METHOD, SYSTEM, AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT FOR PROVIDING LOCATION BASED SERVICES

• US 20080153508A1
• Filed: 12/22/2006
• Published: 06/26/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Data Services Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Ortiz, Guillermo, Jin, Zhiying, Hao, Jianxiu, Yin, Fenglin
• Granted Patent: US 8,190,174 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.2
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/34 Route searching; Route guidance
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3667 Display of a road map G01C21/3614 takes precedence; guidance using 3D or perspective road maps G01C21/3635
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/44 for communication between vehicles and infrastructures, e.g. vehicle-to-cloud [V2C] or vehicle-to-home [V2H]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data

Abstract

Methods, systems, and computer program products for providing location based services are provided. Embodiments may include storing locations for a plurality of users of a telecommunication environment and contact lists of associated users for the plurality of users. Embodiments may also include providing the locations of the associated users for a first user based on a request from the first user. The request may further include providing locations for associated users who are located within an area of interest. The area of interest may be defined by a particular distance from the first user or by a point of interest of the first user. The locations of the users may be determined based on the locations of communication devices of the users including an identified receiving communication device for each user.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

providing access to information regarding a plurality of users within a telecommunication environment, including providing access to at least a first contact list for at least a first user, wherein the first contact list defines one or more associated users of the first user;

determining a location for each of the associated users of the first user;

receiving a request from the first user for the location of at least one of the associated users of the first contact list; and

providing a location for the at least one of the associated users of the first contact list according to the request from the first user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving a request from the first user for a location for each of the associated users further includes receiving a request for a location for associated users of the contact list that are within an area of interest.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the area of interest is defined in relation to the location of the first user.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the area of interest is defined in relation to a point of interest.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing directions to the first user to a location of at least one of the associated users of the first contact list.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein providing access to information regarding the plurality of users further includes identifying a receiving communication device for each of the plurality of users and wherein determining a location for each of the plurality of users is at least partially based on a location of the receiving communication device.

7. A system comprising:

at least one storage element for maintaining information regarding a plurality of users within a telecommunication environment, including at least a first contact list for at least a first user, wherein the first contact list defines one or more associated users of the first user;

a receiving element configured to receive a request from a communication device of the first user for a location of at least one of the associated users of the first user;

a processing element for determining the location for the at least one of associated users of the first user according to the request, and wherein the determination is based at least partially through the information maintained in the storage element; and

a transmitting element for sending the location for the at least one of the associated users of the first user according to the request.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the receiving element is further configured to receive a request for a location for associated users of the first user within an area of interest.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the area of interest is defined in relation to the location of the first user.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the area of interest is defined in relation to a point of interest.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein the at least one storage element is configured to maintain mapping information, the processing element is configured to determine driving directions to at least one of the associated users from the location of the first user, and the transmitting element is configured to send the driving directions to the communication device of the first user.

12. The system of claim 7, wherein one or more users have one or more communication devices and wherein the at least one storage element maintains instructions from the one or more users defining a receiving communication device out of the one or more communication devices of each of the users and wherein the processing element is configured to determine the location for each of users at least partially based on a location of the receiving communication device for the user.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein at least one of the receiving communication devices of the plurality of users is a mobile device having a locating sensor and the receiving element is configured to receive updates from the mobile device regarding the location of the mobile device.

14. The system of claim 12 further comprising an authentication element for allowing at least partial access for the first user to information maintained in the at least one storage element.

15. A computer program product comprising a computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code portions stored therein, the computer-readable program code portions comprising:

a first executable portion for accessing information regarding a plurality of users within a telecommunication environment, including accessing at least a first contact list for at least a first user, wherein the first contact list defines one or more associated users of the first user;

a second executable portion for determining a location of at least one of the plurality of users;

a third executable portion for receiving a request from the first user for the location for the at least one of the associated users of the first contact list; and

a fourth executable portion for providing a location for the at least one of the associated users of the first contact list according to the request from the first user.

16. The computer program product according to claim 15, wherein the third executable portion includes instructions for receiving a request for a location for associated users of the first contact list that are within an area of interest.

17. The computer program product according to claim 16, wherein the area of interest is defined in relation to the location of the first user.

18. The computer program product according to claim 16, wherein the area of interest is defined in relation to a point of interest.

19. The computer program product according to claim 15 further comprising a fifth executable portion for providing directions to the first user to a location of at least one of the associated users of the first contact list.

20. The computer program product according to claim 15, wherein the first executable portion includes instructions for accessing information identifying a receiving communication device for each of the plurality of users and the second executable portion includes instructions for determining a location for each user at least partially based on the receiving communication device for the user.