Locating misplaced mobile computing devices
View Patent ↗Locating misplaced mobile computing devices through transmission of location information. Mobile computing devices periodically request information from surrounding mobile computing devices to more accurately identify the location where a mobile computing device was misplaced.
1. A method comprising:
receiving, by a first mobile computing device, a set of discovery response data from a second mobile computing device, wherein:
an identity of the second mobile computing device is unknown to the first mobile computing device; and
the set of discovery response data from the second mobile computing device includes an obfuscated identifier;
receiving, by the first mobile device, a query from a third mobile computing device; and
transmitting, by the first mobile computing device, responsive to a determination that the query seeks the obfuscated identifier, the set of discovery response data to the third mobile computing device,
wherein:
the first mobile device, the second mobile device, and the third mobile are unpaired with respect to one another.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
storing, by the first mobile computing device, responsive to receiving the set of discovery response data, the set of discovery response data to a memory; and
retrieving, by the first mobile computing device, responsive to the query, the set of discovery response data from the memory.
3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
transmitting, by the first mobile computing device, a request to the second mobile computing device for the set of discovery response data.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the receiving or transmitting steps is performed over a wireless network protocol.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the set of discovery response data includes an obfuscated MCD identifier.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein the set of discovery response data includes a set of GPS coordinates.
7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:
generating a set of navigational instructions based, in part, on the set of GPS coordinates.
8. A computer program product comprising:
a computer readable storage medium and program instructions stored on the computer readable storage medium, the program instruction comprising instructions for a first mobile computing device to:
receive a set of discovery response data from a second mobile computing device, wherein:
an identity of the second mobile computing device is unknown to the first mobile computing device; and
the set of discovery response data from the second mobile computing device includes an obfuscated identifier;
receive a query from a third mobile computing device; and
transmit, responsive to a determination that the query seeks the obfuscated identifier, the set of discovery response data to the third mobile computing device,
wherein:
the first mobile device, the second mobile device, and the third mobile are unpaired with respect to one another.
9. The computer program product of claim 8 , further comprising instructions to:
store, responsive to receiving the set of discovery response data, the set of discovery response data to a memory; and
retrieve, responsive to the query, the set of discovery response data from the memory.
10. The computer program product of claim 8 , further comprising instructions to:
transmit a request to the second mobile computing device for the set of discovery response data.
11. The computer program product of claim 8 , wherein at least one of the instructions to receive or transmit is performed over a wireless network protocol.
12. The computer program product of claim 8 , wherein the set of discovery response data includes an obfuscated MCD identifier.
13. The computer program product of claim 8 , wherein the set of discovery response data includes a set of GPS coordinates.
14. The computer program product of claim 13 , further comprising instructions to:
generate a set of navigational instructions based, in part, on the set of GPS coordinates.
15. A computer system comprising:
a processor set;
a computer readable storage medium;
program instructions stored on the computer readable storage medium for execution by the processor set, the program instructions comprising instructions for a first mobile computing device to:
receive a set of discovery response data from a second mobile computing device, wherein:
an identity of the second mobile computing device is unknown to the first mobile computing device; and
the set of discovery response data from the second mobile computing device includes an obfuscated identifier;
receive a query from a third mobile computing device; and
transmit, responsive to a determination that the query seeks the obfuscated identifier, the set of discovery response data to the third mobile computing device,
wherein:
the first mobile device, the second mobile device, and the third mobile are unpaired with respect to one another.
16. The computer system of claim 15 , further comprising instructions to:
store, responsive to receiving the set of discovery response data, the set of discovery response data to a memory; and
retrieve, responsive to the query, the set of discovery response data from the memory.
17. The computer system of claim 15 , further comprising instructions to:
transmit a request to the second mobile computing device for the set of discovery response data.
18. The computer system of claim 15 , wherein at least one of the instructions to receive or transmit is performed over a wireless network protocol.
19. The computer system of claim 15 , wherein the set of discovery response data includes an obfuscated MCD identifier.
20. The computer system of claim 15 , wherein:
the set of discovery response data includes a set of GPS coordinates; and
the program instructions further comprise instructions to generate a set of navigational instructions based, in part, on the set of GPS coordinates.