This document proposes a peer-to-peer location sharing service that allows users to add their location as a link in SMS or email messages without using special applications. The service works by embedding a unique link in messages that directs recipients to a mobile-friendly map showing both their location and the shared location. This allows location to be exchanged without registrations, check-ins, or revealing identity information. The goal is to make location sharing as easy as sending a standard message.

1. Geo messages
Dmitry Namiot
dnamiot@gmail.com
2010

2. Location based services
• “where are you”
question is one of the
most popular areas for
mobile services: 600
billion messages per
year
• Current approach:
passive monitoring or
checkins
• Current approach:
passive monitoring or
checkins
• Google Latitude –
passive monitoring
• Foursquare – checkins
• Active and passive
checkins: Foursquare
vs. Twitter

3. Our approach
• Peer to peer sharing: add location info to the
standard messaging as a signature
• No more special applications and social networks
• No registrations
• Location is a link in SMS or Email
• Geo URI implementation
• Smart map – shows your own location vs. shared
location

4. How does it work
• http://mbigmap.linksto
re.ru
• Mobile web
application (any
HTML5 blowser:
iPhone, Android etc.)
• Shows your current
location
• Movable marker

5. How does it work - 2
• Info-window for the
marker lets you share
this link
• Unique link for for the
location
• No ID’s – no data
saving on the remote
server

6. How does it work - 3
• The target party opens
this link right from
his/her email/SMS
• He/she will see two
markers: own position
as well as the shared
data
• Can draw a route

7. Car parking info
• You can share location
info with yourself
• Or just bookmark
unique URL
• Open it again and see
two markers: saved
location and your
current position

8. Find the way back
• You can see the time
your marker was set
• You can even create a
route to your parking
location just by
clicking on the
marker.

9. Geo Mail
• Geo aware signature
for email
• Web application
(HTML5):
http://servletsuite.com/
geomail
• Add location info-link
as a signature

10. Mobile widget
• Geo signature
implemented as a
mobile widget
(Samsung H1 phone)

11. Mobile widgets 2
• JIL, Opera widgets,
WRT

12. Legacy phones

13. Geo signature
• Signature is a link to the map
• Landing page: contains an
appropriate map and some
geo-targeted information
(advertising)
• No extra applications and/or
services
• Direct link (URL) added to
the message

14. Mobile web mashup
• SCWS servlet: local information
• Opencellid.org: geo data for cells (latitude,
longitude)
• Google Static Maps
• URL shortening (e.g. bit.ly)
• URI scheme (sms: mailto:)

15. How does it work
• SCWS servlet requests local information
• Servlet creates a link to our mashup
• Mashups accepts cellid, mcc, mns and
obtains latitude/longitude
• Mashup creates a link to the map and
shortens it
• Mashup publishes messaging links (sms:
and mailto: ) with short URL

16. Conclusion
• service proposes a new way for the location
info exchange.
• service does not introduce a yet another
social network with location sharing.
• deploys existing and very popular channels
(e.g. SMS) for sharing locations
• does not reveal identity info

17. Usage and impact
• Geo-targeted context advertising.
• Customized versions: inform car repair
service, insurance companies etc.
• Traffic generation for telecom operators:
merges messaging and internet
• Convenience telecom vendors extend SMS
clients – add links