Automatic friend following application

• US 9,100,783 B2
• Filed: 05/14/2013
• Issued: 08/04/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: DeMerchant, Marvin, Friedlander, Steven, Young, David Andrew, Thiele, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Brandt, Christopher M
• Application Number:
  US13/893,633
• Publication Number:
  US 20140342753A1
• Time in Patent Office: 812 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456.1, 455/456.2, 455/456.3, 455/456.6, 455/457
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/362 received from an external device or application, e.g. PDA, mobile phone or calendar application
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6075 adapted for handsfree use in a vehicle H04M1/6058 takes precedence; arrangements for holding telephones in a vehicle B60R11/0241
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location
• 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 4/21 for social networking applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

Two friends can pair wireless communication devices which subsequently exchange positional information peer-to-peer or through a cloud server. Each device presents a map showing its location and the location of the paired device. Instructions can be provided to the device playing a follower role of how to reach the current location of the other device, which plays a leader role. In turn the leader device can present information as to the location of the follower device so that a user of the leader device can ascertain if the follower is off-track.

Claims

1. Apparatus comprising:

at least one computer memory that is not a transitory signal and that comprises instructions executable by at least one client processor in a client device for;

pairing the client device with a user device using a short range wireless communication pairing protocol;

presenting on the client device a user interface (UI) including a first selection element and a second selection element;

responsive to selection of the first selection element, presenting on the client device a UI showing a map which illustrates a position of the client device, a position of the user device, and a route therebetween, the map being updated periodically to reflect movement of the client device and user device;

responsive to selection of the first selection element, presenting on the client device a follower message advising of a next move to maintain a trail on the user device such that a user of the client device not know a destination to which he is being led, much less the address, but need only follow the user device using the UI;

responsive to selection of the second selection element, presenting on the client device a UI showing a map which illustrates a position of the client device, a position of the user device, and a route therebetween, the map being updated periodically to reflect movement of the client device and user device;

responsive to selection of the second selection element, presenting on the client device a leader message advising of a location of the user device based on positions of the client device and user device such that a user of the client device is advised of where the user device is without having to call the user device, thereby avoiding unnecessary calls to the user device and enabling a user of the client device to immediately ascertain if the user device has gone off an intended track.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the instructions are executable for:

presenting a message on the client device inquiring if a user of the client device wants to establish communication with the user device.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the instructions are executable for:

responsive to a command to establish short range communication with the user device, “

pairing”

with the user device.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the short range communication is Bluetooth.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first selection element is a “

follow”

selection element and the second selection element is a “

lead”

selection element.

6. A method comprising:

pairing a client device with a user device using a short range wireless communication pairing protocol;

presenting on the client device a user interface (UI) including a first selection element and a second selection element;

responsive to selection of the first selection element, presenting on the client device a UI showing a map which illustrates a position of the client device, a position of the user device, and a route therebetween, the map being updated periodically to reflect movement of the client device and user device;

responsive to selection of the first selection element, presenting on the client device a follower message advising of a next move to maintain a trail on the user device such that a user of the client device not know a destination to which he is being led, much less the address, but need only follow the user device using the UI;

responsive to selection of the second selection element, presenting on the client device a UI showing a map which illustrates a position of the client device, a position of the user device, and a route therebetween, the map being updated periodically to reflect movement of the client device and user device;

responsive to selection of the second selection element, presenting on the client device a leader message advising of a location of the user device based on positions of the client device and user device such that a user of the client device is advised of where the user device is without having to call the user device, thereby avoiding unnecessary calls to the user device and enabling a user of the client device to immediately ascertain if the user device has gone off an intended track.

7. The method of claim 6, comprising:

presenting a message on the client device inquiring if a user of the client device wants to establish communication with the user device.

8. The method of claim 6, comprising:

responsive to a command to establish short range communication with the user device, “

pairing”

with the user device.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the short range communication is Bluetooth.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein the first selection element is a “

follow”

selection element and the second selection element is a “

lead”

selection element.

11. An apparatus comprising:

at least one client processor in a client device;

at least one display controlled by the client processor; and

at least one computer memory comprising instructions executable by the at least one client processor to;

pair the client device with a user device using a short range wireless communication pairing protocol;

present on the client device a user interface (UI) including a first selection element and a second selection element;

responsive to selection of the first selection element, present on the client device a UI showing a map which illustrates a position of the client device, a position of the user device, and a route therebetween, the map being updated periodically to reflect movement of the client device and user device;

responsive to selection of the first selection element, present on the client device a follower message advising of a next move to maintain a trail on the user device such that a user of the client device not know a destination to which he is being led, much less the address, but need only follow the user device using the UI;

responsive to selection of the second selection element, present on the client device a UI showing a map which illustrates a position of the client device, a position of the user device, and a route therebetween, the map being updated periodically to reflect movement of the client device and user device;

responsive to selection of the second selection element, present on the client device a leader message advising of a location of the user device based on positions of the client device and user device such that a user of the client device is advised of where the user device is without having to call the user device, thereby avoiding unnecessary calls to the user device and enabling a user of the client device to immediately ascertain if the user device has gone off an intended track.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the instructions are executable to:

present a message on the client device inquiring if a user of the client device wants to establish communication with the user device.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the instructions are executable to:

responsive to a command to establish short range communication with the user device, “

pair”

with the user device.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the short range communication is Bluetooth.

15. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the first selection element is a “

follow”

selection element and the second selection element is a “

lead”

selection element.