Determining and presenting communication device proximity information

• US 20080195702A1
• Filed: 10/13/2006
• Published: 08/14/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Matz, William
• Granted Patent: US 7,769,894 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/204
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• 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 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/20 Services signaling; Auxiliary data signalling, i.e. transmitting data via a non-traffic channel

Abstract

A location and mapping application takes device information and produces location information for display on a communication-enabled computing device (e.g., a personal digital assistant or wireless phone). A current location of a wireless device may be provided with an announcement of an incoming call or message and may be in the form of a street address or a map. Location information for a wired (or fixed-location) device may be provided in the form of a map. Location information for nearby wireless and wired devices may also be provided. Location information may be updated for wireless devices that are moving.

Claims

1. A method for providing proximity information associated with a first device, the method comprising:

determining a location of the first device;

determining proximity information associated with the location of the first device; and

providing the proximity information for output on a second device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the proximity information for output on the second device comprises providing the proximity information to a communication-enabled computing device.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein providing the proximity information for output on the second device comprises providing an audible announcement of an address associated with the first device to the communication-enabled computing device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the location of the first device comprises determining geographic coordinates associated with the location of the first device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining proximity information associated with the location of the first device comprises determining an address associated with the location of the first device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein determining proximity information associated with the location of the first device comprises generating a graphical map of an area near the location of the first device.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein providing the proximity information for output on the second device comprises providing the graphical map to the communication-enabled computing device for visual display.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein determining proximity information associated with the location of the first device comprises determining a nearest location of a third device.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein providing the proximity information for output on the second device comprises providing identifying information associated with the third device to the communication-enabled computing device.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein providing identifying information associated with the third device comprises providing a phone number of the third device.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the proximity information for output on the second device comprises providing driving directions from a location of the second device to the location of the first device.

19. The system of claim 10, wherein the means for determining proximity information associated with the location identifier of the first communications device comprises means for providing driving directions between a location of the first communications device and a location of the second communications device.

12. A system for providing proximity information associated with a first communications device, comprising:

means for receiving a device identifier associated with the first communications device;

means for receiving a location identifier associated with the first communications device;

means for determining proximity information associated with the location identifier of the first communications device; and

means for sending the device identifier and the proximity information for output on a second communications device.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the means for determining proximity information associated with the location identifier of the first communications device is operative to determine an address associated with the device identifier.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the means for determining the address associated with the device identifier comprises means for querying a customer database.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the means for determining proximity information associated with the location identifier of the first communications device comprises means for generating a graphical map of the location of the first communications device.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the means for receiving the device identifier associated with the first communications device comprises means for receiving caller ID information from a wireless communications device.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein the means for determining proximity information associated with the location identifier of the first communications device comprises means for determining a location of a third communications device.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the means for determining proximity information associated with the location identifier further comprises:

generating a map of a geography surrounding the second device; and

adding the location of the third communications device to the map of the geography surrounding the second device.

20. A computer-readable medium storing computer-executable instructions, which when executed by a computer, perform a method comprising:

receiving a device identifier and a location identifier associated with a first wireless communications device upon initiation of a communication between the first wireless communications device and a second communications device;

determining a location identifier of a third communications device associated with the first communications device;

determining proximity information associated with the location identifier of the first communications device, wherein the proximity information comprises;

the location identifier of the third communications device associated with the first communications device, and

a map of a geographic area encompassing a geographic location associated with the location identifier of the first communications device;

preparing a displayable version of the proximity information for output on a display of the second communications device; and

sending the displayable version of the proximity information to the second communications device.