Patent ID: 8068847

Claim:
A method for notifying a person of a separation between the person and a cellular telephone, comprising: a processor executing a notification application, a location determining application, and a presence application; the notification application receiving physical location information for the cellular telephone from the location determining application; the notification application receiving presence information from the presence application, wherein the presence information includes an approximate location for the person, wherein to generate the presence information the presence application: receiving an electronic event; determining that the electronic event pertains to the person; determining an approximate physical location of the electronic event; inferring that the person is located at the approximate physical location; providing the approximate physical location as presence information; the notification application comparing the physical location information for the cellular telephone and the approximate location for the person derived from the presence information; the notification application determining if the physical location information for the cellular telephone and the approximate location for the person is different; the notification application calculating the separation between the physical location information for the cellular telephone and the approximate location for the person; the notification application comparing the separation to a predetermined distance; when the separation is greater than the predetermined distance, the notification application determining that the person and the cellular telephone are separated; and in response to determining that the person and the cellular telephone are separated, the notification application communicating with a secondary communication device to notify the person of the separation wherein the secondary communication device is in a vicinity of the person.