
`
`principles of the present invention;
`FIG. 16 is an embodiment of a network topology in
`accordance with the principles of the present invention;
`FIG. 17 is an embodimentof a locating feature in accor-
`dance with the principles of the present invention; and
`FIG. 18 is an embodiment of a communications signal in
`accordance with the principles of the present invention.
`
`DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE
`INVENTION
`
`FIG. 1 depicts a network topology of device location
`network 100 incorporating principles of the present inven-
`tion. Network 100 includes one or more positioning satel-
`lites 110, 112, and 114 that can locate the position of one or
`morecell phones 120, 122, 126, and 124 (and other locatable
`devices) on Earth 101. Positioning satellites 110, 112, and
`114 may be, for example, the Global Positioning System
`(GPS) or the upcoming Galileo satellite network.
`Preferably, any cell phone in network 100 may locate a
`different cell phone, as long as access to location informa-
`tion is allowed, through the utilization of positioning satel-
`lites 110, 112, and 114. Persons skilled in the art will
`appreciate that other positioning systems and methods may
`be used in locating the position of a user on a cell phone of
`network 100.
`
`To route information to and from a cell phone of network
`100 additional facilities and communication paths may be
`included. For example, a main facility (not shownin FIG.1)
`containing user location access rights may be included in
`network 100. Such a main facility mayretrieve location
`information directly from a positioning system ora cellular
`phone and then route this information to a cellular phone or
`positioning system.
`Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that if the Global
`Positioning System (GPS)is used as the positioning system
`then GPSreceivers will be incorporated into cellular phones
`of the present invention. Persons skilled in the art will also
`appreciate that devices other than cellular phones may
`include positioning features. For example, watches, cloth-
`ing, laptop computers, personal digital assistants (PDAs),
`mayall contain location systems (e.g., GPS) and utilize the
`security principles of the present invention to allow different
`user’s to access these locations.
`FIG. 2 shows flow chart 200 of a simplified locating
`feature constructed in accordance with the principles of the
`present invention. Step 202 initiates when a user requests the
`location of another user’s cell phone. Step 206 evaluates if
`the userinitiating the location request hasthe rights to access
`the location of the desired user. If no access rights for the
`requesting user have been granted then step 204 will pref-
`erably inform the requesting user that he/she has not been
`given access to the requested location. In this manner, every
`user may assign rights (e.g. govern the security) to whom
`may or maynot locate him/her. In preferred embodiments,
`these rights will be stored in, or functionality executed from,
`a remote facility and accessed andutilized by a user’s cell
`phoneor other requesting device (e.g., a watch or PDA).
`If access has been given by a particular user that allows
`for the requesting userto locate that particular user, step 208
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`US 11,122,418 B2
`
`5
`is initiated and the allowedlocation information is provided
`to the user in step 210. Step 208 may optionally filter the
`location information such that only a portion information is
`passed to the requesting user. The requested user may have,
`for example, defined that the requesting user only can obtain
`the city, state, or country of his/her location. Persons skilled
`in the art will appreciate that only the location of the desired
`user needs to have a cell phoneor a positioning system. The
`requesting user may user other means(e.g., the internet) to
`request the location of the desired user.
`Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that the location
`of a user’s cell phone mayberetrieved, in step 208, from a
`remote database, facility, distribution center, or any other
`system. Moreparticularly, a remote database may periodi-
`cally request
`the location of a cell phone user with a
`positioning system andstore this information. This database
`may also keep a record of those people allowed to access
`that user’s location, the extent to which access is allowed,
`and the extent
`to which a user has requested a user’s
`location. A user may update, add, manipulate, or remove
`access at any time by doing so at this database. Thus, a
`requesting user only has to contact the remote database, have
`his/her identity recognized, havehis/her access rights for the
`requested user location determined, and, if the requesting
`user has the correct access rights, be provided with the
`requested user’s location.
