System, apparatus and method for location-based instant messaging

• US 20020119789A1
• Filed: 02/23/2001
• Published: 08/29/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Danger Research
• Inventors: Friedman, Jackie
• Granted Patent: US 6,714,791 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.6
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9537 Spatial or temporal dependent retrieval, e.g. spatiotemporal queries
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/303 Terminal profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/55 Push-based network services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/565 Conversion or adaptation of application format or content adding application control or application functional data H04L67/561
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/567 Integrating service provisioning from a plurality of service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/5682 Policies or rules for updating, deleting or replacing the stored data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• 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 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/08 Access restriction or access information delivery, e.g. discovery data delivery signalling during connection H04W76/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99939 : Privileged access

Abstract

A computer-implemented method comprising: transmitting positional data identifying a wireless device'"'"'s position responsive to a first user transmitting a message from the wireless device to one or more other users; and transmitting the positional data to the one or more other users.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

transmitting positional data identifying a wireless device'"'"'s position responsive to a first user transmitting a message from said wireless device to one or more other users; and

transmitting said positional data to said one or more other users.

2. The method as in claim 1 further comprising:

uniquely formatting said positional data for transmission to each of said one or more other users based on said first user'"'"'s configuration profile.

3. The method as in claim 2 wherein formatting comprises transmitting precise positional data to one of said one or more users.

4. The method as in claim 2 wherein formatting comprises transmitting said first user'"'"'s position with respect to said one or more users.

5. The method as in claim 4 wherein formatting comprises describing a distance between said first user and said one or more users.

6. The method as in claim 1 wherein said message is an instant message.

7. The method as in claim 1 further comprising:

transmitting positional data identifying positions of said one or more users to said first user responsive to said first user identifying said one or more users.

8. The method as in claim 7 wherein said first user identifies said one or more users via a location-based buddy list.

9. The method as in claim 7 further comprising:

generating an alert if one of said one or more users moves within a location specified by said first user.

10. The method as in claim 9 wherein said location specified by said first user is a distance from said first user.

11. The method as in claim 1 wherein said positional data is collected using global positioning system (“

GPS”

) technology.

13. The system as in claim 12 further comprising:

a positional data formatting module to uniquely format said positional data for transmission to said second device based on a configuration profile of a user of said first device.

14. The system as in claim 13 wherein formatting comprises transmitting precise positional data to said second device.

15. The system as in claim 13 wherein formatting comprises transmitting said first device'"'"'s position with respect to said second device.

16. The system as in claim 15 wherein formatting comprises describing a distance between said first device and said second device.

17. The system as in claim 12 wherein said message module coordinates transmission of instant messages.

18. The system as in claim 12 wherein said location tracking module transmits positional data identifying said second device'"'"'s position to said first device responsive to said second device transmitting a message to said first device.

20. The article of manufacture as in claim 19 wherein said positional data includes a distance of one or more of said named users from said first user.

21. The article of manufacture as in claim 19 wherein said positional data includes a specific location of one or more of said named users.

22. The article of manufacture as in claim 19 wherein said location-based buddy list further comprises a message transmitted from said one or more named users to said first user.

23. The article of manufacture as in claim 22 wherein said location-based buddy list further comprises a link to a message transmitted from said one or more named users to said first user.

24. The article of manufacture as in claim 19 wherein said location-based buddy list further comprises an alert field associated with each of said named users, said alert field specifying a location within which an alert will be generated if said named user associated with said alert field moves within said location.

25. The article of manufacture as in claim 24 wherein said location comprises a distance from said first user.

27. The article of manufacture as in claim 26 including additional program code which, when executed by said machine, cause said machine to perform the operations of:

uniquely formatting said positional data for transmission to each of said one or more other users based on said first user'"'"'s configuration profile.

28. The article of manufacture as in claim 27 wherein formatting comprises transmitting precise positional data to one of said one or more users.

29. The article of manufacture as in claim 27 wherein formatting comprises transmitting said first user'"'"'s position with respect to said one or more users.

30. The article of manufacture as in claim 29 wherein formatting comprises describing a distance between said first user and said one or more users.

31. The article of manufacture as in claim 26 wherein said message is an instant message.

32. The article of manufacture as in claim 26 including additional program code which, when executed by said machine, cause said machine to perform the operations of:

transmitting positional data identifying positions of said one or more users to said first user responsive to said first user identifying said one or more users.

33. The article of manufacture as in claim 32 wherein said first user identifies said one or more users via a location-based buddy list.

34. The article of manufacture as in claim 32 including additional program code which, when executed by said machine, cause said machine to perform the operations of:

generating an alert if one of said one or more users moves within a location specified by said first user.

35. The article of manufacture as in claim 34 wherein said location specified by said first user is a distance from said first user.

36. The article of manufacture as in claim 26 wherein said positional data is collected using global positioning system (“

GPS”

) technology.

12. A system comprising:

a messaging module to coordinate message passing between a plurality of wireless devices; and

a location tracking module to collect positional data for a first device of said wireless devices and transmit said positional data to a second device responsive to said first device transmitting a message via said messaging module.

19. An article of manufacture including program code which, when executed by a machine, cause said machine to perform the operations of:

generating a location-based buddy list comprising a group of named users entered by a first user, and positional data associated with each of said user names in said group.

26. An article of manufacture including program code which, when executed by a machine, cause said machine to perform the operations of:

transmitting positional data identifying a wireless device'"'"'s position responsive to a first user transmitting a message from said wireless device to one or more other users; and

transmitting said positional data to said one or more other users.