Methods, systems and apparatuses for the formation and tracking of location sharing groups

• US 10,165,059 B2
• Filed: 10/24/2014
• Issued: 12/25/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: X One Inc.
• Original Assignee: X One Inc.
• Inventors: Haney, Richard D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Obayanju, Omoniyi
• Application Number:
  US14/523,054
• Publication Number:
  US 20180241827A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,523 Days
• Field of Search: 4554561, 4554562, 455457
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/01 Satellite radio beacon positioning systems transmitting time-stamped messages, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System], GLONASS [Global Orbiting Navigation Satellite System] or GALILEO
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/03 Cooperating elements; Interaction or communication between different cooperating elements or between cooperating elements and receivers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/322 Aspects of commerce using mobile devices [M-devices]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1046 Joining mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/54 Presence management, e.g. monitoring or registration for receipt of user log-on information, or the connection status of the users
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0202 Portable telephone sets, e.g. cordless phones, mobile phones or bar type handsets constructional features of telephone transmitters or receivers, e.g. of speakers or microphones H04M1/03
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72406 by software upgrading or downloading
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72418 for supporting emergency services
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/38 Displays
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2044 Group features, e.g. closed user group
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/04 for emergency applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/30 Determination of the location of a subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/10 : including a GPS signal receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42093 : Notifying the calling party of information on the called or connected party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4228 : in networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42348 : Location-based services which utilize the location information of a target
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42365 : Presence services providing information on the willingness to communicate or the ability to communicate in terms of media capability or network connectivity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/033 : of the user plane, e.g. user's traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 : Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 : Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/63 : Location-dependent; Proximity-dependent
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 : Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 : Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/022 : with dynamic range variability
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 : using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/025 : using location based information parameters
• 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 4/08 : User group management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/10 : Push-to-Talk [PTT] or Push-On-Call services
• 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 4/21 : for social networking applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/50 : Service provisioning or reconfiguring
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 : Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 : Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/003 : locating network equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/12 : Inter-network notification
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/121 : for groups of terminals or users
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/14 : Direct-mode setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 : Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

An embodiment of the present invention is directed to methods, systems and apparatuses enabling location sharing group formation and the tracking of group members. Groups may be bound by a geographical area that circumscribes the boundary of a location sharing group. Active members of a location sharing group may become active based on their relative location to the geographical area defining the location sharing group. The geographical area may be static, mobile or change size and shape based on parameters forming the location sharing group. Alerts may be generated informing members of the location sharing group of the entry or exit of members from the location sharing group. Active members of a location sharing group may share location information with other members of the location sharing group. A radius or other shape may identify a geographical area for location sharing between members.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

receiving information representing formation of a location-sharing group between two or more mobile devices;

associating a region with the location-sharing group dependent on respective current geographic locations of the two or more mobile devices, the region encompassing the respective current geographic locations and centered on a location dependent on the respective geographic locations;

tracking change in position and size of the region dependent on updated geographic locations of the two or more mobile devices;

determining that a target location coincides with the region, wherein the target location is electively designated by a user of one of the two or more mobile devices via a user interface of the one of the two or more mobile devices; and

notifying each mobile device in the location sharing group that the target location coincides with the region;

wherein associating the region with the location-sharing group and tracking the change in position are each performed by causing one or more processors to process GPS coordinates wirelessly reported by the two or more mobile devices;

wherein notifying comprises serving a map to each of the mobile devices in the group which depicts relative positions of the target location and each of the mobile devices in the group, and wherein the map is sized to have a geographic resolution that encompasses the respective current geographic locations and is electively zoomable by a user respective to each mobile device in the group.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein:

the computer-implemented method further comprises determining a boundary that encloses the current geographic location of each of the two or more mobile devices; and

the map is to display the boundary and points representing the current position of each of the two or more mobile devices associated with the location sharing group.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein serving the map comprises causing each of the mobile devices associated with the location sharing group to display the map in a manner sufficient to identify last-known position of each of the mobile devices associated with the location sharing group relative to the target location.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein notifying comprises sending a message via a short message service (SMS) transmission to at least one mobile device.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4, wherein sending comprises causing the at least one mobile device to graphically present an option to a user of the at least one mobile device, via a display of the at least one mobile device, and to electively show a map of the region, such that mapping of the region on the display is selectively initiated via command entered into the at least one mobile device.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, wherein the method comprises, in response to selection of the option, exchanging the map between a server and a corresponding mobile device via a transmission control protocol (TCP) packet transmission, and causing a processor of the corresponding mobile device to responsively assemble the map from the packets and to display the map on the display.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, further comprising accumulating a history of waypoints corresponding to travel of one of the two or more mobile devices in relation to the target location, the waypoints automatically compiled dependent on previous GPS coordinates provided by the one of the two or more mobile devices, wherein exchanging the map comprises causing the processor of the corresponding mobile device to display a path taken by the one of the two or more mobile devices relative to the target location dependent on the history waypoints.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, wherein the method further comprising sending time stamp information for the last-known position of members of the location-sharing group to at least one of the two or more mobile devices.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon, the instructions, when executed by one or more processors, cause the processors to perform operations comprising:

receiving information representing formation of a location sharing group between two or more mobile devices;

associating a region with the location-sharing group dependent on respective current geographic locations of the two or more mobile devices, the region encompassing the respective current geographic locations and centered on a location dependent on the respective geographic locations;

