Identifying and Displaying User Status Information

• US 20110244878A1
• Filed: 04/06/2010
• Published: 10/06/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Rawllin International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Seconca Holdings Limited
• Inventors: Kochetkov, Vladimir, Yuzhakov, Evgeny
• Application Number:
  US12/755,349
• Publication Number:
  US 20110244878A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2757 by data transmission, e.g. downloading
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/10 Scheduling measurement reports ; Arrangements for measurement reports
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/20 Services signaling; Auxiliary data signalling, i.e. transmitting data via a non-traffic channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/21 for social networking applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

A method identifies multiple contacts associated with a user, where the user and the multiple contacts are associated with a common mobile service. A relationship is defined between the user and each of the multiple contacts by the common mobile service. Each of the multiple contacts is monitored automatically by the common mobile service to obtain user information. A mobile device associated with the user displays the current user information associated with at least a portion of the multiple contacts.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

identifying a plurality of contacts associated with a user, wherein the user and the plurality of contacts are associated with a common mobile service;

defining a relationship between the user and each of the plurality of contacts by the common mobile service;

monitoring each of the plurality of contacts automatically by the common mobile service to obtain current user information; and

displaying the current user information associated with at least a portion of the plurality of contacts on a mobile device associated with the user.

2. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the current user information includes an identification of whether the particular contact is available to communicate via the mobile service.

3. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising displaying a geographic location associated with at least a portion of the plurality of contacts on the mobile device associated with the user.

4. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising displaying an alternate identifier associated with at least a portion of the plurality of contacts on the mobile device associated with the user.

5. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein displaying the current user information includes displaying an option to communicate with each of the displayed contacts.

6. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein monitoring each of the plurality of contacts includes communicating a contact identifier associated with each of the plurality of contacts to the mobile service.

7. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein monitoring each of the plurality of contacts includes:

calculating a hash code for a contact identifier associated with each of the plurality of contacts; and

communicating the hash code for each contact identifier to the mobile service.

8. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein monitoring each of the plurality of contacts includes:

communicating a contact identifier associated with each of the plurality of contacts to the mobile service; and

receiving status information associated with each of the plurality of contacts from the mobile service.

9. A method comprising:

establishing communication between a user and a mobile service;

identifying a plurality of friends associated with the user and associated with the mobile service;

determining a status associated with each of the identified friends;

communicating the status associated with at least one of the identified friends to the user; and

communicating a status associated with the user to at least one of the identified friends.

10. A method as recited in claim 9 wherein communicating the status associated with at least one of the identified friends to the user includes communicating a hash code associated with the status.

11. A method as recited in claim 9 wherein data communicated between the mobile service and the user is communicated in the form of a hash code.

12. A method as recited in claim 9 further comprising determining an approximate geographic location associated with each of the identified friends.

13. A method as recited in claim 9 further comprising displaying the status associated with at least one of the identified friends.

14. A method comprising:

establishing communication between a user and a mobile service;

identifying a plurality of friends associated with the user and associated with the mobile service;

determining a current information associated with each of the identified friends;

calculating a first hash code for an identifier associated with a particular friend;

communicating the first hash code to the user;

communicating the current information associated with the particular friend to the user;

calculating a second hash code associated with the current information associated with the user; and

communicating the second hash code to at least one of the identified friends.

15. A method as recited in claim 14 wherein the current information associated with the particular friend includes an identification of whether the particular friend is available to communicate via the mobile service.

16. A method as recited in claim 14 further comprising communicating an approximate geographic location of the particular friend to the user.

17. A method as recited in claim 14 further comprising communicating an approximate geographic location of the user to at least one of the identified friends.