Mobile communication device and method for linking communications with location data
An electronic device includes a communication component; a location-determining component; a display; and a computing device all housed within a portable, handheld housing or other enclosure. The communications component transmits and receives mobile communications over a wireless communication network or path and provides identification information to the computing device. The location determining component determines locations of the electronic device as it is carried or driven from place to place and provides corresponding location data to the computing device. The computing device links the identification information with the location data to indicate the location of the device when a communication was made or received. The identification information and location data may be linked by adding a geocode or geotag to the identification information or by cross-referencing the information and data in a database. The computing device may also display a representation of the location data alongside a representation of the communication on a cartographic map and then display some of the identification information for the communication when a user scrolls over or otherwise selects either of the representations.
1. A mobile electronic device comprising:
a communications component for receiving and transmitting communications;
a location-determining component for determining locations of the electronic device;
a computing device coupled with the communications component and the location-determining component for linking identification information related to an incoming communication with location data corresponding to an approximate location of the device at an approximate time the incoming communication was received by the communications component, wherein the computing device links the identification information with the location data by adding a geo tag to the identification information;
a memory coupled with the computing device, the memory operable to store data associated with the linked identification information; and
a display coupled with the computing device for plotting the stored identification information on a map,
wherein the computing device is further operable to display at least some of the identification information when a user selects a representation of the identification information on the display.
2. The electronic device as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the communication component is a cellular transceiver for transmitting and receiving mobile phone calls over a cellular telephone network and the location-determining component is a GPS receiver for receiving GPS signals from a plurality of GPS satellites and for determining the locations of the electronic device as a function of the received signals.
3. The electronic device as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the incoming communication is an incoming phone call, a missed incoming phone call, a voice mail message, an incoming text message, or an incoming instant message.
4. The electronic device as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the location data is latitude and longitude coordinates for the electronic device at the approximate time the incoming communication was received.
5. The electronic device as set forth in claim 4 , wherein the computing device is further operable to compare the latitude and longitude coordinates to map data and to determine a map-based location of the electronic device at the approximate time the incoming communication was received.
6. The electronic device as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the identification information is a phone number, an email address, or a caller ID associated with the incoming communication.
7. The electronic device as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the computing device is further operable to store, within the memory, location data corresponding to a starting location of the electronic device when the incoming communication is first received, location data corresponding to an ending location of the electronic device when the communication is ended, and intermediate locations of the electronic device between the starting location and the ending location.
8. The electronic device as set forth in claim 7 , wherein the computing device is further operable to display a track log showing representations of the starting location, the intermediate locations, and the ending location.
9. The electronic device as set forth in claim 1 , further including a handheld housing for housing the communication component, the location-determining component, the computing device, and the display.
10. A method for tracking communications received by a mobile electronic device, the method comprising:
receiving an incoming communication with the electronic device;
determining a location of the electronic device at an approximate time the incoming communication was received;
linking identification information related to the incoming communication to location data corresponding to the approximate location of the electronic device at the approximate time the incoming communication was received, wherein the identification information is linked with the location data by adding a geo tag to the identification information;
storing data associated with the linked identification information within a computer-readable memory;
plotting the stored identification information on a computer-generated map display; and
displaying at least some of the identification information when a user selects a representation of the identification information on the display.
11. The method as set forth in claim 10 , wherein the identification information is a phone number, an email address, or a caller ID associated with the incoming communication.