Method and system for authorized location monitoring

摘要

Techniques for location tracking, location utilization, and dissemination and management of location information are disclosed. As a location monitoring system, one embodiment includes at least a plurality of mobile computing devices supported by a wireless network, and a computing device coupled to a wired network (e.g., the Internet) that couples to the wireless network. Each of the mobile computing devices is associated with and proximate to an object whose location is being monitored. The computing device stores the locations of each of the mobile computing devices or the objects proximate thereto, and enables only authorized users to obtain access the locations via the wired network.

主权项

1. A location monitoring system for managing access to location information of a plurality of mobile electronic devices supported by at least one wireless network, each of the mobile electronic devices being associated with and proximate to a corresponding object, said location monitoring system comprising:
a computing device operatively connectable to the wireless network, said computing device storing locations of said mobile electronic devices, and said computing device managing authorization for access to the locations of said mobile electronic devices via one or more networks, wherein in managing authorization for access to the locations of said mobile electronic devices, said computing device (i) receives, from a requestor, a request to view the location pertaining to a particular one of the objects; (ii) determines whether the requestor is authorized to receive the location of the particular one of the objects; and (iii) permits access or delivery of the location pertaining to the particular one of the objects to the requestor provided that it is determined that the requestor is authorized to receive the location, and wherein in determining (ii) whether the requesting user is authorized to receive the location of the particular one of the objects, said computing device (a) determines whether viewing of the location of the particular one of the objects is pre-authorized, and (b) sends, when the viewing is determined not to be pre-authorized, a location access request notification to a mobile electronic device corresponding to the particular one of the objects for approval or disapproval of the request to view the location pertaining to the particular one of the objects.