Communication device and method of providing location information therein

• US 8,515,456 B2
• Filed: 06/18/2008
• Issued: 08/20/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Yoon, Mu Hy
• Primary Examiner(s): Batista, Marcos
• Assistant Examiner(s): Fang, Keith
• Application Number:
  US12/141,642
• Publication Number:
  US 20090098882A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,889 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 455/456.3
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/15 Information service where the information is dependent on the location of the subscriber
• 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 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/20 Services signaling; Auxiliary data signalling, i.e. transmitting data via a non-traffic channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/14 between corresponding nodes

Abstract

A communication device, computer program product and method of providing location information therein are disclosed. The communication device includes a wireless communication unit for receiving location information on another communication device and a controller for setting location based information on another communication device using the received location information, and controlling the set location based information to be displayed.

Claims

1. A mobile terminal, comprising:

a wireless communication unit configured to wirelessly communicate with at least one other terminal;

a touch screen display configured to receive a touch input and to display information; and

a controller configured to control the wireless communication unit and the touch screen,

wherein the controller receives location information including locations of mobile terminals of other users through a location information service,

wherein a list of the other users is displayed on the touch screen display, with each user including that user'"'"'s mobile terminal respective location information,

wherein a touch selection of one of the other users displayed in the list of the other users is received via the touch screen display,

wherein a map with information about the selected one other user and a particular location of the mobile terminal of the selected one other user is displayed on the touch screen display,

wherein a direction menu option allowing the user of the mobile terminal to view directions from the location of the mobile terminal to the particular location is displayed on the touch screen display,

wherein an amount of time it will take to travel from the location of the mobile terminal to the particular location is displayed on the touch screen display,

wherein the displayed list of other users includes names and the location information of the mobile terminals of each other user,

wherein the location information of the mobile terminals of the other users includes a full postal address of the mobile terminals of the other users,

wherein the controller determines an intimacy level of the other users, and selectively displays only a first portion of the full postal address when the determined intimacy level is a first level among a plurality of levels, and displays a second portion of the full postal address when the determined intimacy level is a second level among the plurality of levels,

wherein the second portion of the displayed address includes the first portion and more details of the full postal address,

wherein the second intimacy level indicates a greater intimacy between the mobile terminal and the at least one other terminal than the first intimacy level, and

wherein the intimacy level is set based on an extent of call/message transmission/reception between the mobile terminal and the other mobile terminal or is directly set by the user.

2. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the direction menu option further includes a walking or driving menu option allowing the user to select walking or driving directions from the location of the mobile terminal to the particular location.

3. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the locations of the mobile terminals of the other users correspond to locations where the other users accessed the location information service to share the locations with other users.

4. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to store a moving history including a plurality of locations of the user of the mobile terminal, and to control the touch screen display to display the moving history including the plurality of locations of the user.

5. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to distinctly display the location of the mobile terminal and the particular location from other locations on the map.

6. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to display a map menu option allowing the user of the mobile terminal to select one type of map from a plurality of different types of maps to be displayed.

7. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the displayed map is a street view map including the particular location.

8. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to display a distance from the location of the mobile terminal to the particular location.

9. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to display images of the list of other users on the map at the particular locations.

10. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the displayed list of the other users with each user'"'"'s mobile terminal respective location information includes icon information indicating whether the user is walking, driving or taking public transportation.

11. The mobile terminal of claim 10, wherein the displayed list of the other users with each user'"'"'s mobile terminal respective location information further includes distance information indicating a distance of the user from the mobile terminal.

12. The mobile terminal of claim 11, wherein the displayed list of the other users with each user'"'"'s mobile terminal respective location information further includes direction information indicating whether the user is moving towards or away from the mobile terminal.

13. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein a selection signal indicating a selection of a form of transportation for moving from the location of the mobile terminal to the particular location is received via the controller,

wherein the directions from the location of the mobile terminal to the particular location are highlighted, and

wherein the map is enlarged/reduced while displaying the directions from the location of the mobile terminal to the particular location.

14. The mobile terminal of claim 13, wherein the controller is further configured to display information about a change in the form of transportation for moving from the location of the mobile terminal to the particular location.

15. A method of controlling a mobile terminal, the method comprising:

allowing, via a wireless communication unit on the mobile terminal, wireless communication with at least one other terminal;

receiving, via a controller of the mobile terminal, location information including locations of mobile terminals of other users through a location information service,

wherein a list of the other users is displayed on a display unit of the mobile terminal, with each user including that user'"'"'s mobile terminal respective location information,

wherein a touch selection of one of the other users displayed in the list of the other users is received,

wherein a map with information about the selected one other user and a particular location of the mobile terminal of the selected one other user are displayed on the display unit,

wherein a direction menu option is displayed on the display unit allowing the user of the mobile terminal to view directions from the location of the mobile terminal to the particular location,

wherein an amount of time it will take to travel from the location of the mobile terminal to the particular location is displayed on the display unit,

wherein the displayed list of other users includes names and the location information of the mobile terminals of each other user,

wherein the location information of the mobile terminals of the other users includes a full postal address of the mobile terminals of the other users,

wherein an intimacy level of the other users is determined, and only a first portion of the full postal address is displayed when the determined intimacy level is a first level among a plurality of levels, and a second portion of the full postal address is displayed when the determined intimacy level is a second level among the plurality of levels,

wherein the second portion of the displayed address includes the first portion and more details of the full postal address,

wherein the second intimacy level indicates a greater intimacy between the mobile terminal and the at least one other terminal than the first intimacy level, and

wherein the intimacy level is set based on an extent of call/message transmission/reception between the mobile terminal and the other mobile terminal or is directly set by the user.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the direction menu option further includes a walking or driving menu option allowing the user to select walking or driving directions from the location of the mobile terminal to the particular location.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the locations of the other users correspond to locations where the other users accessed the location information service to share the locations with other users.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

storing, in a memory associated with the mobile terminal, a moving history including a plurality of locations of the user of the mobile terminal; and

displaying, on the touch screen display, the moving history including the plurality of locations.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

distinctly displaying the location of the mobile terminal and the particular location from other locations on the map.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

displaying a map menu option allowing the user of the mobile terminal to select one type of map from a plurality of different types of maps to be displayed.

21. The method of claim 15, wherein the displayed map is a street view map including the particular location.

22. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

displaying a distance from the location of the mobile terminal to the particular location.

23. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

displaying images of the list of other users on the map at the particular locations.

24. The method of claim 15, wherein the displayed list of the other users with each user'"'"'s mobile terminal respective location information includes icon information indicating whether the user is walking, driving or taking public transportation.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the displayed list of the other users with each user'"'"'s mobile terminal respective location information further includes distance information indicating a distance of the user from the mobile terminal.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the displayed list of the other users with each user'"'"'s mobile terminal respective location information further includes direction information indicating whether the user is moving towards or away from the mobile terminal.

27. The method of claim 15, wherein a selection signal indicating a selection of a form of transportation for moving from the location of the mobile terminal to the particular location is received,

wherein the directions from the location of the mobile terminal to the particular location are highlighted, and

wherein the map is enlarged/reduced while displaying the directions from the location of the mobile terminal to the particular location.

28. The method of claim 27, further comprising:

displaying information about a change in the form of transportation for moving from the location of the mobile terminal to the particular location.