SYSTEMS, METHODS AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCTS FOR SHARING GEOGRAPHICAL DATA

• US 20170123069A1
• Filed: 01/18/2017
• Published: 05/04/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Uber Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Dominic M. Kotab
• Inventors: Kotab, Dominic M.
• Granted Patent: US 11,231,289 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3461 Preferred or disfavoured areas, e.g. dangerous zones, toll or emission zones, intersections, manoeuvre types, segments such as motorways, toll roads, ferries
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3492 employing speed data or traffic data, e.g. real-time or historical traffic control systems for road vehicles involving transmission of navigation instructions to the vehicle G08G1/0968
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0072 Transmission between mobile stations, e.g. anti-collision systems
• 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 4/14 Short messaging services, e.g. short message services [SMS] or unstructured supplementary service data [USSD]

Abstract

According to one embodiment, a system comprises a first mobile device comprising a processor; and a computer usable medium, where the computer usable medium has computer usable program code embodied therewith, which when executed by the processor causes the processor to send a request for a location of a closest person to the first mobile device, determine a first location of the first mobile device, receive, in response to the request, a plurality of potential matches, where each of the potential matches includes a name and location of a person, receive a selection of one of the plurality of potential matches, obtain location coordinates of the selected potential match, establish a link with a global positioning service (GPS) system, transmit geographical data to the GPS system, wherein the geographical data includes the location coordinates of the selected potential match, and output a geographic solution on the first mobile device, wherein the geographic solution includes: a calculated route between the first location of the first mobile device and the location coordinates of the selected potential match, and information associated with the calculated route, the information including one or more of an estimated travel time, an average travelling speed, and an elapsed travel time.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a first mobile device comprising a processor; and

a computer usable medium, the computer usable medium having computer usable program code embodied therewith, which when executed by the processor causes the processor to;

send a request for a location of a closest person to the first mobile device;

determine a first location of the first mobile device;

receive, in response to the request, a plurality of potential matches, where each of the potential matches includes a name and location of a person;

receive a selection of one of the plurality of potential matches;

obtain location coordinates of the selected potential match;

establish a link with a global positioning service (GPS) system;

transmit geographical data to the GPS system, wherein the geographical data includes the location coordinates of the selected potential match; and

output a geographic solution on the first mobile device, wherein the geographic solution includes;

a calculated route between the first location of the first mobile device and the location coordinates of the selected potential match, and information associated with the calculated route, the information including one or more of an estimated travel time, an average travelling speed, and an elapsed travel time.

2. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein the calculated route is calculated based in part on one or more of:

whether the calculated route is to be traveled by automobile or foot, available modes of transit, fees associated with the calculated route, traffic conditions on the calculated route, and restrictions on the calculated route.

3. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein the location coordinates of the at least one potential match are received at the first mobile device in a text message.

4. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein the geographic solution further comprises a calculated route between the first mobile device and the location coordinates of the selected potential match.

5. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein an amount of the geographical data transmitted to the GPS system is based, at least in part on, the link established between the first mobile device and the GPS system.

6. A system as recited in claim 1, further comprising computer usable program code executable by the processor to cause the processor to:

receive, from the GPS system, additional geographical data at the first mobile device.

7. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein the calculated route is output as one or more of:

a map, a list of directions, and audible directions.

8. A system as recited in claim 7, wherein the map includes satellite imagery.

9. A method, comprising:

sending a request for a location of a closest person to a first mobile device;

determining a first location of the first mobile device;

receiving, in response to the request, a plurality of potential matches, where each of the potential matches includes a name and location of a person;

receiving a selection of one of the plurality of potential matches;

obtaining location coordinates of the selected potential match;

establishing a link with a global positioning service (GPS) system;

transmitting geographical data to the GPS system, wherein the geographical data includes the location coordinates of the selected potential match; and

outputting a geographic solution on the first mobile device, wherein the geographic solution includes;

a calculated route between the first location of the first mobile device and the location coordinates of the selected potential match, and information associated with the calculated route, the information including one or more of an estimated travel time, an average travelling speed, and an elapsed travel time.