`Instead of a remote database periodically obtaining loca-
`tion information for a user, the database can obtain a user’s
`locations when a request is made for that user’s location,
`providing the requesting user has access to the requested
`user’s location. However, persons skilled in the art will
`recognize that a remote database is utilized in the above
`examples that contains the locations, in most circumstances,
`of a multitude of users. Thus, to increase security even more,
`a requesting user’s cell phone may directly request a user’s
`location from the requested user’s cell phone without the
`need for a database. In such an example a user adds,
`manipulates, or removes access rights locally on his/hercell
`phone and does not have to worry about security issues that
`surround placing his location on a remote database. Further-
`more, in such an embodimenta user’s location does not have
`to be saved anywhere, a positioning system can just be
`“read” by a requesting user with the appropriate access
`rights.
`However, by recording a user’s location on a device, e.g.,
`a cell phone’s memory or in a remote database, novel
`applications may beutilized. For example, whenever a user
`makes a credit card purchase, a credit card authorization
`system can record the location of a cell phone associated to
`the purchasing user. In this manner, a new system and
`method of fraud protection is introduced. The credit card
`authorization system may, for example, reject a purchase if
`the purchaser’s cell phone (or watch, clothing, PDA,or other
`positioning enabled device) is not in the vicinity of the
`purchase. Alternatively, the credit card authorization system
`may request a second form of identification if the purchas-
`er’s cell phone location does not correlate to the location of
`the purchase. Additionally,
`the credit card authorization
`system may call the purchaser’s cell phone and request
`authorization for the credit card purchase. However, such
`features would preferably first involve the user/purchaser
`giving the credit card authorization system access to the
`location of his/her cell phone.
`As per another application, a unique dating/matching
`service could be embodied. For example, a user may store a
`numberof preferences in a matching profile. These prefer-
`ences may describe what type of person he is interested in
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`meeting. Additionally, a user may store, preferably locally
`(for the dating/matching feature) but alternatively at a
`remote location, his/her ownprofile that has data describing
`similar attributes for what he/she is
`looking for. For
`example, an entry in a user’s profile may be “male” and an
`entry in “looking for’ profile may be “female.” When a user
`comes within a certain distance of a user (determined by
`comparing locations ofa user) that fits his/her “looking for”
`profile,
`the user may be alerted of the proximity of a
`matching user. Preferably, the particular user is only alerted
`if the “looking for” user has entered in attributes similar to
`the particular user’s attributes and is also alerted of the
`particular user. The next stages of such an application could
`include, for example, requesting access to a form of com-
`munication. Such a form of communication could be for
`example, talking on the phone, instant messaging, or deliv-
`ering an email address. Persons skilled in the art will
`therefore appreciate that many useful applications may be
`constructed using the principles of the present invention.
`FIG. 3 depicts cell phone 300 constructed in accordance
`with the principles of the present invention. Cell Phone 300
`preferably includes speaker 330, antenna 310, display screen
`320, control keys 360, alpha-numeric keys 350, and micro-
`phone 340. Cell phone 300 also preferably may include, for
`example, a communications transmitter (not shown), com-
`munications receiver (not shown), memory (not shown),
`positioning device (not shown), and a microprocessor (not
`shown).
`Cell phone 300 may also include locate button 380. Cell
`phone 300 may be configured such that if locate button 380
`is pressed, a locate feature is initiated (e.g., display screen
`400 of FIG.4 is initiated). Alternatively, cell phone 300 may
`be configured such that if locate button 380 is pressed, a
`location signal is sent to a remote storage area (e.g., a remote
`database), thus manually updating the user’s location. This
`latter functionality may be useful when a user does not want
`his/her location accessed. As in another alternative embodi-
`ment, cell phone 380 may be configured such that if locate
`button 380 is pressed, the locating features of cell phone 300
`are toggled between ON and OFF.Person skilled in the art
`will appreciate that locate button 380 may be configured to
`produce a variety of useful functionalities.
`FIG. 4 depicts display screen 400 that is displaying a
`locate feature constructed in accordance with the principles
`of the present invention. The locate feature of display screen
`400 maybe included, for example, in cell phone 300 of FIG.
`3 and displayedto the userof cell phone 300 of FIG. 3 when
`that user requests the location of a different user of the
`present invention. The programmingfor the feature may, for
`example, be stored in the memory of the cell phone and
`executed by the processorat a user’s request. Locate Feature
`400 includes identifier list 410 of alpha-numeric identifiers
`for users stored in the memory on cell phone 300 (FIG. 3)
`or at a remote location. More particularly the user of display
`410 may locate a user contained in identifier list 410 by
`selecting an