Network manager system for location-aware mobile communication devices
Embodiments of a location sharing network manager process are described. The process is executed on a server computer coupled to a plurality of mobile communication devices over a wireless network. Each mobile device is a location-aware mobile communication device. The process determines the geographic location of a mobile communication device operated by a user within an area, displays a map representation of the area around the mobile communication device on a graphical user interface of the mobile communication device, and superimposes on the map the respective locations of one or more other trusted users of mobile communication devices coupled to the mobile communication device over the network. A comprehensive network manager process provides management functions to allow communication with mobile phone users outside of the service network and allows for efficient communication with groups of users within the service network.
1. A location-aware mobile communication device system comprising:
a registration device allowing a first user and second user to register for a location sharing service by validating possession of a respective location-aware-mobile device;
a configuration device allowing the first user to invite the second user to establish a trusted relationship on a server computer coupled to each of the first and second user;
a location sharing device displaying a location of the first user on the mobile device of the second user, when the trusted relationship has been established, and the first user has enabled location display of the first user's respective mobile device on the mobile device of the second user; and
an external network manager device enabling the first user to transmit the location of the first user to a third user with whom a trusted relationship has not been established, wherein the third user is defined in a contact list resident on the first user's respective mobile device, and wherein the location is transmitted to the third user.
2. The system of claim 1 wherein the message includes a hyperlink to a web page showing the location of the first user on a mobile device operated by the third user.
3. The system of claim 2 wherein the location of the first user is displayed through a web browser process resident on the mobile device operated by the third user.
4. The system of claim 1 wherein the message is transmitted as an e-mail message.
5. The system of claim 1 wherein the message is transmitted as an SMS message.
6. The system of claim 1 wherein the message is transmitted as web message.
7. The system of claim 5 wherein the message is transmitted using PPG push methodology that links one or more utilities directly to the SMS message.
8. The system of claim 1 wherein the mobile device of the first user displays a home page through a graphical user interface. the home page displaying information related to activities, location updates, requests, and journal updates of the second user.
9. The system of claim 1 wherein the system:
determines the location of the second user in terms of latitude and longitude;
reverse geocodes the latitude and longitude data to determine a descriptive location of the second user; and
displays the descriptive location of the second user on the display of the mobile device of the first user.
10. The system of claim 9 wherein the descriptive location comprises one of a street address, a city name, a neighborhood, or a place of interest name.
11. The system of claim 1 further comprising a ping process enabling the first user to transmit an SMS message to the second user, the SMS message requesting that the second user update their location on the mobile device of the first user.
12. The system of claim 1 wherein the location of the second user is provided to the first user with reference to a first scale, wherein the first scale is dependent upon the distance between the first user and the second user, and wherein the first scale is modified to a second scale when the distance changes by a pre-defined value.
13. The system of claim 1 further comprising a group messaging component enabling the first user to transmit a message to the second user and the third user, and wherein a reply transmitted by the second user is transmitted to the third user and the first user.
14. The system of claim 1 wherein the plurality of mobile devices are coupled to one another over a cellular telephone network, and wherein each respective location-aware mobile device comprises a cellular telephone.
15. The system of claim 12 wherein the location sharing component includes a location determining module selected from the group consisting of user input, global positioning system technology, WiFi positioning technology, Bluetooth technology, Radio Frequency signal technology, and Cellular identification technology.