SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SHARING LOCATION DATA IN A WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORK

• US 20100144368A1
• Filed: 12/04/2008
• Published: 06/10/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Pratt, James, Belz, Steven M., Sullivan, Marc
• Granted Patent: US 8,103,250 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.200
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/62 Establishing a time schedule for servicing the requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/068 using credential vaults, e.g. password manager applications or one time password [OTP] applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

A system and method for sharing location data amongst wireless communication devices uses a token system to grant permission to share location data. The tokens may be created automatically as the result of user activation of a different function. Location data may be exchanged when two wireless communication devices, authorized to exchange location data, are within a predetermined distance from each other. Location data may also be automatically exchanged upon the occurrence of a scheduled calendar event within a wireless communication device. Location data may be exchanged a single time or can be exchanged on a continuous or periodic basis so long as the token still exists. The token may be destroyed manually by some user activity or may be terminated automatically.

Claims

1. A system for sharing location data between devices on a wireless communication network, comprising:

a first wireless communication device having a transceiver configured to communicate with the network;

a first token processor associated with the first wireless communication device to authorize the disclosure of the location data for the first wireless device;

a second wireless communication device having a transceiver configured to communicate with the network; and

a second token processor associated with the second wireless communication device to authorize the disclosure of the location data for the second wireless device, wherein location data is exchanged between the first and second wireless communications devices only if both the first and second token processors have authorized the disclosure of the location data for the respective wireless communication devices and the first wireless communication device is within a predetermined distance of the second wireless communication device.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a location data receiver associated with the first wireless communication device and configured to generate location data indicative of a location of the first wireless communication device, the transceiver of the first wireless device being configured to transmit location data for the first wireless communication device to the second wireless communication device only if both the first and second token processors have authorized the disclosure of the location data for the respective wireless communication devices and the first wireless communication device is within a predetermined distance of the second wireless communication device.

3. The system of claim 2, further comprising a location data receiver associated with the second wireless communication device and configured to generate location data indicative of a location of the second wireless communication device, the transceiver of the second wireless device being configured to transmit location data for the second wireless communication device to the first wireless communication device only if both the first and second token processors have authorized the disclosure of the location data for the respective wireless communication devices and the first wireless communication device is within a predetermined distance of the second wireless communication device.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the first token processor authorizes the disclosure of the location data for the first wireless device by generating a token permission.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the exchange of location data between the first and second wireless communications devices is terminated if either of the first and second token processors terminate authorization of the disclosure of the location data.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the exchange of location data between the first and second wireless communications devices is terminated if the distance between the first and second wireless communication devices exceeds the predetermined distance.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the exchange of location data between the first and second wireless communications devices is terminated at a predetermined time.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the exchange of location data between the first and second wireless communications devices is terminated upon the occurrence of a predetermined event.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the first token processor generates a request token for transmission to the second wireless communication device to thereby request sharing of location data between the first and second wireless communication devices, and the second token processor authorizes the disclosure of the location data for the second wireless device by transmitting a token permission.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the first token processor authorizes the disclosure of the location data for the first wireless device by transmitting a token permission.

11. The system of claim 10, further comprising a server associated with the network and configured to receive token permissions from the first and second wireless communication devices and to transmit location data between the first and second wireless communication devices only if both the first and second token processors have each transmitted a token permission.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the server is configured to terminate the transmission of location data between the first and second wireless communication devices if either the first and second token processors have terminated its respective token permission.

13. The system of claim 1, further comprising a server associated with the network and configured to receive authorization tokens from the first and second wireless communication devices and to transmit location data between the first and second wireless communication devices only if both the first and second token processors have authorized the disclosure of the location data for the respective wireless communication devices.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the server is configured to terminate the transmission of location data between the first and second wireless communication devices if either the first and second token processors have terminated the authorization for the disclosure of the location data.

15. A system for sharing location data on a wireless communication network comprising:

a plurality of wireless communication devices, each having a transceiver configured to communicate with the network; and

a token processor associated with each of the plurality of wireless communication devices to authorize the disclosure of the location data for each respective one of the wireless devices,

wherein at least one of the plurality of wireless communication devices is enabled by a predetermined event to automatically transmit a token request to others of the plurality of wireless communication devices and,

wherein location data is exchanged between ones of the plurality of wireless communications devices that have granted token permission for the disclosure of the location data for the respective ones of the plurality of wireless communication devices to others of the plurality of wireless communication devices that have also granted token permission.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the predetermined event is an occurrence of a scheduled calendar event.

17. The system of claim 15 wherein a selected one of the plurality of wireless communication devices is configured to terminate the transmission of location data by terminating its token permission.

18. The system of claim 15, further comprising a server associated with the network and configured to:

receive token permissions from the plurality of wireless communication devices;

to receive location data from ones of the plurality of wireless communication devices that have transmitted token permissions to the server; and

to transmit received location data to ones of the plurality of wireless communication devices that have transmitted token permissions to the server.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein the server is configured to terminate the transmission of location data between a selected one of the plurality of wireless communication devices and the remaining one of the plurality of wireless communication devices,that have transmitted token permissions to the server if the token processor of the selected wireless communication device terminates its token permission.

20. A method for sharing location data between devices on a wireless communication network, comprising:

a first wireless communication device automatically transmitting a permission token in response to an event in an application executing on the first wireless communication device, to authorize location data sharing indicating location of the first wireless communication device;

a second wireless communication device automatically transmitting a permission token to a second wireless communication device to authorize location data sharing indicating location of the second wireless communication device; and

exchanging location data between the first and second the first and second wireless communications devices only if both the first and second wireless communication devices have transmitted their respective tokens.

22. The method of claim 20 wherein the application executing on the first and second wireless communication devices is a calendar application and wherein location data is exchanged between the first and second wireless communication devices upon an occurrence of a scheduled calendar event.

23. The method of claim 20 wherein the first wireless communication device includes a location data receiver and exchanging location data comprises transmitting location data from the location data receiver in the first wireless communication device.

24. The method of claim 20, further comprising terminating the exchange of location data between the first and second wireless communications devices if either of the first and second wireless communication devices terminates its respective token.

25. The method of claim 20, further comprising terminating the exchange of location data between the first and second wireless communications devices if either of the first and second wireless communication devices terminates transmission to the network.

26. The method of claim 20, further comprising terminating the exchange of location data between the first and second wireless communications devices at a predetermined time.

27. The method of claim 20, further comprising terminating the exchange of location data between the first and second wireless communications devices upon the occurrence of a predetermined event.

28. The method of claim 20 wherein the network includes a token server wherein the first and second wireless communication devices transmit their respective permission tokens to the token server to authorize location data sharing, and the token server exchanges location data between the first and second wireless communications devices only if both the first and second wireless communication devices have transmitted their respective tokens.

29. The method of claim 20 wherein the token server terminates the transmission of location data between the first and second wireless communication devices if either the first and second token processors have terminated its respective token permission.

21. The method of claim 21 wherein the application executing on the first and second wireless communication devices is an address book application and wherein location data is exchanged only when the first wireless communications device is within a predetermined distance from the second wireless communication device.