Classifications

• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04W—WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
  • H04W8/00—Network data management
  • H04W8/02—Processing of mobility data, e.g. registration information at HLR [Home Location Register] or VLR [Visitor Location Register]; Transfer of mobility data, e.g. between HLR, VLR or external networks
  • H04W8/08—Mobility data transfer
  • H04W8/14—Mobility data transfer between corresponding nodes
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04W—WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
  • H04W4/00—Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
  • H04W4/02—Services making use of location information
  • H04W4/029—Location-based management or tracking services
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04W—WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
  • H04W4/00—Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
  • H04W4/02—Services making use of location information

Definitions

• the present invention relates to transmitting location information of a mobile terminal with the wireless communication capability via a cellular network such as GSM.
• the present invention specifically relates to transmitting such location information, i.e. cell ID information, in a predetermined order, such as to user-determined receivers in predetermined time intervals, or whenever such mobile terminal moves from one cell to another in the cellular network, or in times predetermined by a user, or in manually transmitting mode; and accordingly collecting such data in a medium, and following such mobile device with the use of such data.
• location information i.e. cell ID information
• each base station of such cells include location information of the zone of the relevant base station, base station identification code (BSIC), base station frequency (ARFCN), signal power, signal quality, etc. These data are particularly used to provide GSM communication devices with an ideal performance to make and receive calls.
• mobile terminals such as mobile phones or PDAs communicating by the GSM infrastructure monitor the location information received from their base stations on their displays, if their relevant parameters are setup properly, and accordingly, the user of a mobile phone, for instance, is informed about the district, at least, he/she is present.
• One significant lack here is encountered when others require knowing the location information of another mobile terminal user. It's because, even when a user sees his/her location information via his/her display, he/she b ecomes obliged to directly make a call or to write a message with the text editor of his/her device in the SMS form in order to transmit this information to other users.
• this implementation is not practical. Especially when the user moves continually between districts and/or when he/she must inform a number of persons about his/her location, it becomes almost impossible to transmit location information with this method.
• the present invention relates to novel location information transmitting method and device, eliminating the foresaid disadvantages.
• the objective of the present invention is to provide a method, utilizing current GSM infrastructures, which allows mobil terminal users, communicating u sing said GSM infrastructures, to transmit their location information to units querying such information in an easy to use, effective and inexpensive way, and a mobile terminal realizing this method.
• Another objective of the present invention is to follow a mobil terminal easily, inexpensively, but efficiently through the use of currently operated GSM infrastructures, without necessitating special, complex, and expensive electronic instruments.
• the present invention provides a method to transmit to other receivers the location information of a mobile terminal capable to communicate via a cellular network comprising cells and base stations, which broadcast data including the location information thereof, in such cells, said method comprising the steps of, to be performed on said mobil terminal,
• the location information of a cell is continuously and automatically transmitted to specified receivers in predetermined time intervals, without necessitating an extra approval of the user.
• the location information of a cell is automatically transmitted to predetermined receivers, whenever a mobile terminal moves from one cell to another in the cellular network, without necessitating an extra approval of the user.
• the location information of a cell is automatically transmitted to predetermined receivers on a predetermined moment, without necessitating an extra approval of the user.
• the instant location information of a cell is transmitted to predetermined receivers, once the required command is entered by the relevant user.
• the location information of a cell and the time this information is received are saved in the memory of the mobile terminal in predetermined time intervals, and when necessitated, the information on location and time collected that far are transmitted to specified receivers.
• the location information of a cell and the time this information is received are saved in the memory of the mobile terminal whenever the mobile terminal moves from o ne cell to another in the cellular network, and when necessitated, the information on location and time collected that far are transmitted to specified receivers.
• said location information transmitting operation can be activated or deactivated upon preference.
• the present invention provides also a mobile terminal comprising a transceiver, a user interface, a processor, and at least one memory device, and further capable to communicate through a cellular network comprising cells and base stations in such cells to broadcast data including the location information thereof; characterized in that
• the location information received by said transceiver is saved in at least one of said memory devices in a predetermined order;
• said processor sends saved location information to predetermined receivers in a predetermined order via said transceiver circuit; and by means of said processor, said user interface displays a menu structure which is stored in at least one of said memory devices and enables the users to determine the order of location information transmitting operation to be performed by said processor and designate the receivers to whom said transmitting operation is to be performed.
• said location information corresponds to the name of zone, where the relevant base station is present, and to the base station identification code (BSIC). In a further preferred embodiment, said location information corresponds merely to the name of zone of the relevant cell (such as the name of quarter, district, etc.).
• the use of said menu structure of said processor allows location information to be sent automatically and without an extra approval of the user to specified receivers i n predetermined time intervals.
• the use of said menu structure of said processor allows location information to be sent automatically and without an extra approval of the user to specified receivers whenever said mobile moves from one cell to another in the cellular network.
• the use of said menu structure of said processor allows location information to be sent automatically and without an extra approval of the user to specified receivers on a predetermined moment.
• the use of said menu structure of said processor allows location information to be sent manually to specified receivers, once the relevant user enters the required command.
• said menu structure comprises a menu to specify the receivers to send location information, another menu to select the desired location information transmitting order, and a further menu to activate and deactivate the location information transmitting operation.
• received location information, specified receivers, and said menu structure is saved in an internal memory of the mobile terminal.
• a software is provided by a SIM card, which, when executed, can make the processor capable to perform location information transmitting operation and display said menu structure, and thus, once said SIM card is placed in said mobile terminal, said software is run by the processor and the menu structure in the SIM card is added to the user interface of said mobile terminal.
