Location sharing group map management

• US 9,967,704 B1
• Filed: 01/27/2017
• Issued: 05/08/2018
• 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:
  US15/418,547
• Time in Patent Office: 466 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 server-implemented method, comprising:

maintaining an account for an individual, the account identifying a list of multiple contacts, each of the multiple contacts having a respective GPS-enabled cellular wireless device;

storing in server-accessible memory a last known position for each of the multiple contacts dependent on received information from the respective GPS-enabled cellular device, the information from each respective GPS-enabled cellular device identifying a position;

in response to a first request from the individual,

retrieving at the server a map representing a first geography, the map selected in dependence on position of at least one of the individual or the last known position of one or more of the multiple contacts,

based on correspondence if any between the last known position for each of the multiple contacts and the first geography, plotting positions on the map of each of the multiple contacts, and

transmitting the map with the plotted positions to the individual for display on a digital device of the individual; and

in response to a second request from the individual,

identifying a second geography,

based on correspondence if any between the last known position for each of the multiple contacts and the second geography, plotting positions of the multiple contacts on a map representing the second geography, and

transmitting the map representing the second geography to the digital device of the individual for display thereon;

where the storing of the last known position for each of the multiple contacts, the transmitting of the map representing the first geography and the transmitting of the map representing the second geography are each performed in a manner not requiring concurrent voice communications; and

where said method further comprises receiving position information for the individual, storing in server-accessible memory a last known position for the individual and, in response to the first request from the individual, if the last known position for the individual corresponds to the first geography, also plotting the position of the individual on the map representing the first geography.

2. The server-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising storing a history of positions for at least one person in server-accessible memory.

3. The server-implemented method of claim 1, where the list of contacts is personal to the individual and where the method further comprises receiving data from the digital device representing input by the individual into the digital device to edit the list of contacts.

4. The server-implemented method of claim 1, where storing the last known position for each of the multiple contacts further comprises maintaining an account for each one of the multiple contacts, and where the server-implemented method further comprises permitting individual ones of the multiple contacts to selectively turn location sharing either on or off.

5. The server-implemented method of claim 1, where transmitting the map in response to the first request includes transmitting the map representing the first geography via TCP/IP packets and where transmitting the map in response to the second request includes transmitting the map representing the second geography via TCP/IP packets.

6. The server-implemented method of claim 1, where storing the last known position of each of the multiple contacts includes storing in server-accessible memory latitude, longitude, and a timestamp for each of the multiple contacts.

7. The server-implemented method of claim 1, where the digital device is a first cellular wireless device and where transmitting the map representing the first geography includes transmitting the map transmitting the first geography in a manner addressed to a port of the first cellular wireless device, the port associated with a specific software application, the specific software application being selectively-launchable by the individual.

8. A server-implemented method, comprising:

maintaining an account for an individual, the account identifying a list of multiple contacts, each of the multiple contacts having a respective GPS-enabled cellular wireless device;

storing in server-accessible memory a last known position for each of the multiple contacts dependent on received information from the respective GPS-enabled cellular device, the information from each respective GPS-enabled cellular device identifying a position;

in response to a first request from the individual,

retrieving at the server a map representing a first geography, the map selected in dependence on position of at least one of the individual or the last known position of one or more of the multiple contacts,

based on correspondence if any between the last known position for each of the multiple contacts and the first geography, plotting positions on the map of each of the multiple contacts, and

transmitting the map with the plotted positions to the individual for display on a digital device of the individual; and

in response to a second request from the individual,

identifying a second geography,

based on correspondence if any between the last known position for each of the multiple contacts and the second geography, plotting positions of the multiple contacts on a map representing the second geography, and

transmitting the map representing the second geography to the digital device of the individual for display thereon;

where the storing of the last known position for each of the multiple contacts, the transmitting of the map representing the first geography and the transmitting of the map representing the second geography are each performed in a manner not requiring concurrent voice communications; and

where the storing of the last known positions includes automatically receiving GPS coordinates from the respective GPS-enabled cellular wireless for each of the multiple contacts, and where plotting the positions on the map is performed using the most-recently received GPS coordinates for ones of the multiple contacts whose last known position corresponds to the first geography.

