Method and apparatus for people to simply communicate their location and activity information
DCFirst Claim
1. A messaging service method comprising:
- receiving from a mobile client device, selection of a first recipient authorized to receive location information of a user of the mobile client device;
receiving from the mobile client device, a current location of the user;
selecting the first recipient to receive the user'"'"'s current location, based at least in part on an identity of the user and the selection of the first recipient provided by the mobile client device, and independent of a current communication relationship between the first recipient and the messaging service; and
establishing a communication connection from the messaging server to the first recipient, if the first recipient is not in current communication with the messaging service.
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Abstract
A mobile client device, on behalf of a user, is equipped to submit an identity of the user to a messaging service, including the user'"'"'s current location. Once the messaging service receives the identity of the user, and the user'"'"'s current location, the messaging service, in response, selects one or more recipients remotely disposed by the mobile client device and the messaging service to receive the user'"'"'s current location, based at least in part on the identity of the user. The recipient receives the the user'"'"'s current location for information purposes. In one embodiment, the identity of the user, in addition the user'"'"'s current location, is also transmitted to the selected one or more recipients. As a result, users, in particular, youths, are able to notify to recipients, such as their parents/guardians, and each other of their whereabouts simply, efficiently and effectively. In other embodiments, the submission is triggered based on bio-metric data of the user, and includes the triggering bio-metric data. These embodiments have special applications for older users. Additionally, some recipients, such as parents/guardians, are empowered to initiate receipt of the user'"'"'s current location, thereby providing a non-intrusive way of keeping track of the locations of the youths for their peace of mind. In various embodiments, the client device may be a wireless telephone or a palm sized computing device.
79 Citations
27 Claims
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1. A messaging service method comprising:
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receiving from a mobile client device, selection of a first recipient authorized to receive location information of a user of the mobile client device; receiving from the mobile client device, a current location of the user; selecting the first recipient to receive the user'"'"'s current location, based at least in part on an identity of the user and the selection of the first recipient provided by the mobile client device, and independent of a current communication relationship between the first recipient and the messaging service; and establishing a communication connection from the messaging server to the first recipient, if the first recipient is not in current communication with the messaging service. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A portable electronic apparatus comprising:
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a storage medium having stored therein a plurality of instructions that are machine executable, wherein the instructions are adapted to enable the portable electronic apparatus to select a first recipient authorized to receive location information of a user of the portable electronic apparatus to a messaging service, the first recipient being remotely disposed from the apparatus and the messaging service, to submit a current location of the user to the messaging service on behalf of the user, to enable the messaging service to select the first recipient based at least in part on the identity of the user and the selection of the first recipient provided by the portable electronic apparatus client device and independent of a current communication relationship between the first recipient and the messaging service, and to transmit the user'"'"'s current location; and a processor coupled to the storage medium to execute the instructions. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. An apparatus comprising:
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a storage medium having stored therein a plurality of instructions to receive from a mobile client device, a selection of a first recipient to receive location information of user of the mobile client device, and a submission of a current location of the user, to select the first recipient to receive the user'"'"'s current location, based at least in part on the identity of the user and the selection of the first recipient provided by the mobile client device and independent of a current communication relationship or lack of a current communication relationship between the apparatus and the first recipient, and to transmit the user'"'"'s current location; and a processor coupled to the storage medium to execute the instructions. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A program product comprising a plurality of programming instructions adapted to program an apparatus to enable the apparatus to select a first recipient authorized to receive location information of a user of the apparatus to a messaging service, the first recipient being remotely disposed from the apparatus and the messaging service, to submit a current location of the user to the messaging service on behalf of the user, to enable the messaging service to select the first recipient based at least in part on the identity of the user and the selection of the first recipient provided by the apparatus and independent of a current communication relationship between the first recipient and the messaging service, and to transmit the user'"'"'s current location.
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26. A physical storage medium comprising a plurality of programming instructions adapted to program an apparatus to enable the apparatus to select a first recipient authorized to receive location information of a user of the apparatus to a messaging service, the first recipient being remotely disposed from the apparatus and the messaging service, to submit a current location of the user to the messaging service on behalf of the user, to enable the messaging service to select the first recipient based at least in part on the identity of the user and the selection of the first recipient provided by the apparatus and independent of a current communication relationship between the first recipient and the messaging service, and to transmit the user'"'"'s current location.
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27. A system comprising:
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a communication interface; a storage element; a processor coupled to the communication interface and the storage element; and a message module operated by the processor to enable the message module to select a first recipient authorized to receive location information of a user of the message module to a messaging service, the first recipient being remotely disposed from the message module and the messaging service, to submit a current location of the user to the messaging service on behalf of the user, to enable the messaging service to select the first recipient based at least in part on the identity of the user and the selection of the first recipient provided by the message module and independent of a current communication relationship between the first recipient and the messaging service, and to transmit the user'"'"'s current location.
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Specification