ON DEMAND LOCATION SHARING

• US 20120265823A1
• Filed: 04/15/2011
• Published: 10/18/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Parmar, Siddhartha, Park, Seung-Hae
• Granted Patent: US 9,191,352 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0072 Transmission between mobile stations, e.g. anti-collision systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/222 using geographical location information, e.g. messages transmitted or received in proximity of a certain spot or area
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/02 Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/024 Guidance services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/20 Services signaling; Auxiliary data signalling, i.e. transmitting data via a non-traffic channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/21 for social networking applications

Abstract

An on demand location sharing technique protects the location of a client device until the user of the client device elects to share the location. The location of the user device is not broadcasted to other user devices. In an on demand request for the location or from initiation from the user, the location of the user device is shared with other users. In an embodiment, the on demand location sharing technique may be used in a messaging service application used in wireless devices.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving, at a first user device, a location request message to share a location associated with the first user device, the location request message sent from a second user device, the location of the first user device not known except through electronic consent of a user associated with the first user device;

authorizing, from a user associated with the first user device, an affirmative response message having the location of the first user device; and

transmitting, from the first user device, the affirmative response message to the second user device.

2. The method of claim 1, comprising:

using, at the second device, the location of the first user device to generate a share a place message having at least one meeting place in the vicinity of the location.

3. The method of claim 2, comprising:

receiving, at the first user device, the share a place message including the meeting place; and

displaying, at the first user device, a visual representation of a location associated with the meeting place.

4. The method of claim 3, comprising:

displaying, at the first user device, directions for each meeting place in the share a place message.

5. The method of claim 1, comprising:

receiving, at the second user device, the location; and

displaying, at the second user device, a visual representation of the location.

6. The method of claim 1, comprising:

communicating between the first user device and the second user device through an instant messaging mechanism.

7. The method of claim 1, comprising:

communicating between the first user device and the second user device through a wireless communications medium.

8. The method of claim 1, comprising:

obtaining the location, the location representing a geophysical location.

9. The method of claim 1, comprising:

searching, at the second device, for meeting places through a search engine communicatively coupled to the second user device.

10. The method of claim 1, comprising:

facilitating transmission of messages between the first user device and the second user device through a messaging server.

11. An apparatus, comprising:

a wireless transceiver;

a processor coupled to the wireless transceiver; and

a memory coupled to the processor, the memory to store a messenger client application that when executed by the processor is operative to transmit and receive electronic messages through the wireless transceiver that obtain a location of a wireless device, in communication with the apparatus, the location of the wireless device provided to the apparatus upon consent of a user associated with the wireless device, the location of the wireless device not known except through transmission of an electronic message from the user associated with the wireless device.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, the memory stores a location associated with the apparatus;

and the messenger client application when executed by the processor is operative to transmit the location of the apparatus in response to a request from a wireless device.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, the messenger client application when executed by the processor is operative to provide at least one meeting place in vicinity of the location of the wireless device, the meeting place is transmitted to the wireless device.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, the message client application when executed by the processor is operative to transmit instant messages between the apparatus and a wireless device.

15. The apparatus of claim 11, the wireless transceiver in communication with a wireless network having a capability to receive signals for use in determining the location of the apparatus.

16. The apparatus of claim 11, the wireless transceiver in communication with at least one satellite and receiving signals for use in determining the location of the apparatus.

17. An article of manufacture comprising a storage medium containing instructions that when executed enable a device to:

transmit and receive electronic messages that obtain a location of a wireless device upon consent of a user associated with the wireless device, the location of the wireless device not known except through transmission of an electronic message from the user associated with the wireless device.

18. The article of claim 17, further comprising instructions that when executed enable the device to search for at least one meeting place in vicinity of the location of the wireless device.

19. The article of claim 17, further comprising instructions that when executed enable the device to provide directions to the meeting place from the location of the wireless device.

20. The article of claim 17, further comprising instructions that when executed enable the device to transmit and receive electronic messages utilizing a messenger server.