METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLY TRACKING LOCATION OF A WIRELESS COMMUNICATION DEVICE

摘要

A wireless communication system (100) employs a method (700) and apparatus for automatically tracking locations of wireless communication devices (102, 104, 106) in a geographic area, such as an ad hoc area of an emergency scene, that is divided into two or more zones (108, 110, 112). A wireless communication device (102) or a host device (122), determines a location of the wireless device (102). The wireless device's location is then associated with one of the zones (108, 110, 112). An indication (410) of a zone change is presented to a user of the wireless device and/or the host device (102, 122), as applicable, in the event that the wireless device's location reflects a transition of the device from one zone to another. Alternatively, each wireless device (102, 104, 106) might be associated with a corresponding group, such as a fire department, and the zone change indication might include an identifier (412) of the wireless device's group.