Secure and private location sharing for location-aware mobile communication devices
First Claim
1. A location-aware mobile communication device system comprising:
- a registration component allowing a first user and second user to register for a location sharing service by validating possession of a respective location-aware mobile device;
a configuration component allowing the first user to invite the second user to establish a trusted relationship on a server computer coupled to each of the first and second user, by providing an identifier and phone number of the second user; and
a location sharing component displaying a location of the first user on the mobile device of the second user, when the trusted relationship has been established, and the first user has enabled location display of the first user'"'"'s respective mobile device on the mobile device of the second user.
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Abstract
Embodiments of a location sharing network manager process are described. The process is executed on a server computer coupled to a plurality of mobile communication devices over a wireless network. Each mobile device is a location-aware mobile communication device. The process determines the geographic location of a mobile communication device operated by a user within an area, displays a map representation of the area around the mobile communication device on a graphical user interface of the mobile communication device, and superimposes on the map the respective locations of one or more other trusted users of mobile communication devices coupled to the mobile communication device over the network. A security component allows users to establish trusted relationships by requiring mutual consent and disclosure of identifier and phone number information for each trusted user. Location information can be blocked among trusted users or obfuscated on the display of the mobile devices of the other users.
742 Citations
31 Claims
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1. A location-aware mobile communication device system comprising:
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a registration component allowing a first user and second user to register for a location sharing service by validating possession of a respective location-aware mobile device;
a configuration component allowing the first user to invite the second user to establish a trusted relationship on a server computer coupled to each of the first and second user, by providing an identifier and phone number of the second user; and
a location sharing component displaying a location of the first user on the mobile device of the second user, when the trusted relationship has been established, and the first user has enabled location display of the first user'"'"'s respective mobile device on the mobile device of the second user. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method comprising:
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determining the geographic location of a mobile communication device operated by a first user within an area;
displaying a map representation of the area around the mobile communication device on a graphical user interface of the mobile communication device;
establishing a trusted friend relationship between the first user and a second user upon an invitation request from the first user referencing an identifier and a data element related to the second user, the data element representing a non-public item of information known only to trusted friends of the second user, and a validation from the second user referencing an identifier and phone number of the first user; and
superimposing on the map, the location of the second user in the event that the second user has enabled a location sharing feature for the first user. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A method of allowing display of location-aware mobile communication devices in a network of users comprising:
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registering users in the network through a message-based registration and validation process;
allowing registered users to invite one or more other users coupled to the registered user over a network to participate in interaction within the system by providing an identifier and phone number for each user of the one or more other users; and
displaying a location of the registered user on a mobile device of the one or more other users, when the registered user has enabled a location-sharing function for the mobile device. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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Specification