US5365451A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Mobile unit tracking system
Assignee: CDC Propriete Intellectuelle
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Filing: 1994-03-04
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Granted: 1994-11-15
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Expires: 2014-03-04
Abstract
Abstract A communication network keeps track of the locations of mobile units which utilize the network. On powering up, the mobile units determine their current locations using signals broadcast, for example, by overhead satellites. They then send data communication messages to the network describing their locations. The network saves the locations and returns data messages that describe borders which surround the mobile units' locations. The mobile units repetitively determine their current locations on a regular schedule. When their current locations are outside of their prescribed borders, they send other location data messages to the network to update the location data being maintained by the network and to receive a definition of a new border.
Inventors
- 👤 Theresa C. Y. Wang
- 👤 Steven H. Moritz
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 19:50
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04W; H04W60/00; H04W60/04; H04B; H04B7/00; H04B7/14; H04B7/15; H04B7/185; H04B7/1853; H04B7/18545; H04B7/18547; H04B7/1855; G; G01; G01S; G01S2205/00; G01S2205/001; G01S2205/007; G01S2205/008
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim
246 words
A method of tracking a mobile unit, said method comprising the steps of: establishing a communication link with a node of a satellite communication system comprised of a plurality of nodes having movement relative to said mobile unit; generating at said mobile unit, original location data, said original location data describing an original location of said mobile unit; sending said original location data from said mobile unit to said one node; first determining by said communication system, a geo-political jurisdiction in which said mobile unit resides based on said original location; second determining by said communication system, parameters for said communication link based on restrictions imposed by said geo-political jurisdiction, said parameters including frequency allocation, billing rates and taxes; calculating by said communication system, a radius determined in part by said mobile unit's proximity to a border of said geo-political jurisdiction in which said mobile unit resides based on said original location of said mobile unit; receiving at said mobile unit, a data message describing said radius; defining by said mobile unit, an area around said original location of said mobile unit using said radius; third determining, by said mobile unit, when said mobile unit is outside of said area by comparing said original location to a current location of said mobile unit; and transmitting to said satellite communication system, from said mobile unit when said mobile unit is outside of said area, a current location data message describing said current location of said mobile unit.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
246 words
A method of tracking a mobile unit, said method comprising the steps of: establishing a communication link with a node of a satellite communication system comprised of a plurality of nodes having movement relative to said mobile unit; generating at said mobile unit, original location data, said original location data describing an original location of said mobile unit; sending said original location data from said mobile unit to said one node; first determining by said communication system, a geo-political jurisdiction in which said mobile unit resides based on said original location; second determining by said communication system, parameters for said communication link based on restrictions imposed by said geo-political jurisdiction, said parameters including frequency allocation, billing rates and taxes; calculating by said communication system, a radius determined in part by said mobile unit's proximity to a border of said geo-political jurisdiction in which said mobile unit resides based on said original location of said mobile unit; receiving at said mobile unit, a data message describing said radius; defining by said mobile unit, an area around said original location of said mobile unit using said radius; third determining, by said mobile unit, when said mobile unit is outside of said area by comparing said original location to a current location of said mobile unit; and transmitting to said satellite communication system, from said mobile unit when said mobile unit is outside of said area, a current location data message describing said current location of said mobile unit.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
90 words
A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein: said method additionally comprises after said generating step the step of saving in said mobile unit, data describing said original location; said data message describing said radius includes a value which describes a distance; said defining step comprises the step of defining a circular area using said radius and said original location; and said third determining step determines that said current location is outside of said circular area when said current location is greater than said distance away from said original location.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
61 words
A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said sending step comprises the step of sending said original location data describing a latitude and a longitude of said original location, and said first determining step comprises the steps of looking up in a look up table, said geo-political jurisdiction in which said mobile unit resides based on said latitude and longitude.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
54 words
A method as claimed in claim 1 additionally comprising the steps of: fourth determining, at said mobile unit, when said mobile unit has moved to a new location which is at least a predetermined distance away from said original location; and transmitting, from said mobile unit, a second data message describing said new location.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
69 words
A method as claimed in claim 1 additionally comprising the steps of: saving a time stamp describing the approximate time when said mobile unit was at said original location; determining, at said mobile unit, when a predetermined duration has transpired since the time described by said time stamp; and transmitting, from said mobile unit upon the expiration of said predetermined duration, a third data message describing said current location.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said generating, sending, first determining, second determining, calculating and receiving steps are performed in response to energizing said mobile unit.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
57 words
A method as claimed in claim 1 additionally comprising the step of repeating said first determining, said calculating, said receiving, said defining and said third determining steps after said transmitting step; and the step of reevaluating by said communication system, said parameters of said communication link when said said current location resides within a different geo-political jurisdiction.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
63 words
A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said determining step comprises the steps of: monitoring radio-frequency signals to obtain a set of parameters which are descriptive of said current location; evaluating said set of parameters to detect a predetermined relationship with respect to said area; and repeating said monitoring and evaluating steps until said predetermined relationship is detected in said evaluating step.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method as claimed in claim 8 wherein said monitoring step comprises the step of receiving artificial satellite positioning system signals.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
144 words