9. The server-implemented method of claim 8, further comprising receiving position information for the individual, storing in server-accessible memory a last known position for the individual and, in response to the first request from the individual, if the last known position for the individual corresponds to the first geography, also plotting the position of the individual on the map representing the first geography.

10. The server-implemented method of claim 8, where automatically receiving the GPS position information includes automatically receiving encrypted coordinates representing the GPS position information and automatically decrypting the encrypted coordinates.

11. The server-implemented method of claim 8, where transmitting the map in response to the first request includes transmitting the map representing the first geography in a manner that is JAVA compliant, and where the server-implemented method further comprises providing each of the respective users with an option to re-center at least one of the map transmitted to the GPS-enabled cellular wireless device of the respective user representing the first geography or the map transmitted to the GPS-enabled cellular wireless device of the respective user representing the second geography.

12. A server-implemented method, comprising:

maintaining an account for an individual, the account identifying a list of multiple contacts, each of the multiple contacts having a respective GPS-enabled cellular wireless device;

storing in server-accessible memory a last known position for each of the multiple contacts dependent on received information from the respective GPS-enabled cellular device, the information from each respective GPS-enabled cellular device identifying a position;

in response to a first request from the individual,

retrieving at the server a map representing a first geography, the map selected in dependence on position of at least one of the individual or the last known position of one or more of the multiple contacts,

based on correspondence if any between the last known position for each of the multiple contacts and the first geography, plotting positions on the map of each of the multiple contacts, and

transmitting the map with the plotted positions to the individual for display on a digital device of the individual; and

in response to a second request from the individual,

identifying a second geography,

based on correspondence if any between the last known position for each of the multiple contacts and the second geography, plotting positions of the multiple contacts on a map representing the second geography, and

transmitting the map representing the second geography to the digital device of the individual for display thereon;

where the storing of the last known position for each of the multiple contacts, the transmitting of the map representing the first geography and the transmitting of the map representing the second geography are each performed in a manner not requiring concurrent voice communications; and

where the transmitting of the map in response to the first request includes transmitting the map representing the first geography in a manner that is JAVA compliant, and where the server-implemented method further comprises providing the individual with an option to re-center at least one of the map representing the first geography or the map representing the second geography.

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

maintain an account for an individual, the account identifying a list of multiple contacts, each of the multiple contacts having a respective GPS-enabled cellular wireless device;

store in server-accessible memory a last known position for each of the multiple contacts dependent on received information from the respective GPS-enabled cellular device, the information from each respective GPS-enabled cellular device identifying a position;

in response to a first request from the individual,

retrieve a map representing a first geography, the map selected in dependence on position of at least one of the individual or the last known position of one or more of the multiple contacts,

plot, based on correspondence if any between the last known position for each of the multiple contacts and the first geography, positions on the map of each of the multiple contacts, and

transmit the map with plotted positions to the individual for display on a digital device of the individual; and

in response to a second request from the individual,

identify a second geography,

plot, based on correspondence if any between the last known position for each of the multiple contacts and the second geography, positions of each of the multiple contacts on a map representing the second geography, and

transmit the map representing the second geography to the digital device of the individual for display thereon;

where the storage of the last known position for each of the multiple contacts, the transmission of the map representing the first geography and the transmission of the map representing the second geography are each performed in a manner not requiring concurrent voice communications; and

where the instructions when executed are further to cause the at least one processor to receive position information for the individual, store in server-accessible memory a last known position for the individual and, in response to the first request from the individual, if the last known position for the individual corresponds to the first geography, also plot the position of the individual on the map representing the first geography.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, where the instructions when executed are further to cause the at least one processor to store a history of positions for at least one person in server-accessible memory.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, where the list of contacts is personal to the individual and where the where the instructions when executed are further to cause the at least one processor to receive data from the digital device representing input by the individual into the digital device to edit the list of contacts.

16. The apparatus of claim 13, where the instructions when executed are further to cause the at least one processor to maintain an account for each one of the multiple contacts, and to permit individual ones of the multiple contacts to selectively turn location sharing either on or off.

17. The apparatus of claim 13, where the instructions when executed are further to cause the at least one processor to transmit the map representing the first geography via TCP/IP packets and, in response to the second request, to transmit the map representing the second geography via TCP/IP packets.

