Location Status Update Messaging

• US 20120003989A1
• Filed: 07/01/2010
• Published: 01/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Cox Communications Incorporated (Cox Enterprises Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Cox Communications Incorporated (Cox Enterprises Incorporated)
• Inventors: Gravino, Douglas David
• Application Number:
  US12/828,768
• Publication Number:
  US 20120003989A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2016 Call initiation by network rather than by subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42357 where the information is provided to a monitoring entity such as a potential calling party or a call processing server
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/21 for social networking applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/04 using triggered events

Abstract

Provision of a location status update for a mobile computing device to a recipient based on navigation information is disclosed. The location status update may be sent to one or more recipients based on a predetermined criterion or upon user command. According to embodiments, a mobile device'"'"'s GPS and/or network-based location technologies may be utilized to provide information as to whether a predetermined criterion is met. The location status update may be an SMS or MMS message, an e-mail, a text message, a voice call, a voice message, or a posting to a social networking site.

Claims

1. A method for providing a location status update associated with a mobile computing device, the method comprising:

receiving a request to send a location status update associated with the mobile computing device to one or more recipients;

receiving a location status update criterion for determining whether a location status update should be sent to the one or more recipients;

receiving positioning information for the mobile computing device;

determining if the location status update criterion has been met according to the positioning information associated with received for the mobile computing device; and

if the location status update criterion has been met, sending the location status update to the one or more recipients.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the location status update comprises an electronic message sent to a receiving computing device.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the receiving computing device is a video-capable computing device.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the receiving computing device is a mobile computing device.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the receiving computing device is a computer.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the electronic message includes an electronic mail, an SMS message, an MMS message, a text message, a voice message, or a social networking posting.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the location status update includes a voice call.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the criterion associated with the request to send the location status update includes a proximity to a geographic location.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the criterion associated with the request to send the location status update includes a time duration.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the proximity to a geographic location is determined by location information obtained by processed positioning signals received by a GPS system.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the proximity to a geographic location is determined by a wireless communications based location determining system.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the proximity to a geographic location is determined by an accelerometer-based location determining system.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the location status update includes a geographic location of the mobile computing device, a departing time of the mobile computing device, a departing location for the mobile computing device, an estimated time remaining until arrival of the mobile computing device at a prescribed location, travel condition information, a distance traveled of the mobile computing device, a distance remaining for the mobile computing device to a prescribed location, a message from a user of the mobile computing device, or a message from a recipient of the location status update.

14. A computer-readable medium which stores a set of instructions which when executed performs a method for providing a location status update associated with a mobile computing device, the method executed by the set of instructions comprising:

receiving a request to send a location status update to one or more recipients;

associating a location status update criterion with the request to send the location status update;

receiving and processing positioning information for the mobile computing device;

determining if the location status update criterion has been met according to positioning information for the mobile computing device; and

in response to determining if the location status update criterion has been met, sending a status update to the one or more recipients.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein the location status update criterion associated with the request to send the location status update includes a proximity to a geographic location.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein the location status update criterion associated with the request to send the location status update includes a time duration.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the proximity to a geographic location is determined by location information obtained by processed positioning signals received by a GPS system.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the proximity to a geographic location is determined by a wireless communications based location determining system.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the proximity to a geographic location is determined by an accelerometer-based location determining system.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein the location status update includes a geographic location of the mobile computing device, a departing time of the mobile computing device, a departing location for the mobile computing device, an estimated time remaining until arrival of the mobile computing device at a prescribed location, travel condition information, a distance traveled of the mobile computing device, a distance remaining for the mobile computing device to a prescribed location, a message from a user of the mobile computing device, or a message from a recipient of the location status update.

21. A system for providing a location status update associated with a mobile computing device, the system comprising:

a memory storage;

a processing unit coupled to the memory storage, wherein the processing unit is operative to;

receive a request to send a location status update to one or more recipients;

associate a location status update criterion with the request to send the location status update;

receive and processing positioning information for the mobile computing device;

determine if the location status update criterion has been met according to the positioning information for the mobile computing device; and

in response to determining if the criterion has been met, to send a location status update to the one or more recipients.

22. The system of claim 21, further comprising a location determining system operative to receive and process positioning information for the mobile computing device for determining whether the location status update criterion has been met.