Location query service for wireless networks Number:7,130,630 from the United States Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) owispatent

Title: Location query service for wireless networks

Abstract: A location query service for use with a wireless network that tracks the location of network devices, such as a network complying with enhanced 911 standards. The service provides requesters with the locations of network users, based on the locations of the users' wireless network devices. The service receives a location query from a requester, retrieves location information associated with the network user, and returns the location information to the requestor. Alternately, before returning the location information to the requester, the service authenticates that the requestor is authorized by the network user to receive the network user's location information. A requestor can submit a location query, for example, by voice calls through the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) to an interactive voice response unit (IVRU), personal computer access through a global computer network, and cellular telephone access through a global computer network.

Patent Number: 7,130,630 Issued on 10/31/2006 to Enzmann,   et al.

---

Inventors:	Enzmann; Mark J. (Roswell, GA), Moton, Jr.; Robert T. (Alpharetta, GA), Zellner; Samuel N. (Dunwoody, GA)
Assignee:	BellSouth Intellectual Property Corporation (Wilmington, DE)
Appl. No.:	09/739,315
Filed:	December 19, 2000

---

Current U.S. Class:	455/435.1 ; 340/988; 455/404.2; 455/456.1
Current International Class:	H04Q 7/20 (20060101); H04M 11/04 (20060101)
Field of Search:	455/435.1,404.1,404.2,456.1,457,521,426.1 340/988,991,992,993

---

References Cited [Referenced By]

---

U.S. Patent Documents

	4757267		July 1988		Riskin
	5303393		April 1994		Noreen et al.
	5511111		April 1996		Serbetcioglu et al.
	5512908		April 1996		Herrick
	5566235		October 1996		Hetz
	5588042		December 1996		Comer
	5596625		January 1997		LeBlanc
	5610973		March 1997		Comer
	5625364		April 1997		Herrick et al.
	5657375		August 1997		Connolly et al.
	5663734		September 1997		Krasner
	5701301		December 1997		Weisser, Jr.
	5712899		January 1998		Pace, II
	5727057		March 1998		Emery et al.
	5771283		June 1998		Chang et al.
	5794210		August 1998		Goldhaber et al.
	5819155		October 1998		Worthy et al.
	5838774		November 1998		Weisser, Jr.
	5852775		December 1998		Hidary
	5875401		February 1999		Rochkind
	5903636		May 1999		Malik
	5949867		September 1999		Sonnenberg
	5961593		October 1999		Gabber et al.
	6011975		January 2000		Emery et al.
	6028921		February 2000		Malik et al.
	6047327		April 2000		Tso et al.
	6085086		July 2000		La Porta et al.
	6091956		July 2000		Hollenberg
	6101381		August 2000		Tajima et al.
	6112186		August 2000		Bergh et al.
	6122520		September 2000		Want et al.
	6133853		October 2000		Obradovich et al.
	6138003		October 2000		Kingdon et al.
	6157829		December 2000		Grube et al.
	6184829		February 2001		Stilp
	6185426		February 2001		Alperovich et al.
	6208854		March 2001		Roberts et al.
	6208866		March 2001		Rouhollahzadeh et al.
	6233329		May 2001		Urban et al.
	6259405		July 2001		Stewart et al.
	6311069		October 2001		Havinis et al.
	6317718		November 2001		Fano
	6321092		November 2001		Fitch et al.
	6324396		November 2001		Vasa et al.
	6332127		December 2001		Bandera et al.
	6353664		March 2002		Cannon et al.
	6377810		April 2002		Geiger et al.
	6385591		May 2002		Mankoff
	6418308		July 2002		Heinonen et al.
	6421441		July 2002		Dzuban
	6427073		July 2002		Kortesalmi et al.
	6442391		August 2002		Johansson et al.
	6442687		August 2002		Savage
	6449497		September 2002		Kirbas et al.
	6463533		October 2002		Calamera et al.
	6470378		October 2002		Tracton et al.
	6473626		October 2002		Nevoux et al.
	6477382		November 2002		Mansfield et al.
	6484148		November 2002		Boyd
	6496931		December 2002		Rajchel et al.
	6505046		January 2003		Baker
	6505048		January 2003		Moles et al.
	6505049		January 2003		Dorenbosch
	6505163		January 2003		Zhang et al.
	6522876		February 2003		Weiland et al.
	6526275		February 2003		Calvert
	6545596		April 2003		Moon
	6546257		April 2003		Stewart
	6560442		May 2003		Yost et al.
	6560461		May 2003		Fomukong et al.
	6594482		July 2003		Findikli et al.
	6618474		September 2003		Reese
	6618593		September 2003		Drutman et al.
	6622016		September 2003		Sladek et al.
	6628928		September 2003		Crosby et al.
	6628938		September 2003		Rachabathuni et al.
	6647257		November 2003		Owensby
	6647269		November 2003		Hendrey et al.
	6662014		December 2003		Walsh
	6675017		January 2004		Zellner et al.
	6738808		May 2004		Zellner et al.
	6819929		November 2004		Antonucci et al.
	6850758		February 2005		Paul et al.
	6868074		March 2005		Hanson
	2001/0034709		October 2001		Stoifo et al.
	2002/0077130		June 2002		Owensby

