Locating mobile contacts using a geo-contact list

A method for locating a mobile device user, comprising:

• maintaining a contact list comprising records for a plurality of contacts, each record including (i) a name of a contact, (ii) a phone number for the contact's mobile device, if the contact uses a mobile device, and (iii) a list of at least one location entry, each location entry comprising (iii.a) a name of a location associated with the contact, (iii.b) a phone number at the location, (iii.c) an address for the location, and (iii.d) geographic coordinates of the location;
• receiving the name of a designated contact in the contact list;
• obtaining current geographic coordinates of the designated contact's mobile device;
• obtaining current geographic coordinates of at least one mobile device for at least one contact in the contact list, other than the designated contact;
• and
• generating at least one proximal entity, each proximal entity comprising either (I) the name of a contact, other than the designated contact, whose mobile device is located currently close to the designated contact's mobile phone, or (II) the name of a contact, other than the designated contact, and the name of a location associated with the contact, the location being currently close to the designated contact's mobile device.

A contact list manager for a mobile device, comprising:

• a memory, housed within a mobile device, for storing a contact list comprising records for a plurality of contacts, each record comprising (i) a name of a contact, (ii) a phone number for the contact's mobile device, if the contact uses a mobile device, and (iii) a list of at least one location entry, each location entry comprising (iii.a) a name of a location associated with the contact, (iii.b) a phone number at the location, (iii.c) an address for the location and (iii.d) geographic coordinates of the location;
• a contact list reader, housed within the mobile device and coupled with said memory, for accessing data in records of the contact list;
• a contact list writer, housed within the mobile device and coupled with said memory, for generating records of the contact list;
• a data entry interface, coupled with said contact list writer, for entering data provided manually and for importing data from a file into a record of the contact list;
• a positioning system, communicatively coupled with said contact list writer, for obtaining geographic coordinates of a present location for automatic entry into a record of the contact list;
• and
• a positioning service, communicatively coupled with said contact list writer, for obtaining geographic coordinates of a designated remote location, for automatic entry into a record of the contact list.

A method for managing a contact list of a mobile device, comprising:

• providing a contact list comprising records for a plurality of users, each record comprising (i) a name of a contact, (ii) a phone number for the contact's mobile device, if the contact uses a mobile device, and (iii) a list of at least one location entry, each location entry comprising (iii.a) a name of a location associated with the contact, (iii.b) a phone number at the location, (iii.c) an address for the location, (iii.d) geographic coordinates of the location, and (iii.e) reference data for the geographic coordinates;
• receiving a command to geo-tag a designated location entry in a record of the contact list;
• acquiring geographic coordinates for a present location;
• and
• entering the acquired geographic coordinates into the record of the contact list, as the geographic coordinates (iii.d) of the designated location entry.

A method for managing a contact list of a mobile device, comprising:

• providing a contact list comprising records for a plurality of contacts, each record comprising (i) a name of a contact, (ii) a phone number for the contact's mobile device, if the contact uses a mobile phone, and (iii) a list of at least one location entry, each location entry comprising (iii.a) a name of a location associated with the contact, (iii.b) a phone number at the location, (iii.c) an address for the location, and (iii.d) geographic coordinates of the location;
• receiving a command to geo-code a designated location entry in a record of the contact list;
• acquiring geographic coordinates for the address (iii.c) in the designated location entry from a geographic positioning service;
• and
• entering the acquired geographic coordinates into the record of the contact list, as the geographic coordinates (iii.d) of the designated location entry.