System for providing location-based services in a wireless network, such as modifying locating privileges among individuals and managing lists of individuals associated with such privileges
First Claim
1. An apparatus for use in a wireless telephone network for providing communication between a wireless phone and multiple network access points, the apparatus comprising:
- a database storing at least a user record associated with a user'"'"'s wireless phone and a friend record associated with a friend'"'"'s wireless phone, wherein at least the user record includes;
a first table of friends who may receive, via the network, a current location of the user'"'"'s wireless phone; and
a second table of friends who have permitted the user to receive, via the system, a location of wireless devices associated with them; and
a server computer coupled to the database, wherein the sever computer is configured to;
receive an invisibility request from the user'"'"'s wireless phone to stop other wireless phones from receiving location information with respect to the user'"'"'s wireless phone;
update the user or friend records in the database based on the received invisibility request;
prohibit other wireless phones from receiving location information with respect to the user'"'"'s wireless phone;
receive a deny always request from the friend'"'"'s wireless phone, wherein the deny always request indicates that the user'"'"'s wireless phone is not to receive location information with respect to the friend'"'"'s wireless phone;
update the user or friend records in the database based on the received deny always request;
receive a request from the user'"'"'s wireless phone to obtain location information associated with a friend'"'"'s wireless phone; and
not provide location information with respect to the friend'"'"'s wireless device to the user'"'"'s wireless device based on the updated user or friend records for the received deny always request, and not provide notice to the friend'"'"'s wireless device of the location request from the user'"'"'s wireless phone.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system for providing wireless telecommunication services to mobile devices includes structure and functionality to manage permissions for location-based services. One method includes receiving a stop request with respect to one mobile device to stop other mobile devices from receiving location information with respect to the one mobile device. The method updates a central database based on the received stop request, and prohibits other mobile devices from receiving location information with respect to the one mobile device until a request to remove the stop is received. Other methods and systems are disclosed.
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Citations
44 Claims
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1. An apparatus for use in a wireless telephone network for providing communication between a wireless phone and multiple network access points, the apparatus comprising:
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a database storing at least a user record associated with a user'"'"'s wireless phone and a friend record associated with a friend'"'"'s wireless phone, wherein at least the user record includes;
a first table of friends who may receive, via the network, a current location of the user'"'"'s wireless phone; and
a second table of friends who have permitted the user to receive, via the system, a location of wireless devices associated with them; and
a server computer coupled to the database, wherein the sever computer is configured to;
receive an invisibility request from the user'"'"'s wireless phone to stop other wireless phones from receiving location information with respect to the user'"'"'s wireless phone;
update the user or friend records in the database based on the received invisibility request;
prohibit other wireless phones from receiving location information with respect to the user'"'"'s wireless phone;
receive a deny always request from the friend'"'"'s wireless phone, wherein the deny always request indicates that the user'"'"'s wireless phone is not to receive location information with respect to the friend'"'"'s wireless phone;
update the user or friend records in the database based on the received deny always request;
receive a request from the user'"'"'s wireless phone to obtain location information associated with a friend'"'"'s wireless phone; and
not provide location information with respect to the friend'"'"'s wireless device to the user'"'"'s wireless device based on the updated user or friend records for the received deny always request, and not provide notice to the friend'"'"'s wireless device of the location request from the user'"'"'s wireless phone. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. In a telecommunications system having multiple base stations communicating with multiple mobile devices, a computer-implemented method comprising:
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receiving a stop request with respect to one of the mobile devices to stop other mobile devices from receiving location information with respect to the one mobile device;
updating a central database based on the received stop request; and
prohibiting other mobile devices from receiving location information with respect to the one mobile device until the one mobile device provides a request to remove the stop request. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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12. The method of 4, wherein the method further comprises:
providing location information regarding the one mobile device to a select individual'"'"'s mobile device, despite receiving the stop request from the one mobile device.
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19. In a telecommunications system for providing location-based services, a method performed by a wireless device configured for communicating with the telecommunications system, the method comprising:
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receiving a menu of choices for modifying privileges with respect to location-based services;
selecting a menu choice from the menu of choices, wherein the menu of choices include;
(a) removing a friend from a first list of friends who have permitted a user to receive, via the system, a location of wireless devices associated with them, and (b) requesting a friend to be added to the first list of friends; and
providing input regarding privileges to be modified based on the selected menu choice. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. An apparatus for use in a system for providing communication between a wireless device and multiple network access points, the apparatus comprising:
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a database storing at least a first record associated with a first wireless device or a second record associated with a second wireless device; and
a server computer coupled to the database, wherein the sever computer is configured to;
receive a deny always request from the second wireless device, wherein the deny always request indicates that the first wireless device is not to receive location information with respect to the second wireless device;
update the first or second record based on the received deny always request;
receive a request from the first wireless device to obtain location information associated with the second wireless device; and
not provide location information with respect to the second wireless device to the first wireless device.
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25. The apparatus of claim 25 wherein the server computer is further configured to:
after updating, no longer display an indication to the second wireless device that the first wireless device requests location information. - View Dependent Claims (26)
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27. An apparatus for use in a wireless telecommunications network that provides location-based services to subscribers, the apparatus comprising:
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means for storing lists that indicate subscribers who wish to receive location information with respect to other subscribers;
means, coupled to the means for storing, for retrieving a list indicating at least one subscriber who wishes to receive location information with respect to a particular subscriber, and for providing the list to the particular subscriber;
means, coupled to the means for providing, for receiving an acceptance message from the particular subscriber; and
means, coupled to the means for storing, for updating the means for storing to reflect that the one subscriber may receive location information with respect to the particular subscriber. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29)
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30. A computer-readable medium whose contents cause at least one telecommunication mobile device associated with a user to perform a method to receive location based services from at least one telecommunications server, the method comprising:
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providing a pending request list indicating at least one subscriber who requests to receive location information with respect to the user'"'"'s mobile device;
receiving a command to reject the one subscriber'"'"'s request and future requests to receive location information with respect to the user'"'"'s mobile device;
wirelessly providing the command to the telecommunications server; and
not receiving an indication at the user'"'"'s mobile device that the one subscriber wishes to receive location information with respect to the user'"'"'s mobile device until the user cancels the command. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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37. In a telecommunications system for providing location-based services, a method performed by a wireless device associated with a user, wherein the wireless device is configured for communicating with the telecommunications system, the method comprising:
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providing a first displayable folder of a first set of friends who may receive, via the system, a current location of the user'"'"'s wireless device; and
providing a second displayable folder of a second set of friends who have permitted the user to receive, via the system, a location of wireless devices associated with them;
wherein the user may modify the first or second sets of friends in the respective first or second displayable folders. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44)
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Specification