Publishing location for a limited time

• US 8,688,779 B2
• Filed: 04/08/2009
• Issued: 04/01/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Bocking, Andrew D., Ganeshalingam, Theban, Little, Herbert A., Brown, Michael S.
• Primary Examiner(s): WON, MICHAEL YOUNG
• Application Number:
  US12/420,391
• Publication Number:
  US 20100262915A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,819 Days
• Field of Search: 709/201, 709/205, 709/212, 709/218, 709/227, 709/237, 709/248, 709/252, 709/202, 709/216, 709/228
• US Class Current: 709/204
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data

Abstract

A method and user device for limiting a time for which location data sharing is enabled for a user device of a data sharing group, the data sharing group comprising at least two user devices inclusive of the user device, each user device of the data sharing group configured to store data shared by user devices of the data sharing group on the respective user device and to maintain a list of the user devices in the data sharing group. The method comprises receiving an instruction through a user interface on the user device indicating that location data sharing is to be enabled for a limited time period after which location sharing is to be disabled, obtaining location data for the user device during the limited time period; and sending the location data to at least one other user device of the sharing group during the limited time period.

Claims

1. A user device comprising:

an output interface for transmitting data to a plurality of other user devices of a peer-to-peer data sharing group, the data sharing group comprising at least two user devices other than the user device, each user device of the data sharing group configured to store data shared by user devices of the data sharing group on the respective user device and to maintain a list of the user devices in the data sharing group, wherein the data stored by each user device of the data sharing group enables access to location data for other user devices of the data sharing group without contacting a server;

a user interface, configured to receive an instruction to enable periodic location data sharing of location data for the user device for a limited length of time after which location sharing is to be disabled; and

a location sharing module configured to;

during the limited length of time, periodically provide location data for the user device to the output interface to be transmitted to the plurality of other user devices of the data sharing group; and

outside the limited length of time, cease to periodically provide location data for the user device to the output interface,

wherein periodically providing location data for the user device to the output interface comprises;

periodically sending a single message to a relay or router for independent distribution to the plurality of other user devices of the data sharing group without the location data being retained by a server, the single message containing the location data and addresses of the plurality of other user devices of the data sharing group, wherein the user device subsequently receives from the relay or router a delivery acknowledgment when each of the plurality of other user devices of the data sharing group receives the single message.

2. The user device according to claim 1, further comprising a memory for storing data shared by the user devices of the data sharing group.

3. The user device according to claim 1, further comprising an input interface for receiving data shared by the user devices of the data sharing group.

4. The user device according to claim 1, wherein location sharing module is configured to commence providing the location data for the user device to the output interface upon receipt of the instruction.

5. The user device according to claim 1, further comprising a location determination system from which the location sharing module receives the location data.

6. The user device according to claim 5, wherein the location determination system comprises a GPS (Global Positioning System) receiver.

7. The user device according to claim 1, wherein the location sharing module is further configured to instruct a location determination system to turn off after the limited length of time.

8. The user device according to claim 1, further comprising a timer configured to track the limited length of time.

9. The user device according to claim 1, wherein the user device is a mobile device.

10. A method for limiting a time for which location data sharing is enabled for a user device of a peer-to-peer data sharing group, the data sharing group comprising at least two user devices other than the user device, each user device of the data sharing group configured to store data shared by user devices of the data sharing group on the respective user device and to maintain a list of the user devices in the data sharing group, wherein the data stored by each user device of the data sharing group enables access to location data for other user devices of the data sharing group without contacting a server, the method comprising:

receiving an instruction through a user interface on the user device indicating that periodic location data sharing of location data for the user device is to be enabled for a limited length of time after which location sharing is to be disabled;

during the limited length of time;

periodically obtaining location data for the user device; and

periodically transmitting the location data to a plurality of other user devices of the sharing group; and

outside the limited length of time, cease periodically transmitting the location data,

wherein periodically transmitting the location data to the plurality of other user devices of the sharing group comprises;

periodically sending a single message to a relay or router for independent distribution to the plurality of other user devices of the data sharing group without the location data being retained by a server, the single message containing the location data and addresses of the plurality of other user devices of the data sharing group, wherein the user device subsequently receives from the relay or router a delivery acknowledgment when each of the plurality of other user devices of the data sharing group receives the single message.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein obtaining location data for the user device comprises receiving a current location from GPS data in the user device.

12. The method according to claim 10, further comprising turning off a GPS receiver in the user device after the limited length of time expires.

13. The method according to claim 10, further comprising creating a notification indicating that the location data sharing has been disabled after the limited length of time expires.

14. The method according to claim 10, further comprising enabling periodic location sharing according to a pre-established schedule of subsequent lengths of time after the limited length of time expires.

15. A non-transitory computer readable medium having computer executable instructions stored thereon, that when executed cause a processor to implement a method for limiting a time for which location data sharing for a user device of a peer-to-peer data sharing group is enabled, the data sharing group comprising at least two user devices other than the user device, each user device of the data sharing group configured to store data shared by user devices of the data sharing group on the respective user device and to maintain a list of the user devices in the data sharing group, wherein the data stored by each user device of the data sharing group enables access to location data for other user devices of the data sharing group without contacting a server, and the method comprising:

receiving an instruction indicating that periodic location data sharing of location data for the user device is to be enabled for a limited length of time after which location sharing is to be disabled;

periodically obtaining location data for the user device; and

instructing an output interface to;

during the limited length of time, periodically transmit the location data to a plurality of other user devices of the data sharing group; and

outside the limited length of time, cease to periodically transmit the location data,

wherein periodically transmitting the location data to the plurality of other user devices of the data sharing group comprises;

periodically sending a single message to a relay or router for independent distribution to the plurality of other user devices of the data sharing group without the location data being retained by a server, the single message containing the location data and addresses of the plurality of other user devices of the data sharing group, wherein the user device subsequently receives from the relay or router a delivery acknowledgment when each of the plurality of other user devices of the data sharing group receives the single message.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the method further comprises presenting options on a user interface for selecting lengths of time for the limited length of time.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein the options include one or more lengths of time starting from a present time.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein the options include one or more recurring lengths of time.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein the method further comprises presenting options in the form of a calendar, from which the user can select one or more lengths of time for the limited length of time.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the location data is obtained from GPS (Global Positioning System) data.