US 6,636,175 B2Granted

Method and apparatus for acquiring a remote position

OwnerPaul Grady Russell, Deborah L. Schultzinventors

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Abstract

A method and apparatus for acquiring a remote position. The present invention allows a user to locate a remote paging device located on a person or piece of property to determine its physical position. A user contacts a position service provider, identifies a device or devices to be located and provides a password. A message is then generated to locate the remote device over a communications network. In one embodiment, a paging communications network is used. Another embodiment uses a Bluetooth communications network to contact the remote device. The position of the remote device is determined by a GPS transceiver and is sent to the position service provider. The position of the remote device is then displayed on a map for the user. The remote device can also be used to send a distress signal which will provide the position of the sender and automatically be forwarded to emergency services.

Claims12

Dependent claims

A method for acquiring a remote position comprising:

providing a remote paging device that includes a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver, a Bluetooth communication module for communicating over a Bluetooth communications network, and a paging communication module for communicating over a paging communications network;
initiating a query, wherein an initiating source accesses a web page of a position service provider, said query including identifying information for identifying said remote paging device and conveying a request for the position of said remote paging device;
sending said query from said position service provider to said remote paging device using said paging communications network, said paging communication module operable to receive said query using said paging communications network;
determining a position at said remote paging device using said GPS receiver upon receiving said query;
and
sending a response from said remote paging device to said initiating source, said paging communications module operable to send said response using said paging communications network, said response including said determined position.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.