Apparatus and method for finding and reporting lost items

Abstract

A mobile device includes a processor configured to send a command to a server and to receive venue information associated with a venue from the server. The venue information is indicated by a venue record stored at a data repository. The processor is configured to send a lost and found reporting interface to a display. A field of the lost and found reporting interface is pre-populated with first field information that is based on the venue information. The processor is configured to send a found item report to the server. The found item report indicates an item and second field information of the field. The found item report is sent to the server to initiate an update, by the server, of the data repository to indicate that a found item associated with the venue record corresponds to the item and that the item is associated with the second field information.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A mobile device comprising:
 a network interface; and   a processor configured to:
 send a command from a lost and found mobile application via the network interface to a server; 
 responsive to sending the command, receive, at the lost and found mobile application via the network interface from the server, venue information associated with a venue, the venue information indicated by a venue record stored at a data repository; 
 responsive to receiving the venue information, send a lost and found reporting interface to a display, wherein a field of the lost and found reporting interface is pre-populated with first field information that is based on the venue information; and 
 send a found item report from the mobile device via the network interface to the server, the found item report indicating an item and second field information of the field, wherein the found item report is sent to the server to initiate an update, by the server, of the data repository to indicate that a found item associated with the venue record corresponds to the item and that the item is associated with the second field information. 
   
     
     
         2 . The mobile device of  claim 1 , wherein the first field information includes a name of the venue, a name of an agent of the venue, or a location of the venue. 
     
     
         3 . The mobile device of  claim 1 , wherein the second field information is the same as the first field information. 
     
     
         4 . A method comprising:
 sending a first command from a lost and found mobile application of a mobile device to a server;   responsive to sending the first command, receiving, at the lost and found mobile application from the server, venue information associated with a venue, the venue information indicated by a venue record stored at a data repository;   responsive to receiving the venue information, displaying a lost and found reporting interface at the mobile device, wherein a field of the lost and found reporting interface is pre-populated with first field information that is based on the venue information; and   sending a found item report from the mobile device to the server, the found item report indicating a first item and second field information of the field, wherein the found item report is sent to the server to initiate a first update, by the server, of the data repository to indicate that a found item associated with the venue record corresponds to the first item and that the first item is associated with the second field information.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising sending a found item broadcast request from the lost and found mobile application to the server, the found item broadcast request associated with the venue, wherein the found item broadcast request is sent to the server to initiate sending, by the server, of a found item alert indicating the first item to a plurality of mobile devices associated with agents of the venue. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 receiving a second command from the server at the lost and found mobile application to present a lost-item reporting interface;   responsive to receiving the second command, displaying the lost-item reporting interface by the mobile device, a second field of the lost-item reporting interface pre-populated with the first field information; and   sending a lost item report from the mobile device to the server, the lost item report indicating a second item and third field information of the second field, wherein the lost item report is sent to the server to initiate a second update, by the server, of the data repository to indicate that a lost item associated with the venue record corresponds to the second item and that the second item is associated with the third field information.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising sending a lost item broadcast request from the lost and found mobile application to the server, the lost item broadcast request associated with a geographic location and the second item, wherein the lost item broadcast request is sent to the server to initiate sending, by the server, of a lost item alert to a plurality of mobile devices that are within a threshold distance of the geographic location. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the second item includes a particular mobile device, and wherein sending the lost item alert to the particular mobile device initiates display, on a lock screen of the particular mobile device, of contact information of an owner of the particular mobile device, recovery instructions from the owner of the mobile device, or both. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the first item includes a particular mobile device, wherein sending the found item report to the server initiates sending, from the server, of a request to the particular mobile device to initiate an audible, haptic, or visual indication, by the particular mobile device. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the first item includes a particular mobile device that includes a particular lost and found mobile application, wherein sending the found item report to the server initiates sending, from the server to the particular lost and found mobile application, a lost item query requesting a location of the particular mobile device and sending, from the server to a user device, a street address corresponding to the location of the particular mobile device. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the first item includes a particular mobile device, and wherein the method further comprises sending, from the mobile device to the server, a request to lock the particular mobile device, and wherein the request is sent to the server to initiate sending, from the server to a particular lost and found mobile application of the particular mobile device, a lock command to lock the particular mobile device. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 receiving map data at the mobile device from the server, the map data indicating a lost-item location of the first item reported to the server; and   responsive to receiving the map data, displaying, at the mobile device, a map depicting the lost-item location with a pin icon.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the first field information indicates a name of the venue, a location of the venue, or a name of an agent of the venue. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the data repository indicates that the first item was reported lost at the venue. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the first field information indicates a location of the venue, and wherein the data repository indicates that the first item was reported lost at the location. 
     
     
         16 . A computer-readable storage device storing instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
 sending a command from a lost and found mobile application of a mobile device to a server, the mobile device associated with a venue;   responsive to sending the command, receiving, at the lost and found mobile application from the server, venue information associated with the venue, the venue information indicated by a venue record stored at a data repository;   responsive to receiving the venue information, displaying a lost and found reporting interface at the mobile device, wherein a field of the lost and found reporting interface is pre-populated with first field information that is based on the venue information; and   sending a lost item report from the mobile device to the server, the lost item report indicating an item and second field information of the field, wherein the lost item report is sent to the server to initiate an update, by the server, of the data repository to indicate that a lost item associated with the venue record corresponds to the item and that the item is associated with the second field information.   
     
     
         17 . The computer-readable storage device of  claim 16 , wherein the first field information indicates a name of the venue, a location of the venue, or a name of an agent of the venue. 
     
     
         18 . The computer-readable storage device of  claim 16 , wherein the first field information indicates a name of an agent of the venue, and wherein the data repository indicates that the agent reported the item as found. 
     
     
         19 . The computer-readable storage device of  claim 16 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 sending, from the lost and found mobile application to the server, a request for found items associated with the venue; and   receiving, at the lost and found mobile application from the server, found item information of one or more found items, wherein the venue record indicates that the one or more found items are associated with the venue.   
     
     
         20 . The computer-readable storage device of  claim 16 , wherein the operations further comprise receiving, at the lost and found mobile application from the server, found item information of a found item that matches the item, the found item associated with the venue record.