Methods and Systems for Locating Persons and Places with Mobile Devices

In a server executing a method of locating a first user using a beaconing first mobile device, comprising:

• receiving a request from a first mobile device to indicate a first user location;
• sending a response to a second mobile device to indicate the first user location;
• and
• receiving a request from the second mobile device to send a response to the first mobile device to display a beaconing sequence.

A non-transitory computer readable medium that encodes a program to execute a method on a first mobile device, comprising:

• receiving location information of a second mobile device;
• using location information of the first mobile device and the second mobile device to determine direction and/or distance between the first mobile device and a second mobile device;
• and
• displaying a beaconing sequence triggered by the second mobile device.

In a server executing a method to remember a location of a first mobile device, comprising:

• receiving a first request from the first mobile device to store the location of the first mobile device at a first time;
• receiving a second request from the first mobile device to retrieve the location of the first mobile device after the first time;
• sending a response to the first mobile device that provides the location after receiving the second request from the first mobile device;
• receiving a request from a second mobile device to retrieve the location of the first mobile device at the first time;
• and
• sending a response to the second mobile device that provides the location of the first mobile device at the first time.

A system including a processor, a memory and a network interface coupled to the processor, comprising:

• a program in the memory for providing beaconing sequences for location sharing to mobile devices, including:
• receiving a request to wave from a second mobile device;
• reading the request to wave;
• reading a beacon history table;
• determining if there are beacon sequences used in the geographic area;
• calculating an alternate beacon sequence not used in the geographic area;
• adding the alternate beacon to the beacon history table;
• and
• sending the alternate beacon sequence for display on a first mobile device.