Systems and methods for location tracking notification

• US 8,849,314 B2
• Filed: 04/29/2009
• Issued: 09/30/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Dicke, Ronald Anthony, Guay, Robert Joseph Alain
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, DANH C
• Application Number:
  US12/432,371
• Publication Number:
  US 20100279712A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,980 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456.6, 455/456.1, 455/550.1, 340/539.13
• US Class Current: 455/456.6
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/55 Push-based network services
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/10 including a GPS signal receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/02 Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/63 Location-dependent; Proximity-dependent
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/64 using geofenced areas
• 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 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/00 User notification, e.g. alerting and paging, for incoming communication, change of service or the like

Abstract

Systems and methods for location tracking notification are provided. Location sharing involves a mobile device sending location information to another device. This can allow another device to track the geographic location of the mobile device. Even though permissions can restrict access of the location information to only authorized users, the user of the mobile device might nonetheless wish to be informed of when another user is tracking their location. In accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure, if the location of the mobile device is being tracked, then the mobile device executes a user notification indicating that the location of the mobile device is being tracked. This can inform the user that their location is being tracked.

Claims

1. A method for execution in a mobile device, the method comprising:

determining whether a location of the mobile device is being tracked by at least one other device; and

if the location of the mobile device is being tracked by at least one other device, executing a user notification indicating that the location of the mobile device is being tracked.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining location information of the mobile device; and

if an event occurs that triggers the mobile device to send the location information, sending the location information;

wherein determining (3-1) whether the location of the mobile device is being tracked comprises determining that the location of the mobile device is being tracked if the location information is being sent.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

if the location information is being sent to the at least one device, determining who or what is tracking the location of the mobile device based on the location information being sent to the at least one device;

wherein executing the user notification comprises identifying who or what is tracking the location of the mobile device.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

if the location information is being sent to a server, receiving a message from the server identifying who or what is tracking the location of the mobile device;

wherein executing the user notification comprises identifying who or what is tracking the location of the mobile device.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a request for location information of the mobile device;

determining whether to grant the request;

wherein determining whether the location of the mobile device is being tracked comprises determining that at least one device is tracking the location of the mobile device if the request is granted.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein executing the user notification comprises identifying who or what initiated the request.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a type of location tracking;

wherein executing the user notification comprises executing the user notification based on the type of location tracking.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein executing the user notification based on the type of location tracking comprises:

if the location of the mobile device is being actively tracked in which location information is periodically provided, executing a first user notification associated with active tracking; and

if the location of the mobile device is being passively tracked in which location information is provided only upon a condition other than a request being satisfied, executing a second user notification associated with passive tracking.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

at some time after executing the user notification indicating that the location of the mobile device is being tracked;

determining whether the location of the mobile device is no longer being tracked by the at least one device;

if the location of the mobile device is no longer being tracked by the at least one device, executing a user notification indicating that the location of the mobile device is no longer being tracked by the at least one device.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

automatically sending location information of the mobile device on an ongoing basis;

receiving a message indicating that location information of the mobile device is not needed;

in response to the message, ceasing to send location information of the mobile device on the ongoing basis;

wherein determining whether the location of the mobile device is no longer being tracked comprises determining that the location of the mobile device is no longer being tracked if the location information is not being sent to the at least one device.

11. A computer readable medium having computer executable instructions stored thereon for execution on a processor so as to implement the method of claim 1.

12. A mobile device comprising:

a wireless access radio configured for communicating with a wireless network;

a processor; and

a location tracking notifier configured for;

determining whether a location of the mobile device is being tracked by at least one other device; and

if the location of the mobile device is being tracked by at least one other device, executing a user notification indicating that the location of the mobile device is being tracked.

13. The mobile device of claim 12, wherein the location tracking notifier is further configured for:

determining location information of the mobile device; and

if an event occurs that triggers the mobile device to send the location information, sending the location information to at least one device;

wherein determining whether the location of the mobile device is being tracked comprises determining that the at least one device is tracking the location of the mobile device if the location information is being sent to the at least one device.

14. The mobile device of claim 13, wherein executing the user notification comprises identifying who or what is tracking the location of the mobile device.

15. The mobile device of claim 12, wherein the location tracking notifier is further configured for:

determining location information of the mobile device; and

if an event occurs that triggers the mobile device to send the location information, sending the location information to a server;

wherein determining whether the location of the mobile device is being tracked comprises determining that at least one device is tracking the location of the mobile device if the location information is being sent to the server.

16. The mobile device of claim 15, wherein the location tracking notifier is further configured for:

receiving a message from the server identifying who or what is tracking the location of the mobile device;

wherein executing the user notification comprises identifying who or what is tracking the location of the mobile device.

17. The mobile device of claim 12, wherein the location tracking notifier is further configured for:

receiving a request for location information of the mobile device;

determining whether to grant the request;

wherein determining whether the location of the mobile device is being tracked comprises determining that at least one device is tracking the location of the mobile device if the request is granted.