Systems and methods for location tracking notification

• US 10,299,069 B2
• Filed: 02/19/2018
• Issued: 05/21/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Dicke, Ronald Anthony, Guay, Robert Joseph Alain
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Danh C
• Application Number:
  US15/899,178
• Publication Number:
  US 20180176721A1
• Time in Patent Office: 456 Days
• Field of Search: 4554565, 4554561, 455418, 4554562, 34053913
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/55 Push-based network services
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/10 including a GPS signal receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/02 Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/63 Location-dependent; Proximity-dependent
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/64 using geofenced areas
• 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 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/00 User notification, e.g. alerting and paging, for incoming communication, change of service or the like

Abstract

Systems and methods for location tracking notification are provided. Location sharing involves a mobile device sending location information to another device. This can allow another device to track the geographic location of the mobile device. Even though permissions can restrict access of the location information to only authorized users, the user of the mobile device might nonetheless wish to be informed of when another user is tracking their location. In accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure, if the location of the mobile device is being tracked, then the mobile device executes a user notification indicating that the location of the mobile device is being tracked. This can inform the user that their location is being tracked.

Claims

1. A method for execution in a server, the method comprising:

receiving location information associated with a location of a mobile device on an ongoing basis for relaying to at least one other device;

determining whether the at least one other device is currently tracking or has ceased tracking the location of the mobile device;

continue sending the location information to the at least one other device on an ongoing basis in response to determining that the at least one other device is currently tracking the location of the mobile device; and

refraining from sending the location to the at least one other device in response to the determining that the at least one other device has ceased tracking the location of the mobile device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining that the at least one other device has ceased tracking the location of the mobile device comprises receiving an indication from the at least one other device that the location information is not required to be sent to the at least one other device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining that the at least one other device is currently tracking the location of the mobile device comprises determining that no indication is received from the at least one other device that indicates that the location information is not required.