Foreign Patent Documents

	000964542		Dec., 1999		EP
	WO 98/19484		May., 1998		WO
	WO 99/27716		Jun., 1999		WO

Other References

"Wireless Application Protocol", Oct. 1999 Wireless Internet Today, pp. 1-20. cited by other . Mark Moeglein, et al., "An Introduction to Snap Track Server-Aided GPS Technology", available at http://www.snaptrack.com/atwork.html. cited by other . U.S. Official Action dated Dec. 13, 2005 cited in U.S. Appl. No. 09/740,372. cited by other . U.S. Official Action dated Nov. 21, 2005 cited in U.S. Appl. No. 09/740,414. cited by other . U.S. Official Action dated Mar. 1, 2004 cited in U.S. Appl. No. 09/740,375. cited by other . U.S. Final Official Action dated Sep. 24, 2004 cited in U.S. Appl. No. 09/740,375. cited by other . U.S. Official Action dated Feb. 28, 2005 cited in U.S. Appl. No. 09/740,375. cited by other . U.S. Final Official Action dated Jul. 26, 2005 cited in U.S. Appl. No. 09/740,375. cited by other . Petronis, Scott, "Mapping Technology: The Common Thread," Wireless Review, vol. 17, No. 3, pp. 10-14, Feb. 1, 2000, ISSN: 1099-9248. cited by other . U.S. Official Action dated May 7, 2003 cited in U.S. Appl. No. 09/740,373. cited by other . U.S. Final Official Action dated Oct. 21, 2003 cited in U.S. Appl. No. 09/740,373. cited by other . U.S. Official Action dated Jan. 26, 2004 cited in U.S. Appl. No. 09/740,373. cited by other . U.S. Official Action dated Apr. 28, 2005 cited in U.S. Appl. No. 09/740,373. cited by other . U.S. Official Action dated Aug. 30, 2005 in U.S. Appl. No. 10/704,775. cit- ed by other . U.S. Official Action dated Oct. 4, 2005 in U.S. Appl. No. 10/819,940. cite- d by other . Co-pending U.S. Appl. No. 11/252,039, filed Oct. 17, 2005. cited by other . U.S. Official Action dated Jul. 26, 2005 in U.S. Appl. No. 09/740,414. cit- ed by other . U.S. Appl. No. 09/630,134, entitled "Method and System for Delivery of a Calling Party's Location," filed Aug. 1, 2000, Inventors: Samuel N. Zellner; Mark J. Enzmann; and Robert T. Moton Jr. cited by other . U.S. Appl. No. 09/740,414, entitled "Location Blocking Service from a Wireless Service Provider," filed Dec. 19, 2000, Inventors: Samuel N. Zellner; Mark J. Enzmann; and Robert T. Moton Jr. cited by other . U.S. Appl. No. 09/740,372, entitled "Identity Blocking Service from a Wireless Service Provider," filed Dec. 19, 2000, Inventors: Samuel N. Zellner; Mark J. Enzmann; and Robert T. Moton Jr. cited by other . U.S. Appl. No. 09/739,162, entitled "System and Method for Surveying Wireless Device Users by Location," filed Dec. 19, 2000, Inventors: Samuel N. Zellner; Mark J. Enzmann; and Robert T. Moton Jr. cited by othe- r . U.S. Appl. No. 09/739,340, entitled "System and Method for Using Location Information to Execute an Action," filed Dec. 19, 2000, Inventors: Samuel N. Zellner; Mark J. Enzmann; and Robert T. Moton Jr. cited by other . U.S. Appl. No. 10/704,775, entitled "Location Blocking Service for Wireless Networks," filed Nov. 12, 2003, Inventors: Samuel N. Zellner: Mark J. Enzmann; and Robert T. Moton Jr. cited by other . U.S. Appl. No. 10/819,940, entitled "Anonymous Location Service for Wireless Networks," filed Apr. 8, 2004, Inventors: Samuel N. Zellner; Mark