US 2016/0366550 A1 · LOCATING A DEVICE VIA A TEXT MESSAGE

Abstract

A first device may receive a location of a second device simply by sending a text message to the second device. The text message may comprise an identifier of the second device (e.g., phone number of the second device, mobile subsection identification number of the second device, etc.) and a location code. A communication network may intercept the text message. The communication network may analyze contents of the text message. The network may determine that the location code is valid and determine the location of the second device. The network may provide an indication of the location of the second device to the first device.

Claims20

Dependent claims

An apparatus comprising:

a processor;
and
memory coupled with the processor, the memory comprising executable instructions that when executed by the processor cause the processor to effectuate operations comprising:
receiving a text message for a device, the text message comprising:
an address of the device, and
a region of interest;
providing a location of the device when the location of the device is within the region of interest, the location of the device provided in a format compatible for rendering with a geographical map;
and
restricting forwarding of the text message to the device based on a determination that:
the text message comprises a code indicative of a request for the location of the device, and
the text message does not comprise a message for the device at the address.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application

15/250,096Filed 29 Aug 2016

Priority

29 Nov 2013

Published

15 Dec 2016

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification7 codes

H04W 4/14
Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements: short messaging services, e.g. short message services [SMS] or unstructured supplementary service data [USSD]
H04W 4/02
Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor: services making use of location information
H04W 4/029
Services making use of location information: location-based management or tracking services
H04W 12/062
Authentication: pre-authentication

Locating a device via a text message

Life of this patent

Locating a device via a text message

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20