Live Location Sharing in IM Programs with Configurable Privacy

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing instant messaging (IM) programs lack the ability to facilitate real-time location sharing between users, limiting the information exchange and collaboration capabilities, especially in scheduling and coordination tasks, while also failing to provide user-controlled privacy settings for location sharing.

Innovation Solution

A mobile device can receive a user input to share its location in an IM program, allowing the receiving device to display the sharing location with customizable duration options, and enabling reciprocal location sharing with privacy controls.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If location sharing is added to IM program, then information exchange capability is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinformation exchange capabilityVSAvoiddevice complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The IM program is enhanced to perform multiple functions: traditional text messaging plus location sharing and receiving. The system uses existing IM infrastructure and protocols to integrate location services, allowing the same application to handle both communication and location exchange without requiring separate dedicated systems.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

A location service component acts as an intermediary within the IM program architecture. This intermediary module handles location data collection, formatting, transmission, and display, separating the location sharing logic from the core IM functionality and reducing overall system complexity through modular design.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Productivity

If real-time location sharing is implemented, then coordination task efficiency is improved, but loss of time increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecoordination task efficiencyVSAvoidtime for location determination and transmission

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system allows users to pre-configured location sharing parameters before actual sharing is needed. Users can set duration, distance thresholds, and recipient lists in advance, so when location sharing is activated, the system can immediately begin sharing without requiring real-time configuration decisions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of continuous location transmission, the system implements periodic location updates based on user-defined intervals or triggers. Location data is transmitted at scheduled intervals or when specific conditions are met (e.g., movement threshold), reducing transmission frequency and associated time overhead while maintaining useful real-time awareness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

3Object-affected harmful factors

If privacy controls for location sharing are added, then user privacy protection is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveuser privacy protectionVSAvoiddevice complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The privacy control system provides dynamic, adjustable parameters that users can modify based on their specific needs. Users can set sharing duration, distance thresholds, and selective recipient lists, allowing the system to adapt its behavior without requiring complex hard-coded logic for each scenario.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The privacy control functionality is segmented into separate configurable parameters and modules. Each privacy setting (duration, distance, recipients) is an independent controllable element, allowing granular privacy management without requiring a monolithic complex system to handle all privacy scenarios.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

4Adaptability or versatility

If location sharing duration is made user-configurable, then adaptability is improved, but ease of operation decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesharing duration flexibilityVSAvoidease of operation

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

Common duration options are pre-configured in the interface (e.g., 5 minutes, 15 minutes, 1 hour, until manually stopped). Users can select from these pre-set options with a single action rather than configuring custom durations, maintaining ease of operation while providing sufficient adaptability for most use cases.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system provides standardized parameter options for duration that can be easily changed between predefined values. Instead of requiring continuous parameter adjustment, the interface presents discrete, user-friendly duration selections that are simple to change while still offering the necessary flexibility for different sharing scenarios.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS12395458B2Live location sharing

Publication Date: 2025.08.19 APPLE INC

AI summary

Techniques for live location sharing are described. A first mobile device and a second mobile device can communicate with one another using an IM program. The first mobile device can receive a user input to share a location of the first mobile device in the IM program. Sharing the location can include causing the second mobile device to display a location of the first mobile device in an IM program user interface on the second mobile device. Duration of sharing the location can be user-configurable. The second mobile device may or may not share a location of the second device for display in the IM program executing on the first mobile device.