J. Enzmann; and Robert T. Moton Jr. cited by other . U.S. Official Action dated Feb. 12, 2003 in U.S. Appl. No. 09/630,134. cit- ed by other . U.S. Official Action dated Jul. 10, 2003 in U.S. Appl. No. 09/630,134. cit- ed by other . U.S. Official Action dated Jun. 7, 2004, in U.S. Appl. No. 09/630,134. cit- ed by other . U.S. Official Action dated Jan. 13, 2005 in U.S. Appl. No. 09/630,134. cit- ed by other . U.S. Official Action dated May 16, 2003 in U.S. Appl. No. 09/740,372. cite- d by other . U.S. Official Action dated Oct. 30, 2003 in U.S. Appl. No. 09/740,372. cit- ed by other . U.S. Official Action dated Apr. 15, 2004 in U.S. Appl. No. 09/740,372. cit- ed by other . U.S. Official Action dated Nov. 2, 2004 in U.S. Appl. No. 09/740,372. cite- d by other . U.S. Official Action dated Mar. 12, 2004 in U.S. Appl. No. 09/739,340. cit- ed by other . U.S. Official Action dated Dec. 10, 2004 in U.S. Appl. No. 09/739,340. cit- ed by other . U.S. Official Action dated Nov. 10, 2003 in U.S. Appl. No. 09/739,162. cit- ed by other . U.S. Official Action dated Mar. 9, 2004 in U.S. Appl. No. 09/739,162. cite- d by other . U.S. Official Action dated Sep. 9, 2004 in U.S. Appl. No. 09/739,162. cite- d by other . U.S. Official Action dated Nov. 10, 2003 in U.S. Appl. No. 09/740,414. cit- ed by other . U.S. Official Action dated Apr. 21, 2004 in U.S. Appl. No. 09/740,414. cit- ed by other . U.S. Official Action dated Oct. 5, 2004 in U.S. Appl. No. 09/740,414. cite- d by other . PCT International Search Report, PCT/US01/22295. cited by other . Microsoft Mobility Developer Conference 2003. cited by other . 3rd Generation Partnership Project: Technical Specification Group Services and System Aspects; Functional Stage 2 Description of Location Services in UMTS (1999). cited by other . http://www.openwave.com/us/news.sub.--room/press.sub.--releases/2001/20010- 320, "Open Wave Announces Availability to End-to-End Set of Location Services for Wireless Internet". cited by other . U.S. Appl. No. 09/739,339. cited by other . U.S. Appl. No. 09/739,162. cited by other . U.S. Appl. No. 09/606,535. cited by other . U.S. Appl. No. 09/606,534. cited by other . U.S. Appl. No. 09/739,340. cited by other . U.S. Appl. No. 09/630,134. cited by other . U.S. Official Action dated Feb. 24, 2006 cited in U.S. Appl. No. 09/630,134. cited by other . U.S. Official Action dated Mar. 10, 2006 cited in U.S. Appl. No. 11/252,039. cited by other . U.S. Appl. No. 11/298,419, entitled "System and Method for Using Location Information to Execute an Action" filed Dec. 9, 2005, Inventors: Robert T. Moton Jr.; Mark J. Enzmann; and Samuel N. Zellner. cited by other . U.S. Appl. No. 11/298,149, entitled "System and Method for Using Location Information to Execute an Action" filed Dec. 9, 2005, Inventors: Robert T. Moton Jr.; Mark J. Enzmann; and Samuel N. Zellner. cited by other . U.S. Appl. No. 11/300,694 entitled "System and Method for Using Location Information to Execute an Action" filed Dec. 15, 2005, Inventor: Samuel N. Zellner. cited by other . U.S. Official Action dated Apr. 21, 2006 cited in U.S. Appl. No. 11/322,531. cited by other . U.S. Official Action dated Jun. 7, 2005 in U.S. Appl. No. 09/630,134. cite- d by other.

Primary Examiner: Feild; Joseph
Assistant Examiner: Smith; S.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Merchant & Gould

---

Claims

---

What is claimed is:

1. A method for providing a location query service for use with a wireless network that tracks locations of network users, the method comprising: receiving from a requester a query asking for location information associated with a wireless network user; determining whether the requestor is authorized to receive the requested location information and, if so, retrieving the location information associated with the wireless network user and forwarding the location information to the requestor; if the requestor is unauthorized, determining whether the wireless network user will accept requests to release location information to unauthorized users; if the requestor is unauthorized and the wireless network user is determined not to accept such requests, returning a message to the requestor that the request is denied; if the requestor is unauthorized and the wireless network user is determined to accept such requests, forwarding to the wireless network user the requester identification and the request for the requestor to receive the location information; if the wireless network user chooses not to release the requested location information to the unauthorized requestor, returning a message to the requestor that the request is denied; and if the wireless network user chooses to release the requested location information to the unauthorized user, retrieving the location information associated with the wireless network user and forwarding the location information to the requester.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the identification is one of a user name, a telephone number, an Internet address, and an email address.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving and forwarding comprise communications over a global computer network.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving and forwarding comprise communications over a Public Switched Telephone Network.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein retrieving the location information comprises identifying a wireless device associated with the wireless network user and determining a location of the wireless device.

6. The method claim 1, further comprising translating the location information from raw form to displayable form.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein retrieving the location information comprises using a location system to determine the location of a network device associated with the wireless network user.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein retrieving the location information comprises consulting a location database that is periodically updated by a location system.

9. Currently Amended) A system for providing a location query service with a wireless network in communication with a plurality of wireless network devices, the system comprising: a location system in communication with the wireless network, the location system providing location information associated with the plurality of wireless network devices; and a location server in communication with the wireless network and a plurality of requesters, wherein the location server is operative: to determine whether the requestor is authorized to receive the requested location information associated with the network user and, if so, to retrieve the location information and forward that information to the requestor; if the requester is unauthorized, to determine whether the network user will accept requests to release location information to unauthorized users; if the requester is unauthorized and the network user is determined not to accept such requests, to return a message to the requestor that the request is denied; if the requestor is unauthorized and the wireless network user is determined to accept such requests, to send the access request to the network user about whom the requestor seeks location information, so as to determine whether the network user chooses to release the location information to the requester if the network user chooses not to release the requested location information to the unauthorized requestor, to return a message to the requestor that the request is denied; and if the network user chooses to release the requested location information to the unauthorized user, to retrieve the network user's location information provided by the location system and to forward the location information to the requestor.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the location system is at least one of a handheld location system and a network-based location system.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the handheld location system is a global positioning system.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the network-based location system is one of a Wireless Access Protocol location service and a triangulation system.

