Sharing user defined location based zones

• US 8,903,936 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2006
• Issued: 12/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Martin, Daryl Joseph, O'Keefe, Christopher David, Hassan, Ahmed E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Taha, Shaq
• Application Number:
  US11/614,188
• Publication Number:
  US 20080155027A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,903 Days
• Field of Search: 709/213
• US Class Current: 709/213
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/27 Replication, distribution or synchronisation of data between databases or within a distributed database system; Distributed database system architectures therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/564 Enhancement of application control based on intercepted application data
• 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 is provided for sharing data, stored on a central data store, between a first user and a secondary user. The method comprises the following steps. A share request message is received from the first user. The share request message includes a data identifier for identifying which of the data stored on the central data store is to be shared with the secondary user, and a user identifier for identifying the secondary user. The data to be shared is associated with an account of the secondary user for subsequent access by the secondary user. A system and computer readable medium configured to implement the method are also described.

Claims

1. A method of sharing data, stored on a central data store, between a first user device and a secondary user device, the method comprising the acts of:

storing on the central data store a plurality of custom zones defined by respective geographical boundaries that are user-defined on a map using one of a plurality of predefined boundary shapes or a lasso tool, each custom zone having associated multimedia data and being identified by a respective zone identifier that includes a name of the custom zone;

receiving a share request message from the first user device, the share request message including a selected zone identifier for identifying a selected custom zone and a destination identifier for identifying the secondary user device;

identifying, using the selected zone identifier, the custom zone and the associated multimedia data;

sending a share accept message to the destination identifier, the share accept message providing an option for the secondary user device to accept or reject the data for the selected custom zone which, when accepted, is displayed on the secondary user device in response to the secondary user device displaying a map that is at least partially within the boundary of the selected custom zone;

determining whether the destination identifier has an associated account for accessing the data to be shared;

transmitting the data to be shared to the destination identifier when the secondary user device does not have an associated account.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the data to be shared is stored in an account associated with the first user device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the central data store comprises one or both of a location based server or a repository.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the destination identifier comprises one or more of a personal identification number, an e-mail address, or a telephone number.

5. The method of claim 1, comprising the further act of verifying that the first user device has an associated account including the data to be shared with the secondary user device.

6. The method of claim 1, comprising the further act of establishing an account for the destination identifier when one does not already exist.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the share accept message includes a sender identifier for identifying the first user device and the data identifier.

8. The method of claim 7, further including an accept or reject response wherein only a subset of the data to be shared is accepted by the secondary user device and shared by the first and secondary user devices.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the data to be shared comprises a subset of the custom zone information as defined by the first user device.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the data to be shared comprises a subset of the custom zone information as selected by the secondary user device.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the share request message comprises custom zone information relating to a plurality of custom zones.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the data to be shared is associated with the account associated with the destination identifier by transferring the data to be shared to the account.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the data to be shared is updated at the account associated with the destination identifier at predefined intervals.

14. The method of claim 2, wherein the data to be shared is associated with an account of the destination identifier by linking the account of the destination identifier with the data to be shared in the account associated with the first user device.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the destination identifier identifies a plurality of secondary user devices.

16. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising instructions which, when executed on a computer, cause the computer to implement the acts of:

storing on the central data store a plurality of custom zones defined by respective geographical boundaries that are user-defined on a map using one of a plurality of predefined boundary shapes or a lasso tool, each custom zone having associated multimedia data and being identified by a respective zone identifier that includes a name of the custom zone;

receiving a share request message from a first user device, the share request message including a selected zone identifier for identifying a selected custom zone, and a destination identifier for identifying a secondary user device;

and sending a share accept message to the destination identifier, the share accept message providing an option for the secondary user device to accept or reject the data for the selected custom zone which, when accepted, is displayed on the secondary user device in response to the secondary user device displaying a map that is at least partially within the boundary of the selected custom zone;

determining whether the destination identifier has an associated account for accessing the data to be shared;

transmitting the data to be shared to the destination identifier when the secondary user device does not have an associated account.

17. The computer readable storage medium of claim 16 wherein displaying the custom zone information is in response to the secondary user device physically entering the selected custom zone.

18. The computer readable storage medium of claim 16 wherein displaying the custom zone information is in response to the secondary user device panning the map into the selected custom zone.

19. A mobile device comprising:

a user interface for receiving user input to create a plurality of custom zones by defining each custom zone by respective geographical boundaries that are user-defined on a map using one of a plurality of predefined boundary shapes or a lasso tool, wherein each custom zone has a zone identifier including a name of the custom zone;

a processor for associating multimedia data with each custom zone;

a transmitter for transmitting to a central data store the custom zones and the respective zone identifiers;

and wherein the transmitter further transmits, in response to further user input, a share request message that includes a selected zone identifier for identifying a selected custom zone and a destination identifier for identifying a secondary user device to whom to transmit multimedia data for the selected custom zone;

wherein the processor is configured to determine whether the destination identifier has an associated account for accessing the data to be shared and to cause the transmitter to transmit the data to be shared to the destination identifier when the secondary user device does not have an associated account.

20. The mobile device as claimed in claim 19 wherein the processor cooperates with a display to present a prompt to create a new custom zone in response to detecting that a current location of the mobile device corresponds to a predefined location.