Abstract:
A computer server provides location of a mobile device to a user. The computer server allocates to an account for the user a predetermined number of location credits associated with a purchase made by the user; The computer server receives, from the user, identification information that identifies the mobile device. Upon the user requesting a current location of the mobile device, the computer server checks to see whether there remains location credits allocated to the account for the user and, provided there remains location credits allocated to the account for the user, provides to the user location information about the current location of the mobile device.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    The global positioning satellite (GPS) capability of cells phones provides the opportunity to monitor location of cell phones. Services like instamapper service, available at http://www.instamapper.com/, allows a GPS-enabled cell phone to be tracked online in real time. 
         [0002]    It is not necessary for a cell phone to have GPS capability to be monitored. Location of cell phones can also be estimated using “cell tower triangulation.” In this method, a ping can be sent from each cell tower currently detecting the signal of a cell phone. The distance of the cell phone to a cell tower can be estimated based on the lag time between the time when the cell tower sends a ping to the cell phone and a time when the cell tower receives an answering ping back from the cell phone. 
         [0003]    Assuming a relatively flat topography, If there are at least three cell towers within range of a cell phone, and the distance between the cell and each of the three towers is known (at least approximately) from estimates based on ping lag time, then it is possible to calculate (or at least estimate) a location of the cell phone based on the location of the three cell towers. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         [0004]      FIG. 1  is a simplified block diagram showing a system in which a prepaid card is used to provide location credits used to obtain location of a cell phone in accordance with an implementation. 
           [0005]      FIG. 2  is a simplified flow chart that illustrates a user view of a system in which a prepaid card is used to provide location credits used to obtain location of a cell phone in accordance with an implementation. 
           [0006]      FIG. 3  is a simplified flow chart that illustrates a server perspective of a system in which a prepaid card is used to provide location credits used to obtain location of a cell phone in accordance with an implementation. 
           [0007]      FIG. 4  is shows a location of a cell phone displayed on a map in response to use of a location credit within a system in which a prepaid card is used to provide location credits used to obtain location of the cell phone in accordance with an implementation. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0008]      FIG. 1  shows a cell phone  10  in communication with a cell tower  11 , a cell tower  12  and a cell tower  13 . A location of cell phone  10  can be estimated using cell tower triangulation. That is cell tower  11  can send a ping to cell phone  10 . The distance from cell tower  11  to cell phone  10  can be estimated based on the lag time between a time when cell tower  11  sends a ping to cell phone  10  and a time when cell tower  11  receives back an answering ping from cell phone  10 . Likewise, the distance from cell tower  12  to cell phone  10  can be estimated based on the lag time between a time when cell tower  12  sends a ping to cell phone  10  and a time when cell tower  12  receives back an answering ping from cell phone  10 . Also, the distance from cell tower  13  to cell phone  10  can be estimated based on the lag time between a time when cell tower  13  sends a ping to cell phone  10  and a time when cell tower  13  receives back an answering ping from cell phone  10 . 
         [0009]    Geographic location of cell phone  10  can be estimated in other ways. For example, if cell phone  10  is GPS enabled, cell phone  10  can determine its location based on triangulation based on GPS signals. Particularly, distance to a satellite can be based on measuring how long a radio signal takes to travel from the satellite to cell phone  10 . Knowing cell phone distance from three satellites is usually sufficient to locate a cell phone because one of the two points identified by the triangulation will be on the surface of the earth, and thus be a better guess for the location of the cell phone. Knowing cell phone distance from four satellites will allow a unique three-dimensional location of cell phone  10  to be identified. 
         [0010]    Location information of cell phone  10  can be obtained by server  15 . For example, a cell phone company can provide this location based on cell phone triangulation. Alternatively, cell phone  10  can provide this information to server  15  based on its estimate of its location based on GPS. For example cell phone  10  communicates location information to server  15  via a connection through internet  14 . 
         [0011]    If a user utilizing a computing device  16  desires to monitor location of cell phone  10 , computer device  16  can, via internet  14 , request this information from server  15 . Computer device  16  is, for example, a personal computer, a portable computer, a tablet device, a reader with a web browser, a smart phone, a personal digital assistant, or some other device capable of communicating with server  15  through internet  14 . 
         [0012]    Server  15  may, for example, provide the requested location information to computing device  16  for a service charge. For example, the user of computing device  16  can purchase a prepaid card that pays for a predetermined number of location checks for cell phone  10 . Server  15  stores prepaid information in a database  17 . Database  17  may be accessed by server  15  via internet  14  or through some other communication means. Alternatively, server  15  may host database  17  within server  15 . 
