Easy location sharing

• US 10,341,826 B2
• Filed: 05/21/2018
• Issued: 07/02/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/14/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Chang, Jae Woo, Frost, Megan M., Dickens, Joshua B., Lemay, Stephen O., Van Os, Marcel, Dellinger, Richard R., Yang, Lawrence Y.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hu, Jinsong
• Assistant Examiner(s): Yi, Alexander J
• Application Number:
  US15/985,570
• Publication Number:
  US 20180270627A1
• Time in Patent Office: 407 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/08 Annexed information, e.g. attachments
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/222 using geographical location information, e.g. messages transmitted or received in proximity of a certain spot or area
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/14 Short messaging services, e.g. short message services [SMS] or unstructured supplementary service data [USSD]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0209 in terminal devices terminal devices per se H04W88/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/006 with additional information processing, e.g. for direction or speed determination
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Systems and methods for sharing location information during a message conversation are provided. An electronic device detects a location-sharing request from a first participant of a message conversation to share first participant location information with a second participant. The device then enables the second participant to obtain the first participant location information during a predetermined location-sharing time period. In response to detecting interaction by one of the first participant and the second participant with the message conversation during the predetermined location-sharing time period, the device extends the predetermined location-sharing time period.

Claims

1. A mobile electronic device, comprising:

a touch-sensitive surface;

a display;

one or more processors; and

memory storing one or more programs configured to be executed by the one or more processors, the one or more programs including instructions for;

displaying, on the display, a message region;

displaying, in the message region, a message transcript of messages sent between a first participant and a second participant;

while displaying the message transcript of messages in the message region, detecting, via the touch-sensitive surface, one or more inputs directed to sharing a location of the first participant and

in response to detecting the one or more inputs, displaying a shared-location affordance in the message region, wherein the shared-location affordance comprises a map representation of a location of the first participant, wherein user input on the shared-location affordance causes display of an enlarged map view of the map representation corresponding to the location of the first participant, and wherein displaying the shared-location affordance in the message region comprises;

shifting, in an upwards direction, the message transcript in the message region; and

displaying the shared-location affordance is displayed below and adjacent to the message transcript; and

subsequent to displaying the shared-location affordance in the message region, displaying a new message of the message transcript of messages in the message region, wherein the new message is by the first participant or the second participant, and wherein displaying the new message comprises;

shifting, in an upwards direction, the message transcript and the shared-location affordance in the message region; and

displaying the new message below the shared-location affordance in the message region.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the shared-location affordance comprises a map view.

3. The electronic device of claim 2, wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:

detecting a predefined gesture on the touch-sensitive surface at a position that corresponds to the shared-location affordance; and

in response to detecting the predefined gesture, enlarging the map view.

4. The electronic device of claim 3, wherein enlarging the map view comprises gradually enlarging the map view as a parameter associated with the gesture changes.

5. The electronic device of claim 2, wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:

displaying the representation of the first participant on the map view at a position that corresponds to a location of the first participant.

6. The electronic device of claim 5, wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:

displaying a second map view in the message transcript; and

displaying a representation of the second participant at a position on the second map view that corresponds to a location of the second participant.

7. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:

receiving an updated location of the first participant; and

in response to receiving the updated location of the first participant, displaying a representation of the updated location of the first participant in the shared-location affordance associated with the first participant.

8. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:

receiving a new message sent between the first and second participant in the message conversation; and

in response to receiving the new message;

displaying a representation of the new message at the bottom of the transcript; and

continuing display of the shared-location affordance at the same location.

9. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:

receiving a new message sent between the first and second participant in the message conversation; and

in response to receiving the new message;

displaying a representation of the new message in the center of the transcript; and

continuing display of the shared-location affordance at the same location.

10. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the shared-location affordance comprises a representation of the first participant.

11. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the shared-location affordance comprises a rounded corner toward the center of the message transcript.

