Rendez vous management using mobile phones or other mobile devices

• US 9,883,360 B1
• Filed: 01/05/2017
• Issued: 01/30/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: X One Inc.
• Original Assignee: X One Inc.
• Inventors: Haney, Richard D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Karikari, Kwasi
• Application Number:
  US15/399,684
• Time in Patent Office: 390 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/01 Satellite radio beacon positioning systems transmitting time-stamped messages, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System], GLONASS [Global Orbiting Navigation Satellite System] or GALILEO
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/03 Cooperating elements; Interaction or communication between different cooperating elements or between cooperating elements and receivers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/322 Aspects of commerce using mobile devices [M-devices]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1046 Joining mechanisms
• 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: H04M 1/0202 Portable telephone sets, e.g. cordless phones, mobile phones or bar type handsets constructional features of telephone transmitters or receivers, e.g. of speakers or microphones H04M1/03
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72406 by software upgrading or downloading
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72418 for supporting emergency services
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/38 Displays
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2044 Group features, e.g. closed user group
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/04 for emergency applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/30 Determination of the location of a subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/10 : including a GPS signal receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42093 : Notifying the calling party of information on the called or connected party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4228 : in networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42348 : Location-based services which utilize the location information of a target
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42365 : Presence services providing information on the willingness to communicate or the ability to communicate in terms of media capability or network connectivity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/033 : of the user plane, e.g. user's traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 : Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 : Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/63 : Location-dependent; Proximity-dependent
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 : Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 : Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/022 : with dynamic range variability
• 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 4/025 : using location based information parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/027 : using movement velocity, acceleration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 : Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/08 : User group management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/10 : Push-to-Talk [PTT] or Push-On-Call services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/14 : Short messaging services, e.g. short message services [SMS] or unstructured supplementary service data [USSD]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/21 : for social networking applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/50 : Service provisioning or reconfiguring
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 : Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]
• 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 64/003 : locating network equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/12 : Inter-network notification
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/121 : for groups of terminals or users
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/14 : Direct-mode setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 : Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

A system for exchanging GPS or other position data between wireless devices for purposes of group activities, child location monitoring, work group coordination, dispatching of employees etc. Cell phones and other wireless devices with GPS receivers have loaded therein a Buddy Watch application and a TalkControl application. The Buddy Watch application communicates with the GPS receiver and other wireless devices operated by buddies registered in the users phone as part of buddy groups or individually. GPS position data and historical GPS position data can be exchanged between cell phones of buddies and instant buddies such as tow truck drivers via a buddy watch server. Emergency monitoring services can be set up with notifications to programmable individuals in case an individual does not respond. Positions and tracks can be displayed. TalkControl simplifies and automates the process of joining talk groups for walkie talkie services such as that provided by Nextel.

Claims

1. A processor-implemented method of sending alerts to mobile devices in a group, the method comprising:

receiving information defining an event, including a meeting location and a time, and information identifying the mobile devices in the group;

storing the information defining the event and the information identifying the mobile devices in the group in server-accessible storage;

receiving position information for each mobile device in the group; and

sending an alert to each mobile device in the group dependent on both the time and position of the respective mobile device;

wherein

the event is a first event, the time is a first time, and the group of mobile devices is a first group of mobile devices,

the method further comprises sending alerts to mobile devices in a second group, and

the sending of the alerts to the mobile devices in the second group includes

receiving information defining a second event, including a second meeting location and a second time, and information identifying the mobile devices in the second group, the mobile devices in the second group free to be different than the mobile devices in the first group,

storing the information defining the second event and the information identifying the mobile devices in the second group in server-accessible storage,

receiving position information for each mobile device in the second group, and

sending an alert to each mobile device in the second group dependent on both the second time and position of the respective mobile device in the second group; and

wherein for each of the first and second events, the method further comprises obtaining a maplet for the respective meeting location from a map server, and transmitting the maplet to each mobile device in the respective group that is within at least a predetermined distance from the respective meeting location, wherein said maplet is selectively zoomable as displayed on the respective mobile device, and wherein the method further comprises intermittently updating the maplet as transmitted to show updated position of at least one of the mobile devices in the group rendered thereon, dependent on a last-reported position of the at least one of the mobile devices in the group.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the alert sent to each mobile device in the first group and the alert sent to each mobile device in the second group comprises a maplet with position information of each mobile device in the respective group plotted thereon, at least within a predetermined distance radius from the respective meeting location.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the method further comprises obtaining each maplet from a third party map server, each maplet centered on the respective meeting location, each maplet further displaying information for each mobile device in the respective group superimposed over the maplet, at least within the predetermined distance, the information for each mobile device including both a user name and information dependent on distance of the respective mobile device from the respective meeting location.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the information superimposed over the maplet includes speed and direction of travel of each mobile device which is represented by the information superimposed over the maplet.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein:

receiving the position information for each mobile device in the first group and receiving the position information for each mobile device in the second group further comprises receiving an update from each mobile device in the respective group, dependent on a change in position of the respective mobile device;

the method further comprises sending an updated maplet to each mobile device with position of each mobile device in the respective group, as updated, plotted thereon.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein sending the updated maplet to each mobile device with positions in the respective group, as updated, plotted thereon, further comprises superimposing on the updated maplet a route of at least one of the mobile devices in the respective group to the respective meeting location.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein sending the alerts comprises sending SMS packets to the mobile devices, and wherein the method further comprises hosting application software for download to mobile devices in the first group and to mobile devices in the second group, the application software when downloaded and installed on a respective mobile device to cause the respective mobile device to intercept and render the SMS packets instead of delivering the SMS packets to SMS messaging software of the respective mobile device.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the application software when downloaded and installed is to permit selective enabling and disabling of location sharing by a user of the respective mobile device.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the information identifying the mobile devices in the first group and the information identifying the mobile devices in the second group each comprises a list of contacts; and