         [0013]      FIG. 2  is a simplified flow chart that illustrates a user view of a system in which a prepaid card is used to provide location credits used to obtain location of a cell phone. In a block  21 , a user purchases a prepaid locate card. For example, the user can purchase the prepaid card at a “brick and mortar store” such as an electronics store, a computer store, a cell phone store, a grocery store or a drug store, etc. Alternatively, the user can purchase the prepaid locate card through an internet merchant or a catalog merchant, etc. 
         [0014]    The prepaid card may be, for example, a physical card where a sticker or scratch-off surface conceals a registration code. Alternatively, the prepaid card may not be a physical card, but may merely be a registration code transmitted to a user upon the user&#39;s purchase of the prepaid card, for example, via an internet merchant. 
         [0015]    In a block  22 , a user connects to server  15  via internet  14  utilizing, for example cell phone  10 , computing device  16  or some other device with capability to connect to server  15 . In a block  23 , the user creates an account. Information for the account, for example, may be stored by server  15  in database  17 . 
         [0016]    In a block  24 , the user logs into the registered account. While logged in, the user can redeem location credits allocated on the purchased prepaid card, as shown in a block  25 . For example, the user provides the registration code from the prepaid to server  15 . Server  15  consults database  17  to determine whether the registration code is valid and not yet used. If the registration code is valid and not yet used, server  15  then determines the number of location credits associated with the registration code. Then, server  15  accesses database  17  to add the number of location credits associated with the registration code to the user&#39;s account and to mark the registration code as used. Alternatively, or in addition, the user can purchase location credits when logged in, for example using a credit card, a debit card, or some other purchasing method. 
         [0017]    In a block  26 , performed before or after a user redeems location credits, the user registers a mobile device whose location is to be tracked. For example, the mobile device is a cell phone such as cell phone  10 . For example, the user registers a cell phone by providing a telephone number for the cell phone. 
         [0018]    In a block  27 , the user makes a location query. For example, the user makes a location query from computing device  16 , cell phone  10 , or any other device that is able to access server  15 . After the user is logged into the account the user request location of cell phone  10 . Server  15  accesses location information, for example as generated by triangulation from information from cell towers nearby cell phone  10 . Provided there is at least one location credit available in the user&#39;s account for cell phone  10 , the server provides the user with the location information for cell phone  10 . For example, if the user has logged onto server  15  through use of computing device  16 , server  15  will display the location information on a map provided to computing device  16 . Similarly, server  15  will cause the location information to be displayed on a map of any device from which the user requests the location information. 
         [0019]    For example,  FIG. 4  shows a location  42  for cell phone  10  being displayed on a display  41  of a smart phone  40 . The display is the result of the user using smart phone  40  to log into server  15  and to request location information for cell phone  10 . 
         [0020]      FIG. 3  is a simplified flow chart that illustrates a server perspective of a system in which a prepaid card is used to provide location credits used to obtain location of a cell phone. In a block  31 , upon a user connecting to server  15  via internet  14 , the server allows the user to create an account. 
         [0021]    In a block  32 , the server requests and receives login information from the user when the user attempts to log into the registered account. While the user is logged in, server  15  allows the user to redeem location credits allocated on the purchased prepaid card, as illustrated by block  33 . Server  15  consults database  17  to determine whether the registration code is valid and not yet used. If the registration code is valid and not yet used, server  15  determines the number of location credits associated with the registration code. Then, server  15  accesses database  17  to add the number of location credits associated with the registration code to the user&#39;s account and to mark the registration code as used. Alternatively, or in addition, server  15  allows the user to purchase location credits when logged in, for example, using a credit card, a debit card, or some other purchasing method. 
         [0022]    In a block  34 , server  15  receives the mobile device registration from the user. Server  15  updates database  17  with identification of the mobile device for the user&#39;s account. 
         [0023]    Once a user is registered and location credits are allocated to a registered mobile device, such as cell phone  10 , the server is ready to receive location requests from the user. In a block  35 , server  15  receives a location query from the user, for example via the user logging onto server  15  and making the request from computing device  16 , cell phone  10 , or any other device that is able to access server  15 . In a block  36 , server  15  checks the user account to see if there are location credits remaining. If not, the location request is refused. If there are location credit locations remaining, then server  15  accesses location information, for example as generated by triangulation from information from cell towers nearby cell phone  10 . For example, server  15  will caused to be displayed the location information on a map provided to computing device  16  or some other device from which the user requests the location information. In a block  37 , server  15  decrements the number of remaining location credits in the user account. 
         [0024]    The foregoing discussion discloses and describes merely exemplary methods and implementations. As will be understood by those familiar with the art, the disclosed subject matter may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or characteristics thereof. Accordingly, the present disclosure is intended to be illustrative, but not limiting, of the scope of the invention, which is set forth in the following claims.