• the present invention further provides a method to follow at least one mobile terminal transmitting its status information based on a predetermined order through a cellular network while moving therein; said method comprising the steps of
• said mobile terminal transmits its status information whenever i t moves from one cell to another in t he cellular network. In another preferred embodiment of the subject following method, said mobile terminal periodically transmits its status information in predetermined time intervals.
• this status information corresponds to information on place, time, and date of the relevant mobile terminal.
• Figure 1 shows the flow diagram of the subject location information transmitting method.
• Figure 2 gives a representative view of implementing the subject method by a mobile phone.
• FIG. 1 gives a flow diagram of the method under the present invention.
• the implementation of this method shall be disclosed in details hereunder.
• mobile terminals are exemplified with mobile phones, and SMS is used for automatic location information transmitting.
• SMS is used for automatic location information transmitting.
• the subject method can also be applied to devices such as PDAs, laptops, or any other devices that can be used in wireless communication and are particularly employed in mobile sale systems, like portable data storage devices all making use of the currently operated GSM system.
• SMS in data sending can be mentioned on MMS, EMS, or the novel 3 rd or 4 th generation message sending methods.
• a user selects the "messages menu" from the relevant menu(s) on his/her handy to determine the receiver(s), whom cell information is/are to be sent, and at this point, he/she can do this by either selecting such user(s) from the phone's memory, or by entering manually the required phone numbers.
• receiver means a mobile terminal such as a mobile phone, PDA, laptop, etc. capable to communicate via GSM and therefore is a GSM subscriber.
• Such receiver can also be server computer such as an internet or data post server.
• the user can setup his/her handy to automatically send its location information according to a location information transmitting order of his/her preference, which is to be selected by using the relevant menus of the phone.
• a location information transmitting order of his/her preference which is to be selected by using the relevant menus of the phone.
• he/she enters into the "send cell information" menu under the relevant menu structure and then selects the submenu, "send cell information automatically.” Then a new menu is displayed allowing the user to select the preferred transmitting order.
• the mobile phone sends continuously and periodically its cell location information to predetermined receivers in certain time intervals, such as every 30 minutes, without informing the user of the sending phone.
• the mobile phone Transmitting the location information to specified receivers whenever the phone moves from one cell to another in the cellular network: In this option, the mobile phone sends its cell location information to predetermined receivers whenever it moves from one cell to another in the cellular network and without accordingly informing the user of the sending phone.
• the location information of the new cell zone shall be sent immediately to predetermined receivers.
• the mobile phone sends the location information on a moment as selected by the user, such as at 12 o'clock on January 12, 2003; or everyday at 12 o'clock.
• the mobile phone sends its cell location information to predetermined receivers, if the user enters the command from the relevant phone menu to perform a location information transmitting operation; otherwise, no location information transmitting operation is performed without the approval of the user.
• the location information of cells crossed by a mobile phone within a day and the times such cells are entered/departed and similar status information are saved in an internal or external memory of the phone in a certain order, such as saving the location information, whenever the phone has moved from one cell to another, or in certain time intervals, etc.
• a certain order such as saving the location information, whenever the phone has moved from one cell to another, or in certain time intervals, etc.
• only an authorized person can activate or deactivate the feature of mobile phone to automatically save the location and time information of cells crossed within a day, and to automatically send such saved information by SMS at the end of that day. Thanks to this feature, companies with mobile staff or vehicles shall become able to provide their staff with present mobile phones and to simply and inexpensively follow their work within a working day.
• location information or location and time information together is send by a mobile terminal via a GSM network by using one or more of the foregoing methods to a server computer, and are accordingly saved in a database created in this server computer.
• a record is created in said database for each mobile terminal to be followed, and when the server computer accommodating this d atabase receives a message towards location, time, and date information from any such mobile terminals, it is added to the relevant record in this database by means of linked list way.
• Said database comprises the mobile terminal ID, location, time, and date colons, as can be seen from the following representative table.
• a unit such as a computer or another mobile terminal, which connects to said server computer via Internet or the GSM network and which has the required permission to gain access, can query the data saved in this database of any mobile terminal and can follow it accordingly.
• a department manager connects with its office PC to said server computer via Internet, for example, he/she becomes able to readily see via a proper interface that the employee ID# 1 has elapsed time between 11 :03 and 12:50 in Zone# 4 and crossed to Zone#5 at 12:50.
• both a vehicle and an employee can very easily, inexpensively, and efficiently be followed.
• a SIM card is embodied that enables its mobile terminal to send location information by means of any of the methods detailed here above.
• such SIM card accommodates in its memory a software, which is run by the mobile terminal processor a nd enables a mobile terminal to send location information by means of any of the foregoing methods, a nd t he d ata o f a m enu s corture d esigned t o a How a u ser to m ake t he required adjustments.
• the software in said SIM card is run by the processor and both the mobile terminal is gained this location information transmitting feature and a menu structure is added to the default menus of that mobile terminal to allow the user to control the present location information transmitting feature.
• a software which will enable the mobile terminal to send its location or location and time information in a predetermined order in accordance with the present invention, and the data for said menu structure are loaded to a server such as Internet or data post server.
• a server such as Internet or data post server.
• Figure 2 gives a general presentation of the subject location information transmitting process realized with the use of any of the aforesaid methods with clarification purposes.
• the display (1) of the mobile phone sending such location information comprises location information (3) of a district corresponding to a cell where it is present.
• this location information (3) is monitored similarly on the display (2) of the receiving mobile phone after such transmitting process is completed.

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

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• 2003
  • 2003-01-31 TR TR2003/00129A patent/TR200300129A2/tr unknown
  • 2003-12-30 EP EP03799739A patent/EP1645153A2/en not_active Withdrawn
  • 2003-12-30 AU AU2003299447A patent/AU2003299447A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2003-12-30 WO PCT/TR2003/000106 patent/WO2004068888A2/en not_active Application Discontinuation

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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