Sharing location information among devices

• US 9,294,882 B2
• Filed: 03/23/2015
• Issued: 03/22/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Sandel, Eran, Harush, Elad, Guy, Roman
• Primary Examiner(s): WASHINGTON, ERIKA ALISE
• Application Number:
  US14/666,148
• Publication Number:
  US 20150289108A1
• Time in Patent Office: 365 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3438 Rendez-vous, i.e. searching a destination where several users can meet, and the routes to this destination for these users; Ride sharing, i.e. searching a route such that at least two users can share a vehicle for at least part of the route
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/36 Input/output arrangements for on-board computers
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3667 Display of a road map G01C21/3614 takes precedence; guidance using 3D or perspective road maps G01C21/3635
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/048 Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/106 using electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/00 Substation equipment, e.g. for use by subscribers subscriber services or facilities provided at exchanges H04M3/00; prepayment telephone coin boxes H04M17/00; current supply arrangements H04M19/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/02 Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/027 using movement velocity, acceleration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/003 locating network equipment

Abstract

Methods, systems, apparatus, and computer program products that include, on a first device executing a first instance of a location application, receiving an indication to begin sharing data describing a path traveled by the first device, receiving location data describing the path traveled by the first device, the location data received from a location system of the first device, and the location data including a plurality of locations of the first device, and transmitting the location data in a form usable to enable a user interface of a second instance of a location application executing on a second device to indicate the path traveled by the first device.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

on a first device executing a first instance of a location application;

displaying a list of users to a first user of the first device;

receiving a selection of a second user from the list of users;

identifying a second device, the second device being associated with the second user;

determining a location of the first device;

transmitting a request to the second device for the second device to share location information with the first device, the request including first location data representing the location of the first device, the first location data usable by the second device to display, in an authorization user interface, a location of the first device before the first device is authorized to receive location data from the second device, the authorization user interface comprising a user interface that indicates that another user has made a request to receive location information from the second device; and

receiving, in response to the request, second location data representing a location of the second device.

2. The method of claim 1, comprising receiving, in response to the request, destination data describing a destination specified by the second user of the second device.

3. The method of claim 2, comprising, based on the received location data and destination data, indicating a path traveled by the second device and directions to the specified destination in a user interface of the first instance of the location application executing on the first device.

4. The method of claim 2, comprising indicating directions along a path to the destination specified by the second user of the second device, wherein at least some of the directions indicate a portion of the path that is not along a path traveled by the second device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the second device is identified as associated with the second user based on data received from a cloud service.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the list of users is determined based on a user profile or user account of the user of the first device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the list of users is received from a cloud service.

8. A computer readable storage device encoded with instructions that, when executed by a first device executing a first instance of a location application, cause the first device to carry out operations comprising:

displaying a list of users to a first user of the first device;

receiving a selection of a second user from the list of users;

identifying a second device, the second device being associated with the second user;

determining a location of the first device;

transmitting a request to the second device for the second device to share location information with the first device, the request including first location data representing the location of the first device, the first location data usable by the second device to display, in an authorization user interface, a location of the first device before the first device is authorized to receive location data from the second device, the authorization user interface comprising a user interface that indicates that another user has made a request to receive location information from the second device; and

receiving, in response to the request, second location data representing a location of the second device.

9. The computer readable storage device of claim 8, the operations comprising receiving, in response to the request, destination data describing a destination specified by the second user of the second device.

10. The computer readable storage device of claim 9, the operations comprising, based on the received location data and destination data, indicating a path traveled by the second device and directions to the specified destination in a user interface of the first instance of the location application executing on the first device.

11. The computer readable storage device of claim 9, the operations comprising indicating directions along a path to the destination specified by the second user of the second device, wherein at least some of the directions indicate a portion of the path that is not along a path traveled by the second device.

12. The computer readable storage device of claim 8, wherein the second device is identified as associated with the second user based on data received from a cloud service.

13. The computer readable storage device of claim 8, wherein the list of users is determined based on a user profile or user account of the user of the first device.

14. The computer readable storage device of claim 8, wherein the list of users is received from a cloud service.

15. A system comprising:

a location system configured to determine a location of a first device; and

a processor configured for, while a first instance of a location application is executing on the first device;

displaying a list of users to a first user of the first device;

receiving a selection of a second user from the list of users;

identifying a second device, the second device being associated with the second user;

transmitting a request to the second device for the second device to share location information with the first device, the request including first location data representing the location of the first device, the first location data usable by the second device to display, in an authorization user interface, a location of the first device before the first device is authorized to receive location data from the second device, the authorization user interface comprising a user interface that indicates that another user has made a request to receive location information from the second device; and

receiving, in response to the request, second location data representing a location of the second device.

16. The system of claim 15, the processor configured for receiving, in response to the request, destination data describing a destination specified by the second user of the second device.

17. The system of claim 16, the processor configured for, based on the received location data and destination data, indicating a path traveled by the second device and directions to the specified destination in a user interface of the first instance of the location application executing on the first device.

18. The system of claim 16, the processor configured for indicating directions along a path to the destination specified by the second user of the second device, wherein at least some of the directions indicate a portion of the path that is not along a path traveled by the second device.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the second device is identified as associated with the second user based on data received from a cloud service.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein the list of users is determined based on a user profile or user account of the user of the first device.