10. A method, comprising:

sending a request for a location of a closest person to a first mobile device;

determining a first location of the first mobile device;

receiving, in response to the request, a plurality of potential matches, where each of the potential matches includes a name and location of a person;

receiving a selection of one of the plurality of potential matches;

obtaining location coordinates of the selected potential match;

establishing a link with a global positioning service (GPS) system;

transmitting geographical data to the GPS system, wherein the geographical data includes the location coordinates of the selected potential match; and

outputting a geographic solution on the first mobile device, wherein the geographic solution includes;

a calculated route between the first location of the first mobile device and the location coordinates of the selected potential match.

11. A method as recited in claim 10, wherein the first mobile device is a mobile phone.

12. A method as recited in claim 10, further comprising sending a request to the first mobile device to resend the geographical data to the GPS system in response to determining that the geographical data was not received by the GPS system within a predetermined time period.

13. A system, comprising:

a server including a processor for;

receiving a request for a location of a closest person to a first mobile device;

determining a plurality of potential matches, where each of the potential matches includes a name and location of a person;

sending to the first mobile device the plurality of potential matches;

identifying a selection of one of the plurality of potential matches; and

sending to the first mobile device location coordinates of the selected potential match;

wherein the first mobile device establishes a link with a global positioning service (GPS) system;

wherein the first mobile device transmits geographical data to the GPS system, wherein the geographical data includes the location coordinates of the selected potential match;

wherein the first mobile device outputs a geographic solution, wherein the geographic solution includes;

a calculated route between a location of the first mobile device and the location coordinates of the selected potential match, and information associated with the calculated route, the information including one or more of an estimated travel time, an average travelling speed, and an elapsed travel time.

14. A system as recited in claim 13, wherein the first mobile device is a mobile phone.

15. A system as recited in claim 13, further comprising:

sending a confirmation to the first mobile device that the geographic data was successfully received at the GPS system.

16. A method, comprising:

receiving at a server a request for a location of a closest person to a first mobile device;

determining at the server a plurality of potential matches, where each of the potential matches includes a name and location of a person;

sending from the server to the first mobile device the plurality of potential matches;

identifying at the server a selection of one of the plurality of potential matches; and

sending from the server to the first mobile device location coordinates of the selected potential match;

wherein the first mobile device establishes a link with a global positioning service (GPS) system;

wherein the first mobile device transmits geographical data to the GPS system, wherein the geographical data includes the location coordinates of the selected potential match;

wherein the first mobile device outputs a geographic solution, wherein the geographic solution includes;

a calculated route between a location of the first mobile device and the location coordinates of the selected potential match, and information associated with the calculated route, the information including one or more of an estimated travel time, an average travelling speed, and an elapsed travel time.

17. A method as recited in claim 16, further comprising transmitting all geographic data stored on the first mobile device to the GPS system, the geographic data being selected from the group consisting of:

waypoints, destinations, origins, routes, distances, travel times, and combinations thereof.

18. A method, comprising:

receiving at a server a request for a location of a closest person to a first mobile device;

determining at the server a plurality of potential matches, where each of the potential matches includes a name and location of a person;

sending from the server to the first mobile device the plurality of potential matches;

identifying at the server a selection of one of the plurality of potential matches; and

sending from the server to the first mobile device location coordinates of the selected potential match;

wherein the first mobile device establishes a link with a global positioning service (GPS) system;

wherein the first mobile device transmits geographical data to the GPS system, wherein the geographical data includes the location coordinates of the selected potential match;

wherein the first mobile device outputs a geographic solution, wherein the geographic solution includes;

a calculated route between a location of the first mobile device and the location coordinates of the selected potential match.

19. A method as recited in claim 18, wherein the first mobile device is in direct communication with the GPS system via at least one of a hardwired connection, a local area network only, and a direct wireless connection.

20. A method as recited in claim 18, further comprising waiting for a confirmation that the geographic data stored on the first mobile device was successfully received at the GPS system, wherein the geographical data stored on the first mobile device is resent to the GPS system in response to determining that the confirmation has not been received at the first mobile device before a predetermined time period elapses.