System and method for providing friend's location information

Abstract

A system and method of providing friend location information is provided. More particularly, when a friend appears in a region desired by a user, it is possible to track a travel route of the friend and display for the user a map where the travel route is marked and thereby enable the user to understand preferred places or the friend.

1 . A system for providing friend location information, the system comprising:
 a friend information receiving unit configured to receive from a user an identification information of a friend;   a region selection unit configured to receive from the user a selection of a region to verify location of the friend;   a location information receiving unit configured to receive the friend location information which is obtained based on the identification information of the friend;   a location information storage unit configured to store in a database the friend location information; and   a location information provider configured to provide the user with current location information of the friend by referring to the database,   wherein the location information provider further configured to provide the user with a notification of the friend when the friend is in close proximity to or is becoming separated from the region selected by the user.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the friend location information is stored in the database, and wherein the location information provider provides the user with a map including a travel route of the friend by referring to the database. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the location information storage unit stores in the database the travel route of the friend for each predetermined period. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the predetermined period is input from the user. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the region selected by the user comprises the current location of the user. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the location information receiving unit further comprises:
 a distance calculation unit configured to receive user location information and calculate a distance between the friend and the user by referring to the user location information and the friend location information.   
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the location information provider provides the user with the calculated distance between the friend and the user. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 a setup receiving unit configured to receive from the user an approach notification setup,   wherein the location information provider determines whether the calculated distance between the friend and the user is within a predetermined distance and informs the user of an approach of the friend when the approach notification setup is received.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the location information provider transmits a short message service (SMS) message to a mobile phone of the user to inform that the friend is approaching the user. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 a setup receiving unit configured to receive from the user a separation notification setup,   wherein the location information provider determines whether the calculated distance between the friend and the user is beyond a predetermined distance and informs the user of separation from the friend when the separation notification setup is received.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the location information provider transmits an SMS message to a mobile phone of the user to inform that the friend is becoming separated from the user. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the location information storage unit stores a travel route of the friend when the calculated distance between the friend and the user is within a predetermined distance and wherein the location information provider provides the user with a map including the travel route of the friend by referring to the database. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the location information storage unit stores in the database a travel route of the friend when the calculated distance between the friend and the user is beyond a predetermined distance and wherein the location information provider provides the user with a map including the travel route of the friend by referring to the database. 
     
     
         14 . A method of providing friend location information, the method comprising:
 receiving from a user an identification information of a friend;   receiving from the user a selection of a region to verify location of the friend;   receiving the friend location information which is obtained based on the identification information of the friend;   storing in the database the friend location information; and   providing the user with current location information of the friend by referring to the database,   wherein the method further comprises providing the user with a notification of the friend when the friend is in close proximity to or is becoming separated from the region selected by the user.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the method further comprising storing friend location information in the database, and providing the user with a map including a travel route of the friend by referring to the database. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the method further comprising storing in the database the travel route of the friend for each predetermined period. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the predetermined period is input from the user. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the region selected by the user comprises the current location of the user. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the method further comprises receiving user location information and calculating a distance between the friend and the user by referring to the user location information and the friend location information. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein the method further comprises providing the user with the calculated distance between the friend and the user.