Method and apparatus for providing information in response to the grant of a subscriber's permission

Abstract

Confirmation of a mobile subscriber's permission to release their personal information is completed prior to transmitting the information to a requesting party. The mobile subscriber can view the requesting party's identity prior to making a decision to release their directory information. In the alternative, the mobile subscriber can contact the requesting party directly without a release of their personal information. Other types of information, such as location information, can also be communicated to a requesting party by this permission grant methodology.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for offering location-based information services, the method comprising:
 receiving a query based on a request from a requesting party for location information about a mobile communication device associated with a mobile device user;   responsive to the query, issuing a permission release request to a mobile communication device, the permission release request seeking permission for release of the requested location information on behalf of the requesting party; and   releasing the requested location information for distribution to the requesting party in response to receipt of a permission release response output by the mobile communication device, the permission release response providing permission for communication of the requested location information to the requesting party.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 requesting the location of the mobile communication device associated with the mobile device user and storing the location information in advance of issuing the permission release request.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 requesting the location of the mobile communication device associated with the mobile device user and storing the location information at regular intervals.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the requested location information comprises location information relevant to the mobile device, the location information comprising at least one of an address, location description, network, coordinates, and a mapped location specific to the mobile device user. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the permission release request comprises at least one of an identity of the requesting party and a telephone number for the requesting party. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the permission release response is output by the mobile communication device in response to an automated decision made by logic of the mobile communication device. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the permission release response is output by the mobile communication device in response to a decision made by the mobile device user based on interactions with a user interface of the mobile communication device. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the permission release response is output by the mobile communication device in response to a decision made by the mobile device user as a result of a presentation by a user interface of the mobile communication device, the presentation providing an identity of the requesting party. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the requested location information is distributed to the requesting party in the form comprising one of the following: a text message transmitted to the mobile communication device of the requesting party; an integrated voice response device (IVR) speaking the requested location information to the requesting party; an operator calling the requesting party with the requested location information; a web page presenting the requested location information; a video message transmitted to the mobile communication device of the requesting party; a multimedia message transmitted to the mobile communication device of the requesting party; and an electronic mail message presenting the requested location information. 
     
     
         10 . A method for offering location-based information services, comprising the steps of:
 receiving a query based on a request from a requesting party for location information about a mobile communication device associated with a mobile device user;   responsive to the request, communicating with a mobile device user to seek permission for release of the requested location information on behalf of the requesting party;   receiving a communication from the mobile device user granting permission for release of the requested location information to the requesting party; and   transmitting the requested location information to the requesting party.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 requesting the location of the mobile communication device associated with the mobile device user and storing the location information in advance of transmitting the requested location information.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 communicating the location of the mobile communication device associated with the mobile device user at regular intervals.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the requested location information comprises location information relevant to the mobile device, the location information comprising at least one of an address, location description, network, coordinates, and a mapped location specific to the mobile device user. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein communicating with a mobile device user to seek permission for release comprises transmitting at least one of an identity of the requesting party and a telephone number for the requesting party. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the requested location information is distributed to the requesting party in the form comprising one of the following: a text message transmitted to the mobile communication device of the requesting party; an integrated voice response device (IVR) speaking the requested location information to the requesting party; an operator calling the requesting party with the requested location information; a web page presenting the requested location information; a video message transmitted to the mobile communication device of the requesting party; a multimedia message transmitted to the mobile communication device of the requesting party; and an electronic mail message presenting the requested location information. 
     
     
         16 . A system for offering location-based information services, the system comprising:
 a receiver configured to receive one or more queries from a requesting party for location information about a mobile communication device associated with a mobile device user,   a processor configured to generate one or more permission release requests to a mobile communication device, wherein the permission release request seeks permission for release of the requested location information on behalf of the requesting party; and   a database configured to store the information associated with the mobile device users;   an information release component configured to retrieve the requested location information from the database and further configured to transmit the location information to the requesting party in response to receipt of a permission release response output by the mobile communication device, the permission release response providing permission for communication of the requested location information to the requesting party.   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the database is configured to store the location information in the in advance of the processor generating a permission release request. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the requested location information comprises location information relevant to the mobile device, the location information comprising at least one of an address, location description, network, coordinates, and a mapped location specific to the mobile device user. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the permission release response is received from the mobile communication device in response to a decision made by the mobile device user as a result of a presentation by a user interface of the mobile communication device, the presentation providing an identity of the requesting party. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the processor is configured to retrieve the location of the mobile communication device at regular intervals.