Method and system of providing instant location service

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9961535-B2
Application number	US-66958107-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 31, 2007
Priority date	Jan 31, 2007
Publication date	May 1, 2018
Grant date	May 1, 2018

Abstract

An approach is disclosed for providing an instant location service. At a wireless device of a first user, mapping information of a second user is received over a wireless network. The mapping information specifies position of the second user within a prescribed proximity of the wireless device. The first user is notified of the location of the second user based on the received mapping information. A communication session is selectively initiated by the wireless device, over the wireless network to the second user.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
receiving, at a location system, a list of contacts associated with a first user associated with a first wireless device and, for each contact in the list of contacts, an indication of a prescribed proximity to the first user,
wherein the location system is remote from the first wireless device;
receiving, at the location system and from the first wireless device, location information associated with a first plurality of global positioning system (GPS) signals from a first plurality of GPS satellites associated with the first wireless device;
receiving, at the location system, mapping information associated with a second plurality of GPS signals from a second plurality of GPS satellites associated with a second wireless device of a second user,
wherein the second user is included in the list of contacts,
wherein the mapping information indicates that the second user is within the prescribed proximity to the first user, and
wherein the mapping information specifies a location of the second user within the prescribed proximity to the first user;
notifying, by the location system, the first user of the location of the second user within the prescribed proximity by sending, to the first user, a map generated by the location system,
wherein the map depicts the location of the second user within the prescribed proximity to the first user based on the received mapping information,
wherein the first user and the second user are represented as respective user graphical icons on the map,
wherein the user graphical icons represent different types of public service workers when a user associated with the user graphical icon is a public servicer worker,
wherein respective directional graphical icons proximate to the respective user graphical icons indicate first user direction of a first user graphical icon and second user direction of a second user graphical icon,
wherein, when the second user graphical icon is selected on the map, a pop-up text menu is presented,
wherein the pop-up text menu displays:
an identifier associated with the second user,
relative direction and distance of the second user from the first user, and
a plurality of options for initiating a communication session with the second user, and

wherein information associated with the second user is displayed in a text box in conjunction with the map when the second user is selected on the map;
presenting a graphical user interface (GUI) to the first user for modifying contact information associated with the second user; and
notifying the first user of a location of a third user within the prescribed proximity to the first user based on the received mapping information,
wherein the third user is represented as another graphical icon on the map, and
wherein an option to initiate another communication session with the third user is presented in conjunction with the map.

2. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the map is displayed on the first wireless device,
wherein at least one of the first and second pluralities of GPS satellites includes at least four satellites, and
wherein at least one of the first or second wireless devices determines three-dimensional geolocation based on signals received from the respective first and second pluralities of GPS satellites.

3. A method according to claim 2 ,
wherein at least one of the first and second pluralities of GPS satellites includes six to eleven satellites.

4. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of options for initiating the communication session includes an option for initiating an audio communication session and an option for initiating text messaging for two-way communication.

5. A method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
transmitting the location information to a mapping module within the location system configured to generate the mapping information in response to receiving the location information.

6. A method according to claim 5 , wherein the mapping module cross-references the list of contacts within the prescribed proximity to the first user, depicting the location of the second user on the map only when the second user is a member of the list of contacts and is within the prescribed proximity.

7. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the first wireless device includes a cellular phone.

8. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the respective first and second user graphical icons are symbolic icons that convey information about the respective first user and second user.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising indicating presence status information of the second user in the text box.

10. A wireless device operated by a first user, the wireless device comprising:
a processor configured to:
send, to a location system, a list of contacts associated with the first user and, for each contact in the list of contacts, an indication of a prescribed proximity to the first user,
wherein the location system is remote from the wireless device,
determine a location of the wireless device based on receiving a first plurality of global positioning system (GPS) signals from a first plurality of GPS satellites, and
send, based on receiving the first plurality of GPS signals, a location of the wireless device to the location system,
wherein the location system further receives mapping information associated with a second plurality of global positioning system GPS signals from a second plurality of GPS satellites associated with a second wireless device of a second user,
wherein the location system is remote from the second wireless device,
wherein the mapping information indicates that the second user is within the prescribed proximity to the first user, and
wherein the mapping information specifies a location of the second user within the prescribed proximity to the first user,

a display configured to:
present the location of the second user when the second user is within the prescribed proximity by displaying a map generated by the location system,
wherein the map depicts the locations of the second user and the first user by representing the first user and the second user on the map as respective user graphical icons,
wherein the user graphical icons represent different types of public service workers when a user associated with the user graphical icon is a public servicer worker,
wherein respective directional graphical icons on the map proximate to the respective user graphical icons indicate first user direction of a first user graphical icon and second user direction of a second user graphical icon within the prescribed proximity on the map,
wherein, when the second user graphical icon is selected on the map, a pop-up text menu is presented on the map, and
wherein the pop-up text menu displays:
an identifier associated with the second user,
a relative direction and distance of the second user from the first user, and
a plurality of options for initiating a communication session with the second user;

notify the first user of a location of a third user when the third user is within the prescribed proximity to the first user;
provide an option to initiate, by the wireless device, a communication session over a wireless network with the third user; and
represent the third user on the map as another graphical icon,
wherein a communication session is initiated over the wireless network to the third user,
wherein the second user and the third user are contacts in the list of contacts, and the display is further configured to present a graphical user interface (GUI) for modifying the list of contacts, and
wherein the GUI is configured to permit the first user to selectively h

Assignees

• Bucchieri Vittorio
• Verizon Patent & Licensing Inc

Inventors

• Bucchieri Vittorio

Classifications

• H04L67/24

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H04L67/18

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H04W8/14 Primary

  between corresponding nodes · CPC title

• H04W4/02

  Services making use of location information · CPC title

• H04L67/52

  specially adapted for the location of the user terminal · CPC title