Methods and Systems for Sharing Position Data Between Subscribers Involving Multiple Wireless Providers

• US 20140295895A1
• Filed: 06/12/2014
• Published: 10/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: X One Inc.
• Original Assignee: X One Inc.
• Inventors: Haney, Richard D.
• Granted Patent: US 9,167,558 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/457
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/01 Satellite radio beacon positioning systems transmitting time-stamped messages, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System], GLONASS [Global Orbiting Navigation Satellite System] or GALILEO
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/03 Cooperating elements; Interaction or communication between different cooperating elements or between cooperating elements and receivers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/322 Aspects of commerce using mobile devices [M-devices]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1046 Joining mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/54 Presence management, e.g. monitoring or registration for receipt of user log-on information, or the connection status of the users
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0202 Portable telephone sets, e.g. cordless phones, mobile phones or bar type handsets constructional features of telephone transmitters or receivers, e.g. of speakers or microphones H04M1/03
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72406 by software upgrading or downloading
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72418 for supporting emergency services
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/38 Displays
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2044 Group features, e.g. closed user group
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/04 for emergency applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/30 Determination of the location of a subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/10 : including a GPS signal receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42093 : Notifying the calling party of information on the called or connected party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4228 : in networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42348 : Location-based services which utilize the location information of a target
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42365 : Presence services providing information on the willingness to communicate or the ability to communicate in terms of media capability or network connectivity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/033 : of the user plane, e.g. user's traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 : Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 : Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/63 : Location-dependent; Proximity-dependent
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 : Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 : Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/022 : with dynamic range variability
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 : using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/025 : using location based information parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/027 : using movement velocity, acceleration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 : Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/08 : User group management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/10 : Push-to-Talk [PTT] or Push-On-Call services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/14 : Short messaging services, e.g. short message services [SMS] or unstructured supplementary service data [USSD]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/21 : for social networking applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/50 : Service provisioning or reconfiguring
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 : Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 : Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/003 : locating network equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/12 : Inter-network notification
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/121 : for groups of terminals or users
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/14 : Direct-mode setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 : Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

A system for exchanging messages, position data, and status information among subscribers of different cellular providers. Cell phones and other wireless devices with GPS receivers are associated with different cellular carriers. These wireless devices support a Buddy Watch application that communicates with a remote Buddy Watch Server outside of the carriers'"'"' networks. The Buddy Watch servers allows subscribers to associate themselves with a group of “buddies,” a subset of the subscribers serviced by the Buddy Watch server but not necessarily by the same cellular carrier. The server than allows each subscriber to monitor the status of his or her buddies, and to communicate messages and position data.

Claims

1. A method of sharing data between a first device associated with a first subscriber of a first cellular carrier and a second device associated with a second subscriber of a second cellular carrier, the data including position data indicating a location of the first device, the method comprising:

maintaining a subscriber database listing subscribers, including the first subscriber of the first cellular carrier and the second subscriber of the second cellular carrier;

associating, in the subscriber database, a status for each of the subscribers;

associating, in the subscriber database, the first subscriber with a subset of the subscribers, the subset including the second subscriber;

communicating with the first device to authenticate the first device;

sending the authenticated first device the statuses for the subset of the subscribers, including the second subscriber;

receiving, from the first device, an instruction to convey to the second subscriber position data indicating the location of the first device; and

sending, responsive to the instruction, the position data indicating the location of the first device to the second device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving, from the second device, a second instruction to convey to the first subscriber second position data indicating the location of the second device;

and sending, responsive to the second instruction, the second position data indicating the location of the second device to the first device.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising associating, in the subscriber database, a last known time for each of the subscribers.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein ones of the last known times identify a last contact with the corresponding subscriber.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising sending the last known times for each of the subset of subscribers to the first device.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein at least some of the last known times identify a position fix for ones of the subscribers.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising selecting a map responsive to the instruction to convey to the second subscriber the position data and sending the map to the second device.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the map comprises a maplet.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising rending the location of the first device on the map.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving the instruction via the first cellular carrier.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising sending the position data to the second device via the second cellular carrier.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving the instruction without the first cellular carrier or the second cellular carrier.

13. A non-transitory, machine-readable medium having stored thereon a set of instructions that, when executed on a computer system, cause the computer system to perform a method comprising:

maintaining a subscriber database listing subscribers, including a first subscriber of a first cellular carrier and a second subscriber of a second cellular carrier;

associating, in the subscriber database, a status for each of the subscribers;

associating, in the subscriber database, the first subscriber with a first device and a first subset of the subscribers, the first subset including the second subscriber associating, in the subscriber database, the second subscriber with a second device and a second subset of the subscribers;

communicating with the first device to authenticate the first device;

sending the authenticated first device the statuses for the first subset of the subscribers, including the second subscriber;

receiving, from the first device, an instruction to convey to the second subscriber position data indicating the location of the first device; and

sending, responsive to the instruction, the position data indicating the location of the first device to the second device.

14. The non-transitory, machine-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the instructions cause the computer system to associate, in the subscriber database, a last known time for each of the subscribers and send the last known times for each of the first subset of subscribers to the first device.

15. The non-transitory, machine-readable medium of claim 14, wherein at least some of the last known times identify a position fix for ones of the subscribers.

16. The non-transitory, machine-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the instructions cause the computer system to select a map responsive to the instruction to convey to the second subscriber the position data and send the map to the second device.

17. A system for sharing data between a first device associated with a first subscriber of a first cellular carrier and a second device associated with a second subscriber of a second cellular carrier, the data including position data indicating a location of the first device, the system comprising:

a subscriber database listing subscribers, including the first subscriber of the first cellular carrier and the second subscriber of the second cellular carrier, the subscriber database identifying, for each of the subscribers;

a wireless device;

a subscriber status; and

a buddy list of a subset of the subscribers;

the subscribers including the first subscriber associated with a first of the wireless devices and the second subscriber associated with a second of the wireless devices;

server software communicating with a first device to authenticate the first device, the server software to;

send the authenticated first device the subscriber statuses for the subset of the subscribers, including the second subscriber;

receive, from the first device, an instruction to convey to the second subscriber position data indicating the location of the first device; and

send, responsive to the instruction, the position data indicating the location of the first device to the second device.

18. The system of claim 17, the system further associating, in the subscriber database, a last known time for each of the subscribers, the server software sending the last known times for each of the subset of subscribers to the first device.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein at least some of the last known times identify a position fix for ones of the subscribers.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the server software selects a map responsive to the instruction to convey to the second subscriber the position data and sends the map to the second device.

21. The system of claim 17, further comprising first client software on the first device and second client software on the second device.