Locating mobile contacts using a geo-contact list
First Claim
1. A system for locating a mobile device user, comprising:
- a memory, housed within a mobile device, for storing a contact list comprising records for a plurality of contacts, each record comprising a name of a contact, and a list of at least one location entry, each location entry comprising (a) a name of a location associated with the contact, (b) a phone number at the location, (c) geographic coordinates of the location, and (d) an extent of the location; and
a locator for receiving as input the name of a designated contact in the contact list, for obtaining current geographic coordinates of the designated contact'"'"'s mobile device, the designated contact'"'"'s mobile device being currently located remote from the locator, for comparing extents of locations in the contact list with the current geographic coordinates of the designated contact'"'"'s mobile device, and for generating as output, based on the comparing, at least one proximal entity, each proximal entity comprising the name of a contact, other than the designated contact, and the name of a location associated with the contact, the location being currently close to the designated contact'"'"'s mobile device.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system including a memory for storing a contact list of records each record including a contact name, a mobile device phone number, and a list of location entries, each entry comprising a location name, a location phone number, a location address, and location geographic coordinates, and a locator for receiving as input a designated contact name, for obtaining current geographic coordinates of the designated contact'"'"'s mobile device, for obtaining current geographic coordinates of at least one other mobile device, and for generating as output at least one proximal entity, each proximal entity including either the name of a contact whose mobile device is currently located close to the designated contact'"'"'s mobile device, or the name of a contact and the name of a location associated with the contact, the location being currently close to the designated contact'"'"'s mobile device.
55 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A system for locating a mobile device user, comprising:
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a memory, housed within a mobile device, for storing a contact list comprising records for a plurality of contacts, each record comprising a name of a contact, and a list of at least one location entry, each location entry comprising (a) a name of a location associated with the contact, (b) a phone number at the location, (c) geographic coordinates of the location, and (d) an extent of the location; and a locator for receiving as input the name of a designated contact in the contact list, for obtaining current geographic coordinates of the designated contact'"'"'s mobile device, the designated contact'"'"'s mobile device being currently located remote from the locator, for comparing extents of locations in the contact list with the current geographic coordinates of the designated contact'"'"'s mobile device, and for generating as output, based on the comparing, at least one proximal entity, each proximal entity comprising the name of a contact, other than the designated contact, and the name of a location associated with the contact, the location being currently close to the designated contact'"'"'s mobile device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method for locating a mobile device user, comprising:
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maintaining a contact list comprising records for a plurality of contacts, each record including a name of a contact, and (iii) a list of at least one location entry, each location entry comprising (a) a name of a location associated with the contact, (b) a phone number at the location, (c) geographic coordinates of the location, and (d) an extent of the location; receiving the name of a designated contact in the contact list; obtaining current geographic coordinates of the designated contact'"'"'s mobile device; comparing extents of locations in the contact list with the current geographic coordinates of the designated contact'"'"'s mobile device; and generating, based on said comparing, at least one proximal entity, each proximal entity comprising the name of a contact, other than the designated contact, and the name of a location associated with the contact, the location being currently close to the designated contact'"'"'s mobile device. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13)
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14. A contact list manager for a mobile device, comprising:
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a memory, housed within a mobile device, for storing a contact list comprising records for a plurality of contacts, each record comprising a name of a contact, and a list of at least one location entry, each location entry comprising (a) a name of a location associated with the contact, (b) a phone number at the location, (c) geographic coordinates of the location, and (d) an extent of the location; a contact list reader, housed within the mobile device and coupled with said memory, for accessing data in records of the contact list; a contact list writer, housed within the mobile device and coupled with said memory, for generating records of the contact list; a positioning system, communicatively coupled with said contact list writer, for obtaining geographic coordinates of a present location for automatic entry into a record of the contact list; a positioning service, communicatively coupled with said contact list writer, for obtaining geographic coordinates of a designated remote location, for automatic entry into a record of the contact list; and a location extent processor, communicatively coupled with said contact list writer, for determining the extent of the present location and the extent of the designated remote location by accounting for precision inaccuracies of said positioning system and of said positioning service. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification