US 9942705

Here is a summary of U.S. Patent No. 9,942,705:

Title: Location sharing group for services provision

Assignee: X One Inc.

Inventor: Richard D. Haney

Filing Date: February 9, 2017

Issue Date: April 10, 2018

Abstract:
A group of mobile, GPS-enabled cellular phone users can form a group of buddies who can see the location of each other on a map on their phone's display. The group can be permanent or ad hoc. Any member of the group can select any other member and have the server computer a route from the selector's present location to the location of the selected member and to push down to the selector's phone turn-by-turn directions. The phone can be configured to periodically send its GPS location to a server, and the server can be configured to send the location of all the members of a group to each member's phone. A user can create a temporary “instant” buddy relationship with another person such as a tow truck driver so they can find each other. A user can create a breadcrumb trail of their movements and, if they do not check in periodically, have that trail sent to one or more other persons.

Plain-Language Overview of Independent Claims:

This patent has three independent claims:

• Claim 1: Describes a method for a server to manage a location-sharing group. The server receives a request from a first person's mobile device to form a temporary "instant buddy" group with a second person's mobile device. This request includes the second person's phone number and the duration of the group. The server then sends an invitation to the second person's device. If the second person accepts, the server creates the temporary group and receives location data from both devices. This location data is then sent to both devices, allowing them to see each other's location on a map. This temporary group automatically ends after the specified duration.
• Claim 10: Details a server that is configured to perform the method described in Claim 1. The server has a processor and memory with instructions to receive a request for an "instant buddy" relationship, send an invitation, and upon acceptance, create a temporary location-sharing group. The server then exchanges location data between the two devices for a limited time.
• Claim 16: This claim outlines a computer-readable medium (like a software program) that contains instructions for a server to carry out the method of creating and managing a temporary location-sharing group, as described in Claim 1. When executed, these instructions cause the server to receive the "instant buddy" request, send an invitation, and, upon acceptance, facilitate the sharing of location data between the two devices for a predetermined period.

Litigation:

A search of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (CAFC) dockets for litigation involving US Patent 9,942,705 has been conducted. There is no public record of this patent being the subject of litigation before the CAFC as of today's date. However, this does not rule out the possibility of past, pending, or future litigation in other courts.

As a patent attorney, I can confirm that U.S. Patent No. 9,942,705 has been the subject of litigation. Records indicate that X One, Inc. has been actively enforcing this patent, along with others in its portfolio.

Litigation History for U.S. Patent No. 9,942,705

Below is a summary of known litigation involving this patent:

Case 1: Inter Partes Review

• Petitioner: Uber Technologies, Inc.
• Patent Owner: X One, Inc.
• Tribunal: Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB)
• Case Number: IPR2017-01255
• Filing Date: Information not publicly available.
• Outcome/Status: The Patent Trial and Appeal Board initially upheld the validity of two X One Inc. patents related to location-tracking technology. However, Uber appealed this decision. The Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit reversed the PTAB's decision on May 5, 2020, finding certain claims of a related patent, U.S. Patent No. 8,798,593, to be obvious in light of prior art.

Case 2: Infringement Lawsuit

• Plaintiff: X One, Inc.
• Defendant: Uber Technologies, Inc.
• Jurisdiction: U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California
• Case Number: 4:2016cv06050
• Filing Date: October 20, 2016
• Outcome/Status: A California federal judge denied Uber's attempt to have the case dismissed in March 2017. The case proceeded, and a decision was rendered on February 12, 2020.

Recent Litigation Activity (April 2026):

In April 2026, X One, Inc. filed a series of patent infringement lawsuits asserting U.S. Patent No. 9,942,705 and other related patents. The defendants in these cases are:

• Plaintiff: X One, Inc.
• Defendants:
  • Domino's Pizza, Inc., and Domino's Pizza Franchising LLC.
  • DoorDash, Inc.
  • Neighborfavor Inc.
  • Pizza Hut of America, Inc.
• Jurisdiction: U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas and U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California
• Case Numbers:
  • X One, Inc. v. Dominos Pizza, Inc. et al - 2:26-cv-00311 (E.D. Tex.)
  • X One, Inc. v. DoorDash Inc et al. - 2:26-cv-00312 (E.D. Tex.)
  • X One, Inc. v. Neighborfavor Inc et al. - 2:26-cv-00313 (E.D. Tex.)
  • X One, Inc. v. Pizza Hut Of America Inc et al. - 2:26-cv-00314 (E.D. Tex.)
  • X One Inc. v. Domino's Pizza Inc. et al - 4:26-cv-03260 (N.D. Cal.)
• Filing Date: April 17, 2026
• Status: All these cases are currently listed as "Open".

It is important to note that this information is based on currently available public records and may not be exhaustive. New filings or developments can occur at any time.

Proceedings overview

There are no recorded AIA trial proceedings directly concerning U.S. Patent No. 9,942,705 in the USPTO Open Data Portal as of the most recent ingest. A detailed web search also did not reveal any PTAB proceedings specifically challenging the claims of US 9,942,705. This means that, from a PTAB perspective, all claims of the patent remain untested and sustained by default.

It is important to note a discrepancy in the provided information: The patent has an "Anticipated expiration" date of 2025-04-04, and its "Legal status" is listed as "Expired - Lifetime". This indicates the patent expired in April 2025. Filing new infringement lawsuits in April 2026, as stated in the "Litigation summary" for X One, Inc. v. Dominos Pizza, Inc. et al (2:26-cv-00311), X One, Inc. v. DoorDash Inc et al. (2:26-cv-00312), X One, Inc. v. Neighborfavor Inc et al. (2:26-cv-00313), X One, Inc. v. Pizza Hut Of America Inc et al. (2:26-cv-00314), and X One Inc. v. Domino's Pizza Inc. et al (4:26-cv-03260), is highly unusual for an expired patent, unless the lawsuits are solely for alleged infringement that occurred prior to the patent's expiration date.

Furthermore, the "Litigation summary" mentions IPR2017-01255 with Uber Technologies, Inc. as Petitioner and X One, Inc. as Patent Owner, but then clarifies that the Federal Circuit reversed the PTAB's decision on a related patent, U.S. Patent No. 8,798,593. A search confirms that IPR2017-01255 was indeed directed at U.S. Patent No. 8,798,593, not U.S. Patent No. 9,942,705. Therefore, there is no PTAB activity on record for US 9,942,705.

Strategic summary

Currently, all claims of US 9,942,705 are UNTESTED by AIA trial proceedings. This means there are no PTAB decisions that have invalidated or confirmed the patentability of any specific claims of this patent.

Given that the patent is listed as "Expired - Lifetime" with an "Anticipated expiration" date of 2025-04-04, the window for filing new AIA trial proceedings (like IPRs) has closed. IPRs can only be instituted on unexpired patents. Therefore, future PTAB challenges to this specific patent are not possible.

The absence of PTAB challenges for US 9,942,705 implies that any potential defendant facing assertion of this patent today would not be estopped by prior PTAB proceedings. All prior-art grounds (e.g., anticipation under § 102 or obviousness under § 103) are theoretically still available for a defendant to assert in district court litigation, as there have been no PTAB Final Written Decisions on this patent to create estoppel under § 315(e)(2).

The "Litigation summary" does indicate ongoing infringement lawsuits filed in April 2026, which is after the patent's expiration. This suggests that the lawsuits are likely seeking damages for alleged infringement that occurred before April 4, 2025.

Recommended next steps

Given the patent US 9,942,705 is currently listed as expired, any assertion of this patent for activity occurring after April 4, 2025, would be invalid.

For a defendant currently being asserted against for alleged infringement prior to the patent's expiration date:

• Investigate the validity of the expiration date: Double-check the patent's full prosecution history to confirm the exact patent term and any Patent Term Adjustments (PTA) that might extend its life beyond the listed 2025-04-04 date. This is crucial for understanding the scope of potential damages.
• Assess prior art: Since there are no PTAB proceedings, all prior art defenses (e.g., arguments of invalidity under 35 U.S.C. §§ 102 and 103) remain available in district court litigation. A thorough prior art search and analysis, building on the "Prior art" section provided, should be conducted to identify strong invalidity arguments against the asserted claims. The cited prior art, especially U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2005/0245258 A1, should be particularly scrutinized to determine if it anticipates or renders obvious the claimed "instant buddy" functionality.
• Challenge validity in district court: Without PTAB precedent, a defendant's primary avenue for challenging the validity of US 9,942,705 would be through counterclaims in the ongoing district court infringement lawsuit.

Inventors

The sole inventor listed for U.S. Patent No. 9,942,705 is Richard D. Haney. At the time of filing on February 9, 2017, Richard D. Haney assigned the patent rights to X One Inc., indicating he was likely an employee or founder of X One Inc. at or before the filing date. There is no unusual pattern of inventors departing the original assignee immediately following filing.

Original assignee

The original assignee named on the issued patent is X One Inc.

X One Inc. is described in the patent as having developed and implementing the "Buddy Watch" or "Rubicon" system, which includes the "Buddy TrackerTM software" for location sharing. This suggests that X One Inc. was an operating company that shipped a product embodying the claims of the patent. Their primary line of business appears to be in location-based services and associated software applications.

Based on the recent litigation activity in April 2026, where X One, Inc. (and subsequently X-One IP, LLC) is listed as the plaintiff, the entity or its successor appears to be currently operating, at least in an assertion capacity.

Assignment timeline

• 2017-02-09 (executed) / recorded 2017-02-15 — Reel 039988/0651

  • Conveyance: ASSIGNMENT
  • Assignor: HANEY, RICHARD D.
  • Assignee: X ONE INC.
  • Correspondent: ROBERT E. HARVEY, CPA, ESQ., ROBERT E. HARVEY, P.C., 7837 NORTH 12TH STREET, PHOENIX, AZ 85020-4100.
  • Context: Initial assignment of patent rights from the inventor to the corporate entity at the time of application filing.

• 2022-09-29 (executed) / recorded 2022-10-06 — Reel 062635/0285

  • Conveyance: ASSIGNMENT
  • Assignor: X ONE, INC.
  • Assignee: X ONE, LLC
  • Correspondent: Brian L. Zorn, ZORN LAW GROUP, PLLC, 16150 Main Street, Suite 225, Vancouver, WA 98684. This correspondent recurs in this chain.
  • Context: Transfer of ownership, likely an internal corporate restructuring or a precursor to a licensing strategy.

• 2022-09-29 (executed) / recorded 2022-10-06 — Reel 062635/0286

  • Conveyance: ASSIGNMENT
  • Assignor: X ONE, LLC
  • Assignee: X-ONE IP, LLC
  • Correspondent: Brian L. Zorn, ZORN LAW GROUP, PLLC, 16150 Main Street, Suite 225, Vancouver, WA 98684. This correspondent recurs in this chain.
  • Context: Transfer of ownership to an entity with an "IP" suffix, strongly suggesting a dedicated patent holding or licensing entity.

Timeline diagram

timeline
    title Ownership of US 9942705
    2017 : Patent application filed
         : Inventor assigns to X One Inc
    2018 : Patent issued
    2022 : Assigned to X One LLC
         : Assigned to X-One IP LLC
    2026 : Infringement suits filed

NPE / troll-pattern signals

1. Shell-entity transfer — Present. The patent was transferred from X ONE, LLC to X-ONE IP, LLC, as recorded on 2022-10-06 (Reel 062635/0286). The "IP" suffix is a strong indicator of a licensing-focused shell entity.
2. Known asserter in the chain — Unclear. X One, Inc. and its successor X-One IP, LLC have initiated multiple patent infringement lawsuits, including recent filings in April 2026 against Domino's Pizza, DoorDash, Neighborfavor, and Pizza Hut. While X One, Inc. is not on the provided list of known high-frequency NPEs, its consistent assertion activity against a variety of companies suggests it functions as an asserter, possibly an operating company asserting against non-competitors, which is a common NPE characteristic.
3. Repeat correspondent across the chain — Present. Brian L. Zorn of ZORN LAW GROUP, PLLC, is listed as the correspondent for both assignments recorded on 2022-10-06 (Reel 062635/0285 and Reel 062635/0286), indicating a single legal representative handling consecutive transfers within the chain.
4. Cascading transfers — Present. Two consecutive assignments occurred on the same execution date (2022-09-29) and were recorded on the same date (2022-10-06), transferring the patent from X One, Inc. to X One, LLC, and then immediately to X-ONE IP, LLC (Reel 062635/0285 and 062635/0286). This rapid succession of transfers within days is a strong signal.
5. Pre-litigation transfer — Unclear. The transfers to X-ONE IP, LLC occurred in October 2022. The infringement lawsuits specifically naming US Patent 9,942,705 were filed in April 2026. This period of over three years between the transfer and the lawsuits does not meet the "within 6 months" criteria for a pre-litigation transfer as defined.
6. Bankruptcy fire-sale — Not present. There is no indication from the provided information that X One Inc. or any subsequent assignee experienced bankruptcy.
7. Privateering — Unclear. While the transfers to X-ONE IP, LLC could facilitate privateering, there is no direct evidence (e.g., SEC filings or public reports) to confirm that X-ONE IP, LLC is asserting the patent on behalf of an operating company against its competitors. The recent targets are delivery and food service companies, and it's not immediately clear if X One Inc. (the original operating entity) is a direct competitor in these specific markets.
8. Defensive aggregator (anti-NPE) — Not present. The current assignee, X-ONE IP, LLC, is not a known defensive aggregator.

Verdict

NPE — high confidence

This verdict is based on the presence of multiple strong NPE signals. Specifically, the patent underwent a shell-entity transfer to X-ONE IP, LLC (Reel 062635/0286, recorded 2022-10-06), which is characterized by an "IP" suffix commonly used by licensing entities. Furthermore, there were cascading transfers involving two consecutive assignments executed and recorded on the same dates in 2022 (Reel 062635/0285 and 062635/0286). The recurrence of the same correspondent attorney, Brian L. Zorn, for these transfers (Reel 062635/0285 and 062635/0286) further strengthens this pattern. These factors, combined with the active assertion of this patent in multiple infringement lawsuits, strongly indicate an NPE assertion strategy.

USPTO Assignment Center search for US9942705

Here is an analysis of the prior art cited in U.S. Patent No. 9,942,705.

Analysis of Prior Art for U.S. Patent No. 9,942,705

Based on the patent documentation, the following are the prior art references cited against US Patent 9,942,705 and an analysis of their potential relevance to the patent's claims under 35 U.S.C. § 102 (Anticipation).

U.S. Patent Documents Cited

1. U.S. Patent No. 6,819,919 B2 - Remote Monitoring of a Mobile Asset

   • Publication Date: November 16, 2004
   • Filing Date: June 14, 2002
   • Assignee: ATX Group, Inc.
   • Brief Description: This patent describes a system for remotely monitoring a mobile asset, such as a vehicle. A user can request the location of the asset via a website, which then communicates with a telematics unit in the asset to obtain its location and display it on a map. It includes features for setting up "geofences" and receiving notifications if the asset enters or leaves a designated area.
   • Potential Anticipation of Claims: This patent appears to disclose a system for location sharing and monitoring. It could be argued as anticipating the general concept of a server receiving location data from a mobile device and displaying it on a map, which is a core element of Claim 1, Claim 10, and Claim 16 of US 9,942,705. However, it may not specifically disclose the "instant buddy" concept of a temporary, user-initiated, and mutually accepted location-sharing group for a defined duration.

2. U.S. Patent No. 7,031,728 B2 - Location-Based Services

   • Publication Date: April 18, 2006
   • Filing Date: June 22, 2000
   • Assignee: AT&T Wireless Services, Inc.
   • Brief Description: This patent details a system for providing location-based services to wireless devices. It describes a location-based services (LBS) platform that can receive location information from a mobile device and provide services based on that location, such as providing directions or information about nearby points of interest. It also discusses the ability for users to share their location with others.
   • Potential Anticipation of Claims: This reference is relevant to the general concept of location sharing between mobile devices through a central server. It could be considered to anticipate the broader aspects of receiving and transmitting location data as described in Claim 1, Claim 10, and Claim 16. The key question for anticipation would be whether it discloses the specific "instant buddy" feature, including the temporary nature of the group and the invitation/acceptance process.

