Easy location sharing

• US 9,998,888 B1
• Filed: 01/22/2018
• Issued: 06/12/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/14/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Chang, Jae Woo, Frost, Megan M., Dickens, Joshua B., Lemay, Stephen O., Van Os, Marcel, Dellinger, Richard R., Yang, Lawrence Y.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hu, Jinsong
• Assistant Examiner(s): Yi, Alexander
• Application Number:
  US15/876,673
• Publication Number:
  US 20180146349A1
• Time in Patent Office: 141 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/08 Annexed information, e.g. attachments
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/222 using geographical location information, e.g. messages transmitted or received in proximity of a certain spot or area
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/14 Short messaging services, e.g. short message services [SMS] or unstructured supplementary service data [USSD]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0209 in terminal devices terminal devices per se H04W88/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/006 with additional information processing, e.g. for direction or speed determination
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Systems and methods for sharing location information during a message conversation are provided. An electronic device detects a location-sharing request from a first participant of a message conversation to share first participant location information with a second participant. The device then enables the second participant to obtain the first participant location information during a predetermined location-sharing time period. In response to detecting interaction by one of the first participant and the second participant with the message conversation during the predetermined location-sharing time period, the device extends the predetermined location-sharing time period.

Claims

1. A mobile electronic device of a first participant, comprising:

a touch-sensitive surface;

a display;

one or more processors;

memory storing one or more programs configured to be executed by the one or more processors, the one or more programs including instructions for;

displaying, on the display, a message region associated with a message conversation;

displaying, in the message region, a message transcript of messages sent between the first participant and a second participant of the message conversation;

displaying, at a first position in the message transcript, a shared-location affordance representing location information of the first participant;

while displaying the shared-location affordance at the first position, detecting a request to scroll the message transcript;

in response to detecting the request to scroll the message transcript;

determining whether the request to scroll the message transcript comprises a request to scroll the shared-location affordance beyond the message region;

in accordance with a determination that the request to scroll the message transcript comprises a request to scroll the shared-location affordance beyond the message region;

discontinuing display of the shared location in the message transcript; and

displaying a location-sharing status bar outside the message region; and

in accordance with a determination that the request to scroll the message transcript does not comprise a request to scroll the shared-location affordance beyond the message region;

displaying the shared-location affordance at a second location in the message transcript.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:

while displaying a location-sharing status bar outside the message region, detecting a second request to scroll the message transcript;

in response to detecting the second request to scroll the message transcript;

determining whether the second request to scroll the message transcript comprises a request to display the shared-location affordance in the message region;

in accordance with a determination that the second request to scroll the message transcript comprises a request to display the shared-location affordance in the message region;

discontinuing displaying the location-sharing status bar outside the message region;

displaying the shared-location affordance in the message transcript; and

in accordance with a determination that the second request to scroll the message transcript does not comprise a request to display the shared-location affordance in the message region;

forgoing displaying the shared-location affordance in the message transcript.

3. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the location-sharing status bar comprises an indication of a distance between the first participant and the second participant.

4. The electronic device of claim 3, wherein the travel time between the first participant and the second participant is determined by the distance between the first participant and the second participant and a mode of transport.

5. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the location-sharing status bar comprises an indication of a travel time between the first participant and the second participant.

6. The electronic device of claim 5, wherein the location-sharing status bar alternates from the indication of a distance between the first participant and the second participant to the indication of the travel time between the first participant and the second participant.

7. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the location-sharing status bar is selectable, and wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:

detecting a selection of the location-sharing status bar; and

in response to detecting a selection of the location-sharing status bar;

launching a map view, wherein the map view comprises a representation of a location of the first participant and a location of the second participant.

8. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the location-sharing status bar comprises a representation of at least one of a period of time until location sharing will end and a time of day until location sharing will end.

9. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the location-sharing status bar comprises one selected from the group consisting of a current location of the first participant and a map view depicting the current location of the first participant.

10. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:

displaying a map view affordance;

detecting a selection of the map view affordance; and

in response to detecting a selection of the map view affordance;

displaying a map view comprising a representation of a location of the first participant.

11. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the map view affordance indicates that multiple message conversation participants are sharing their respective locations, and wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:

further in response to detecting a selection of the map view affordance;

displaying a map view comprising representations of respective locations of the multiple message conversation participants.

12. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein displaying a location-sharing status bar outside of the message region comprises displaying the location-sharing status bar above and adjacent to the message region.

13. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein the location-sharing status bar comprises a banner comprising the name of the second participant and a current time of day, wherein the banner comprises a map view depicting the current location of the first participant, and wherein the map view is displayed behind the name of the second participant and the current time of day.

14. A method, comprising:

at a mobile electronic device of a first participant with a touch-sensitive surface and a display;

displaying, on the display, a message region associated with a message conversation;

displaying, in the message region, a message transcript of messages sent between the first participant and a second participant of the message conversation;

displaying, at a first position in the message transcript, a shared-location affordance representing location information of the first participant;

while displaying the shared-location affordance at the first position, detecting a request to scroll the message transcript;

in response to detecting the request to scroll the message transcript;

determining whether the request to scroll the message transcript comprises a request to scroll the shared-location affordance beyond the message region;

in accordance with a determination that the request to scroll the message transcript comprises a request to scroll the shared-location affordance beyond the message region;

discontinuing display of the shared location in the message transcript; and

displaying a location-sharing status bar outside the message region; and

in accordance with a determination that the request to scroll the message transcript does not comprise a request to scroll the shared-location affordance beyond the message region;

displaying the shared-location affordance at a second location in the message transcript.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

while displaying a location-sharing status bar outside the message region, detecting a second request to scroll the message transcript;

