Automatic remote communication using network telephony

Abstract

The present invention is a method and apparatus to provide remote communication using network telephony. In a transmitter, an activation message is decoded to generate an activation command. The activation message is sent from an activator via a communication medium in response to a telephony call. An information message is transmitted, responsive to the activation command, to a receiver using a communication protocol. In a receiver, an activation message is decoded to generate an activation command. The activation message is sent in response to a telephone call. An information message is received, responsive to the activation command. The information message is sent from a transmitter according to a communication protocol via a communication medium.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of operating a communication system, the method comprising:
 receiving an activation request at a location-aware component of the communication system, the activation request indicating occurrence of an activation event;   in response to the activation request, sending a signal indicating a location of the location-aware component to a networking component of the communication system;   receiving the signal indicating the location of the location-aware component at the networking component; and   sending a signal indicating the location of the location-aware component into a communication network toward at least one network server communicatively coupled to the communication network.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 sending a signal indicating the activation event with the signal indicating the location of the location-aware component sent from the location-aware component to the networking component; and   sending a signal indicating the activation event with the signal indicating the location of the location-aware component sent from the networking component toward the at least one network server.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising sending the activation request from an activation component of the communication system to the location-aware component in response to the activation event. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein:
 the communication system includes a plurality of location-aware components, distributed at respective geographically spaced locations; and   sending the activation request from an activation component of the communication system to the location-aware component in response to the activation event comprises sending a local activation request signal from the activation component for detection only by at least one location-aware component located near to the activation component.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein:
 the activation component includes at least one sensor; and   the activation event comprises at least one sensor reading.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the signals indicating the activation event comprise signals indicating the at least one sensor reading, and the method further comprises:
 receiving the signal indicating the at least one sensor reading and the signal indicating the location of the location-aware component at the at least one network server; and   processing the at least one sensor reading and the location at the at least one network server.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the activation event comprises a commercial transaction. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the signals indicating the activation event comprise signals information pertaining to the commercial transaction, and the method further comprises:
 receiving the signal comprising information pertaining to the commercial transaction and the signal indicating the location of the location-aware component at the at least one network server; and   processing the information pertaining to the commercial transaction and the location at the at least one network server.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the activation event comprises initiation of a communication session by a component of the communication system located near the location-aware component of the communication system. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the communication session is an emergency communication session. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein receiving the activation request comprises receiving the activation request from a mobile communication device in response to initiation of the emergency communication session. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the emergency communication is a 911 call. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein receiving the activation request comprises receiving the activation request from a mobile telephony device in response to initiation of the 911 call. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising determining a current location of the location-aware component. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein:
 the location-aware component includes a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver; and   determining a current location of the location-aware component comprises determining the current location using GPS.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein:
 the location-aware component includes a receiver; and   determining a current location of the location-aware component comprises determine the current location based on signals received from ground-based transmitters having known locations.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the location-aware component has a known fixed location. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein sending the signal indicating the location of the location-aware component into the communication network toward the at least one network server communicatively coupled to the communication network comprises broadcasting the signal indicating the location of the location-aware component onto the communication network. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein sending the signal indicating the activation event with the signal indicating the location of the location-aware component into the communication network toward the at least one network server comprises broadcasting the signal indicating the activation event with the signal indicating the location of the location-aware component onto the communication network.