A method of managing communications between a mobile unit that operates within various geo-political jurisdictions and nodes of a satellite communication network, said method allowing for parameters of a communication link to conform with diverse rules and procedures imposed by said various geo-political jurisdictions, said method comprising the steps of: generating, at said mobile unit, original location data by using an artificial satellite positioning system, said original location data describing an original location of said mobile unit; sending, from said mobile unit to a satellite, a data message describing said original location, said satellite being a node of said communication network; and communicating by said mobile unit with said communication network over said communication link, said parameters for said communication link based on restrictions imposed by a geo-political jurisdiction in which said mobile unit resides, said parameters including frequency allocation, billing rates and taxes.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
144 words
A method of managing communications between a mobile unit that operates within various geo-political jurisdictions and nodes of a satellite communication network, said method allowing for parameters of a communication link to conform with diverse rules and procedures imposed by said various geo-political jurisdictions, said method comprising the steps of: generating, at said mobile unit, original location data by using an artificial satellite positioning system, said original location data describing an original location of said mobile unit; sending, from said mobile unit to a satellite, a data message describing said original location, said satellite being a node of said communication network; and communicating by said mobile unit with said communication network over said communication link, said parameters for said communication link based on restrictions imposed by a geo-political jurisdiction in which said mobile unit resides, said parameters including frequency allocation, billing rates and taxes.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
91 words
A method as claimed in claim 10 wherein said generating, and sending steps are performed in response to energizing said mobile unit, said method further comprises the steps of: receiving, at said mobile unit, a data message describing a distance defining an area around said original location, said distance determined in part by said mobile unit's proximity to a border of said geo-political jurisdiction in which said mobile unit resides; and sending from said mobile unit to said communication network, new location data when said mobile unit is outside said area.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
234 words
A mobile unit for use in a communication system which manages data describing a location for said mobile unit, said mobile unit comprising: a location generator for generating original location data describing an original location of said mobile unit when said mobile unit initiates a communication service; a memory for storing said original location data; a transceiver for sending said original location data to said communication system; and a processor coupled to said location generator, said memory, and said transceiver, said processor being configured to obtain said original location data from said location generator, cause said memory to save said original location data, cause said transceiver to transmit said original location data to said communication system and to obtain border data received at said transceiver from said communication system, said border data determined by said communication system and including a distance to a boundary of a geo-political jurisdiction in which said mobile unit resides; said processor causing said location generator to generate current location data and determine when a current location of said mobile unit is outside of a circular area determined by said distance and said original location; said processor causing said transceiver to transmit a current location data message which includes said current location to said communication system when said current location is outside said area, said communication system determining parameters for said communication service including frequency allocation, billing rate and tax.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
234 words
A mobile unit for use in a communication system which manages data describing a location for said mobile unit, said mobile unit comprising: a location generator for generating original location data describing an original location of said mobile unit when said mobile unit initiates a communication service; a memory for storing said original location data; a transceiver for sending said original location data to said communication system; and a processor coupled to said location generator, said memory, and said transceiver, said processor being configured to obtain said original location data from said location generator, cause said memory to save said original location data, cause said transceiver to transmit said original location data to said communication system and to obtain border data received at said transceiver from said communication system, said border data determined by said communication system and including a distance to a boundary of a geo-political jurisdiction in which said mobile unit resides; said processor causing said location generator to generate current location data and determine when a current location of said mobile unit is outside of a circular area determined by said distance and said original location; said processor causing said transceiver to transmit a current location data message which includes said current location to said communication system when said current location is outside said area, said communication system determining parameters for said communication service including frequency allocation, billing rate and tax.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
56 words
A mobile unit as claimed in claim 12 further comprising a control unit linked to said mobile unit and wherein said processor is further configured to automatically cause said transceiver to transmit current location data to said control unit when said current location is outside of said area, said current location data describing said current location.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
81 words
A mobile unit as claimed in claim 12 further comprising a control unit linked to said mobile unit and wherein said processor is further configured to determine when a current location of said mobile unit is at least a predetermined distance away from an original location described by said original location data and to transmit current location data to said control unit when said current location is at least said predetermined distance away, said current location data describing said current location.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
51 words
A mobile unit as claimed in claim 12 wherein said processor is further configured to obtain said original location data from said location generator, cause said memory to save said original location data, and cause said transceiver to transmit said original location data in response to said mobile unit being energized.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
36 words
A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said generating step comprises the step of generating said original location data by monitoring a Doppler signature of at least one satellite of said plurality of orbiting satellites.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
33 words
A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said generating step comprises the step of generating said original location data by receiving artificial satellite positioning system signals from a Global Positioning System (GPS).
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
50 words
A mobile unit as claimed in claim 12 wherein said processor is further configured to establish a communication link with a satellite of said communication system, said satellite being part of a plurality of orbiting satellites having movement relative to said mobile unit and part of said satellite positioning system.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
21 words
A mobile unit as claimed in claim 18 wherein said artificial satellite positioning signals comprise a Doppler signature of said satellite.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1997-11-14 | 1998-05-16 | 1998-11-15 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2001-11-14 | 2002-05-16 | 2002-11-15 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2005-11-14 | 2006-05-16 | 2006-11-15 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |