Methods and apparatus for organizing and presenting contact information in a mobile communication system
First Claim
1. In a mobile communications network, said network including an information server and a mobile communications device coupled to said server via at least a wireless link, a method of operating comprising:
- transmitting a message including location information from said mobile communications device to said server via said at least wireless link;
transmitting a list of contacts from said mobile communication device to said server via said at least wireless link;
matching said contacts with said location information using data maintained for other communications devices to generate a list of proximate users, said act of matching comprising;
determining at least one coordinate for each contact in said list of contacts, said at least one coordinate selected from the group consisting of;
(i) longitude-latitude, (ii) GPS coordinates, and (iii) UTM coordinates;
computing a distance from a current location for said mobile communications device derived from said location information to said at least one coordinate; and
removing contacts having a distance that that does not meet one or more screening criteria;
transmitting said list of proximate users to said mobile communications device; and
displaying at least a portion of said list of proximate users on said mobile communications device.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and apparatus for gathering, organizing and displaying contact information in a mobile communications network. In one embodiment, a method for operating a mobile communication network includes an information server and a mobile communications device coupled to the service via a wireless connection. The method comprises transmitting a location identifier message including a current location from the mobile communications device to the server via the wireless link. The mobile device also transmits a list of contacts to the server via the wireless link. The contacts are matched with the location using a location database maintained for other mobile communications devices in order to generate a list of proximate users. Alternatively, the contact list can be based upon cognitive or psychographic proximity (versus merely physical proximity). The list of proximate users is transmitted to the mobile communications device, and the list is displayed in an easily perceived fashion based on user preferences.
353 Citations
28 Claims
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1. In a mobile communications network, said network including an information server and a mobile communications device coupled to said server via at least a wireless link, a method of operating comprising:
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transmitting a message including location information from said mobile communications device to said server via said at least wireless link; transmitting a list of contacts from said mobile communication device to said server via said at least wireless link; matching said contacts with said location information using data maintained for other communications devices to generate a list of proximate users, said act of matching comprising; determining at least one coordinate for each contact in said list of contacts, said at least one coordinate selected from the group consisting of;
(i) longitude-latitude, (ii) GPS coordinates, and (iii) UTM coordinates;computing a distance from a current location for said mobile communications device derived from said location information to said at least one coordinate; and removing contacts having a distance that that does not meet one or more screening criteria; transmitting said list of proximate users to said mobile communications device; and displaying at least a portion of said list of proximate users on said mobile communications device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A mobile communications device for communicating with a network, said mobile communications device having an input device and a display device, said mobile communications device comprising:
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a microprocessor adapted to run client software; client software configured to; transmit a list of contacts from said mobile communications device to a server; receive a list of proximate users from said server; and display said list of proximate users on said mobile communications device; and position location apparatus in data communication with said microprocessor and adapted to determine the location of the mobile communications device; wherein a distance between said mobile communications device and one of said contacts is calculated by weighting any distance across water more heavily than any distance across land. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A server for use in a mobile communications network, said mobile communications network providing communications services to a plurality of mobile communications devices, said server comprising:
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a microprocessor configured for executing software instructions; server software, running on said microprocessor, said server software comprising at least one software module adapted to; receive a location identifier message, including a current location, from a mobile communications device from said plurality of mobile communication devices; receive a list of contacts from said mobile communication device; match said contacts with said current location using a location database maintained for other mobile communications devices to generate a list of proximate users; and transmit said list of proximate users to said mobile communications device; determine the coordinates for each contact in said list of contacts; compute a distance from said current location to each of said coordinates; and remove those contacts having a distance that is greater than a threshold distance. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. In a mobile communications network, said network including an information server and a mobile communications device coupled to said server via a wireless link, a method of operating comprising:
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receiving a message at said server via said wireless link, said message including location information from said mobile communications device; receiving a plurality of contacts from said mobile communication device at said server via said wireless link; matching said contacts with said proximity-related information using data maintained for other communications devices to generate a list of proximate users, said matching including; determining at least one coordinate for each contact in said plurality of contacts, said at least one coordinate selected from the group consisting of; (i) longitude-latitude, (ii) GPS coordinates, and (iii) UTM coordinates; computing a distance from a current location for said mobile communications device obtained based on said location information, to said at least one coordinate; removing contacts having a distance that that does not meet one or more screening criteria; and transmitting said list of proximate users to said mobile communications device for display of at least a portion thereof on said mobile communications device. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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Specification