in response to detecting the second request to scroll the message transcript;

determining whether the second request to scroll the message transcript comprises a request to display the shared-location affordance in the message region;

in accordance with a determination that the second request to scroll the message transcript comprises a request to display the shared-location affordance in the message region;

discontinuing displaying the location-sharing status bar outside the message region;

displaying the shared-location affordance in the message transcript; and

in accordance with a determination that the second request to scroll the message transcript does not comprise a request to display the shared-location affordance in the message region;

forgoing displaying the shared-location affordance in the message transcript.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the location-sharing status bar comprises an indication of a distance between the first participant and the second participant.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the travel time between the first participant and the second participant is determined by the distance between the first participant and the second participant and a mode of transport.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the location-sharing status bar comprises an indication of a travel time between the first participant and the second participant.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the location-sharing status bar alternates from the indication of a distance between the first participant and the second participant to the indication of the travel time between the first participant and the second participant.

21. The method of claim 14, wherein the location-sharing status bar is selectable, the method further comprising:

detecting a selection of the location-sharing status bar; and

in response to detecting a selection of the location-sharing status bar;

launching a map view, wherein the map view comprises a representation of a location of the first participant and a location of the second participant.

22. The method of claim 14, wherein the location-sharing status bar comprises a representation of at least one of a period of time until location sharing will end and a time of day until location sharing will end.

23. The method of claim 14, wherein the location-sharing status bar comprises one selected from the group consisting of a current location of the first participant and a map view depicting the current location of the first participant.

24. The method of claim 14, wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:

displaying a map view affordance;

detecting a selection of the map view affordance; and

in response to detecting a selection of the map view affordance;

displaying a map view comprising a representation of a location of the first participant.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the map view affordance indicates that multiple message conversation participants are sharing their respective locations, and

wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:

further in response to detecting a selection of the map view affordance;

displaying a map view comprising representations of respective locations of the multiple message conversation participants.

26. The method of claim 14, wherein displaying a location-sharing status bar outside of the message region comprises displaying the location-sharing status bar above and adjacent to the message region.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the location-sharing status bar comprises a banner comprising the name of the second participant and a current time of day, wherein the banner comprises a map view depicting the current location of the first participant, and wherein the map view is displayed behind the name of the second participant and the current time of day.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising one or more programs configured to be executed by one or more processors of a first participant'"'"'s mobile electronic device with a touch-sensitive surface and a display, the one or more programs including instructions for:

displaying, on the display, a message region associated with a message conversation;

displaying, in the message region, a message transcript of messages sent between the first participant and a second participant of the message conversation;

displaying, at a first position in the message transcript, a shared-location affordance representing location information of the first participant;

while displaying the shared-location affordance at the first position, detecting a request to scroll the message transcript;

in response to detecting the request to scroll the message transcript;

determining whether the request to scroll the message transcript comprises a request to scroll the shared-location affordance beyond the message region;

in accordance with a determination that the request to scroll the message transcript comprises a request to scroll the shared-location affordance beyond the message region;

discontinuing display of the shared location in the message transcript; and

displaying a location-sharing status bar outside the message region; and

in accordance with a determination that the request to scroll the message transcript does not comprise a request to scroll the shared-location affordance beyond the message region;

displaying the shared-location affordance at a second location in the message transcript.

28. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15,

wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:

while displaying a location-sharing status bar outside the message region,

detecting a second request to scroll the message transcript;

in response to detecting the second request to scroll the message transcript;

determining whether the second request to scroll the message transcript comprises a request to display the shared-location affordance in the message region;

in accordance with a determination that the second request to scroll the message transcript comprises a request to display the shared-location affordance in the message region;

discontinuing displaying the location-sharing status bar outside the message region;

displaying the shared-location affordance in the message transcript; and

in accordance with a determination that the second request to scroll the message transcript does not comprise a request to display the shared-location affordance in the message region;

forgoing displaying the shared-location affordance in the message transcript.

29. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the location-sharing status bar comprises an indication of a distance between the first participant and the second participant.

30. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 29, wherein the travel time between the first participant and the second participant is determined by the distance between the first participant and the second participant and a mode of transport.

31. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the location-sharing status bar comprises an indication of a travel time between the first participant and the second participant.

32. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 31, wherein the location-sharing status bar alternates from the indication of a distance between the first participant and the second participant to the indication of the travel time between the first participant and the second participant.

33. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the location-sharing status bar is selectable, and wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:

detecting a selection of the location-sharing status bar; and

in response to detecting a selection of the location-sharing status bar;

launching a map view, wherein the map view comprises a representation of a location of the first participant and a location of the second participant.

34. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the location-sharing status bar comprises a representation of at least one of a period of time until location sharing will end and a time of day until location sharing will end.

35. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the location-sharing status bar comprises one selected from the group consisting of a current location of the first participant and a map view depicting the current location of the first participant.

36. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:

displaying a map view affordance;

detecting a selection of the map view affordance; and

in response to detecting a selection of the map view affordance;

displaying a map view comprising a representation of a location of the first participant.

37. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 36, wherein the map view affordance indicates that multiple message conversation participants are sharing their respective locations, and

wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:

further in response to detecting a selection of the map view affordance;

displaying a map view comprising representations of respective locations of the multiple message conversation participants.

38. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein displaying a location-sharing status bar outside of the message region comprises displaying the location-sharing status bar above and adjacent to the message region.

39. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 38, wherein the location-sharing status bar comprises a banner comprising the name of the second participant and a current time of day, wherein the banner comprises a map view depicting the current location of the first participant, and wherein the map view is displayed behind the name of the second participant and the current time of day.