Location information in a communications system

• US 20100122183A1
• Filed: 06/05/2009
• Published: 05/13/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Skype S.Ã R.L. (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Raime, Veiko, McLaughlia, Mark, Babaian, Aram Nicholas
• Granted Patent: US 9,565,261 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/752
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5007 Internet protocol [IP] addresses
• 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: 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 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements

Abstract

A method of communicating location information relating to a first user of a first communication client from a first user terminal over a communications system to a second user terminal, the first user terminal executing the first communication client and the second user terminal executing a second communication client, the method comprising: the second communication client displaying a list of contacts associated with a second user of the second communication client, the list of contacts comprising a first contact representing the first user; the first user terminal determining a location of the first user; the first user terminal storing the determined location in a store of the first user terminal; the first communication client reading the stored location from the store; the first communication client generating a message comprising a visual indication of the location read from the store; transmitting the message from the first user terminal to the second user terminal; and displaying the visual indication of the location on the second user terminal in the contact list in association with the first contact.

Claims

1. A method of communicating location information relating to a first user of a first communication client from a first user terminal over a communications system to a second user terminal, the first user terminal executing the first communication client and the second user terminal executing a second communication client, the method comprising:

the second communication client displaying a list of contacts associated with a second user of the second communication client, the list of contacts comprising a first contact representing the first user;

the first user terminal determining a location of the first user;

the first user terminal storing the determined location in a store of the first user terminal;

the first communication client reading the stored location from the store;

the first communication client generating a message comprising a visual indication of the location read from the store;

transmitting the message from the first user terminal to the second user terminal; and

displaying the visual indication of the location on the second user terminal in the contact list in association with the first contact.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the visual indication of the location comprises humanly readable text.

3. The method according to claim 1 wherein the visual indication of the location comprises a map.

4. The method according to claim 1 wherein the visual indication of the location comprises a link to a map.

5. The method according to claim 1 wherein the first user terminal is a fixed user terminal receiving login information from the first user.

6. The method according to claim 1 wherein the first user terminal is a mobile user terminal associated with the first user.

7. The method according to claim 6 wherein the mobile user terminal is in further communication with a cellular communication network, the method further comprising determining a cell of the cellular communication network which is serving the mobile user terminal, wherein the determination of the location comprises using location information associated with the determined cell.

8. The method according to claim 1 wherein the determination of the location comprises using a Global Positioning System.

9. The method according to claim 1 wherein the determination of the location comprises using an Internet Protocol address of the first user terminal.

10. The method according to claim 1 wherein the steps of determining, storing, reading, generating and transmitting are repeatedly performed.

11. The method according to claim 1 wherein the steps of storing, reading and generating are carried out only when the determined location changes.

12. The method according to claim 1 wherein the location defines a geographical region of variable size.

13. The method according to claim 12 wherein the first user sets the size of the geographical region.

14. The method according to claim 12 wherein the first user terminal sets the size of the geographical region.

15. The method according to claim 14 wherein the size of the geographical region is dependent upon the distance between the determined location and a home location of the first user.

16. The method according to claim 1 wherein the first user is associated with a first list of contacts, the message being transmitted to a respective second user terminal associated with each contact in the first list of contacts.

17. The method according to claim 1 wherein the communications system comprises at least one further second user terminal, the message being transmitted only to further second user terminals associated with further second users that have been authorised by the first user to receive the message.

18. The method according to claim 1 wherein the first user terminal determines the time zone associated with the determined location and the first communication client includes the determined time zone in the message.

19. The method according to claim 1 wherein the message further comprises text other than the visual indication of the location, wherein the text is displayed with the visual indication on the second user terminal in the contact list in association with the first contact.

20. The method according to claim 1 wherein the communications system is a Peer-to Peer communications system.

21. A communications system for communicating location information comprising:

a first user terminal executing a first communication client, said first user terminal configured to;

determine a location of a first user of the first communication client; and

store the determined location in a store of the first user terminal,

said first communication client being configured to read the stored location from the store, generate a message comprising a visual indication of the location read from the store; and

transmit the message; and

a second user terminal executing a second communication client, said second communication client configured to;

display a list of contacts associated with a second user of the second communication client, the list of contacts comprising a first contact representing the first user;

receive the message transmitted by the first communication client; and

display the visual indication of the location in the contact list in association with the first contact.

22. A user terminal for transmitting location information relating to a user of a communication client over a communications system to a further user terminal, the user terminal executing the communication client, the user terminal configured to:

determine a location of the user; and

store the determined location in a store of the user terminal, said communication client being configured to;

read the stored location from the store,

generate a message comprising an identifier and a visual indication of the location read from the store, and

transmit the message to the further user terminal,

wherein the identifier identifies the message such that the visual indication of the location will be displayed in a contact list on the further user terminal in association with a contact in the contact list, the contact representing the user of the communication client.

23. A method for transmitting location information relating to a user of a communication client from a user terminal over a communications system to a further user terminal, the user terminal executing the communication client, the method comprising:

the first user terminal determining a location of the user;

the first user terminal storing the determined location in a store of the user terminal;

the first communication client reading the stored location from the store;

the first communication client generating a message comprising an identifier and a visual indication of the location read from the store; and

the first communication client transmitting the message to the further user terminal,

wherein the identifier identifies the message such that the visual indication will be displayed in a contact list on the further user terminal in association with a contact in the contact list, the contact representing the user of the communication client.

24. A method of communicating location information relating to a first user terminal from the first user terminal over a communications system to a second user terminal, the first user terminal executing a first communication client and the second user terminal executing a second communication client, the method comprising:

the second communication client displaying a list of contacts associated with a second user of the second communication client, the list of contacts comprising a first contact representing a first user of the first communication client;

the first user terminal determining a location of the first user terminal;

the first user terminal storing the determined location in a store of the first user terminal;

the first communication client reading the stored location from the store;

the first communication client generating a message comprising a visual indication of the location read from the store;

transmitting the message from the first user terminal to the second user terminal; and

displaying the visual indication of the location on the second user terminal in the contact list in association with the first contact.