Automatic detection of personal networks

• US 8,165,605 B2
• Filed: 10/30/2008
• Issued: 04/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Mobile Communications AB (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Andreasson, Mans Folke Markus
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, John J
• Application Number:
  US12/261,395
• Publication Number:
  US 20100112989A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,272 Days
• Field of Search: 455/414.1, 455/414.2, 455/414.3, 455/435.1, 455/434, 455/448, 455/456.1, 455/456.2, 455/456.3, 455/456.5, 455/461, 455/515, 455/68, 455/458, 340/994
• US Class Current: 455/456.3
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• 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 method may include receiving information about a geographic position of each of a plurality of mobile terminals for a particular time. The method may further include determining a relationship between two of the mobile terminals based on the geographic position and the particular time and automatically suggesting, based on the relationship, an information exchange of contact information between the two mobile terminals.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

sending a first position request to a plurality of mobile terminals, the first position request including a current network time and indicating a particular time span for which geographic position information of the mobile terminal is requested,

receiving, in response to the first position request, first information about a geographic position of each of the plurality of mobile terminals for the particular time span;

sending a second position request to the plurality of mobile terminals, the second position request including another current network time and a specific time for which geographic position information of the mobile terminal is requested;

receiving, in response to the second position request, second information about a geographic position of each of the plurality of mobile terminals for the specific time;

determining a relationship between two of the mobile terminals based on the first information, the second information, the particular time span, and the specific time; and

automatically suggesting, based on the relationship, an exchange of contact information between the two mobile terminals.

2. The method of claim 1, where determining the relationship between two of the mobile terminals further comprises:

comparing the first information and the second information from a first of the two mobile terminals with position information from a second of the two mobile terminals.

3. The method of claim 1, where automatically suggesting further comprises:

sending an exchange request to each of the two mobile terminals;

receiving an accept response from at least one of the two mobile terminals, the accept response including a timestamp of the most recent contact information from the other of the two mobile terminals; and

sending a contact information request to at least one of the two mobile terminals.

4. The method of claim 3, where automatically suggesting, further comprises:

receiving a contact information response from one of the two mobile terminals, the contact information response including contact information with a more recent timestamp than the timestamp of the most recent contact information from the other of the two mobile terminals; and

sending the contact information from the contact information response to the other of the two mobile terminals.

5. The method of claim 1, where the contact information is an update of contact information previously stored on one of the two mobile terminals.

6. The method of claim 1, where the contact information is not associated with contact information stored on one of the two mobile terminals.

7. The method of claim 1, where the contact information is one of an email address, an instant message address, a phone number, a social networking service identification, or a physical address.

8. A system, comprising:

a server configured to communicate with a first mobile terminal and a second mobile terminal over a network, the server including a processing unit to;

send a position request to the first mobile terminal and a second mobile terminal, the position request indicating a particular time span for which to provide geographic position information,

receive first geographic position information of each of the first mobile terminal and the second mobile terminal for the particular time span in the position request,

send, based on the first geographic position information, another position request to the first mobile terminal and the second mobile terminal, the other position request indicating a specific time for which to provide geographic position information,

receive second geographic position information of each of the first mobile terminal and the second mobile terminal for the specific time in the other position request,

compare the second geographic position information of the first mobile terminal and the second mobile terminal to determine a relationship between the first mobile terminal and the second mobile terminal, and

send a message to the first mobile terminal and the second mobile terminal to suggesting an information exchange of contact information between the first mobile terminal and the second mobile terminal.

9. The system of claim 8, further comprising:

a memory providing temporary working storage to compare the second geographic position information of the first mobile terminal and the second mobile terminal.

10. The system of claim 8, where the processing unit is further configured to:

receive contact information from the first mobile terminal, and

send the contact information from the first mobile terminal to the second mobile terminal.

11. The system of claim 8, where the contact information is one of an email address, an instant message address, a phone number, a social networking service identification, or a physical address.

12. The system of claim 8, where the contact information is not related to contact information stored on the first mobile terminal.

13. The system of claim 8, where the contact information is an update of contact information previously stored on the first mobile terminal.

14. The system of claim 8, further comprising:

a position assist server to assist the first mobile terminal or the second mobile terminal in determining its own position.

15. A method performed by a mobile terminal, comprising:

determining a geographic position of the mobile terminal for a particular time;

storing the geographic position of the mobile terminal for the particular time;

sending, to a server and in response to a request from the server, the geographic position of the mobile terminal for the particular time;

receiving a request to exchange contact information with another mobile terminal based on the geographic position of the mobile terminal for the particular time; and

sending, to the server and based on the request to exchange contact information, an accept response, wherein the accept response includes a timestamp of most recently stored contact information, on the mobile terminal, of an existing contact associated with the other mobile terminal.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

receiving updated contact information of the existing contact stored in the mobile terminal.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

prompting a user of the mobile terminal to accept or reject the request to exchange contact information with the other mobile terminal.