Method and apparatus for people to simply communicate their location and activity information

• US 7,099,921 B1
• Filed: 10/16/2000
• Issued: 08/29/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Crystal Mountain Communications, LLC (Ascend Innovation Management, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Hall Aluminum LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Phillips, Christopher, Engstrom, Eric
• Primary Examiner(s): Etienne, Ario
• Assistant Examiner(s): EL CHANTI, HUSSEIN A
• Application Number:
  US09/690,692
• Time in Patent Office: 2,143 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709206-207, 709217-219, 709223-225, 709/227, 709/245
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/00 User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
• 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 51/234 for tracking messages
• 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: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• 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 76/10 Connection setup

Abstract

A mobile client device, on behalf of a user, is equipped to submit an identity of the user to a messaging service, including the user'"'"'s current location. Once the messaging service receives the identity of the user, and the user'"'"'s current location, the messaging service, in response, selects one or more recipients remotely disposed by the mobile client device and the messaging service to receive the user'"'"'s current location, based at least in part on the identity of the user. The recipient receives the the user'"'"'s current location for information purposes. In one embodiment, the identity of the user, in addition the user'"'"'s current location, is also transmitted to the selected one or more recipients. As a result, users, in particular, youths, are able to notify to recipients, such as their parents/guardians, and each other of their whereabouts simply, efficiently and effectively. In other embodiments, the submission is triggered based on bio-metric data of the user, and includes the triggering bio-metric data. These embodiments have special applications for older users. Additionally, some recipients, such as parents/guardians, are empowered to initiate receipt of the user'"'"'s current location, thereby providing a non-intrusive way of keeping track of the locations of the youths for their peace of mind. In various embodiments, the client device may be a wireless telephone or a palm sized computing device.

Claims

1. A messaging service method comprising:

receiving from a mobile client device, selection of a first recipient authorized to receive location information of a user of the mobile client device;

receiving from the mobile client device, a current location of the user;

selecting the first recipient to receive the user'"'"'s current location, based at least in part on an identity of the user and the selection of the first recipient provided by the mobile client device, and independent of a current communication relationship between the first recipient and the messaging service; and

establishing a communication connection from the messaging server to the first recipient, if the first recipient is not in current communication with the messaging service.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises accumulating received locations of the user to form an activity log of the user.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the method further comprises receiving from the mobile client device indication that said first recipient is authorized to receive the activity log, and transmitting said activity log to said first recipient.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the activity log of the user further comprises a duration of time at each of the locations visited by the user.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises accessing a navigation web site to obtain map related information, and transmitting said obtained map related information to said first recipient.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises receiving a request from a second recipient to receive location information of the user, verifying authorization for the second recipient to receive location information of the user, and transmitting location information of the user to the second recipient, if the second recipient is verified to be authorized to receive location information of the user.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises receiving from the mobile client device, the identity of the user.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises receiving from the mobile client device an authorization duration for the first recipient, and said selecting comprises determining whether the first recipient remains authorized to receive location information of the user.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein establishing a communication connection to the first recipient further comprises transmitting the user'"'"'s current location to the first recipient.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein at least one of said receiving comprises receiving from the mobile client device via a wireless communication connection, or said transmitting comprises transmitting to the first recipient via a wireless communication connection.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein establishing a communication connection to the first recipient further comprises rendering current location information received retrievable by the authorized first recipient.

12. A portable electronic apparatus comprising:

a storage medium having stored therein a plurality of instructions that are machine executable, wherein the instructions are adapted to enable the portable electronic apparatus to select a first recipient authorized to receive location information of a user of the portable electronic apparatus to a messaging service, the first recipient being remotely disposed from the apparatus and the messaging service, to submit a current location of the user to the messaging service on behalf of the user, to enable the messaging service to select the first recipient based at least in part on the identity of the user and the selection of the first recipient provided by the portable electronic apparatus client device and independent of a current communication relationship between the first recipient and the messaging service, and to transmit the user'"'"'s current location; and

a processor coupled to the storage medium to execute the instructions.

13. The portable electronic apparatus of claim 12, wherein the instructions are further adapted to accumulate locations of the user to form an activity log of the user, and submit the activity log to the messaging service.

14. The portable electronic apparatus of claim 12, wherein the instructions are further adapted to sense one or more bio-metric data of the user, and perform said submission of a current location of the user, based at least in part on the sensed one or more bio-metric data of the user.

15. The portable electronic apparatus of claim 14, wherein the instructions are further adapted to access a global positioning system (GPS) to determine a current location of the user.

16. The portable electronic apparatus of claim 12, wherein the portable electronic apparatus further comprises a function button, and the instructions are further adapted to perform said submission, in response to a singular user action, selecting the function button.

17. The portable electronic apparatus of claim 12, wherein the instructions are further adapted to submit an authorization duration for the first recipient.

18. An apparatus comprising:

a storage medium having stored therein a plurality of instructions to receive from a mobile client device, a selection of a first recipient to receive location information of user of the mobile client device, and a submission of a current location of the user, to select the first recipient to receive the user'"'"'s current location, based at least in part on the identity of the user and the selection of the first recipient provided by the mobile client device and independent of a current communication relationship or lack of a current communication relationship between the apparatus and the first recipient, and to transmit the user'"'"'s current location; and

a processor coupled to the storage medium to execute the instructions.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the instructions are further adapted to accumulate submitted locations of the user to form an activity log of the user.

20. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the instructions are further adapted to receive from the mobile client device, an authorization duration for the first recipient, within which the first recipient is authorized to receive the location information of the user of the mobile client device.

21. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the instructions are further adapted to access a navigation web site to obtain map related information to include the map related information with said current location of the user.

22. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the instructions are further adapted to receive a request from a second recipient for the current location information of the user, determine authorization of the second recipient, and transmit the user'"'"'s current location to the second recipient, if the second recipient is determined to be authorized to receive the current location information of the user.

23. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the first recipient has an authorization duration, and the instructions are adapted to further take into consideration the first recipients'"'"' authorization duration when performing said selection of the first recipient.

24. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the instructions are further adapted to receive from the mobile client device, an identity of the selected first recipient.

25. A program product comprising a plurality of programming instructions adapted to program an apparatus to enable the apparatus to select a first recipient authorized to receive location information of a user of the apparatus to a messaging service, the first recipient being remotely disposed from the apparatus and the messaging service, to submit a current location of the user to the messaging service on behalf of the user, to enable the messaging service to select the first recipient based at least in part on the identity of the user and the selection of the first recipient provided by the apparatus and independent of a current communication relationship between the first recipient and the messaging service, and to transmit the user'"'"'s current location.

26. A physical storage medium comprising a plurality of programming instructions adapted to program an apparatus to enable the apparatus to select a first recipient authorized to receive location information of a user of the apparatus to a messaging service, the first recipient being remotely disposed from the apparatus and the messaging service, to submit a current location of the user to the messaging service on behalf of the user, to enable the messaging service to select the first recipient based at least in part on the identity of the user and the selection of the first recipient provided by the apparatus and independent of a current communication relationship between the first recipient and the messaging service, and to transmit the user'"'"'s current location.

27. A system comprising:

a communication interface;

a storage element;

a processor coupled to the communication interface and the storage element; and

a message module operated by the processor to enable the message module to select a first recipient authorized to receive location information of a user of the message module to a messaging service, the first recipient being remotely disposed from the message module and the messaging service, to submit a current location of the user to the messaging service on behalf of the user, to enable the messaging service to select the first recipient based at least in part on the identity of the user and the selection of the first recipient provided by the message module and independent of a current communication relationship between the first recipient and the messaging service, and to transmit the user'"'"'s current location.