User method for selective wireless communication with contact list memory

• US 7,616,948 B2
• Filed: 06/26/2008
• Issued: 11/10/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Modu Limited (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Moran, Dov
• Primary Examiner(s): Cumming, William D
• Application Number:
  US12/146,710
• Publication Number:
  US 20080280627A1
• Time in Patent Office: 502 Days
• Field of Search: 340/539.18, 455/414.1
• US Class Current: 455/414.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2745 using static electronic memories, e.g. chips
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/27453 Directories allowing storage of additional subscriber data, e.g. metadata
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2746 Sorting, e.g. according to history or frequency of use
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/10 including a GPS signal receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/024 Guidance services
• 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 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/186 Processing of subscriber group data

Abstract

Methods, devices and systems for wireless communication. A device user defines a list of contacts and receives a collective indication of which contacts are located within a neighborhood of the device. The neighborhood is defined at the device, for example by the device itself or by the user. A plurality of device users define respective user profiles including user attributes. One of the users defines a target attribute, and receives an indication of which other users that have that attribute have devices in the first user'"'"'s neighborhood. The devices communicate among themselves either indirectly, for example via cellular base stations, or directly.

Claims

1. A method of communication by a user of a wireless device, comprising:

(a) generating a contact list comprising a plurality of records, each record comprising;

(a.i) a contact name;

(a.ii) a telephone number for a contact'"'"'s wireless device, wherein the current location of the contact'"'"'s wireless device may be tracked via its telephone number; and

(a.iii) at least one contact attribute;

(b) storing the contact list in a wireless device;

(c) designating, by the wireless device, a geographical neighborhood and an attribute; and

(d) identifying at least one record of the contact list for which the at least one contact attribute includes the designated attribute, and for which the contact'"'"'s wireless device is currently located within the designated geographical neighborhood.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said designating a geographical neighborhood comprises designating a radius for a circle centered at the current location of the user'"'"'s wireless device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said designating a geographical neighborhood comprises designating a minimum signal strength received by the user'"'"'s wireless device from a contact'"'"'s wireless device.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising initiating, by the wireless device, communication between the user'"'"'s wireless device and the wireless device of a contact in one of the at least one record identified by said identifying.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing, by the wireless device, indicators of the current locations of the wireless devices of the contacts in the at least one record identified by said identifying.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

calling, by the wireless device, at least one contact'"'"'s wireless device in a background mode; and

receiving, in reply to said calling, at least one indication of the current locations of the at least one contact'"'"'s wireless device.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

requesting, by the wireless device from a base station that services the wireless device, current locations of at least one contact'"'"'s wireless device, for at least one contact whose at least one attribute includes the designated attribute; and

receiving, from the base station, the requested current locations.

8. A method of communication by a plurality of users of respective wireless devices, comprising:

(a) generating, for each of a plurality of users, a user profile comprising;

(a.i) a user name;

(a.ii) a telephone number for a user'"'"'s wireless device, wherein the current location of the user'"'"'s wireless device can be tracked via its telephone number; and

(a.iii) at least one user attribute;

(b) storing each user profile within each user'"'"'s wireless device;

(c) designating, by the wireless device of any given one of the plurality of users, a geographical neighborhood and an attribute;

(d) identifying at least one user for which the at least one user attribute in the at least one user'"'"'s profile includes the designated attribute, and for which the at least one user'"'"'s wireless device is currently located within the designated geographical neighborhood.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said designating a geographical neighborhood comprises designating a radius for a circle centered at the current location of the given user'"'"'s wireless device.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein said designating a geographical neighborhood comprises designating a minimum signal strength received by the given user'"'"'s wireless device from another user'"'"'s wireless device.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising initiating, by the given user'"'"'s wireless device, communication between the given user'"'"'s wireless device and the wireless device of one of the at least one user identified by said identifying.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising presenting, by the given user'"'"'s wireless device, indicators of the current locations of the wireless devices of the at least one user identified by said identifying.

13. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

calling, by the given users wireless device, at least one other user'"'"'s wireless device in a background mode; and

receiving, in reply to said calling, at least one indication of the current locations of the at least one other user'"'"'s wireless device.

14. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

requesting, by the given user'"'"'s wireless device from a base station that services the wireless device, current locations of at least one other user'"'"'s wireless device, for at least one other user whose at least one attribute includes the designated attribute; and

receiving, from the base station, the requested current locations.