System and method for providing an alert based on user location

• US 8,983,435 B2
• Filed: 10/08/2012
• Issued: 03/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Smith Micro Software Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Wavemarket Incorporated (Gen Digital Inc.)
• Inventors: Weiss, Andrew
• Primary Examiner(s): DOAN, KIET M
• Application Number:
  US13/647,336
• Publication Number:
  US 20140099921A1
• Time in Patent Office: 890 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456.1, 455/418, 455/406, 455/407, 455/414.1, 455/419, 455/450, 455/426.1, 455/553.1, 455/426.2, 455/434, 705/39, 380/258
• US Class Current: 455/411
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/084 using delegated authorisation, e.g. open authorisation [OAuth] protocol
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/64 using geofenced areas
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds

Abstract

A computer-implemented method of providing an alert based on user location. An indication of a second user is received from a first user. It is determined whether the first user and the second user are co-members of a telecommunication carrier service plan. Location information of the first user and location information of the second user is received. A distance between the first user and the second user is determined based on the location information of the first user and the location information of the second user. The first user is alerted responsive to the distance between the first user and the second user exceeding a predetermined threshold. A system for providing an alert based on user location or user motion state is also provided.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of providing an alert based on user location comprising:

receiving from a first user an indication of a second user;

determining whether the first user and the second user are co-members of a telecommunication carrier service plan;

transmitting a request to at least one of the second user and a party authorized to respond on behalf of the second user for authorization to access location information of the second user responsive to determining that the first user and the second user are not co-members of a telecommunication carrier service plan;

receiving location information of the first user and location information of the second user;

determining a distance between the first user and the second user based on the location information of the first user and the location information of the second user; and

alerting the first user responsive to the distance between the first user and the second user exceeding a predetermined threshold;

wherein at least one of the steps of receiving the location information, determining a distance, and alerting the first user are responsive to receiving authorization.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving from the first user an indication of a plurality of users;

receiving location information of the plurality of users;

determining a distance between the first user and the plurality of users based on the location information of the first user and the location information of the second user; and

alerting the first user responsive to the distance between the first user and at least one of the plurality of users exceeding a predetermined threshold.

3. A computer-implemented method of providing an alert based on user location comprising:

receiving from a first user an indication of a second user;

determining whether the first user and the second user are co-members of a telecommunication carrier service plan;

responsive to determining that the first user and the second user are not co-members of a telecommunication carrier service plan, transmitting a request to at least one of the second user and a party authorized to respond on behalf of the second user for an authorization to access location information of the second user;

receiving the authorization to access the location information of the second user from at least one of the second user and the party authorized to respond on behalf of the second user;

receiving location information of the second user responsive to receiving the authorization;

comparing the location information of the second user and location information of another user to determine a relative position of the second user with respect to the other user; and

alerting the first user based on the relative position.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, wherein the other user is the first user, wherein the first user is alerted when the second user exceeds a predetermined distance from the first user.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, wherein the other user is a third user, wherein at least one of the first user and the third user is alerted when the second user exceeds a predetermined distance from the third user.

6. A computer-implemented method of providing an alert, comprising:

receiving from a first user an indication of a second user, a third user, and a fourth user;

determining whether the first user and at least the second user are co-members of a telecommunication carrier service plan;

responsive to determining that the first user and the second user are not co-members of a telecommunication carrier service plan, requesting authorization from at least one of the second user and a party authorized to respond on behalf of the second user;

receiving requested authorization;

following receipt of requested authorization receiving location information of at least the second user;

determining distances between the first user and at least the second user based on received location information; and

alerting the first user responsive to the determination that the distance exceeds a predetermined threshold.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, wherein the first user is alerted responsive to a distance between the second user and at least one of the third user and fourth user exceeding the predetermined threshold.

8. A computer-implemented method of providing an alert based on user location comprising:

receiving from a first user an indication of at least a second user and a third user;

determining whether the first user and at least the second user are co-members of a telecommunication carrier service plan;

responsive to determining that the first user and the second user are not co-members of a telecommunication carrier service plan, requesting authorization to obtain location information of the second user;

after receiving authorization determining distances between the second user and the third user; and

alerting the first user responsive to the distance between any of the at least the second user and the third user exceeding a predetermined threshold.

9. A computer-implemented method providing an alert based on user location comprising:

receiving from a first user an indication of at least second user and a third user;

determining whether the first user and at least the second user are co-members of a telecommunication carrier service plan;

responsive to determining that the first user and the second user are not co-members of a telecommunication carrier service plan, transmitting a request to at least one of the second user and a party authorized to respond on behalf of the second user for an authorization to access location information of the second user;

receiving authorization to access the location information of the second user from at least one of the second user and the party authorized to respond on behalf of the second user;

receiving location information including geographic positions of the at least the second user and the third user, wherein location information corresponding to at least the second user is received responsive to receiving the authorization;

determining a coordinate based on the geographic positions of the at least the second user and the third user;

determining distances between the coordinate and the at least the second user and the third user; and

alerting the first user responsive to the distance between the coordinate and at least one of the second user and the third user exceeding a predetermined threshold.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising determining the coordinate as a centroid of the geographic positions of the at least the second user and the third user.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

determining a distance between the first user and the coordinate;

alerting the first user responsive to the distance between the coordinate and the first user exceeding another predetermined threshold.