18. The apparatus of claim 13, where the instructions when executed are further to cause the at least one processor to store a latitude, a longitude, and a timestamp in server-accessible memory representing the last known position for each of the multiple contacts.

19. The apparatus of claim 13, where the digital device is a first cellular wireless device and where the instructions when executed are further to cause the at least one processor to transmit the map in a manner addressed to a port of the first cellular wireless device, the port associated with a specific software application, the specific software application being selectively-launchable by the individual.

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

maintain an account for an individual, the account identifying a list of multiple contacts, each of the multiple contacts having a respective GPS-enabled cellular wireless device;

store in server-accessible memory a last known position for each of the multiple contacts dependent on received information from the respective GPS-enabled cellular device, the information from each respective GPS-enabled cellular device identifying a position;

in response to a first request from the individual,

retrieve a map representing a first geography, the map selected in dependence on position of at least one of the individual or the last known position of one or more of the multiple contacts,

plot, based on correspondence if any between the last known position for each of the multiple contacts and the first geography, positions on the map of each of the multiple contacts, and

transmit the map with plotted positions to the individual for display on a digital device of the individual; and

in response to a second request from the individual,

identify a second geography,

plot, based on correspondence if any between the last known position for each of the multiple contacts and the second geography, positions of each of the multiple contacts on a map representing the second geography, and

transmit the map representing the second geography to the digital device of the individual for display thereon;

where the storage of the last known position for each of the multiple contacts, the transmission of the map representing the first geography and the transmission of the map representing the second geography are each performed in a manner not requiring concurrent voice communications; and

where the instructions when executed are further to cause the at least one processor to automatically receive GPS coordinates from the respective GPS-enabled cellular wireless for each of the multiple contacts, and to plot the positions on the map using the most-recently received GPS coordinates for ones of the multiple contacts whose last known position corresponds to the first geography.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, where the instructions when executed are further to cause the at least one processor to receive position information for the individual, store in server-accessible memory a last known position for the individual and, in response to the first request from the individual, if the last known position for the individual corresponds to the first geography, also plot the position of the individual on the map representing the first geography.

22. The apparatus of claim 20, where the instructions when executed are further to cause the at least one processor to automatically receive encrypted coordinates representing the GPS position information and to automatically decrypt the encrypted coordinates.

23. The apparatus of claim 20, where the instructions when executed are further to cause the at least one processor to, for each of the respective users, transmit the map representing the first geography in a manner that is JAVA compliant, and to provide each of the respective users with an option to re-center at least one of the map transmitted to the GPS-enabled cellular wireless device of the respective user representing the first geography or the map transmitted to the GPS-enabled cellular wireless device of the respective user representing the second geography.

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

maintain an account for an individual, the account identifying a list of multiple contacts, each of the multiple contacts having a respective GPS-enabled cellular wireless device;

store in server-accessible memory a last known position for each of the multiple contacts dependent on received information from the respective GPS-enabled cellular device, the information from each respective GPS-enabled cellular device identifying a position;

in response to a first request from the individual,

retrieve a map representing a first geography, the map selected in dependence on position of at least one of the individual or the last known position of one or more of the multiple contacts,

plot, based on correspondence if any between the last known position for each of the multiple contacts and the first geography, positions on the map of each of the multiple contacts, and

transmit the map with plotted positions to the individual for display on a digital device of the individual; and

in response to a second request from the individual,

identify a second geography,

plot, based on correspondence if any between the last known position for each of the multiple contacts and the second geography, positions of each of the multiple contacts on a map representing the second geography, and

transmit the map representing the second geography to the digital device of the individual for display thereon;

where the storage of the last known position for each of the multiple contacts, the transmission of the map representing the first geography and the transmission of the map representing the second geography are each performed in a manner not requiring concurrent voice communications; and

where the instructions when executed are further to cause the at least one processor to transmit the map representing the first geography in a manner that is JAVA compliant, and to provide the individual with an option to re-center at least one of the map representing the first geography or the map representing the second geography.

