Methods And Apparatus For Providing Map Locations In User Applications Using URL Strings

A wireless communication device, comprising:

• one or more processors;
• a wireless transceiver coupled to the one or more processors;
• memory coupled to the one or more processors;
• a user interface comprising a display;
• the one or more processors being configured to:
• receive, via the user interface, a selection of a hypertext link object in an electronic file or message, the hypertext link object being associated with a uniform resource locator (URL) string which comprises a server address and location data corresponding to a location;
• in response to receiving the selection of the hypertext link object:
• when a mapping application is installed in the wireless communication device, execute the mapping application for rendering a map of the location indicated in the URL string;
• and
• when the mapping application is not installed in the wireless communication device, execute a web browser of the wireless communication device for receiving and displaying a map image of the location indicated in the URL string.

A communication system, comprising:

• a mapping server;
• one or more wireless communication devices configured to communicate in a wireless communication network;
• each wireless communication device including a memory and a user interface comprising a visual display;
• each wireless communication device being configured to:
• receive, through the user interface, a selection of a hypertext link object in an electronic file or message, the hypertext link object being associated with a uniform resource locator (URL) string which comprises a server address and location data corresponding to a location;
• and
• in response to receiving the selection of the hypertext link object:
• when a mapping application is installed in the memory, execute the mapping application for rendering a map of the location indicated in the URL string;
• and
• when the mapping application is not installed in the memory, execute a web browser of the wireless communication device for receiving and displaying a map image of the location indicated in the URL string.