Group management and graphical user interface for associated electronic devices

Number: 9590862
Published: 2017-03-07
Filed: 2013-09-11
Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
Inventors: Larocca; Scott Douglas
CPC: H04L41/22; G06F3/0482; H04M1/67
Verdict: Set aside group management + GUI for paired electronic devices, generic device-management software
Source: Google Patents · FreePatentsOnline

Abstract

Methods and systems are provided for managing a group of portable communication devices. In accordance with one implementation, a computer-implemented method is provided for managing a group of portable communication devices on an individual basis or an aggregate basis, the method comprising the steps of providing a list of the portable communication devices in the group, selecting a target portable communication device, determining the location of the target portable communication device, and presenting the location of the target portable communication device. The method may further comprise the step of determining whether the group has sufficient credit for acquiring the location of the portable communication devices in the group.

Background

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS(1) The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate several embodiments consistent with the present description and together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.(2) FIGS. 1A-B show external features of an exemplary electronic device, consistent with the present disclosure;(3) FIG. 1C illustrates a keypad including a plurality of navigation inputs of anexemplary electronic device;(4) FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of an exemplary electronic device;(5) FIG. 3 shows a functional block diagram of an exemplary mobile communications network, consistent with the present disclosure;(6) FIG. 4A illustrates a flow diagram of an exemplary method for loading, initiating, and/or customizing group membership information, profiles of group members, and a group-oriented application suite for managing and monitoring a group of portable communication devices;(7) FIG. 4B shows a flow diagram of an exemplary method for initiating and selecting a group management application suite for managing a group of portable communication devices;(8) FIG. 5 shows a plurality of exemplary screen displays for initiating the group management application suite, consistent with the present disclosure;(9) FIG. 6 illustrates a flow diagram of an exemplary method for locating a portable communication device in a group;(10) FIG. 7 illustrates a flow diagramof an exemplary method for

Claims

1. A method for managing portable phones in a previously defined group of portable phones including a managing portable phone, the method comprising: displaying, on the managing portable phone, the previously defined group of portable phones; selecting, by the managing portable phone, a portable phone other than the managing portable phone from the displayed group of portable phones; retrieving, by the managing portable phone, a permitted list of portable phones in the group that are permitted toobtain navigational directions to a geographic location of the selected portable phone; retrieving, by the managing portable phone, a prohibited list of portable phones in the group that are not permitted to obtain the navigational directions to the geographic locationof the selected portable phone; and updating, by the managing portable phone, the retrieved permitted list and the retrieved prohibited list, wherein updating the retrieved permitted list and the retrieved prohibited list comprises: displaying, on the managing portablephone, the retrieved permitted list and the retrieved prohibited list; moving, in response to a user input, one or more portable phones in the group from the permitted list to theprohibited list or from the prohibited list to the permitted list; and displaying, on themanaging portable phone, the updated permitted list and the updated prohibited list. 5. Amanaging portable phone in a previously defined group of portable phones, the managing portable phone comprising: a display; and a processor configured to: display, on the display, the previously defined group of portable phones; select a portable phone other than the managing portable phone from the displayed group of portable phones; retrieve a permitted list of portable phones in the group that are permitted to obtain navigational directions to a geographic location of the selected portable phone; retrieve a prohibited list of portable phones in the group that are not permitted to obtain the navigational directions to the geographic location of the selected portable phone; and update the retrieved permittedlist and the retrieved prohibited list, wherein updating the retrieved permitted list andthe retrieved prohibited list comprises: displaying, on the display, the retrieved permitted list and the retrieved prohibited list; moving, in response to a user input, one or more portable phones in the group from the permitted list to the prohibited list or from theprohibited list to the permitted list; and displaying, on the display, the updated permitted list and the updated prohibited list.