A method for communicating location information to a device includes receiving, at a computer system that implements a social networking service, location information that represents a geographic location of a device associated with a first user; associating, by the computer system, the received location information with a profile associated with the first user; and sending, from the computer system to a device associated with a second user, a message that is generated based at least in part on the location information.

A system for exchanging GPS or other position data between wireless devices for purposes of group activities, child location monitoring, work group coordination, dispatching of employees etc. Cell phones and other wireless devices with GPS receivers have loaded therein a Buddy Watch application and a TalkControl application. The Buddy Watch application communicates with the GPS receiver and other wireless devices operated by buddies registered in the users phone as part of buddy groups or individually. GPS position data and historical GPS position data can be exchanged between cell phones of buddies and instant buddies such as tow truck drivers via a buddy watch server. Emergency monitoring services can be set up with notifications to programmable individuals in case an individual does not respond. Positions and tracks can be displayed. TalkControl simplifies and automates the process of joining talk groups for walkie talkie services such as that provided by Nextel.

A device, system and method for determining a prioritized list of communication groups is provided. A computing device monitors current call statistics of a plurality of communication groups, the communication device assigned to the plurality of communication groups. The computing device, based on a comparison of the current call statistics with historical call statistics of the plurality of communication groups, generates a prioritized list of the plurality of communication groups. The computing device transmits, to the communication device, the prioritized list. The communication device may render the list for selection of a communication group, and/or automatically change to a highest priority communication group of the prioritized list, and/or when bandwidth of a current site is unavailable to communicate on the highest priority communication group, roam to a site with available bandwidth to change to a highest priority communication group in the prioritized list.

A computer implanted method of updating a user joining a group after a user-relevant topic has been discussed, the method includes, with a processor operatively-coupled to a memory: identifying the user joining group after a first topic has been discussed in the current session of the group; and determining interest of the user in the first topic, wherein if the first topic is determined to be of interest to the user, providing an automated summary of the first topic to the user.

The computing device may map the incoming number to a caller data to identify a caller. The computing device may determine, by data analytics, a type of service the user is seeking based on determining that the caller is one or more from a service provider, a company or a cause. The computing device may reject the incoming number based on determining the caller does not correspond to the type of service the user is seeking. The computing device may determine, by data analytics, a relation of the person to the user based on determining the caller is a person and rejects the incoming number based on determining the person is not related to the user.

Techniques for only ringing devices configured as restricted devices when a communication is intended and approved for a restricted user. A first user may indicate to a system that the first user wants to communicate with a second user. The system may determine a group account including the second user. The system may also determine one or more devices specifically associated with the second user in the group account. The system may cause only the device(s) associated with the second userbut not other devices of the group profile not specifically associated with second userto receive the communication. Techniques for permitting a restricted device to send or commence communications based on at least one access parameter.

A first user device may be included in a user device group including the first user device and a second user device that share a same service identifier for a communication service. The method may include accepting user input at the first user device to activate an operation mode for the first user device. Responsive to accepting the user input to activate the operation mode at the first user device, the operation mode may be activated at the first user device. Responsive to accepting the user input to activate the operation mode at the first user device, a notification regarding activation of the operation mode may be transmitted to a control server that is remote from the first user device. Related user devices and control servers are also discussed.

A device, system and method for managing channel and/or talkgroup assignments is provided. A memory stores: a first list of channels associated with a device identifier of a mobile device; and a second list of channels associated with: a user identifier of a user; and attributes of the user. A controller: receives, via a communications unit, from the mobile device, the user identifier indicating a log-in to the mobile device by the user; selects a subset of the first list of channels, to be temporarily assigned to the mobile device when the user is logged into the mobile device, based on the attributes of the user; and transmits, via the communications unit, to the mobile device, a combined list that includes the subset of the first list of channels, and the second list of channels, to enable the mobile device to communicate using channels in the combined list.

A system for exchanging GPS or other position data between wireless devices for purposes of group activities, child location monitoring, work group coordination, dispatching of employees etc. Cell phones and other wireless devices with GPS receivers have loaded therein a Buddy Watch application and a TalkControl application. The Buddy Watch application communicates with the GPS receiver and other wireless devices operated by buddies registered in the users phone as part of buddy groups or individually. GPS position data and historical GPS position data can be exchanged between cell phones of buddies and instant buddies such as tow truck drivers via a buddy watch server. Emergency monitoring services can be set up with notifications to programmable individuals in case an individual does not respond. Positions and tracks can be displayed. TalkControl simplifies and automates the process of joining talk groups for walkie talkie services such as that provided by Nextel.

Techniques are disclosed for managing outbound voice messages in a communication system that includes communication devices and a communication server. A temporal mode of either live mode or message mode and a recipient mode of either group mode or direct mode are selected and set for an outbound voice message. Based on the selected settings for temporal mode and recipient mode the originating communication device records a voice message that is relayed to the communication server where it is distributed to other communication devices according to the rules or parameters associated with the temporal and recipient mode selected.