25. A server-implemented method, comprising:

maintaining an account for each one of respective users, each account identifying a list of multiple contacts personal to the respective user and being selectively modifiable by the respective user, each of the multiple contacts being another one of the respective users, each of the respective users having a respective GPS-enabled cellular wireless device; and

for each individual one of the respective users

storing in server-accessible memory a last known position for each of the multiple contacts in the list of the individual one, dependent on received information from the respective GPS-enabled cellular device for the multiple contacts in the list of the individual one, the information from each respective GPS-enabled cellular device identifying a position,

in response to a first request from the individual one,

retrieving at the server a map representing a first geography, the map selected in dependence on position of at least one of the individual one or the last known position of one or more of the multiple contacts identified in the list of the individual one,

based on correspondence if any between the last known position for each of the multiple contacts in the list of the individual one and the first geography, plotting positions on the map of each of the multiple contacts in the list of the individual one, and

transmitting the map with plotted positions to the individual one for display on the respective GPS-enabled wireless cellular device for the individual one, and

in response to a second request from the individual one,

identifying a second geography, and

based on correspondence if any between the last known position for each of the multiple contacts in the list of the individual one and the second geography, plotting positions of such multiple contacts on a map representing the second geography, and

transmitting the map representing the second geography to the respective GPS-enabled wireless cellular device for the individual one for display thereon;

where, for each of the multiple users, the storing of the last known position for each of the multiple contacts in the list of the individual one, the transmitting of the map representing the first geography and the transmitting of the map representing the second geography are each performed in a manner not requiring concurrent voice communications;

where transmitting the map in response to the first request includes transmitting the map representing the first geography in a manner that is JAVA compliant, and where the server-implemented method further comprises providing each of the respective users with an option to re-center at least one of the map transmitted to the GPS-enabled cellular wireless device of the respective user representing the first geography or the map transmitted to the GPS-enabled cellular wireless device of the respective user representing the second geography.

26. The server-implemented method of claim 25, where for each respective user, transmitting the map representing the first geography includes transmitting the map in a manner addressed to a port of the respective GPS-enabled cellular wireless device, the port associated with a specific software application, the specific software application being selectively-launchable by the respective user.

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

maintain an account for each one of respective users, each account identifying a list of multiple contacts personal to the respective user and being selectively modifiable by the respective user, each of the multiple contacts being another one of the respective users, each of the respective users having a respective GPS-enabled cellular wireless device; and

for each individual one of the respective users

store in server-accessible memory a last known position for each of the multiple contacts in the list of the individual one, dependent on received information from the respective GPS-enabled cellular device for the multiple contacts in the list of the individual one, the information from each respective GPS-enabled cellular device identifying a position,

in response to a first request from the individual one,

retrieve at the server a map representing a first geography, the map selected in dependence on position of at least one of the individual one or the last known position of one or more of the multiple contacts identified in the list of the individual one,

plot, based on correspondence if any between the last known position for each of the multiple contacts in the list of the individual one and the first geography, positions on the map of each of the multiple contacts in the list of the individual one, and

transmit the map with plotted positions to the individual one for display on the respective GPS-enabled wireless cellular device for the individual one, and

in response to a second request from the individual one,

identify a second geography, and

plot, based on correspondence if any between the last known position for each of the multiple contacts in the list of the individual one and the second geography, positions of such multiple contacts on a map representing the second geography, and

transmit the map representing the second geography to the respective GPS-enabled wireless cellular device for the individual one for display thereon;

where, for each of the multiple users, the storage of the last known position for each of the multiple contacts in the list of the individual one, the transmission of the map representing the first geography and the transmission of the map representing the second geography are each performed in a manner not requiring concurrent voice communications; and

where the instructions when executed are further to cause the at least one processor to, for each of the respective users, transmit the map representing the first geography in a manner that is JAVA compliant, and to provide each of the respective users with an option to re-center at least one of the map transmitted to the GPS-enabled cellular wireless device of the respective user representing the first geography or the map transmitted to the GPS-enabled cellular wireless device of the respective user representing the second geography.

28. The apparatus of claim 27, where the instructions when executed are further to cause the at least one processor to, for each of the respective users, transmit the map in a manner addressed to a port of the respective GPS-enabled cellular wireless device, the port associated with a specific software application, the specific software application being selectively-launchable by the respective user.