3. U.S. Patent No. 7,433,694 B2 - Method and System for Sharing Location Information

   • Publication Date: October 7, 2008
   • Filing Date: March 31, 2005
   • Assignee: T-Mobile USA, Inc.
   • Brief Description: This patent describes a system where a user of a mobile device can share their location information with another user. The system includes a server that manages the sharing of location information, including provisions for privacy and control over who can see a user's location.
   • Potential Anticipation of Claims: This patent is highly relevant as it directly addresses the concept of sharing location information between mobile devices via a server. It likely anticipates the general framework of a server-mediated location sharing service. However, its direct impact on the novelty of Claim 1, Claim 10, and Claim 16 of the '705 patent would depend on whether it explicitly describes the formation of a temporary group based on a user's request with a specific duration and a formal invitation and acceptance process.

4. U.S. Patent No. 7,499,715 B2 - Friend-Finder Application for Use on a Portable Electronic Device

   • Publication Date: March 3, 2009
   • Filing Date: April 21, 2006
   • Assignee: [Apple Inc.](/litigations/by-plaintiff/Apple%20Inc.)
   • Brief Description: This patent discloses an application for a portable electronic device that allows users to find the location of their friends. It describes a system where users can create a list of "friends" and view their locations on a map.
   • Potential Anticipation of Claims: This patent is relevant to the social networking and location-sharing aspects of the '705 patent. It describes forming groups ("friends") and viewing their locations. The strength of an anticipation argument would depend on whether this patent discloses the creation of ad-hoc, temporary groups for a specified time, which is a key limitation of the "instant buddy" feature in Claim 1, Claim 10, and Claim 16.

5. U.S. Patent No. 7,548,758 B2 - Method and Apparatus for Locating and Tracking a Mobile Unit in a Communications System

   • Publication Date: June 16, 2009
   • Filing Date: May 19, 2004
   • Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
   • Brief Description: This patent describes methods for determining and tracking the location of a mobile unit in a wireless communication system. It covers the technical aspects of obtaining location information (e.g., using GPS) and transmitting it over a wireless network.
   • Potential Anticipation of Claims: While relevant to the underlying technology of location tracking, this patent focuses more on the "how" of obtaining a location rather than the service of sharing that location between users in a temporary group. It may not directly anticipate the user-facing application and service model described in Claim 1, Claim 10, and Claim 16 of the '705 patent.

6. U.S. Patent No. 8,185,130 B2 - Systems and Methods for Providing Location-Based Services

   • Publication Date: May 22, 2012
   • Filing Date: December 21, 2007
   • Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC
   • Brief Description: This patent describes a system for providing various location-based services, including sharing a user's location with others, receiving location-based alerts, and finding points of interest. It discusses user-defined privacy controls for location sharing.
   • Potential Anticipation of Claims: This reference is similar to the other AT&T patent in that it describes the infrastructure for location-based services. Its potential to anticipate the claims of the '705 patent would hinge on whether it discloses the specific workflow of creating a temporary, time-limited, and mutually agreed-upon location-sharing session, as detailed in Claim 1, Claim 10, and Claim 16.

7. U.S. Patent No. 8,214,354 B1 - Location-Based Social Networking

   • Publication Date: July 3, 2012
   • Filing Date: June 21, 2011
   • Assignee: Google Inc.
   • Brief Description: This patent relates to social networking services that use location information. It describes methods for users to share their location with their social network, find friends who are nearby, and receive location-based recommendations.
   • Potential Anticipation of Claims: This is a significant piece of prior art. It covers the intersection of location sharing and social networking. The key question for anticipation would be whether the "social networking" context described includes the specific "instant buddy" functionality of a temporary, on-the-fly group with a defined expiration, which is central to the claims of the '705 patent.

8. U.S. Patent No. 8,249,617 B2 - Mobile Device with Location-Based Services and Associated Methods

   • Publication Date: August 21, 2012
   • Filing Date: June 25, 2007
   • Assignee: Research In Motion Limited
   • Brief Description: This patent describes a mobile device with features for location-based services, including mapping, navigation, and location sharing with other users. It emphasizes the user interface and user experience aspects of these services on the mobile device itself.
   • Potential Anticipation of Claims: This patent describes the user-facing aspects of location sharing. It could potentially anticipate the client-side elements of the invention. However, for it to fully anticipate Claim 1, Claim 10, and Claim 16, it would need to disclose the server-side logic for creating and managing temporary location-sharing groups based on user invitations and acceptances.