13. The system of claim 9, further comprising a mapping converter that translates the location information provided by the location system from raw form to displayable form.

14. The system of claim 9, further comprising a global computer network in communication with the location server and the plurality of requesters, wherein the global computer network facilitates communication between the location server and the plurality of requesters.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the global computer network is the Internet.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the plurality of requesters have requestor devices with messaging capabilities and the global computer network facilitates messaging between the location server and the requester devices.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the message capabilities are one of audio-based, text-based, and graphical.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the global computer network includes a graphical user interface through which the plurality of requestors can submit location queries.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the requestor devices are Wireless Access Protocol compatible thin clients having thin browsers adapted to access the global computer network and to communicate with the location server.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein the requestor devices are personal computers.

21. The system of claim 9, further comprising a Public Switched Telephone Network in communication with the location server and the plurality of requestors, wherein the Public Switched Telephone Network facilitates communication between the location server and the plurality of requesters.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the Public Switched Telephone Network includes one of an interactive voice response unit and an automatic call distributor, through which the plurality of requestors can submit location queries.

---

Description

---

BACKGROUND

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to the field of wireless networks, and in particular, to wireless networks that track the location of wireless network devices.

2. Background of the Invention

In compliance with regulations promulgated by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), wireless networks will soon provide services that are able to determine the location of all network users. These federally mandated services, known as enhanced wireless 911 (E911) services, will require wireless telephones to provide 911 call centers, or Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs), with vital information necessary to locate and identify a caller in an emergency. To comply with E911 standards, wireless network providers will track the location and identity information of all wireless callers, with the purpose of providing such information to emergency personnel when a caller dials 911 from a wireless telephone. The FCC's wireless E911 rules require certain Commercial Mobile Radio Services (CMRS) carriers to begin transmission of enhanced location and identity information in two phases. Phase I requires carriers to transmit a caller's telephone number and general location to a PSAP. Phase II requires carriers to provide more precise location information to the PSAP.

Under the FCC rules, wireless networks and the corresponding wireless handheld devices, such as cellular telephones, will provide both the identity and location of the caller to a 911 dispatcher. To provide a caller's identity, the wireless handheld device will furnish a mobile identification number (MIN), indicating in most instances the telephone number of the device. The wireless network and wireless handheld devices will provide the location of callers using a network-based location system (e.g., triangulation), global positioning systems (GPSs) within the handheld devices, or a combination of the two systems.

Although, in large part, wireless network providers will implement the location tracking systems to comply with the FCC standards, once completed, the providers will have the ability to offer other location-based services supported by the E911 infrastructure. Indeed, beyond the needs of PSAPs in emergency situations, there are many instances in which it is helpful to know the location of a network user. For example, a service dispatcher monitoring the activities of his service technicians may wish to determine the exact locations of his technicians to facilitate efficient scheduling. Although, with conventional mobile telephone networks, the dispatcher could call and ask the technician for his location, the dispatcher may prefer to ascertain the location information without interrupting the technician's activities.

Other location tracking systems provide the ability to determine a person's location without communicating with (or interrupting) the person. However, these solutions require dedicated networks and network devices. For instance, although a global positioning system can provide a person's location without contacting the person, the system requires that the party requesting the location information (referred to herein as the "requester") have communication hardware that receives the location information from the person's GPS receiver. For example, in a typical fleet vehicle tracking system, the fleet manager must purchase and maintain a central processor that communicates with the GPS receiver in each vehicle.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is a location query service for use with a wireless network that tracks the location of network devices. The service provides requesters with the locations of network users, based on the locations of the users' wireless network devices. The service enables a requestor to obtain a network user's location without requiring communication with the user. In addition, the service relieves a requester of the burden of purchasing and maintaining dedicated location tracking equipment by taking advantage of existing communication infrastructures, such as global computer networks, Public Switched Telephone Networks (PSTNs), and wireless networks (with their soon-to-be-implemented location systems).

