System and method for providing dynamic location information

• US 7,383,316 B2
• Filed: 11/15/2002
• Issued: 06/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Koch, Zeke, Stewart, David Edward
• Primary Examiner(s): Cardone; Jason
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kianersi; Mitra
• Application Number:
  US10/295,303
• Publication Number:
  US 20040098464A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,027 Days
• Field of Search: 709227-229, 709/230, 709/217
• US Class Current: 709/217
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• 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: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

A system and method for providing the dynamic geographic location of a computing device to location aware applications. This system and method enables the location aware applications to enhance the user experience by taking the dynamic geographic location of a user into account in its operations. Location providers associated with the computing device provide dynamic geographic data associated with the geographic location of the user. The dynamic geographic data is converted to a common format that is recognized by the location aware applications. The location aware applications incorporate the dynamic location in presenting information to the user.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for providing relative geographic data to an instant text messaging application executing on a user computing device, the method comprising:

obtaining user geographic data from a location provider of the user computing device, wherein the user geographic data identifies the location of the user computing device;

obtaining remote geographic data of a remote computing device, wherein the remote geographic data identifies the location of the remote computing device;

determining relative geographic data, wherein the relative geographic data includes information associated with the geographic location of the remote computing device in relation to the geographic location of the user computing device;

associating the relative geographic data with the instant text messaging application, wherein the instant text messaging application is configured to send text messages to the remote computing device and receive text messages from the remote computing device;

displaying a user interface for the instant text messaging application, wherein the user interface includes an online status for at least one contact name of the remote computing device, wherein the relative geographic data is displayed in the user interface in association with the at least one contact name, wherein displaying the relative geographic data in the user interface in association with the at least one contact name includes;

displaying a calculated distance between the user computing device and the remote computing device when the calculated distance is less than a predetermined distance threshold, and

displaying a city name associated with the location of the remote computing device when the calculated distance is greater than the predetermined distance threshold.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining an accuracy associated with the relative geographic data; and

providing the accuracy to the instant text messaging application.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein providing the relative geographic data further comprises:

determining whether the instant text messaging application has permission to receive the user geographic data; and

if the instant text messaging application has permission, providing the user geographic data to the instant text messaging application.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, wherein determining whether the instant text messaging application has permission to receive the user geographic data further comprises prompting a user for the permission.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the user computing device is a personal computer.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the user computing device is a mobile communication device.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the location provider is a component of the user computing device.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein obtaining user geographic data further comprises selecting the one location provider from among a plurality of location providers.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein selecting the one location provider is performed based on priorities associated with the plurality of location providers.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising sending, by the user computing device, user geographic data to the remote computing device.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the user geographic data and the remote geographic date include a common format that is recognized by a plurality of applications.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, wherein the plurality of applications recognize the user geographic data in the common format without possessing knowledge of the location provider.

31. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the instant text messaging application includes a mapping application, wherein selection of the at least one contact name presents a menu for causing the mapping application to display and populate with the relative geographic data.

32. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the instant text messaging application includes a driving direction application, wherein selection of the at least one contact name presents a menu for causing the driving application to present instructions for traveling between the location of the user computing device and the location of the remote computing device.

33. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the instant text messaging application includes a browser application, wherein selection of the at least one contact name presents a menu for causing the browser application to present network information associated with the relative geographic location.

13. A computer-implemented method for presenting information related to instant messaging to a user of a computing device comprising:

determining at least one remote party capable of sending instant messages to the user;

receiving geographic data associated with the remote party in an instant message, wherein the geographic data includes a geographic location of the remote party;

determining geographic data associated with the user, wherein the geographic data includes a geographic location of the user;

determining relative geographic data, wherein the relative geographic data includes information associated with the geographic location of the remote party in relation to the geographic location of the user;

associating the relative geographic data with an instant text messaging application, wherein the instant text messaging application is configured to send text messages to the remote party and receive text messages from the remote party; and

displaying a user interface for the instant text messaging application, wherein the user interface includes an online status for at least one contact name of the remote party, wherein the relative geographic data is displayed in the user interface in association with the at least one contact name.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 13, wherein the geographic data associated with the user is dynamically provided by a location provider.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 13, further comprising providing the geographic data associated with the user to the remote party.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 13, further comprising:

determining whether a permission exists for sending the geographic data associated with the user to the remote party;

if permission is not found, not sending the geographic data associated with the user to the remote party.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 16, wherein determining whether a permission exists includes determining whether the remote party is included in a location permission list.

18. The computer-implemented method of claim 13, further comprising:

calculating the distance between the user and the remote party based on the geographic data associated with the remote party and the geographic data associated with the user;

determining an accuracy of the geographic data associated with the computing device; and

if the calculated distance is less than the determined accuracy,

presenting to the user that the distance between the remote party and the user is less than the value of the accuracy.

19. A computing device for providing information to a user comprising:

a processor;

a location provider for generating dynamic geographic data associated with the geographic location of the user;

a network interface for data communication through a network, and

a memory into which an instant text messaging application is loaded, wherein the instant text messaging application is configured to send text messages to the remote party and receive text messages from the remote party, wherein the instant text messaging application is configured to;

generate a user-interface for selecting at least one remote party to provide access to geographic data associated with the location of the user;

transmit to the at least one remote party the geographic data associated with the location of the user, when access to the geographic data is provided;

receive, in an instant message, geographic data associated with the at least one remote party, wherein the geographic data includes a geographic location of the at least one remote party;

obtain the dynamic geographic data associated with the user from the location provider, the dynamic geographic data includes a geographic location of the user;

calculate the accuracy of the geographic location of the user and the geographic location of the at least one remote party;

determine relative geographic data, wherein the relative geographic data includes information associated with the geographic location of the at least one remote party in relation to the geographic location of the user; and

display, on the user interface, an online status for at least one contact name of the remote party, wherein the relative geographic data is displayed in the user interface in association with the at least one contact name.

20. The computing device of claim 19, wherein the instant text messaging application includes a mapping application, wherein selection of the at least one contact name presents a menu for causing the mapping application to display and populate with the relative geographic data.

21. The computing device of claim 19, wherein the instant text messaging application includes a driving direction application, wherein selection of the at least one contact name presents a menu for causing the driving application to present instructions for traveling between the location of the user and the location of the at least one remote party.

22. The computing device of claim 19, wherein the instant text messaging application includes a browser application, wherein selection of the at least one contact name presents a menu for causing the browser application to present network information associated with the relative geographic location.

23. The computing device of claim 19, wherein the computing device is a personal computer.

24. The computing device of claim 19, wherein the computing device is a mobile communication device.

25. The computing device of claim 24, wherein the mobile communication device is configured to communicate with a wireless telephone network.

26. The computing device of claim 19, further comprising a plurality of location providers for generating dynamic geographic data associated with the geographic location of the user.

27. The computing device of claim 26, wherein at least one of the location providers is a component of the computing device.

28. The computing device of claim 26, wherein the plurality of location providers include, a GPS device.

29. The computing device of claim 26, wherein the plurality of location providers include a cellular device.

30. The computing device of claim 26, wherein the plurality of location providers include a network location device.