System for providing location-based services in a wireless network, such as modifying locating privileges among individuals and managing lists of individuals associated with such privileges

• US 7,190,960 B2
• Filed: 12/20/2002
• Issued: 03/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cingular Wireless II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Feinstein, Jacob, Wilson, Brian, Bhuyan, Krishna
• Primary Examiner(s): Trinh, Sonny
• Application Number:
  US10/325,566
• Publication Number:
  US 20040203903A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,544 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456.1, 455/456.2, 455/456.3, 455/456.4, 455/456.5, 455/456.6, 455/457, 455/404.2, 455/410, 455/411
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

A system for providing wireless telecommunication services to mobile devices includes structure and functionality to manage permissions for location-based services. One method includes receiving a stop request with respect to one mobile device to stop other mobile devices from receiving location information with respect to the one mobile device. The method updates a central database based on the received stop request, and prohibits other mobile devices from receiving location information with respect to the one mobile device until a request to remove the stop is received. Other methods and systems are disclosed.

Claims

1. In a telecommunications system having multiple base stations communicating with multiple mobile devices, a computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving a stop request with respect to one of the mobile devices to stop other mobile devices from receiving location information with respect to the one mobile device;

updating a central database based on the received stop request;

prohibiting other mobile devices from receiving location information with respect to the one mobile device until the one mobile device provides a request to remove the stop request, wherein the stop request includes user-selected conditions when location information regarding the one mobile device is not to be provided to others, wherein the conditions include days, times of day, or specific days; and

applying priorities or rules to resolve conflicting conditions, wherein differing priorities or rules are associated with providing differing location options, and wherein one option takes precedence over another option based on one of the applied priorities or rules.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a resume request from the one mobile device to permit other mobile devices to resume receiving location information with respect to the one mobile device; and

updating the central database based on the received resume request.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

not providing location information regarding the one mobile device based on a user selected schedule.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

not providing location information regarding the one mobile device based on user selected specific individuals.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

not providing location information regarding the one mobile device based on user selected geographic criteria.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the stop request includes user selected conditions when location information regarding the one mobile device is not to be provided to others, and wherein the method includes:

applying priorities or rules to resolve conflicting conditions.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

providing location information regarding the one mobile device to a select individual'"'"'s mobile device, despite receiving the stop request from the one mobile device, wherein the select individual is a sponsor of a wireless account for the one mobile device.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the stop request includes at least one user-selected condition when location information regarding the one mobile device is not to be provided to others.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one user-selected condition defines when location information regarding the one mobile device is to be provided to others, despite receiving the stop request from the one mobile device.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein location information regarding the one mobile device is never to be provided to others, unless at least one user-selected condition is met.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing a user of the one mobile device to access, over a public computer network, to a web page associated with user-selectable options for when to prohibit other mobile devices from receiving location information with respect to the one mobile device.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing a notification to the one mobile device when a selected mobile device is within a selected radius or range of the one mobile device.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing a notification to the one mobile device when a selected mobile device is approximately at a selected geographic location.

8. The method of 1, wherein the method further comprises:

providing location information regarding the one mobile device to a select individual'"'"'s mobile device, despite receiving the stop request from the one mobile device.

15. A computer-readable medium whose contents cause at least one telecommunication mobile device associated with a user to perform a method to receive location based services from at least one telecommunications server, the method comprising:

providing a pending request list indicating at least one subscriber who requests to receive location information with respect to the user'"'"'s mobile device;

receiving a command to reject the one subscriber'"'"'s request and future requests to receive location information with respect to the user'"'"'s mobile device;

wirelessly providing the command to the telecommunications server; and

not receiving an indication at the user'"'"'s mobile device that the one subscriber wishes to receive location information with respect to the user'"'"'s mobile device until the user cancels the command; and

,

providing to the telecommunications server a cancel command; and

receiving an inquiry message asking the user whether to provide notification to the one subscriber with respect to the cancel command.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, further comprising:

receiving and providing a deny always list of subscribers for whom deny always commands are in place; and

providing to the telecommunications server a command to update the user'"'"'s deny always list.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 15 wherein the computer-readable medium is a memory in the mobile device.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, further comprising:

receiving a Short Message Service (SMS) message confirming the command.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, further comprising:

providing a request not receive short message service (SMS) notifications.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, further comprising:

providing a request to receive short message service (SMS) notifications from only certain subscribers or entities.