Location sharing and tracking using mobile phones or other wireless devices

摘要

A system for exchanging GPS or other position data between wireless devices for purposes of group activities, child location monitoring, work group coordination, dispatching of employees etc. Cell phones and other wireless devices with GPS receivers have loaded therein a Buddy Watch application and a TalkControl application. The Buddy Watch application communicates with the GPS receiver and other wireless devices operated by buddies registered in the users phone as part of buddy groups or individually. GPS position data and historical GPS position data can be exchanged between cell phones of buddies and instant buddies such as tow truck drivers via a buddy watch server. Emergency monitoring services can be set up with notifications to programmable individuals in case an individual does not respond. Positions and tracks can be displayed. TalkControl simplifies and automates the process of joining talk groups for walkie talkie services such as that provided by Nextel.

主权项

1. An apparatus, comprising:
a server; a database representing an account for a first individual, the account having an associated buddy list that identifies multiple users; and software responsive to a request from the first individual to obtain a map, to obtain a last known position for multiple users identified by the buddy list, and to plot the last known location of at least two of the multiple users on the map, and to transmit the map with plotted locations to the first individual; where the software is to request and store position information associated with cell phones of plural ones of the multiple users and where the software is to permit the first individual to change geography represented by the map and to transmit to the first individual a map representing the changed geography with plotted position of at least one of the multiple users, each in a manner not requiring concurrent voice communications; and wherein the software to obtain the map is to obtain the map in a manner having a default geographic resolution.