Shared Location

• US 20130023233A1
• Filed: 07/18/2012
• Published: 01/24/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: TeleCommunication Systems Inc (Comtech Telecommunications Corporation)
• Original Assignee: TeleCommunication Systems Inc (Comtech Telecommunications Corporation)
• Inventors: Seitz, Lynne
• Application Number:
  US13/552,110
• Publication Number:
  US 20130023233A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/406
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0261 based on user location
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0269 based on user profile or attribute
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1496 involving discounts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8033 location-dependent, e.g. business or home
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0192 Sponsored, subsidised calls via advertising, e.g. calling cards with ads or connecting to special ads, free calling time by purchasing goods
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/02 Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/21 for social networking applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/16 selectively restricting mobility data tracking

Abstract

A mobile device including a location sharing application that enables the wireless device to be ‘opted-in’ to disclosing its current location when manually triggered to ‘sell’ that current location. When opting-in, the mobile device with location sharing application may include or be associated with relevant pre-registered or pre-stored profile data provided with that current location opt-in. The ‘opt-in’ nature of the present invention provides a win-win situation for both marketers and wireless device users by ensuring privacy is disclosed only if, when and where the wireless device with location sharing application initiates such disclosure.

Claims

1. A method of tracking location of a wireless device, comprising:

registering a wireless device including a location sharing application;

receiving a user-triggered report of current location;

accepting said user-triggered report of current location by verifying that said relevant location sharing wireless device has moved; and

crediting said location sharing wireless device with value;

whereby privacy is ensured by enabling disclosure of current location only if, when and where said location sharing wireless device initiates such disclosure.

2. The method of tracking location of a wireless device according to claim 1, further comprising:

associating said user-triggered report of current location with profile data;

whereby privacy is ensured by enabling disclosure of said profile data associated with said current location only if, when and where said location sharing wireless device initiates such disclosure.

3. The method of tracking location of a wireless device according to claim 1, further comprising:

receiving said user-triggered report of current location together with profile data from said location sharing wireless device;

whereby privacy is ensured by enabling disclosure of said profile data with said current location only if, when and where said location sharing wireless device initiates such disclosure.

4. The method of tracking location of a wireless device according to claim 1, wherein said verification that said location sharing wireless device has moved comprises:

verifying that said location sharing wireless device has moved since a last received user-triggered report of current location for said location sharing wireless device.

5. The method of tracking location of a wireless device according to claim 1, wherein said verification that said location sharing wireless device has moved comprises:

verifying that said location sharing wireless device has moved to a location different than each of a plurality of last received user-triggered reports of current location for said location sharing wireless device.

6. The method of tracking location of a wireless device according to claim 5, wherein:

said plurality of last received user-triggered reports of current location is at least ten.

7. The method of tracking location of a wireless device according to claim 1, wherein said credited value comprises:

a credit towards a phone bill.

8. The method of tracking location of a wireless device according to claim 1, wherein said credited value comprises:

a coupon for a future retail purchase.

9. The method of tracking location of a wireless device according to claim 1, wherein said credited value comprises:

a credit towards a fee-based application.

10. The method of tracking location of a wireless device according to claim 1, wherein said credited value comprises:

a credit towards provision of a navigation service.

11. A method of providing location of a wireless device, comprising:

executing a location sharing application on a wireless device;

manually triggering a first report of a first current location of said location sharing wireless device sent to a network server;

changing location of said wireless device;

manually triggering a second report of a second current location of said location sharing wireless device sent to said network server;

receiving a value credit upon verification that said first current location is significantly different from said second current location;

whereby privacy is ensured by enabling disclosure of current location only if, when and where said location sharing wireless device initiates such disclosure.

12. The method of providing location of a wireless device according to claim 11, further comprising:

pre-registering profile data to be associated with said user-triggered first report of current location;

whereby privacy is ensured by enabling disclosure of said profile data associated with current location only if, when and where said location sharing wireless device initiates such disclosure.

13. The method of providing location of a wireless device according to claim 11, further comprising:

sending profile data with said user-triggered first report of current location to said network server;

whereby privacy is ensured by enabling disclosure of said profile data associated with current location only if, when and where said location sharing wireless device initiates such disclosure.

14. The method of providing location of a wireless device according to claim 11, wherein said value credit comprises:

a credit towards a phone bill.

15. The method of providing location of a wireless device according to claim 11, wherein said value credit comprises:

a coupon for a future retail purchase.

16. The method of providing location of a wireless device according to claim 11, wherein said value credit comprises:

a credit towards a fee-based application.

17. The method of tracking location of a wireless device according to claim 11, wherein said value credit comprises:

a credit towards provision of a navigation service.