Data structures and methods for location-based services within a wireless network

• US 7,181,227 B2
• Filed: 12/20/2002
• Issued: 02/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cingular Wireless II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Wilson, Brian, Bhuyan, Krishna, Feinstein, Jacob
• Primary Examiner(s): Trinh, Sonny
• Application Number:
  US10/325,032
• Publication Number:
  US 20040203902A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,523 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456.1, 455/456.2, 455/456.3, 455/456.4, 455/456.5, 455/457, 455/456.6, 455/404.2, 455/418, 455/414.2
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

A system for providing wireless telecommunications services to mobile or wireless devices includes data structures and related functionality. One data structure includes at least one location-based services data structure for a wireless device or a user of the wireless device. The location-based services data structure includes first and second data structures representing tables of friends. The first data structure represents a table of friends who may receive a location of the user'"'"'s wireless device, while the second data structure represents a table of friends who have permitted the user to receive a location of wireless devices associated with them. Various other data structures, functionality and systems are disclosed.

Claims

1. A computer-readable medium containing a data structure for use by a wireless system that provides communication between a wireless device and multiple network access points, the data structure comprising:

at least one location-based services data structure for a wireless device or a user of the wireless device, wherein the location-based services data structure comprises;

a first data structure representing a table of friends who may receive, via the system, a current location of the user'"'"'s wireless device; and

a second data structure representing a table of friends who have permitted the user to receive, via the system, a location of wireless devices associated with them;

wherein the first and second data structures are configured for display on a visual display of the wireless device as respective first and second lists of friends, and wherein the wireless device may receive input from the user to modify at least one of the first and second data structures representing tables of friends to thereby modify the at least one of the first and second lists of friends.

2. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the first and second data structures are stored as separate first and second location-based services data structures.

3. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein a single location-based services data structure stores the first and second data structures.

4. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the location-based services data structure is stored on the user'"'"'s wireless device.

5. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the location-based services data structure is stored on the wireless system.

6. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the location-based services data structure further comprises a third data structure representing a table of friend data, wherein the table of friend data includes, for each friend, an email address, username, or username alias.

7. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, further comprising a third data structure representing a table of friends who may not receive, via the system, the current location of the user'"'"'s wireless device.

8. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein each friend in at least the first data structure is represented by a mobile number, email address or user name.

9. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein each friend in at least the first data structure is represented by an instant messaging handle, user name alias or electronic image for each of the friends.

10. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein each friend in at least the first data structure is represented by a facsimile number, pager number, universal resource locator (URL) or computer network address.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, further comprising a third data structure representing times of day or geographic locations when the current location of the user'"'"'s wireless device is not to be provided to others.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, further comprising a third data structure representing at least one friend for whom the current location of the user'"'"'s wireless device is always to be provided.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, further comprising a third data structure representing conditions when the current location of the user'"'"'s wireless device is not to be provided to others.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein at least the first data structure includes:

locate flags associated with each friend in the table of friends who may receive the current location of the user'"'"'s wireless device, and

additional friends who currently lack locate flags and may not receive the current location of the user'"'"'s wireless device.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 1 wherein the computer-readable medium is a memory of a telecommunications server of the wireless system.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 1 wherein the computer-readable medium is a logical node in the wireless system receiving the contents.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 1 wherein the computer-readable medium is a computer-readable disk.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 1 wherein the computer-readable medium is a data transmission medium carrying a generated data signal containing the data structure.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 1 wherein the computer-readable medium is microcode.

20. A computer-readable medium containing a data structure for use by a wireless system that provides communication between a wireless device and multiple network access points, the data structure comprising:

at least one location-based services data structure for a wireless device or a user of the wireless device, wherein the location-based services data structure comprises;

a first data structure representing a table of friends who may receive, via the system, a current location of the user'"'"'s wireless device; and

a second data structure representing a table of friends who have permitted the user to receive, via the system, a location of wireless devices associated with them; and

a third data structure representing one of two or more conditions when the current location of the user'"'"'s wireless device is not to be provided to others, wherein one of multiple priorities is associated with the one condition, and wherein the priorities are used to resolve conflicting conditions associated with one of two conflicting locate options, wherein one option takes precedence over another option based on the one of multiple priorities.

