System and method for locating a phone user
First Claim
1. A computer implemented method for identifying the location of a user of a target communication device from a requesting communication device, the method comprising:
- receiving at the requesting communication device a selection of the target communication device, the selection representing a contact record associated with the target communication device in an address book on the requesting communication device;
sending, using the requesting communication device, a location request comprising a category for a unique identifier for the target communication device;
receiving, at the target communication device, a designation of whether an actual location of the target communication device or an alternative location of the target communication device is to be delivered to the requesting communication device;
obtaining, at the requesting communication device, location information for the target communication device responsive to the location request, wherein;
the actual location of the target communication device is obtained when the designation received at the target communication device indicates that an actual location is to be delivered to the requesting device;
the alternate location of the target communication device is obtained when the designation received at the target communication device indicates that an alternate location is to be delivered to the requesting device;
enabling the actual location of the target communication device or the alternate location of the target communication device to be predefined prior to the obtaining by the user of the target communication device based on at least one of a unique identifier of the requesting communication device and a contact list group membership of the requesting communication device, where the alternate location is a location that is different from the actual location of the target communication device; and
displaying the location information on the requesting communication device.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Systems and methods for locating a user of a wired or wireless communication device allow a communication device to respond to a location request with its current location or a default location. A request for the location of a target wireless communication device is sent to the network where the request is responded to by the network or forwarded to the target device. When the request is received by the target device, the device can deny the location request or respond to the location request with the actual location of the device (as determined by GPS or the network) or with a default, predetermined location. The type of response (denial, actual location, or default location) can be selected by the user of the target device on a granular, per request basis so that the user of the target device can selectively respond to location requests in an appropriate fashion.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A computer implemented method for identifying the location of a user of a target communication device from a requesting communication device, the method comprising:
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receiving at the requesting communication device a selection of the target communication device, the selection representing a contact record associated with the target communication device in an address book on the requesting communication device; sending, using the requesting communication device, a location request comprising a category for a unique identifier for the target communication device; receiving, at the target communication device, a designation of whether an actual location of the target communication device or an alternative location of the target communication device is to be delivered to the requesting communication device; obtaining, at the requesting communication device, location information for the target communication device responsive to the location request, wherein; the actual location of the target communication device is obtained when the designation received at the target communication device indicates that an actual location is to be delivered to the requesting device; the alternate location of the target communication device is obtained when the designation received at the target communication device indicates that an alternate location is to be delivered to the requesting device; enabling the actual location of the target communication device or the alternate location of the target communication device to be predefined prior to the obtaining by the user of the target communication device based on at least one of a unique identifier of the requesting communication device and a contact list group membership of the requesting communication device, where the alternate location is a location that is different from the actual location of the target communication device; and displaying the location information on the requesting communication device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A computer implemented method for responding to a request for the location of a user of a target wireless communication device from a requesting wireless communication device, the method comprising:
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receiving at the target wireless communication device the request for the location of the target wireless communication device from the requesting wireless communication device, where the request is a selection representing a contact record associated with the target wireless communication device in an address book on the requesting wireless communication device; receiving, at the target communication device, a designation of whether an actual location of the target communication device or an alternative location of the target communication device is to be delivered to the requesting communication device; obtaining, at the requesting communication device, location information for the target communication device responsive to the location request, wherein; the actual location of the target communication device is obtained when the designation received at the target communication device indicates that an actual location is to be delivered to the requesting device; the alternate location of the target communication device is obtained when the designation received at the target communication device indicates that an alternate location is to be delivered to the requesting device; parsing the request to obtain a unique identifier for the requesting wireless communication device; determining a category for the unique identifier of the requesting wireless communication device; and responding to the request with one of a denial of the request for the location of the target wireless communication device, an actual location of the target wireless communication device, and an alternate location of the target wireless communication device, whereby the user of the target communication device identifies in advance of responding the alternate location irrespective of whether the denial of the request, the actual location or the alternate location is obtained by the requesting wireless communication device, whether the responding to the request represents the denial of the request, the actual location of the target wireless communication device, or the alternate location of the target wireless communication device is predefined prior to the determining by the user of the target wireless communication device based on at least one of the category for the unique identifier of the requesting wireless communication device and a contact list group membership of the requesting wireless communication device, where the alternate location is different from the actual location. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A requesting wireless communication device comprising:
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a contact list comprising a plurality of contact records, each contact record having a location field configured to store a location for a wireless communication device associated with the respective contact record; a location module configured to construct a location request seeking location information for a target wireless communication device associated with a particular contact record, send the location request over a wireless communication network, and update the location field for the particular contact record upon receiving a response to the location request; a designation, received at the target communication wireless communication device, of whether an actual location of the target communication device or an alternative location of the target communication device is to be delivered to the requesting communication device; the actual location of the target communication device is obtained when the designation received at the target communication device indicates that an actual location is to be delivered to the requesting device; the alternate location of the target communication device is obtained when the designation received at the target communication device indicates that an alternate location is to be delivered to the requesting device; wherein the location module is further configured to receive the location request, parse the location request to obtain a unique identifier for the wireless communication device, determine whether to deny the location request or respond to the location request, obtain one of current location information and an alternate location information to include in the response to the location request, and respond to the location request with one of the current location information, the alternate location information and deny the location request, whereby the user of the target wireless communication device identifies in advance of responding the alternate location information irrespective of whether the current location information or the alternate location information is obtained by the wireless communication device, whether the response to the location request represents the current location information, the alternate location information or deny the location request is predefined prior to the obtaining based on at least one of the unique identifier of the wireless communication device and the contact list group membership of the wireless communication device, where the alternate location information is different from the current location information. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15)
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16. A method for identifying the location of a user of a target communication device, the method comprising:
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receiving with a requesting communication device a selection of the target communication device, the selection representing a contact record associated with the target communication device in an address book on the requesting communication device; sending, using the requesting communication device, a location request comprising a category for a unique identifier for the target communication device; receiving, at the target communication device, a designation of whether an actual location of the target communication device or an alternative location of the target communication device is to be delivered to the requesting communication device; obtaining, at the requesting communication device, location information for the target communication device responsive to the location request, wherein; the actual location of the target communication device is obtained when the designation received at the target communication device indicates that an actual location is to be delivered to the requesting device; the alternate location of the target communication device is obtained when the designation received at the target communication device indicates that an alternate location is to be delivered to the requesting device; and displaying the location information on the requesting communication device. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification