Location information display for cellular device

• US 20070004426A1
• Filed: 06/30/2005
• Published: 01/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Zahn, David, Wilkin, George, Pfleging, Gerald, Pfleging, Rachel
• Application Number:
  US11/173,967
• Publication Number:
  US 20070004426A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.100
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2205/008 using a mobile telephone network
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/14 between corresponding nodes

Abstract

A method in one example comprises the steps of receiving, from a requesting user of a cellular device, a request for real-time location information for at least a second user; retrieving location data for the requesting user and the at least a second user; transmitting the location data for the requesting user and the at least a second user to the requesting user'"'"'s cellular device; displaying the location data on the requesting user'"'"'s cellular device using unique icons to identify the relative positions of the requesting user and the at least a second user; and periodically updating the location data and transmitting the updated location data to the requesting user'"'"'s cellular device to maintain a real-time display of relative position information on the requesting user'"'"'s cellular device.

Claims

1. A method comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving, from a requesting user of a cellular device, a request for real-time location information for at least a second user;

(b) retrieving location data for the requesting user and the at least a second user;

(c) transmitting the location data for the requesting user and the at least a second user to the requesting user'"'"'s cellular device;

(d) displaying the location data on the requesting user'"'"'s cellular device using unique icons to identify the relative positions of the requesting user and the at least a second user; and

(e) periodically updating the location data and transmitting the updated location data to the requesting user'"'"'s cellular device to maintain a real-time display of relative position information on the requesting user'"'"'s cellular device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

(a1) notifying the at least a second user of the request for real-time location information; and

(a2) providing the at least a second user the opportunity to accept or deny the request.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step (b) of retrieving location data further comprises the step of retrieving location data based upon GPS location information.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step (b) of retrieving location data further comprises the step of retrieving location data based upon triangulation of the location of the at least a second user.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step (c) of transmitting the location data further comprises the steps of:

(c1) accessing altitude information for the requesting user and the at least a second user; and

(c2) transmitting location information and altitude information to the requesting user.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step (d) of displaying location information further comprises the steps of:

(d1) accessing an associated application program to retrieve unique icon information specified by the requesting user; and

(d2) displaying the unique icons in conjunction with numeric relative position information associated with at least the second user.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the step (e) of periodically updating the location data further comprises the step of accessing predefined parameters established by the requesting user and determining desired real-time location information update interval.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

(f) billing the requesting user for transmission of location data.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the step (f) of billing the requesting user further comprises billing the requesting user for both airtime and for GPS location information retrieval.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the step (f) of billing the requesting user further comprises billing the requesting user a supplemental charge for any triangulation location determinations that are required in determining the location of the at least a second user.

11. A system comprising:

means for receiving, from a requesting user of a cellular device, a request for real-time location information for at least a second user;

means for retrieving location data for the requesting user and the at least a second user;

means for transmitting the location data for the requesting user and the at least a second user to the requesting user'"'"'s cellular device;

means for displaying the location data on the requesting user'"'"'s cellular device using unique icons to identify the relative positions of the requesting user and the at least a second user; and

means for periodically updating the location data and transmitting the updated location data to the requesting user'"'"'s cellular device to maintain a real-time display of relative position information on the requesting user'"'"'s cellular device.

12. The system of claim 11, further comprising:

means for notifying the at least a second user of the request for real-time location information; and

means for providing the at least a second user the opportunity to accept or deny the request.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the means for retrieving location data further comprises means for retrieving location data based upon GPS location information.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the means for retrieving location data further comprises means for retrieving location data based upon triangulation of the location of the at least a second user.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the means for transmitting the location data further comprises:

means for accessing altitude information for the requesting user and the at least a second user; and

means for transmitting location information and altitude information to the requesting user.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the means for displaying location information further comprises:

means for accessing an associated application program to retrieve unique icon information specified by the requesting user; and

means for displaying the unique icons in conjunction with numeric relative position information associated with at least the second user.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the means for periodically updating the location data further comprises means for accessing predefined parameters established by the requesting user and means for determining desired real-time location information update interval.

18. The system of claim 11, further comprising:

means for billing the requesting user for transmission of location data.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the means for billing the requesting user further comprises means for billing the requesting user for both airtime and for GPS location information retrieval.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the means for billing the requesting user further comprises means for billing the requesting user a supplemental charge for any triangulation location determinations that are required in determining the location of the at least a second user.