Third Party Location Query for Wireless Networks

• US 20120052843A1
• Filed: 11/04/2011
• Published: 03/01/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: At&T Delaware Intellectual Property, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Enzmann, Mark, Zellner, Samuel N., Moton, Robert T. Jr.
• Granted Patent: US 8,483,724 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/411
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/101 Access control lists [ACL]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/20 Services signaling; Auxiliary data signalling, i.e. transmitting data via a non-traffic channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/16 selectively restricting mobility data tracking

Abstract

A computer-implemented method provides, to a first user, location-based information concerning a second user, and a system and computer-readable storage medium include computer-readable instructions for performing the same. The method includes determining that the second user is within a certain geographic area and communicating to the first user, by way of a wireless communication device of the first user, an identity of the second user.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, for providing, to a first user, location-based information concerning a second user, comprising:

determining that the second user is within a certain geographic area; and

communicating to the first user, by way of a wireless communication device of the first user, an identity of the second user.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein:

the method is for providing to the first user location-based information concerning the second user in connection with an instant messaging service;

the first user is a first instant messaging service user; and

the second user is a second instant messaging service user.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the certain geographic area is a city associated with the first user.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein:

the communicating is performed in a communication act; and

the method further comprises receiving from the first user, in response to the communication act, and by way of the wireless communication device, a query seeking location information for the second user.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4, wherein:

the receiving is performed in a receiving act; and

the method further comprises;

determining whether the first user is authorized to receive location information related to the second user; and

providing to the first user, by way of the wireless communication device, and in response to the receiving act and determining that the first user is authorized to receive the location information related to the second user, the location information.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, further comprising:

determining, in response to determining that the first user is not authorized to receive the location information related to the second user, whether the second user accepts location requests from unauthorized requestors; and

sending to the second user, in response to determining that the second user accepts location requests from unauthorized users, a location request.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 4, wherein:

the receiving is performed in a receiving act;

the method further comprises;

determining whether the second user is within a certain proximity of a predetermined location; and

providing to the first user, by way of the wireless communication device, and in response to the receiving act and determining that the second user is within the certain proximity of the predetermined location, the location information.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 7, wherein the predetermined location is a predetermined destination location identified by the first user.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein:

the determining that the second user is within the certain geographic area is performed in a determination act;

the communicating is performed in a communication act;

the determination act includes identifying each friend of the first user, including the second user, who is within the certain geographic area; and

the communication act includes displaying, by way of the wireless communication device, identifying information for each friend identified in the determination act.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the computer-implemented method is performed at the wireless communication device.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the computer-implemented method is performed at a computer server remote to the wireless communication device.

12. A tangible computer-readable storage medium, for providing, to a first user, location-based information concerning a second user, comprising instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform acts comprising:

determining that the second user is within a certain geographic area; and

communicating to the first user by way of a wireless communication device of the first user, an identity of the second user.

13. The tangible computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein:

the instructions are configured to provide to the first user location-based information concerning the second user in connection with an instant messaging service;

the first user is a first instant messaging service user; and

the second user is a second instant messaging service user.

14. The tangible computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein:

the communicating is performed in a communication act; and

the acts further comprise receiving from the first user, in response to the communication act, and by way of the wireless communication device, a query seeking location information for the second user.

15. The tangible computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein:

the receiving is performed in a receiving act; and

the acts further comprise providing to the first user, by way of the wireless communication device, and in response to the receiving act, the location information.

16. The tangible computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein:

the providing is performed in a providing act;

the determining is performed in a first determination act; and

the acts further comprise;

determining, in a second determination act, that at least one circumstance exists of a group of circumstances consisting of;

the first user is authorized to receive location information related to the second user; and

the first user is within a certain proximity to a predetermined location; and

the providing act is performed in response to the second determination act.

17. The tangible computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein:

the determining is performed in a determination act;

the communicating is a part of a communication act;

the determination act includes identifying each friend of the first, including the second user, who is within the certain geographic area; and

the communication act includes displaying, by way of the wireless communication device, identifying information for each friend identified in the determination act.

18. The tangible computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the tangible computer-readable storage medium is a part of at least one device selected from a group of devices consisting of:

the wireless communication device; and

a computer server remote to the wireless communication device.

19. A system, for providing, to a first user, location-based information concerning a second user, comprising:

a processor; and

a tangible computer-readable storage medium having instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform acts comprising;

determining that the second user is within a certain geographic area; and

communicating, by way of a wireless communication device of the first user, an identity of the second user.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein:

the system is configured to provide to the first user location based information concerning the second user, to the first user, in connection with an instant messaging service;

the first user is a first instant messaging service user; and

the second user is a second instant messaging service user.