System and method for tracking events
View Patent ↗A system and method for keeping track of events. In the preferred embodiment, a counter is created on a mobile device and is set to update one or more values based on the occurrence of a triggering event. The triggering event may be based on the user pressing a button or otherwise interacting with the mobile device, or may be based on other functions of the mobile device, such as the arrival in a particular location as determined by GPS. Counters may be shared with other mobile devices, and data in the counters may be stored on the mobile device or in a remote location. Mobile devices can share data from their counters with other mobile devices, and counters can be set to compare data between different mobile devices. Alerts can be set based on predetermined criteria.
1. A method for sharing and updating information between a plurality of electronic devices, each electronic device having the ability to determine its geographical location, the method comprising:
storing a first geographical location of a first device in a first counter, said first counter comprising a first field to store the first geographical location, wherein the first data field is stored in memory and is identified by a tag;
associating an event with said first counter; updating the first data field upon occurrence of said event, wherein said updating the first data field comprises determining a second geographical location of the first device, and storing the second geographical location in the first field;
wirelessly sending the second geographical location of the first device to a second device, said second device wirelessly receiving the second geographical location from the first device and storing the second geographical location in a second counter, said second counter comprising a second data field to store the second geographical location, wherein the second data field is stored in memory and is identified by a tag;
determining the second device's current geographical location;
storing the second device's current geographical location in a third field in the second counter; and
wirelessly sending the second device's current geographical location to the first electronic device.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
the first electronic device storing the received second device's current geographical location in a received data field in the first counter.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the event comprises the passage of a predetermined period of time.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the event comprises an interaction with a user of the first electronic device.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the event comprises an interaction with a user of the second electronic device.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the event comprises the arrival of the first electronic device at a predetermined geographical location.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the event comprises the arrival of the second electronic device at a predetermined geographical location.
8. The method of claim 1 wherein the event comprises receiving information from another electronic device.
9. The method of claim 1 ,
wherein the geographical location is determined using a geographical positioning system.
10. The method of claim 1 ,
wherein the geographical location is determined by a user of the electronic device entering a location.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the geographical location is determined by a user of the electronic device selecting a position from a list of positions.
12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the geographical location is determined using radio signals.
13. The method of claim 1 , further comprising a third electronic device, the third electronic device wirelessly receiving the geographical location from at least one of the first or second electronic device.
14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:
the third electronic device receiving the second geographical location from the first electronic device;
the third electronic device receiving the second electronic device's current geographical location;
the the third electronic device comparing the second geographical location from the first electronic device and the second electronic device's current geographical location against a predetermined criterion; and
sending a notification to at least one of the first or second electronic devices.
15. A system for sharing and updating information between a plurality of electronic devices, the system comprising:
a plurality of electronic devices, each electronic device comprising:
a geographical location determiner;
one or more processors; and
at least one computer-readable storage medium having stored therein instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the plurality of electronic devices to:
store a first geographical location of a first electronic device in a first counter, said first counter comprising a first field to store the first geographical location, wherein the first data field is stored in memory and is identified by a tag;
associate an event with said first counter; updating the first data field upon occurrence of said event, wherein said updating the first data field comprises determining a second geographical location of the first device, and storing the second geographical location in the first field;
wirelessly send the second geographical location of the first device to a second device, such that said second device wirelessly receives the second geographical location from the first device and stores the second geographical location in a second counter, said second counter comprising a second data field to store the second geographical location, wherein the second data field is stored in memory and is identified by a tag;
determine the second device's current geographical location;
store the second device's current geographical location in a third field in the second counter; and
wirelessly send the second device's current geographical location to the first electronic device.
16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the event comprises the passage of a predetermined period of time.
17. The system of claim 15 , wherein the event comprises an interaction with a user of one of the plurality of electronic devices.
18. The system of claim 15 , wherein the event comprises the arrival of one of the plurality of electronic devices at a predetermined location.
19. The system of claim 15 , wherein the event comprises the electronic device receiving information from another of one of the plurality of electronic devices.
20. The system of claim 15 , wherein the geographical location determiner determines a geographical position using a geographical positioning system.
21. The system of claim 15 , wherein the geographical location determiner determines a determine geographical position by prompting the user to enter a location.
22. The system of claim 15 , wherein the geographical location determiner determines a geographical position by prompting a user to select from a list of locations.
23. The system of claim 15 , wherein the geographical location determiner determines a geographical position using radio signals.
24. The system of claim 15 , wherein the computer-readable storage medium having stored therein instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the plurality of electronic devices to further:
receive the geographical locations of at least two different electronic devices of the plurality of electronic devices;
compare the received geographical locations of the at least two different electronic devices of the plurality of electronic devices; and
send a notification to at least one of the electronic devices of the plurality of electronic devices.
25. The system of claim 24 , wherein the notification is sent to one of the at least two different electronic devices in the plurality of electronic devices.