System and method for providing location information

• US 8,451,998 B2
• Filed: 03/19/2007
• Issued: 05/28/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Knowledge Ventures, L.P. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Millard, Michael, McKenney, Ryan
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Joseph J
• Application Number:
  US11/725,577
• Publication Number:
  US 20080232571A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,262 Days
• Field of Search: 379/142.1, 379/142.11, 37920712-20715, 455/404.2, 455/414.2, 455/415, 455/433, 4554561-4563, 455/456, 455/6, 455/457
• US Class Current: 379/207.12
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/38 Displays
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42042 Notifying the called party of information on the calling party details within substation equipment H04M1/57, signalling details H04Q3/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42093 Notifying the calling party of information on the called or connected party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42348 Location-based services which utilize the location information of a target
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/025 using location based information parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold

Abstract

A system and method for providing location information is provided. The system may include a communication device. The communication device may include a communication interface to receive a notice of an incoming communication. The communication device may also include a display to display a representation of a present location of a calling party and to display a representation of a location of the communication device.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving notification of an incoming communication at a communication device associated with a called party, wherein the incoming communication is initiated by a calling party;

receiving location data indicating a calling party location of the calling party associated with the incoming communication;

displaying a first map on a display associated with the communication device before the incoming communication is answered by the called party, wherein the first map includes a first identifier identifying the calling party location;

displaying a second map on the display in response to the incoming communication being answered, wherein the second map includes a second identifier identifying a called party location of the called party;

updating the second map based on a change in the called party location; and

displaying the updated second map prior to the answered incoming communication being terminated.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying data on the display indicating a distance via roadways between the calling party location and the called party location.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the calling party location is determined based on global positioning system information.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying data on the display indicating a travel time from the called party location to the calling party location.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first map and the second map are displayed concurrently.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying data on the display, the data including travel directions via roadways from the called party location to the calling party location.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying data on the display, the data including travel directions from the calling party location to the called party location.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying data on the display indicating a communication path taken by the incoming communication to reach the communication device.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the first map and the second map are the same map.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication device comprises a wireline communication device.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining a distance between the calling party location and the called party location.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising selecting a mode of travel based on a comparison between the distance to a threshold distance.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the mode of travel is selected from a plurality of modes of travel including a walking mode and a driving mode.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising presenting at least one user selectable option associated with the calling party location and the called party location.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein an output based on a selection of the at least one user selectable option is based at least in part on the selected mode of travel.

16. An apparatus comprising:

a communication device comprising;

a communication interface to receive an incoming communication from a calling party; and

a display operative to;

display a first map before the incoming communication is answered, wherein the first map includes a first identifier identifying a calling party location of the calling party;

display a second map in response to the incoming communication being answered, wherein the second map includes a second identifier identifying a communication device location of the communication device;

update the second map based on a change in the called party location; and

display the updated second map after the incoming communication is answered and prior to the incoming communication being terminated.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising a location determination module to determine the communication device location.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising a mapping module to prepare the first map.

19. The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising a memory including data indicating the communication device location, wherein the communication device is a stationary device.

20. A computer-readable storage device storing processor-executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:

receive notification of an incoming call at a communication device associated with a called party;

receive, at the communication device, location data indicating a calling party location of a calling party before the incoming call is answered by the called party;

in response to receiving the notification and the location data, generate a first map at a display of the communication device before the incoming call is answered by the called party, the first map including a first identifier indicating the calling party location of the calling party;

in response to receiving an indication that the incoming call is answered by the communication device, generate a second map at the display of the communication device, the second map including the first identifier and a second identifier indicating a called party location of the called party;

update the second map based on a change in the called party location; and

display the updated second map after the incoming call is answered and prior to the incoming call being terminated.

21. The computer-readable storage device of claim 20, wherein the location data specifies at least one of a name of a city that includes the calling party location, a name of a state that includes the calling party location, a name of a country that includes the calling party location, and a coordinate position of the calling party location.

22. The computer-readable storage device of claim 20, wherein the location data specifies a coordinate position of the calling party location.

23. The computer-readable storage device of claim 20, further comprising processor-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to generate travel directions, wherein the travel directions are generated based at least in part on a relationship between the calling party location and the called party location, and wherein the travel directions are generated in response to user input after the incoming call is answered.

24. The computer-readable storage device of claim 20, further comprising processor-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to update the first identifier to indicate an updated calling party location.

25. The computer-readable storage device of claim 20, further comprising processor-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to determine a distance between the calling party location and the called party location.