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the location query service receives a location query from a requestor for a network user, retrieves the location information of the network user, and returns the location information to the requestor. Preferably, the requestor is an authorized requestor and the service authenticates that the requestor is authorized before returning the location information to the requestor. Within the query, the requestor provides an identification of the network user, such as a name, telephone number, Internet address, or electronic mail (email) address. The service of the present invention supports a variety of communication methods through which a requestor can submit a location query, for example, voice calls through the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) to an interactive voice response unit (IVRU), personal computer access through a global computer network, and cellular telephone access through a global computer network.

In processing location queries, a preferred embodiment of the present invention gives the network user control of who can receive his location information. The network user provides the service with a list of authorized requestors who may receive the user's location information. The service authenticates that a requestor is authorized before forwarding location information.

In an alternate preferred embodiment of the present invention, the location query service prompts a network user each time an unauthorized requestor asks for location information. An unauthorized requestor is a requestor who is not designated on a network user's list of authorized requestors and who has not been pre-approved to receive the user's location information. With these "off-list" requests, the network user permits or denies access for unauthorized (off-list) requestors on an individual basis, while automatically permitting access by authorized (on-list) requesters.

In a preferred embodiment, the system of the present invention includes a user wireless network and a location server. The user wireless network is in communication with a plurality of network devices operated by a plurality of network users. The user wireless network is also in communication with a location system for determining the location of each network device. The location server is in communication with the wireless network and with a plurality of requestors. The location server accommodates a variety of interfaces in communicating with the plurality of requestors. For example, for Internet protocol (IP) communication, the location server communicates with the plurality of requestors through a global computer network, e.g., the Internet. As another example, for voice communication, the location server communicates with the plurality of requestors through a PSTN.

According to a preferred method of the present invention, the location server receives a location query for a network user from a requestor, retrieves the user's location from the location system, and forwards the location back to the requestor. Preferably, the location server also confirms that the requestor is authorized to receive the user's location. In an alternate preferred embodiment, if the location system provides the location in a "raw" form, not easily understood by the typical requestor (e.g., x-y position coordinates), the method further includes translating the location from the raw form to a "displayable" form (e.g., a street address, building name, or area name). The system component that executes this translation function is a mapping converter. The mapping converter can be provisioned in several locations within the system, from the requestor's device to the devices of the plurality of requestors.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a requester with the location of a wireless network user.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a wireless network user with the ability to automatically furnish specified requesters with the location of the network user.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a wireless network user with the ability to approve or deny access to the user's location information by a requestor who has not been pre-approved.

These and other objects of the present invention are described in greater detail in the detailed description of the invention, the appended drawings, and the attached claims.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a system architecture that provides the location query service according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flow chart tracing the steps for providing a location query service according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a system architecture that provides the location query service according to an alternate preferred embodiment, in which a device's location is periodically recorded in a location database 300.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of a system architecture that provides the location query service according to an alternate preferred embodiment of the present invention, with the mapping converter provisioned in alternate locations.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is a location query service for use with a wireless network that tracks the locations of network users. The location query service provides a requestor with the location of a network user. In providing this service, the present invention contemplates future enhanced digital cellular networks, in which network users will use digital cellular handheld devices to access data from a global computer network, and in which digital cellular network providers will track the location of each network user.

Referring to FIG. 1, the primary components of a preferred embodiment of the present invention include a location server 100 and a user wireless network 102. User wireless network 102 is in communication with a plurality of network devices 104. Location server 100 is in communication with user wireless network 102 and with a plurality of requestors 106. The plurality of requesters 106 employ any suitable means to communicate with location server 100, but preferably use at least one of a PC requestor 108, a wireless requestor 110, and a wireline requestor 112. For communication between location server 100 and PC requestor 108, the present invention includes a global computer network 114. For communication between location server 100 and wireless requestor 110 (which has IP messaging capabilities), the present invention includes a requestor wireless network 116 and global computer network 114 for IP messaging, and requestor wireless network 116 and a PSTN 118 for voice communication. For communication between location server 100 and wireline requestor 112, the present invention includes PSTN 118.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, user wireless network 102 is in communication with a location system 120 that provides the locations of the plurality of network devices 104. Location system 120 includes one or both of handheld location systems 122 and a network-based location system 124. Handheld location systems 122 are provisioned in wireless handheld devices 104. Network-based location systems 124 are part of user wireless network 102.

