Patent ID: 7831264

Claim:
A method comprising: forming, using a plurality of mobile terminals, a group including the plurality of mobile terminals, where the group travels together, and where forming the group includes: synchronizing the plurality of mobile terminals, and setting at least one tracking parameter shared by each of said plurality of mobile terminals, where the at least one tracking parameter comprises designating a leader mobile terminal; and for one of said plurality of mobile terminals: determining first position information regarding the one of said plurality of mobile terminals, transmitting the first position information to the other ones of the plurality of mobile terminals, receiving second position information from the other ones of the plurality of mobile terminals, automatically forming an alert message based on the at least one tracking parameter, the first position information, and the second position information, where the at least one tracking parameter includes a distance from the leader mobile terminal and the alert message comprises a distance alert to indicate that one or more of said plurality of mobile terminals is farther from the leader mobile terminal than said distance, where the tracking parameter further includes a group itinerary defining a plurality of destinations for the plurality of mobile terminals and a time associated with each of the destinations, and the alert message indicates that one of the plurality of mobile terminals is not at one of the plurality of destinations at the time associated with the one of the plurality of destinations, automatically providing, to a user, said first position information, said second position information, and said formed alert message, including: providing a graphical depiction of the first position information and the second position information, where the graphical depiction specifically identifies the leader mobile terminal and others of the plurality of mobile terminals, and interrupting the providing of the graphical depiction to provide the alert message, receiving a message from said other ones of the plurality of mobile terminals, where said message comprises one of an emergency message, a leader message from the leader mobile terminal, or a text message, and automatically providing the message to the user, where: said emergency message is provided before providing said alert message, said alert message is provided before providing said leader message, said leader message is provided before providing said text message, and said text message is provided before providing said first position information and said second position information.