Establishing location sharing configurations

Abstract

Embodiments for establishing configurations for a location sharing session are described. A location sharing session can include a sharing device gathering location data and providing it to a recipient device, e.g. via a server system. Configurations for a sharing session can include, for example: a duration that the sharing device provides the location data or that the sever system permits access to location data by the recipient device; preferences for how to manually or automatically set the duration for the sharing session; options to automatically end the sharing session; etc. A sharing session duration can be automatically set based on, e.g. an estimated time of arrival, a specified mode of transport, etc., and can include a specified amount of buffer time. The automatic share duration can last until a particular event occurs, e.g. the sharing device arriving at a particular location.

I/We claim: 
     
         1 . At least one computer-readable storage medium, carrying instructions, which when executed by at least one data processor, executes operations for a location sharing session, the operations comprising:
 during the location sharing session, receiving data related to a distance to a destination or a travel time to the destination,
 wherein a wireless mobile device initiated the location sharing session based on user input; 
   determining, relative to the wireless mobile device, a current distance to the destination or a current travel time to the destination; and,   providing a location sharing message, wherein the message is at least one of:
 a warning that a duration for sharing location data via the location sharing session is set to end before an estimated time of arrival, 
 a warning that the wireless mobile device will need to be charged before the end of the duration for sharing location data, 
 a prompt to a user that the duration for sharing location data has been set longer or shorter than a threshold, 
 a prompt to end the location sharing session upon a determination that the destination was reached a threshold amount of time ago, or 
 an option to share travel velocity of the wireless mobile device. 
   
     
     
         2 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 1 , wherein the message is a prompt to a user that the duration for sharing location data has been set longer than a threshold, and wherein the threshold is 4 hours. 
     
     
         3 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 1 , wherein the message is a prompt to a user that the duration for sharing location data has been set shorter than a threshold, and providing an option for an extra time buffer to be included to account for meet-up time after reaching the destination. 
     
     
         4 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 1 , wherein the message is a warning to a user that the duration for sharing location data has been set shorter than a threshold, and providing an option for an extra time buffer to be included to account for meet-up time after reaching the destination, wherein the extra time buffer is approximately 5 minutes when a mode of transportation is a car, to thereby account for walking time from the car to the destination. 
     
     
         5 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 1 , wherein the message is a warning that the duration for sharing location data for the location sharing session is set to end before an estimated time of arrival, and providing an option to extend the location sharing session for a particular amount of time or until the destination is reached. 
     
     
         6 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 1 , wherein the message is a prompt to end the location sharing session upon a determination that the destination was reached a threshold amount of time ago, and wherein the threshold amount of time is approximately 5 minutes. 
     
     
         7 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the threshold comprises a threshold distance or travel time to the destination and the location sharing session includes the current distance or the current travel time to the destination,   the threshold comprises a threshold time since reaching the destination and the location sharing session includes a time since reaching the destination, or   the threshold comprises a threshold rate of travel and the location sharing session includes a current rate of travel.   
     
     
         8 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 1 ,
 wherein at least one of an estimated time of arrival, the current distance to the destination, or the current travel time to the destination is based on one or more of: a selected mode of transportation, an identified current weather condition, a determined speed characteristic of the user based on previously observed diving speeds of the user, or any combination thereof.   
     
     
         9 . At least one computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by at least one computing system, cause the computing system to perform operations for a location sharing session related to sharing, with a receiving computing device, a location of a wireless mobile device, the operations comprising:
 during the location sharing session, receiving data related to a distance to a destination or a travel time to the destination,
 wherein the wireless mobile device initiated the location sharing session based on user input; 
   determining, relative to the wireless mobile device, a current distance to the destination or a current travel time to the destination;   comparing, relative to the wireless mobile device, the distance to the destination to the current distance to the destination, or the travel time to the destination to the current travel time to the destination; and,   changing a frequency with which location data is captured or received from the wireless mobile device, to thereby reduce bandwidth usage, power consumption, or both bandwidth usage and power consumption.   
     
     
         10 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 9 , further comprising determining a remaining device battery life before changing the frequency. 
     
     
         11 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 9 , further comprising providing a message with a prompt to charge the wireless mobile device. 
     
     
         12 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 9 , wherein changing the frequency includes:
 a) a first frequency whereby location data is captured from the wireless mobile device in a first time between 1) when the current distance or current travel time to the destination is at a threshold distance or travel time from the destination, and 2) when the wireless mobile device is at the destination, and   b) a second frequency that location data is captured from the wireless mobile device for at least part of a second time that is before the first time.   
     
     
         13 . At least one computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by at least one computing system, cause the computing system to perform operations associated with a location sharing session that is for sharing location data of a wireless mobile device with a receiving computing device, the operations comprising:
 during the location sharing session, receiving data related to a distance to a destination or a travel time to the destination,
 wherein the wireless mobile device initiated the location sharing session based on user input; 
   determining, relative to the wireless mobile device, a current distance to the destination or a current travel time to the destination; and,   automatically ending the location sharing session based on:
 a threshold amount of time after reaching the destination, 
 when the user is a threshold distance away from the destination, or 
 when the user achieves a threshold speed. 
   
     
     
         14 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 13  wherein automatically ending the location sharing session is based on when the user achieves a threshold speed, to thereby indicate that the user is no longer on surface streets and location sharing is no longer needed. 
     
     
         15 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 13  wherein automatically ending the location sharing session is based on when the user is a threshold distance away from the destination, to thereby provide security to the user so a recipient of the shared location data cannot see where the wireless mobile device stopped. 
     
     
         16 . At least one computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by at least one computing system, cause the computing system to perform operations for performing actions for a location sharing session that is for sharing location data of a wireless mobile device with a receiving computing device, the operations comprising:
 during the location sharing session, receiving data related to a distance to a destination or a travel time to the destination,
 wherein the wireless mobile device initiated the location sharing session based on user input, 
 wherein the user selected on the wireless mobile device an option for sharing location data for a static duration, and 
 wherein the static duration is associated with a preselected favorite recipient, or is associated with a particular destination or starting location; 
   determining, relative to the wireless mobile device, a current distance to the destination or a current travel time to the destination;   automatically ending the location sharing session after the static duration.   
     
     
         17 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 16  wherein the static duration is associated with a preselected favorite recipient selected from a contact stored on the wireless mobile device. 
     
     
         18 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 16  wherein the static duration is associated with a preselected favorite recipient selected from a button provided by a graphical user interface screen displayed on the wireless mobile device.