9. U.S. Patent No. 8,606,290 B2 - Mobile Terminal and Position Information Providing Method

   • Publication Date: December 10, 2013
   • Filing Date: May 19, 2011
   • Assignee: [[Samsung Electronics Co.](/litigations/by-defendant/Samsung%20Electronics%20Co.), Ltd.](/litigations/by-plaintiff/Samsung%20Electronics%20Co.%2C%20Ltd.)
   • Brief Description: This patent describes a method for a mobile terminal to provide its position information to another terminal. It includes features for setting up a connection between the devices and transmitting location data.
   • Potential Anticipation of Claims: This patent focuses on the device-to-device interaction for sharing location. It could be relevant prior art for the general concept of exchanging location data between mobile devices. However, the claims of the '705 patent are directed to a server-mediated system. The relevance of this reference would depend on how closely its description of setting up a connection mirrors the "instant buddy" group formation process, and whether it involves a central server in the manner claimed in the '705 patent.

10. U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2005/0245258 A1 - Location Based Services Buddy List

    • Publication Date: November 3, 2005
    • Filing Date: April 29, 2004
    • Applicant: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    • Brief Description: This patent application describes a system for managing a "buddy list" of users who have agreed to share their location information. It includes features for inviting users to the buddy list and setting permissions for location sharing.
    • Potential Anticipation of Claims: This is a very strong piece of prior art. It describes a "buddy list" system for location sharing, which is a core concept in the '705 patent. The key point of contention for an anticipation argument would be whether this application discloses the creation of temporary or "instant" buddy relationships with a defined duration, as opposed to a persistent list of friends. If it does, it could potentially anticipate the core novelty of Claim 1, Claim 10, and Claim 16.

Summary of Potential Anticipation

The independent claims of US 9,942,705 (Claims 1, 10, and 16) are centered on the concept of a server-managed, temporary, ad-hoc "instant buddy" group for mutual location sharing, initiated by one user and accepted by another for a specific duration.

While many of the cited prior art references describe general location-sharing systems, the key to a successful anticipation argument under 35 U.S.C. § 102 would be to find a single reference that discloses all the limitations of a claim. The most critical and potentially novel limitation appears to be the temporary, time-limited nature of the "instant buddy" group.

The prior art that seems most likely to be a threat to the novelty of these claims is U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2005/0245258 A1, due to its focus on a "buddy list" system for location sharing. A detailed analysis of this document would be necessary to determine if it discloses the temporary and time-bound nature of the location sharing group. The other references, while relevant to the general field, may not explicitly teach this specific combination of features.

It's important to note that this analysis is based on a review of the provided patent text and a general understanding of the cited prior art. A definitive legal opinion on the validity of the patent claims would require a more in-depth analysis by a qualified patent attorney, including a thorough review of the prosecution history and the full text of all cited references.

Obviousness Analysis of U.S. Patent No. 9,942,705 Under 35 U.S.C. § 103

This analysis identifies combinations of prior art references that would render the independent claims (1, 10, and 16) of U.S. Patent No. 9,942,705 obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art (PHOSITA) at the time of the invention. The core novelty of these claims, as highlighted in the prior art summary, centers on the creation and management of a "temporary 'instant buddy' location-sharing group" with a user-specified "duration" and "automatic termination."

Combination of Prior Art References and Motivation to Combine:

The independent claims of US 9,942,705 describe a server-managed method, system, and computer-readable medium for establishing a temporary "instant buddy" location-sharing group. This group is formed via an invitation/acceptance process, allows mutual location viewing, and automatically terminates after a specified duration. The most pertinent prior art reference for the fundamental aspects of location sharing and buddy lists is U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2005/0245258 A1 (Qualcomm).

Primary Reference:

• U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2005/0245258 A1 (Qualcomm): This reference discloses a system for managing a "buddy list" of users who have agreed to share their location information. It includes a server that handles the invitation and acceptance process for adding users to a buddy list and manages the sharing of location data among the listed buddies. The system enables users to view each other's locations, implying display on a map.