12. A computer-implemented method of providing an alert based on user location comprising:

receiving from a first user an indication of a second user, a third user, and a fourth user;

determining whether the first user and at least the second user are co-members of a telecommunication carrier service plan;

responsive to determining that the first user and the second user are not co-members of a telecommunication carrier service plan, requesting authorization from at least one of the second user and a party authorized to respond on behalf of the second user;

receiving requested authorization;

following receipt of requested authorization receiving location information of at least the second user;

determining a plurality of groupings of the second user, third user and fourth user, wherein each grouping comprises at least two of the users;

determining at least one distance between users in each of the plurality of groupings based on the location information of the second user, third user, and fourth user; and

alerting the first user responsive to the distance between at least two users in a grouping exceeding a predetermined threshold.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 12, further comprising:

receiving an indication of the plurality of groupings from the first user; and

determining at least one of the plurality of groupings from the indication of the plurality of groupings received from the first user.

14. A computer-implemented method of providing an alert based on user location comprising:

receiving from a first user an indication a second user and a third user;

receiving from the first user a designation of the second user;

determining whether the first user and the third user are co-members of a telecommunication carrier service plan;

responsive to determining that the first user and third user are not co-members of a telecommunication carrier service plan requesting authorization from at least one of the third user and a party authorized to respond on behalf of the third user;

receiving location information of the second user and the third user, wherein the location of at least the second user is received after receiving requested authorization;

determining a distance between the second user and the third user based on the location information; and

alerting the second user responsive to the designation and responsive to the distance between the second user and the third user exceeding a predetermined threshold.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

receiving from the first user an indication of at least the third user and a fourth user;

determining a distance between the second user and each of the third user and the fourth user; and

alerting the second user responsive to the designation and responsive to the distance between the second user and any one of the third user and the fourth user exceeding a predetermined threshold.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising alerting the first user responsive to the distance between the second user and the third user exceeding a predetermined threshold.

17. A computer-implemented method of providing an alert based on user location comprising:

receiving from a first user an indication of at east a second user and a third user;

determining whether the first user and the second user are co-members of a telecommunication carrier service plan;

responsive to determining that the first user and the second user are not co-members of a telecommunication carrier service plan, requesting from at least one of the second user and a party authorized to respond on behalf of the second user;

receiving location information of the second user and third user after authorization is received;

determining at least one distance between the second user and third user based on the location information; and

alerting the first user responsive to the distances between at least one of the second user and the third user being less than a predetermined threshold.

18. A computer-implemented method of providing an alert based on user motion states comprising:

receiving an indication of at least a second user and a third user;

determining whether a first user and the second user are co-members of a telecommunication carrier service plan;

responsive to determining that the first user and the second user are not co-members of a telecommunication carrier service plan, requesting authorization from at least one of the second user and a party authorized to respond on behalf of the second user;

after receiving authorization, receiving at least one of location information and acceleration information of the second user and the third user;

determining user motion states of the second user and the third user based on the at least one of the location information and the acceleration information of the second user and third user; and

providing an alert responsive to the user motion state of at least the second user differing from the user motion state of the third user.

19. The computer implemented method of claim 18, wherein the user motion states correspond to at least one of walking, bicycling, and riding in a motor vehicle.

20. The computer implemented method of claim 18, further comprising:

receiving the indication of the second user and third user from a first user; and

providing the alert to the first user.

21. A system comprising a non-transitory computer readable storage medium having encoded thereon instructions that, when executed on a processor of the system, cause the system to perform a process including:

receiving from a first user an indication of a second user;

determining whether the first user and the second user are co-members of a telecommunication carrier service plan;

transmitting a request to at least one of the second user and a party authorized to respond on behalf of the second user for an authorization to access location information of the second user responsive to determining that the first user and the second user are not co-members of a telecommunication carrier service plan;

receiving location information of the first user and location information of the second user;

determining a distance between the first user and the second user based on the location information of the first user and the location information of the second user; and

alerting the first user responsive to the distance between the first user and the second user exceeding a predetermined threshold;

wherein at least one of the steps of receiving the location information, determining the distance, and alerting the first user are performed responsive to receiving authorization from the at least one of the second user and the party authorized to respond on behalf of the second user.

22. Non-transitory computer-readable media tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by a computing device to implement a method, the computing device being capable of interfacing with a communications network, the method comprising:

receiving from a first user an indication a second user and a third user;

receiving from the first user a designation of the second user;

determining whether the first user and the third user are co-members of a telecommunication carrier service plan;

responsive to determining that the first user and the third user are not co-members of a telecommunication carrier service plan requesting authorization from at least one of the third user and a party authorized to respond on behalf of the third user;

after receiving authorization receiving location information of the second user and the third user;

determining a distance between the second user and the third user based on the location information; and

alerting the second user responsive to the designation and responsive to the distance between the second user and the third user exceeding a predetermined threshold.