System and method for sharing location information

Abstract

A method includes receiving, at a first communication device, signals from communication devices. Each signal of the signals includes information associated with a particular communication device of the communication devices. The information includes location coordinates of a corresponding communication device of the communication devices. The method includes determining, at the first communication device, a characteristic associated with each signal of the signals. The method also includes determining, at the first communication device, estimated location coordinates of the first communication device based on the location coordinates and based on characteristics associated with the signals.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 receiving, at a first communication device, signals from communication devices, each signal of the signals associated with a corresponding communication device of the communication devices and each signal including location coordinates of the corresponding communication device;   determining, at the first communication device, a characteristic associated with each signal of the signals; and   determining, at the first communication device, estimated location coordinates of the first communication device based on the location coordinates and based on characteristics associated with the signals.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising sending the estimated location coordinates to a device in response to receiving a location request from the device. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 detecting the communication devices;   sending requests for location information to the communication devices; and   receiving the signals in response to the requests.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 informing a second communication device that the first communication device is a location aware communication device; and   sending the estimated location coordinates to the second communication device in response to a location request from the second communication device.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first communication device is a non-location aware communication device without a global positioning system receiver. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining the estimated location comprises using triangulation to produce the estimated location coordinates. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the characteristic associated with each signal includes a received signal strength, a time of arrival, an angle of arrival, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a particular communication device of the communication devices is a wireless access point. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a particular communication device of the communication devices is a portable communication device with a global positioning system receiver. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a particular communication device of the communication devices is a non-location aware communication device without a global positioning system receiver, and wherein a particular signal received from the particular communication device includes estimated location coordinates of the particular communication device. 
     
     
         11 . A mobile communication device comprising:
 a processor; and   a memory coupled to the processor, wherein the memory stores instructions executable by the processor to perform operations including:
 receiving signals from communication devices, each signal of the signals associated with a corresponding communication device of the communication devices and each signal including location coordinates of the corresponding communication device; 
 determining a characteristic associated with each signal of the signals; and 
 determining estimated location coordinates based on the location coordinates and based on characteristics associated with the signals. 
   
     
     
         12 . The mobile communication device of  claim 11 , wherein the operations further include sending the estimated location coordinates to a device in response to receipt of a location request from the device. 
     
     
         13 . The mobile communication device of  claim 11 , wherein the estimated location coordinates comprise a longitude and a longitude. 
     
     
         14 . The mobile communication device of  claim 13 , wherein the operations further include converting the location coordinates to a street address using map data. 
     
     
         15 . The mobile communication device of  claim 11 , wherein determining the estimated location coordinates includes using triangulation to produce the estimated location coordinates. 
     
     
         16 . The mobile communication device of  claim 11 , wherein the characteristic associated with each signal includes a received signal strength, a time of arrival, an angle of arrival, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         17 . A computer-readable storage device storing instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
 receiving signals from communication devices, each signal of the signals associated with a corresponding communication device of the communication devices and each signal including location coordinates of the corresponding communication device;   determining a characteristic associated with each signal of the signals; and   determining estimated location coordinates of the processor based on the location coordinates and based on characteristics associated with the signals.   
     
     
         18 . The computer-readable storage device of  claim 17 , wherein the operations further comprise generating a mobility history based a set of signals received from the communication devices during a time period. 
     
     
         19 . The computer-readable storage device of  claim 17 , wherein the operations further comprise accessing a map resource to convert the estimated location coordinates from latitude and longitude to a street address. 
     
     
         20 . The computer-readable storage device of  claim 17 , wherein the operations further comprise providing location services using the estimated location coordinates.