SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR AUTOMATICALLY POSTING USER-LOCATION INFORMATION TO A SOCIAL NETWORK

• US 20120158845A1
• Filed: 09/07/2011
• Published: 06/21/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Harman International Industries Incorporated (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Harman International Industries Incorporated (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Rao, Ramana, Chatterjee, Dibyendu, Baalu, Arvin
• Granted Patent: US 8,930,452 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/204
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/024 Guidance services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/185 by embedding added-value information into content, e.g. geo-tagging
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/21 for social networking applications

Abstract

Methods and systems are disclosed that are capable of automatically interfacing with Internet-based social networks for safely providing friends of a mobile user with location updates. In particular, a system and method are provided for automatically posting user-location information to a social network. A system interface receives user data including a location update activation indicator and location update conditions. A navigation engine obtains information associated with the current location of the mobile user. A social network client module of the system is adapted to determine that the location activation indicator is active and to determine that a location update condition is met. A communications interface automatically posts a location update to the social network if the social network client determines that at least one location update condition is met.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of automatically posting user-location information to a social network, comprising:

receiving user data, the user data including a location update activation indicator and one or more location update conditions;

determining that the location update activation indicator is active;

obtaining location information associated with a location of a mobile user;

determining that at least one location update condition is met; and

automatically posting a location update to the social network if at least one location update condition is met.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 further comprising establishing a wireless Internet communication link without user interaction and automatically posting the location update to the social network via the wireless communication link

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2 further comprising automatically updating the location information as the mobile user travels in a vehicle.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the step of obtaining location information further comprises receiving real-time or periodic real-time location information from a Global Positioning System (GPS).

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4 further comprising correlating the location information received from the GPS with navigation information to create correlated navigation-to-location data.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5 wherein the step of determining that at least one location update condition is met further comprises performing a check using the correlated navigation-to-location data against the user data to determine if the location update should be posted.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 further comprising establishing a connection with at least one social network and obtaining friend data, including friend location data, from the social network.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 7 further comprising correlating the friend location data with the location information associated with the mobile user.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 8 further comprising calculating a travel time to reach a friend location from the location of the mobile user.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 8 further comprising displaying a friend location relative to the location of the mobile user on a navigation display map.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 8 further comprising providing information relating to the location of one or more friends in the location update that is posted.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 further comprising accessing point of interest location information;

and

comparing the location information, associated with the location of the mobile user, with the location of one or more points of interest.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 12 further comprising identifying points of interest within a pre-selected distance from the location associated with the mobile user;

and

calculating a travel time to reach one or more of the identified points of interest from the location of the mobile user.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 12 further comprising providing information relating to the location of one or more points of interest in the location update that is posted.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 further comprising using at least one of:

(a) a user-specific filter;

(b) a system default filter; and

(c) privacy policies to prevent posting of the location information under predetermined conditions.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein at least one location update condition includes at least one of:

(a) a correlated navigation-to-location time-dependent statistic; and

(b) a correlated navigation-to-location location-dependent statistic.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 further comprising determining that a second location update is expected based at least in part on the user data;

waiting for a next location update check;

retrieving second location data;

determining that a second location update condition is met; and

automatically posting a second location update to the social network.

34. The system of claim 17 wherein at least one location update condition includes at least one of:

(a) a correlated navigation-to-location time-dependent statistic; and

(b) a correlated navigation-to-location location-dependent statistic.

18. A system for automatically posting user-location information to a social network comprising:

a system interface for receiving user data, the user data including a location update activation indicator and one or more location update conditions;

a navigation engine adapted to obtain information associated with a location of a mobile user;

a social network client coupled with the navigation engine, the social network client adapted to determine that the location update activation indicator is active and to determine that at least one location update condition is met; and

a communications interface coupled with the social network client and the navigation engine, the communications interface adapted to automatically post a location update to the social network if the social network client determines that at least one location update condition is met.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein the communications interface is adapted to establish a wireless Internet communication link without user interaction such that the location update is automatically posted to the social network via the wireless link

20. The system of claim 19 wherein the navigation engine is adapted to receive location information that is automatically updated as the mobile user travels in a vehicle.

21. The system of claim 18 wherein the navigation engine is coupled with a Global Positioning System (GPS) such that the navigation engine receives real time or periodic real time location information from the GPS.

22. The system of claim 21 wherein the navigation engine correlates the location information received from the GPS with navigation information to create correlated navigation-to-location data.

23. The system of claim 22 wherein the social network client receives the correlated navigation-to-location data from the navigation engine, the social network client performs a check using the correlated navigation-to-location data against the user data to determine if the location update should be posted.

24. The system of claim 18 wherein the navigation engine and the social network client are provided in a head unit for a vehicle.

25. The system of claim 18 wherein the social network client establishes a connection with at least one social network to obtain friend data, including friend location data, from the social network.

26. The system of claim 25 wherein the navigation engine correlates the friend location data with the location information associated with the mobile user.

27. The system of claim 26 wherein the navigation engine calculates a travel time to reach a friend location from the location of the mobile user.

28. The system of claim 26 further comprising a navigation map display adapted to display a friend location relative to the location of the mobile user.

29. The system of claim 26 wherein information relating to the location of one or more friends is provided in the location update that is posted.

30. The system of claim 18 wherein the navigation engine is adapted to access point of interest location information and compares the location information, that is associated with the location of the mobile user, with the location of one or more points of interest.

31. The system of claim 30 wherein the navigation engine is adapted to identify points of interest within a pre-selected distance from the location associated with the mobile user and to calculate a travel time to reach one or more of the identified points of interest from the location of the mobile user.

32. The system of claim 30 wherein information relating to the location of one or more points of interest is provided in the location update that is posted.

33. The system of claim 18 further wherein the social network client uses at least one of:

(a) a user-specific filter;

(b) a system default filter; and

(c) privacy policies to prevent posting of the location information under predetermined conditions.