Location system 120 provides the location information, e.g., position coordinates, of a handheld device, which indicates where a network user is located. Location system 120 can be a part of the wireless network or can be contained in the handheld devices. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 1, location system 120 is both a part of the wireless network and is also contained in the handheld devices. For example, suitable methods of determining location as a part of the wireless network include Wireless Access Protocol (WAP) location services, Time Difference of Arrival (TDOA) location systems, Angle of Arrival (AOA) location systems, and other systems using triangulation across cell sites or cell sectors. An example of a suitable location system in the handheld devices is a GPS.

If location system 120 provides location information in raw form, a further preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a mapping converter 126. An example of information in raw form would be GPS coordinates, with which the typical telephone user is unfamiliar. As used herein, "raw" refers to location information in a rudimentary form, such that a typical telephone user would find it difficult to understand. "Displayable" refers to location information easily understood by a typical network user. Although displayable may imply a visual communication, as used herein, the term extends to other forms of communication, such as audio-based communication. Mapping converter 126 includes a cross-referenced database that allows mapping converter 126 to translate raw location information into displayable location information. For example, the database of mapping converter 126 could include an entry associating coordinates "R-S" (raw information) with the description "101 Park Place" (displayable information).

Although shown as a separate component of the system in FIG. 1, mapping converter 126 could be integral to a component described above. One of ordinary skill in the art would understand that the functions and structure of mapping converter 126 could be located in several different places, anywhere from location system 120 to the communication devices of the requestors 106. For example, mapping converter 126 could be located within network-based location system 124. As another example, mapping converter 126 could also be located within location server 100. Regardless of where mapping converter 126 is provisioned, the desired end result is to deliver displayable location information to the plurality of requestors 106.

Location server 100 executes the service logic of the present invention, including receiving location queries from requesters 106, confirming the access levels of requestors 106, obtaining the location information of wireless network devices 104, and returning the location information to requesters 106. Although shown as a separate component in FIG. 1, one of ordinary skill in the art would appreciate that location server 100 could be a part of another system component, such as user wireless network 102, PSTN 118, or global computer network 114.

In a representative embodiment, location server 100 consists of two components. The first component is a locating mechanism (such as location system 120) that determines locations of network devices 104 using various technologies (e.g., GPS, triangulation, radio signal delay, and cell sector) and combinations thereof. The location mechanism can reside in a network device (e.g., GPS) or within user wireless network 102. The location mechanism produces x-y coordinates that are typically transmitted to the second component of location server 100, which could be in the same box or could be connected via an IP network. The second component of location server 100 integrates the coordinate information into various mapping systems and provides an interface to other applications through various protocols, of which IP is the most common.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, location server 100 is in communication with a memory storage 128. Memory storage 128 is a database or other memory storage device that can record relationships between device identifications (e.g., MINs) and network user identifications. In addition, memory storage contains authorized requestor lists for each device identification. Although FIG. 1 shows memory storage 128 as a separate component of the system accessible to location server 100, memory storage 128 could be contained within location server 100.