21. The computer-readable medium of claim 20, wherein the first and second data structures are stored as separate first and second location-based services data structures.

22. The computer-readable medium of claim 20, wherein a single location-based services data structure stores the first and second data structures.

23. The computer-readable medium of claim 20, wherein the location-based services data structure is stored on the user'"'"'s wireless device.

24. The computer-readable medium of claim 20, wherein the location-based services data structure is stored on the wireless system.

25. The computer-readable medium of claim 20, wherein at least the first data structure includes:

locate flags associated with each friend in the table of friends who may receive the current location of the user'"'"'s wireless device, and

additional friends who currently lack locate flags and may not receive the current location of the user'"'"'s wireless device.

26. The computer-readable medium of claim 20 wherein the computer-readable medium is a data transmission medium carrying a generated data signal containing the data structure.

27. The computer-readable medium of claim 20 wherein the computer-readable medium is a memory of a telecommunications server of the wireless system.

28. The computer-readable medium of claim 20 wherein the computer-readable medium is a logical node in the wireless system receiving the contents.

29. The computer-readable medium of claim 20 wherein the computer-readable medium is a computer-readable disk.

30. The computer-readable medium of claim 20 wherein the computer-readable medium is microcode.

31. A computer-readable medium containing a data structure for use by a wireless system that provides communication between a wireless device and multiple network access points, the data structure comprising:

at least one location-based services data structure for a wireless device or a user of the wireless device, wherein the location-based services data structure comprises;

a first data structure representing a table of friends who may receive, via the system, a current location of the user'"'"'s wireless device; and

a second data structure representing a table of friends who have permitted the user to receive, via the system, a location of wireless devices associated with them; and

wherein the first and second data structures are stored as separate first and second location-based services data structures, wherein the first and second location-based services data structures are stored in a database coupled to a server associated with the wireless system, and wherein each friend in the first and second location-based services data structures is represented as a user name or mobile telephone number.

32. The computer-readable medium of claim 31, wherein the location-based services data structure further comprises a third data structure representing a table of friend data, wherein the table of friend data includes, for each friend, an email address, username, or username alias.

33. The computer-readable medium of claim 31, further comprising a third data structure representing a table of friends who may not receive, via the system, the current location of the user'"'"'s wireless device.

34. The computer-readable medium of claim 31, further comprising a third data structure representing times of day or geographic locations when the current location of the user'"'"'s wireless device is not to be provided to others.

35. The computer-readable medium of claim 31, further comprising a third data structure representing at least one friend for whom the current location of the user'"'"'s wireless device is always to be provided.

36. The computer-readable medium of claim 31, further comprising a third data structure representing conditions when the current location of the user'"'"'s wireless device is not to be provided to others.

37. A computer-readable medium containing a data structure for use by a wireless system that provides communication between a wireless device and multiple network access points, the data structure comprising:

at least one location-based services data structure for a wireless device or a user of the wireless device, wherein the location-based services data structure comprises;

a first data structure representing a table of friends who may receive, via the system, a current location of the user'"'"'s wireless device; and

a second data structure representing a table of friends who have permitted the user to receive, via the system, a location of wireless devices associated with them; and

a public user-data structure, wherein the public user-data structure includes publicly available fields associated with the user, which include a name, interest and geographic location data for the user.

38. The computer-readable medium of claim 37, wherein each friend in at least the first data structure is represented by a mobile number, email address or user name.

39. The computer-readable medium of claim 37, wherein each friend in at least the first data structure is represented by an instant messaging handle, user name alias or electronic image for each of the friends.

40. The computer-readable medium of claim 37, wherein each friend in at least the first data structure is represented by a facsimile number, pager number, universal resource locator (URL) or computer network address.

41. The computer-readable medium of claim 37, further comprising a third data structure representing a table of friends who may not receive, via the system, the current location of the user'"'"'s wireless device.

42. The computer-readable medium of claim 37, further comprising a third data structure representing times of day or geographic locations when the current location of the user'"'"'s wireless device is not to be provided to others.

43. The computer-readable medium of claim 37, further comprising a third data structure representing at least one friend for whom the current location of the user'"'"'s wireless device is always to be provided.