Tagging A Location By Pairing Devices

Abstract

A method of tagging a location using a mobile device entails obtaining position data for a current location of the mobile device, detecting a proximity of another device using a short-range wireless interface, and automatically storing the position data for the current location of the mobile device in response to the detecting of the proximity of the other device. The proximity detector may comprise a near field communication (NFC) interface, a Bluetooth® transceiver or another short-range wireless technology that may be employed to detect the proximity of another device. This technology enables two devices to store a current location to facilitate a subsequent rendezvous back at that same location.

1 . A method of tagging a location using a first mobile device, the method comprising:
 pairing the first mobile device with a second mobile device; and   storing current location data for a current location of the first mobile device in response to the pairing.   
     
     
         2 . The method as claimed in  claim 1  further comprising:
 defining the current location as a rendezvous location; 
 receiving user input to request a route for returning to rendezvous location; and 
 displaying the route for returning to the rendezvous location. 
 
     
     
         3 . The method as claimed in  claim 2  further comprising:
 changing the rendezvous location; and 
 notifying the second mobile device of a change in the rendezvous location. 
 
     
     
         4 . The method as claimed in  claim 2  further comprising sending a message that includes the rendezvous location to a third mobile device. 
     
     
         5 . The method as claimed in  claim 1  further comprising displaying multiple stored locations. 
     
     
         6 . The method as claimed in  claim 1  further comprising deleting one or more of the multiple stored locations. 
     
     
         7 . A first mobile device for tagging a location, the mobile first device comprising:
 a short-range wireless transceiver;   a processor configured to interact with the short-range wireless transceiver to pair the first mobile device with a second mobile device;   a position-determining subsystem for determining current location data for a current location of the first mobile device; and   a memory that cooperates with the processor and position-determining subsystem to store the current location data for the current location of the first mobile device in response to the pairing.   
     
     
         8 . The mobile device as claimed in  claim 7  wherein the short-range wireless transceiver is a near field communication (NFC) interface. 
     
     
         9 . The first mobile device as claimed in  claim 7  wherein the short-range wireless transceiver is a Bluetooth® transceiver. 
     
     
         10 . The first mobile device as claimed in  claim 7  further comprising:
 a magnetometer; and 
 a display that displays a virtual compass showing a direction back to a stored location. 
 
     
     
         11 . The first mobile device as claimed in  claim 7  wherein the processor is configured to:
 define the current location as a rendezvous location; 
 receive user input to request a route for returning to rendezvous location; and 
 display the route for returning to the rendezvous location. 
 
     
     
         12 . The first mobile device as claimed in  claim 11  further comprising:
 changing the rendezvous location; and 
 notifying the second mobile device of a change in the rendezvous location. 
 
     
     
         13 . The first mobile device as claimed in  claim 11  further comprising a radiofrequency transceiver for sending a message that includes the rendezvous location to a third mobile device. 
     
     
         14 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions in code which when loaded into a memory and executed by a processor of a first mobile device causes the first mobile device to:
 pair the first mobile device with a second mobile device; and   store current location data for a current location of the first mobile device in response to the pairing.   
     
     
         15 . The computer-readable medium as claimed in  claim 14  further comprising code that causes the first mobile device to:
 define the current location as a rendezvous location; 
 receive user input to request a route for returning to rendezvous location; and 
 display the route for returning to the rendezvous location. 
 
     
     
         16 . The computer-readable medium as claimed in  claim 15  further comprising code that causes the first mobile device to:
 change the rendezvous location; and 
 notify the second mobile device of a change in the rendezvous location. 
 
     
     
         17 . The computer-readable medium as claimed in  claim 15  further comprising code that causes the first mobile device to send a message that includes the rendezvous location to a third mobile device. 
     
     
         18 . The computer-readable medium as claimed in  claim 14  further comprising code that causes the first mobile device to display multiple stored locations. 
     
     
         19 . The computer-readable medium as claimed in  claim 14  further comprising code that causes the first mobile device to delete one or more of the multiple stored locations.