tracking change in position and size of the region dependent on updated geographic locations of the two or more mobile devices;

determining that a target location coincides with the region, wherein the target location is electively designated by a user of one of the two or more mobile devices via a user interface of the one of the two or more mobile devices; and

notifying each mobile device in the location sharing group that the target location coincides with the region;

wherein associating the region with the location-sharing group and tracking change in position are each performed by causing the one or more processors to process GPS coordinates wirelessly reported by the two or more mobile devices; and

wherein notifying comprises serving a map to each of the mobile devices in the group which depicts relative positions of the target location and each of the mobile devices in the group, and wherein the map is sized to have a geographic resolution that encompasses the respective current geographic locations and is electively zoomable by a user respective to each mobile device in the group.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein:

the instructions are further, when executed, to cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising determining a boundary that encloses the current geographic location of each of the two or more mobile devices; and

the map is to display the boundary and points representing the current position of each of the two or more mobile devices associated with the location sharing group.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the instructions are further, when executed, to cause each of the mobile devices associated with the location sharing group to display the map in a manner sufficient to identify last-known position of each of the mobile devices associated with the location sharing group relative to the target location.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the instructions are further, when executed, to cause the one or more processors to perform the notifying by causing the one or more processors to send a message via a short message service (SMS) transmission to at least one mobile device.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the instructions are further, when executed, to cause the one or more processors to perform the notifying by causing the at least one mobile device to graphically present an option to a user of the at least one mobile device, via a display of the at least one mobile device, and to electively show a map of the region, such that mapping of the region on the display is selectively initiated via command entered into the at least one mobile device.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the instructions are further, when executed, to cause the one or more processors to perform the notifying by causing the one or more processors to exchange, in response to selection of the option, the map between a server and a corresponding mobile device via a transmission control protocol (TCP) packet transmission, and by causing the corresponding mobile device to responsively assemble the map from the packets and to display the map on the display.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein the instructions are further, when executed, to cause the at one or more processors to accumulate a history of waypoints corresponding to travel of one of the two or more mobile devices in relation to the target location, the waypoints automatically compiled dependent on previous GPS coordinates provided by the one of the two or more mobile devices, wherein to exchange the map by causing the corresponding mobile device to display a path taken by the one of the two or more mobile devices relative to the target location dependent on the history waypoints.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the instructions when executed are to cause the one or more processors to send time stamp information for the last-known position of members of the location-sharing group to at least one of the two or more mobile devices.

17. A system, comprising:

one or more processors; and

memory having instructions stored thereon, the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, to cause the processors to perform operations comprising

receiving information representing formation of a location sharing group between two or more mobile devices,

associating a region with the location-sharing group dependent on respective current geographic locations of the two or more mobile devices, the region encompassing the respective current geographic locations and centered on a location dependent on the respective geographic locations,

tracking change in position and size of the region dependent on updated geographic locations of the two or more mobile devices,

determining that a target location coincides with the region, wherein the target location is electively designated by a user of one of the two or more mobile devices via a user interface of the one of the two or more mobile devices, and

notifying each mobile device in the location-sharing group that the target location coincides with the region;

wherein associating the region with the location-sharing group and tracking the change in position are each performed by causing the one or more processors to process GPS coordinates wirelessly reported by the two or more mobile devices; and

wherein notifying comprises serving a map to each of the mobile devices in the group which depicts relative positions of the target location and each of the mobile devices in the group, and wherein the map is sized to have a geographic resolution that encompasses the respective current geographic locations and is electively zoomable by a user respective to each mobile device in the group.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein:

the instructions are further, when executed, to cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising determining a boundary that encloses the current geographic location of each of the two or more mobile devices; and

the map is to display the boundary and points representing the current position of each of the two or more mobile devices associated with the location sharing group.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the instructions are further, when executed, to cause each of the mobile devices associated with the location sharing group to display the map in a manner sufficient to identify last-known position of each of the mobile devices associated with the location sharing group relative to the target location.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the instructions are further, when executed, to cause the one or more processors to perform the notifying by causing the one or more processors to send a message via a short message service (SMS) transmission to at least one mobile device.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the instructions are further, when executed, to cause the one or more processors to perform the notifying by causing the at least one mobile device to graphically present an option to a user of the at least one mobile device, via a display of the at least one mobile device, and to electively show a map of the region, such that mapping of the region on the display is selectively initiated via command entered into the at least one mobile device.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the instructions are further, when executed, to cause the one or more processors to perform the notifying by causing the one or more processors to exchange, in response to selection of the option, the map between a server and a corresponding mobile device via a transmission control protocol (TCP) packet transmission, and by causing the corresponding mobile device to responsively assemble the map from the packets and to display the map on the display.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the instructions are further, when executed, to cause the at one or more processors to accumulate a history of waypoints corresponding to travel of one of the two or more mobile devices in relation to the target location, the waypoints automatically compiled dependent on previous GPS coordinates provided by the one of the two or more mobile devices, wherein to exchange the map by causing the corresponding mobile device to display a path taken by the one of the two or more mobile devices relative to the target location dependent on the history waypoints.

24. The system of claim 19, wherein the instructions when executed are to cause the one or more processors to send time stamp information for the last-known position of members of the location-sharing group to at least one of the two or more mobile devices.