Wireless handheld devices 104 operate over user wireless network 102. Familiar examples include pagers and cellular telephones. As a minimum, wireless handheld devices 104 provide network users with wireless communication and cooperate with user wireless network 102 to provide the location of the device. This cooperation may simply involve wireless transmissions to user wireless network 102 that enable network-based location system 124 to ascertain the locations of devices 104. Or, in conjunction with network-based location system 124, wireless handheld devices 104 may include handheld location systems 122, such as GPSs integral to the devices. To facilitate the alternate preferred embodiment in which a network user responds to off-list requests, wireless handheld devices 104 include messaging capabilities that can communicate a request for access, the identification of the unauthorized requestor, and a response by the network user. For example, such messaging capabilities can be audio-based, text-based, or graphical. Preferably, wireless handheld devices 104 are WAP-compatible thin clients having thin browsers adapted to access global computer network 114 and to communicate with location server 100.

Global computer network 114 provides communication between TCP/IP requestor devices and location server 100. Preferably, global computer network 114 is the Internet. Also, preferably, network 114 provides a user-friendly interface, e.g., a graphical user interface, through which a requestor can submit a location query. With a graphical user interface (GUI), the requestor device, such as PC requestor 108, is provisioned with software that cooperates with the GUI. Global computer network 114 also preferably supports communication with WAP-compatible wireless devices, such as wireless requestor 110. With these WAP-compatible wireless devices, requestor wireless network 116 provides communication between wireless requestor 110 and global computer network 114.

PSTN 118 provides communication between PSTN devices and location server 100. Along with requestor wireless network 116, PSTN 118 also provides communication between wireless requestors and location server 100. Location server 100 preferably supports a number of different protocols, at least one of which is IP. PSTN 118 preferably includes a Voice XML (Extensible Markup Language) server, which allows PSTN 118 to interface with location server 100 and provides a common markup language for supporting voice browsing applications. The Voice XML server could include, for example, an IVRU allowing a requestor to use a touch-tone pad to navigate the application.

The plurality of requesters 106 communicate with location server 100 using a device compatible with location server 100 or compatible with an interface between the requestors 106 and location server 100. Global computer network 114 and PSTN 118 are examples of these types of interfaces. Compatible devices include personal computers and IP wireless devices for global computer network 114, and standard wireline telephones for PSTN 118.

Together, the above components provide the location query service as outlined in the flowchart of FIG. 2, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. While the system operation described herein and illustrated in the diagram and flowchart contains many specific details, these specific details should not be construed as limitations on the scope of the invention, but rather as examples of preferred embodiments thereof. As would be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art, many other variations on the system operation are possible, including differently grouped and ordered method steps. Accordingly, the scope of the invention should be determined not by the embodiments illustrated, but by the appended claims and their equivalents.

As shown in step 200, a requestor submits a location query to location server 100. The query includes at least an identification of the requestor and an identification of the network user about whom the requestor desires location information. Optionally, the query also includes a password, which enables a location query service provider to allow access to the service only by requesters who pay for the service. Alternately, only the network user pays for the service and gives her authorized requestors a password to gain access to the service.

The requestor submits the query using any number of communications media supported by location server 100 and the requestor's individual communication device. For example, if the requestor uses a personal computer 108 linked to location server 100 through global computer network 114, the requestor could initiate the query using a graphical user interface. As another example, if the requestor uses a text messaging wireless device 110 linked to location server 100 through requestor wireless network 116 and global computer network 114, the requestor could initiate the query using a menu driven interface or a series of key sequence inputs. As another example, if the requestor uses a wireline telephone, the requestor could interact with an IVRU using the requestor's touch-tone keys to initiate the query.

In the preferred embodiment, the present invention accommodates the variety of ways in which a requestor can identify the network user that the requestor wishes to locate. For example, the requestor can give a telephone number, name, Internet address, or email address of the network user. In response, location server 100, global computer network 114, PSTN 118, or a separate system component consults a database cross referencing this information and translates the given identification into an identification of the network user's wireless device (e.g., the MIN). As described later in this process, location server 100 provides location system 120 with this device identification to search for the location of the device.

Once location server 100 has received the query, in step 202, location server 100 determines whether the requestor is an authorized requestor and whether the network user in question accepts requests from unauthorized off-list requestors to view the network user's location information. Location