12. A method comprising:

at a mobile electronic device with a touch-sensitive surface and a display;

displaying, on the display, a message region;

displaying, in the message region, a message transcript of messages sent between a first participant and a second participant;

while displaying the message transcript of messages in the message region, detecting, via the touch-sensitive surface, one or more inputs directed to sharing a location of the first participant and

in response to detecting the one or more inputs, displaying a shared-location affordance in the message region, wherein the shared-location affordance comprises a map representation of a location of the first participant, wherein user input on the shared-location affordance causes display of an enlarged map view of the map representation corresponding to the location of the first participant, and wherein displaying the shared-location affordance in the message region comprises;

shifting, in an upwards direction, the message transcript in the message region; and

displaying the shared-location affordance is displayed below and adjacent to the message transcript; and

subsequent to displaying the shared-location affordance in the message region, displaying a new message of the message transcript of messages in the message region, wherein the new message is by the first participant or the second participant, and wherein displaying the new message comprises;

shifting, in an upwards direction, the message transcript and the shared-location affordance in the message region; and

displaying the new message below the shared-location affordance in the message region.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the shared-location affordance comprises a map view.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

detecting a predefined gesture on the touch-sensitive surface at a position that corresponds to the shared-location affordance; and

in response to detecting the predefined gesture, enlarging the map view.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein enlarging the map view comprises gradually enlarging the map view as a parameter associated with the gesture changes.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

displaying the representation of the first participant on the map view at a position that corresponds to a location of the first participant.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

displaying a second map view in the message transcript; and

displaying a representation of the second participant at a position on the second map view that corresponds to a location of the second participant.

19. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

receiving an updated location of the first participant; and

in response to receiving the updated location of the first participant, displaying a representation of the updated location of the first participant in the shared-location affordance associated with the first participant.

20. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

receiving a new message sent between the first and second participant in the message conversation; and

in response to receiving the new message;

displaying a representation of the new message at the bottom of the transcript; and

continuing display of the shared-location affordance at the same location.

21. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

receiving a new message sent between the first and second participant in the message conversation; and

in response to receiving the new message;

displaying a representation of the new message in the center of the transcript; and

continuing display of the shared-location affordance at the same location.

22. The method of claim 12, wherein the shared-location affordance comprises a representation of the first participant.

23. The method of claim 12, wherein the shared-location affordance comprises a rounded corner toward the center of the message transcript.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising one or more programs configured to be executed by one or more processors of a mobile electronic device with a touch-sensitive surface and a display, the one or more programs including instructions for:

displaying, on the display, a message region;

displaying, in the message region, a message transcript of messages sent between a first participant and a second participant;

while displaying the message transcript of messages in the message region, detecting, via the touch-sensitive surface, one or more inputs directed to sharing a location of the first participant and

in response to detecting the one or more inputs, displaying a shared-location affordance in the message region, wherein the shared-location affordance comprises a map representation of a location of the first participant, wherein user input on the shared-location affordance causes display of an enlarged map view of the map representation corresponding to the location of the first participant, and wherein displaying the shared-location affordance in the message region comprises;

shifting, in an upwards direction, the message transcript in the message region; and

displaying the shared-location affordance is displayed below and adjacent to the message transcript; and

subsequent to displaying the shared-location affordance in the message region, displaying a new message of the message transcript of messages in the message region, wherein the new message is by the first participant or the second participant, and wherein displaying the new message comprises;

shifting, in an upwards direction, the message transcript and the shared-location affordance in the message region; and

displaying the new message below the shared-location affordance in the message region.

24. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the shared-location affordance comprises a map view.

25. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 24, wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:

detecting a predefined gesture on the touch-sensitive surface at a position that corresponds to the shared-location affordance; and

in response to detecting the predefined gesture, enlarging the map view.

26. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 25, wherein enlarging the map view comprises gradually enlarging the map view as a parameter associated with the gesture changes.

27. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 24, wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:

displaying the representation of the first participant on the map view at a position that corresponds to a location of the first participant.

28. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 27, wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:

displaying a second map view in the message transcript; and

displaying a representation of the second participant at a position on the second map view that corresponds to a location of the second participant.

29. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:

receiving an updated location of the first participant; and

in response to receiving the updated location of the first participant, displaying a representation of the updated location of the first participant in the shared-location affordance associated with the first participant.

30. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:

receiving a new message sent between the first and second participant in the message conversation; and

in response to receiving the new message;

displaying a representation of the new message at the bottom of the transcript; and

continuing display of the shared-location affordance at the same location.

31. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:

receiving a new message sent between the first and second participant in the message conversation; and

in response to receiving the new message;

displaying a representation of the new message in the center of the transcript; and

continuing display of the shared-location affordance at the same location.

32. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the shared-location affordance comprises a representation of the first participant.

33. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the shared-location affordance comprises a rounded corner toward the center of the message transcript.