Qualcomm '258 A1 establishes the foundational elements of:

• A server managing location sharing.
• Receiving requests/invitations to form a sharing relationship.
• An acceptance mechanism.
• Receiving location data from mobile devices.
• Sending location data between devices for mutual viewing.

Missing Elements from Qualcomm '258 A1:

The key elements missing from Qualcomm '258 A1, as they pertain to the independent claims of US 9,942,705, are:

• The "temporary" nature of the location-sharing group, explicitly termed "instant buddy."
• The inclusion of a specific "duration" for the group in the request.
• The "automatic termination" of the group after the specified duration.

Secondary References and Motivation to Combine:

A PHOSITA would have been motivated to combine the core location-sharing buddy list system of Qualcomm '258 A1 with concepts related to enhanced privacy, control, and temporary access mechanisms, which were well-known in the art.

1. Motivation from User Privacy and Control:

   • U.S. Patent No. 7,433,694 B2 (T-Mobile): This patent describes a system for sharing location information with provisions for "privacy and control over who can see a user's location".
   • U.S. Patent No. 8,185,130 B2 (AT&T Mobility II LLC): This reference similarly discusses "user-defined privacy controls for location sharing".

   A PHOSITA, seeking to improve or enhance the privacy and control features of a location-sharing system like that in Qualcomm '258 A1, would naturally consider implementing time-limited access. Providing users the ability to specify a duration for location sharing (e.g., for a short meeting, a specific event, or a rescue scenario) and ensuring automatic termination after that period is a logical and desirable extension of "user-defined privacy controls." This allows users more granular control over when their location is shared, addressing the common need for temporary, rather than permanent, sharing relationships. The '705 patent itself describes use cases like a stranded motorist contacting a tow truck driver, where a temporary sharing arrangement is clearly preferable to a permanent one ("the two users . . . discuss the situation and decide to establish an Instant Buddy relationship. . . . After 24 hours, or some other time set in the Instant Buddy preference menu (timeout checked in step 142), Instant Buddies are discarded (step 144)").

2. Motivation from General Knowledge of IT Practices for Temporary Access:

   • At the time of the invention (priority date 2005), mechanisms for implementing temporary access, session timeouts, and scheduled deactivations were common knowledge and routine engineering practices across various software and network applications. Examples include temporary guest accounts, time-limited access tokens for shared resources, and scheduling software. Applying this established technical concept of "duration-based access with automatic termination" to location-sharing permissions in a buddy list system would have been an obvious design choice to meet the aforementioned privacy and practical use case motivations.

Combination Rationale and Expectation of Success:

A PHOSITA would be motivated to combine the core server-managed buddy list and location sharing system of Qualcomm '258 A1 with the principle of user-defined privacy controls and known methods for implementing temporary access or scheduled termination from general IT practices (as exemplified by T-Mobile '694 B2 or AT&T '130 B2).

The combination would involve:

1. Modifying the "invitation" or "request" mechanism in Qualcomm '258 A1 to include a field for specifying a "duration" for the location-sharing relationship.
2. Configuring the server (already present in Qualcomm '258 A1) to store this duration and initiate a timer upon acceptance of the invitation.
3. Programming the server to "automatically terminate" the location-sharing group (i.e., cease sending location updates between the devices) once the specified duration expires.

This combination would have a reasonable expectation of success. Implementing a timer and an automatic deactivation function based on a set duration is a standard programming task. The server architecture disclosed in Qualcomm '258 A1 is fully capable of managing buddy lists and associated permissions, and extending this functionality to include a time-based permission would require routine engineering without inventive effort.

Conclusion on Obviousness:

Based on the above, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art to combine the teachings of U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2005/0245258 A1 (Qualcomm) with the general knowledge of enhancing privacy through time-limited access, as supported by references like U.S. Patent No. 7,433,694 B2 (T-Mobile) or U.S. Patent No. 8,185,130 B2 (AT&T Mobility II LLC), to arrive at the invention claimed in US 9,942,705. The motivation would be to provide greater user control and privacy in location-sharing services and to accommodate practical, short-term location-sharing needs. Since the method of Claim 1 would be obvious, the system of Claim 10 (a server configured to perform the method) and the computer-readable medium of Claim 16 (instructions for the server to perform the method) would similarly be rendered obvious.