the list of contacts for each of the mobile devices in the respective group comprises at least one of an email or phone number to which messages should be sent.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein each alert comprises at least one of a predetermined email message or a predetermined voice mail message associated with the respective event.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the method further comprises, responsive to receiving information identifying mobile devices in the first group and receiving the information identifying mobile devices in the second group, sending a set-up message to unrecognized mobile devices permitting a user of each respective unrecognized mobile device to electively opt-in to location sharing, prior to sending a maplet with position information representing the respective unrecognized mobile device plotted thereon.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises hosting application software for download to mobile devices in the first group and to mobile devices in the second group, the application software when downloaded and installed on a respective mobile device to permit the respective mobile device to generate the information defining a new event including a meeting location, a time, and information identifying mobile devices in a group associated with the new event.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the application software is further to permit the respective mobile device on which the application software is installed to append at least one of a photo, a message or a document to the new event, wherein the method further comprises receiving the at least one and transmitting the at least one to each mobile device in the group associated with the new event.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the application software is configured to permit each mobile device on which the application software is installed to directly communicate with any individual device in the group via user pushing of a button.

15. An apparatus comprising instructions stored on non-transitory machine-readable media, the instructions when executed to cause at least one processor to:

receive information defining an event, including a meeting location and a time, and information identifying the mobile devices in the group;

store the information defining the event and the information identifying the mobile devices in the group in server-accessible storage;

receive position information for each mobile device in the group; and

send an alert to each mobile device in the group dependent on both the time and position of the respective mobile device;

wherein

the event is a first event, the time is a first time, and the group of mobile devices is a first group of mobile devices,

the apparatus further comprises instructions that when executed are to cause at least one processor to send alerts to mobile devices in a second group, and

the instructions to cause at least one processor to send alerts to the mobile devices in the second group include instructions that cause at least one processor to

receive information defining a second event, including a second meeting location and a second time, and information identifying the mobile devices in the second group, the mobile devices in the second group free to be different than the mobile devices in the first group,

store the information defining the second event and the information identifying the mobile devices in the second group in server-accessible storage,

receive position information for each mobile device in the second group, and

send an alert to each mobile device in the second group dependent on both the second time and position of the respective mobile device in the second group; and

wherein for each of the first and second events, the instructions are further to cause the at least one processor to obtain a maplet for the respective meeting location from a map server, and transmit the maplet to each mobile device in the respective group that is within at least a predetermined distance from the respective meeting location, wherein said maplet is selectively zoomable as displayed on the respective mobile device, and wherein the instructions are further to cause the at least one processor to intermittently update the maplet as transmitted to show updated position of at least one of the mobile devices in the group rendered thereon, dependent on a last-reported position of the at least one of the mobile devices in the group.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the alert sent to each mobile device in the first group and the alert sent to each mobile device in the second group comprises a maplet with position information of each mobile device in the respective group plotted thereon, at least within a predetermined distance radius from the respective meeting location.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the instructions when executed are further to cause at least one processor to obtain each maplet from a third party map server, each maplet centered on the respective meeting location, and to format each maplet to display information for each mobile device in the respective group superimposed over the maplet, at least within the predetermined distance, the information for each mobile device including both a user name and information dependent on distance of the respective mobile device from the respective meeting location.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the information superimposed over the maplet includes speed and direction of travel of each mobile device represented by the information superimposed over the maplet.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein:

the instructions when executed are further to cause at least one processor to receive an update from each mobile device in the first group and from each mobile device in the second group, dependent on a change in position of the respective mobile device;

the instructions when executed are further to cause at least one processor to send an updated maplet to each mobile device with position of each mobile device in the group, as updated, plotted thereon.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the instructions when executed are further to cause at least one processor to superimpose on the updated maplet a route of at least one of the mobile devices in the respective group to the respective meeting location.

21. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the instructions when executed are to send the alerts to the mobile devices in the form of SMS packets, and wherein the apparatus further comprises instructions that define application software adapted for download to mobile devices in the first group and to mobile devices in the second group, the application software when downloaded and installed on a respective mobile device to cause the respective mobile device to intercept and render the SMS packets instead of delivering the SMS packets to SMS messaging software of the respective mobile device.

22. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein:

the information identifying the mobile devices in the first group and the information identifying the mobile device in the second group each comprises a list of contacts; and

the list of contacts for each of the mobile devices in the respective group comprises at least one of an email or phone number to which messages should be sent.

23. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein each alert comprises at least one of a predetermined email message or a predetermined voice mail message associated with the respective event.

24. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein:

the apparatus further comprises, responsive to receiving information identifying mobile devices in the first group and receiving the information identifying mobile devices in the second group, sending a set-up message to unrecognized mobile devices permitting a user of each respective unrecognized mobile device to electively opt-in to location sharing, prior to sending a maplet with position information representing the respective unrecognized mobile device plotted thereon.

25. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the apparatus further comprises instructions that define hosting application software adapted for download to mobile devices in the first group and for download to mobile devices in the second group, the application software when downloaded and installed on a respective mobile device to permit the respective mobile device generate information defining a new event including a meeting location, a time, and information identifying mobile devices in a group associated with the new event.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the application software when downloaded and installed is to permit selective enabling and disabling of location sharing by a user of each respective mobile device.

27. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the application software is further to permit the respective mobile device on which the application software is installed to append at least one of a photo, a message or a document to a particular event, wherein the apparatus further comprises instructions that when executed are to cause at least one processor to receive the at least one and to transmit the at least one to each mobile device in a group associated with the particular event.

28. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the application software is configured to permit each mobile device on which the application software is installed to directly communicate with any individual device in the group via user pushing of a button.