Sharing location information among devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9699617-B2
Application number	US-201615042628-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 12, 2016
Priority date	Jan 29, 2013
Publication date	Jul 4, 2017
Grant date	Jul 4, 2017

Abstract

Methods, systems, apparatus, and computer program products that include, on a first device executing a first instance of a location application, receiving an indication to begin sharing data describing a path traveled by the first device, receiving location data describing the path traveled by the first device, the location data received from a location system of the first device, and the location data including a plurality of locations of the first device, and transmitting the location data in a form usable to enable a user interface of a second instance of a location application executing on a second device to indicate the path traveled by the first device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
on a first device executing a first instance of a location application:
displaying a location user interface to a first user of the first device, the location user interface including a representation of a location of the first device;
generating first location data representing a current location of the first device;
receiving a request from a second device, the second device associated with a second user, for the first device to share location data with the second device, the request including second location data representing a location of the second device;
displaying, in response to the request, in an authorization user interface, a representation of the location of the second device,
the authorization user interface comprising a user interface that indicates a request to receive location data from the first device;
receiving input representing an authorization to send location data from the first device; and
transmitting, in response to the authorization, the first location data representing a current location of the first device.

2. The method of claim 1 , comprising transmitting, in response to the authorization, destination data describing a destination specified by the first user of the first device.

3. The method of claim 2 , comprising transmitting data usable by the second device to indicate a path traveled by the first device in a user interface of a second instance of the location application executing on the second device.

4. The method of claim 3 , comprising transmitting data usable by the second device to indicate directions along a path to the specified destination.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second device is identified as associated with the second user based on data received from a cloud service.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first user was identified by the second user in a user interface of the second device before the request was transmitted.

7. The method of claim 1 , comprising displaying, in the authorization user interface, data representing an identity of the second user.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the location user interface includes the authorization user interface.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the location user interface is distinct from the authorization user interface.

10. A computer readable storage device encoded with instructions that, when executed by a first device executing a first instance of a location application, cause the first device to carry out operations comprising:
displaying a location user interface to a first user of the first device, the location user interface including a representation of a location of the first device;
generating first location data representing a current location of the first device;
receiving a request from a second device, the second device associated with a second user, for the first device to share location data with the second device, the request including second location data representing a location of the second device;
displaying, in response to the request, in an authorization user interface, a representation of the location of the second device, the authorization user interface comprising a user interface that indicates a request to receive location data from the first device;
receiving input representing an authorization to send location data from the first device; and
transmitting, in response to the authorization, the first location data representing a current location of the first device.

11. The computer readable storage device of claim 10 , the operations comprising transmitting, in response to the authorization, destination data describing a destination specified by the second user of the second device.

12. The computer readable storage device of claim 11 , the operations comprising transmitting data usable by the second device to indicate a path traveled by the first device in a user interface of a second instance of the location application executing on the second device.

13. The computer readable storage device of claim 11 , the operations comprising transmitting data usable by the second device to indicate directions along a path to the specified destination.

14. The computer readable storage device of claim 10 , wherein the second device is identified as associated with the second user based on data received from a cloud service.

15. The computer readable storage device of claim 10 , wherein the first user was identified by the second user in a user interface of the second device before the request was transmitted.

16. The computer readable storage device of claim 10 , comprising displaying, in the authorization user interface, data representing an identity of the second user.

17. The computer readable storage device of claim 10 , wherein the location user interface includes the authorization user interface.

18. The computer readable storage device of claim 10 , wherein the location user interface is distinct from the authorization user interface.

19. A system comprising:
a location system configured to determine a location of a first device; and
a processor configured for, while a first instance of a location application is executing on the first device:
displaying a location user interface to a first user of the first device, the location user interface including a representation of a location of the first device;
generating first location data representing a current location of the first device;
receiving a request from a second device, the second device associated with a second user, for the first device to share location data with the second device, the request including second location data representing a location of the second device;
displaying, in response to the request, in an authorization user interface, a representation of the location of the second device, the authorization user interface comprising a user interface that indicates a request to receive location data from the first device;
receiving input representing an authorization to send location data from the first device; and
transmitting, in response to the authorization, the first location data representing a current location of the first device.

20. The system of claim 19 , the processor configured for transmitting, in response to the authorization, destination data describing a destination specified by the first user of the first device.

21. The system of claim 20 , the processor configured for transmitting data usable by the second device to indicate a path traveled by the second device in a user interface of a second instance of the location application executing on the second device.

22. The system of claim 21 , the processor configured for transmitting data usable by the second device to indicate directions along a path to the specified destination.

23. The system of claim 19 , wherein the second device is identified as associated with the second user based on data received from a cloud service.

24. The system of claim 19 , wherein the first user was identified by the second user in a user interface of the second device before the request was transmitted.

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Sandel Eran
• Harush Elad
• Guy Roman

Classifications

• G01C21/3438

  Rendezvous; Ride sharing · CPC title

• H04W4/029 Primary

  Location-based management or tracking services · CPC title

• H04W4/027

  using movement velocity, acceleration information · CPC title

• G01C21/36

  Input/output arrangements for on-board computers · CPC title

• H04M1/00

  Substation equipment, e.g. for use by subscribers (subscriber services or facilities provided at exchanges H04M3/00; prepayment telephone coin boxes H04M17/00; current supply arrangements H04M19/08) · CPC title