System and method for locating a phone user
First Claim
1. A computer implemented method for identifying the location a user of a target communication device from a requesting communication device, the method comprising:
- receiving at a requesting communication device a selection of a target communication device, the selection having a contact record in an address book on the requesting communication device;
updating a location field in the contact record on the requesting communication device, the update providing a general location for the user of the target communication device;
displaying on the requesting communication device the general location as part of the contact record;
receiving a request to view the location of the target communication device;
obtaining a specific location for the target communication device; and
displaying the specific location for the target communication device.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Systems and methods for locating a user of a wired or wireless communication device allow a communication device to respond to a location request with its current location or a default location. A request for the location of a target wireless communication device is sent to the network where the request is responded to by the network or forwarded to the target device. When the request is received by the target device, the device can deny the location request or respond to the location request with the actual location of the device (as determined by GPS or the network) or with a default, predetermined location. The type of response (denial, actual location, or default location) can be selected by the user of the target device on a granular, per request basis so that the user of the target device can selectively respond to location requests in an appropriate fashion.
68 Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A computer implemented method for identifying the location a user of a target communication device from a requesting communication device, the method comprising:
-
receiving at a requesting communication device a selection of a target communication device, the selection having a contact record in an address book on the requesting communication device;
updating a location field in the contact record on the requesting communication device, the update providing a general location for the user of the target communication device;
displaying on the requesting communication device the general location as part of the contact record;
receiving a request to view the location of the target communication device;
obtaining a specific location for the target communication device; and
displaying the specific location for the target communication device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
-
-
10. A computer implemented method for responding to a request for the location a user of a target wireless communication device from a requesting wireless communication device, the method comprising:
-
receiving at a target wireless communication a request for the location of the target wireless communication device from a requesting device;
parsing the request to obtain a unique identifier for the requesting device;
determining a category for the unique identifier of the requesting device; and
responding to the location request with a denial of the request for the location of the target wireless communication device, an actual location of the target wireless communication device, or a predetermined location of the target wireless communication device according to the category for the unique identifier of the requesting device. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
-
-
16. A wireless communication device comprising:
-
a contact list comprising a plurality of contact records, each contact record having a location field configured to store a location for a wireless communication device associated with the respective contact record;
a location module configured to construct a location request seeking location information for a target wireless communication device associated with a particular contact record, send the location request over a wireless communication network, and update the location field for the particular contact record upon receiving a response to the location request;
wherein the location module is further configured to receive a location request, determine whether to deny the request or respond to the request, obtain current location information to include in a response to the request, and respond to the request with the current location information or deny the request. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
-
Specification