System and method for establishing a user connection

• US 10,231,111 B2
• Filed: 07/10/2017
• Issued: 03/12/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Adam R. Berke, Daniel Ursitti
• Original Assignee: Adam R. Berke, Daniel Ursitti
• Inventors: Ursitti, Daniel, Berke, Adam R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sarwar, Babar
• Application Number:
  US15/645,313
• Publication Number:
  US 20170311367A1
• Time in Patent Office: 610 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/21 for social networking applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/04 based on user or terminal location or mobility data, e.g. moving direction, speed
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/00 User notification, e.g. alerting and paging, for incoming communication, change of service or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/12 Inter-network notification
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/14 Direct-mode setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/23 Manipulation of direct-mode connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals

Abstract

A system for providing a user connection between first and second mobile devices that includes a first software application executable on the first mobile device in communication with a server. The first mobile device includes a first geo-fence having a first radius. The software application is configured to permit a first user to send a connection request to a second user. When the second user accepts the connection request a device connection is made between the mobile devices. The second user mobile device has a second geo-fence with a second radius. When the device connection is made, an initial distance is determined between the mobile devices. The initial distance is greater than the sum of the first radius and the second radius. When the distance between the first and second mobile devices is less than the sum of the first radius and the second radius the device connection is terminated.

Claims

1. A system for providing a user connection between first and second user mobile devices, the system comprising:

a server,

a first software application executable on the first user mobile device in communication with the server,

wherein the first software application is configured to permit a user of the first user mobile device to send a connection request to a user of a second user mobile device,

wherein when the second user mobile device accepts the connection request a device connection is made between the first user mobile device and the second user mobile device,

wherein when the device connection is made, an initial distance is determined between the first user mobile device and the second user mobile device, and

wherein when the first user mobile device and the second user mobile device are a predetermined fraction of the initial distance from one another a notification is sent by the server to the first and second user mobile devices, wherein the first user mobile device includes a first geo-fence having a first radius, wherein the second user mobile device has a second geo-fence with a second radius, and wherein when the distance between the first and second user mobile devices is less than the sum of the first radius and the second radius the device connection is terminated.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising a second software application executable on the second user mobile device in communication with the server.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the fraction of the initial distance is half of the initial distance.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein after the device connection is made the server sends location information to the first and second user mobile devices, wherein the location information includes at least one of estimated time of arrival, distance until user connection and distance between the first user mobile device and the second user mobile device.

5. A computer-readable, non-transitory medium including instructions that, when executed by a source device in cooperation with a server, enables connection of the source device with a recipient device when performing the steps comprising:

generating a connection request, by a sender, using the source device, for a recipient of the recipient device to connect to the source device,

receiving the connection request at the server, wherein the server creates a connection request notification,

transmitting the connection request notification to the recipient device,

transmitting location data from the source device to the server upon acceptance of the connection request from the recipient device, wherein acceptance of the connection request establishes a device connection between the source device and the recipient device,

transmitting location data from the recipient device to the server upon acceptance of the connection request by the recipient device, wherein the server establishes an initial distance between the source device and the recipient device upon receipt of location data from the source device and the recipient device,

transmitting from the server to the recipient device and source device real-time, dynamically updated proximity detail data, wherein the proximity detail data is viewable on the recipient device and the source device,

transmitting a notification when the source device and the recipient device are within a predetermined fraction of the initial distance from one another, wherein the notification is a push notification, SMS message, text message, email or MMS message that notifies the sender and the recipient that they are a predetermined fraction of the initial distance from one another, wherein the source device includes a first geo-fence having a first radius, wherein the recipient device has a second geo-fence with a second radius, and

terminating the device connection when the distance between the source device and the recipient device is less than the sum of the first radius and the second radius.

6. The computer-readable, non-transitory medium of claim 5 wherein the connection request notification includes a customized URL link.

7. The computer-readable, non-transitory medium of claim 5 wherein the proximity detail data includes at least one of estimated time of arrival, distance until user connection or distance between the first user mobile device and the second user mobile device.

8. A computer-implemented method of providing a user connection between first and second user mobile devices, the method comprising the steps of:

transmitting a connection request, by a sender, from the first user mobile device to a server,

transmitting the connection request from the server to the second user mobile device,

wherein when the connection request is accepted by a recipient, the second user mobile device transmits to the server second user mobile device location data, wherein acceptance of the connection request establishes a device connection between the first user mobile device and the second user mobile device,

transmitting from the first user mobile device first user mobile device location data, wherein the server determines an initial distance between the first user mobile device and the second user mobile device,

transmitting proximity detail data from the server to the first and second user mobile devices, wherein the proximity detail data includes at least one of estimated time of arrival, distance until user connection or distance between the first user mobile device and the second user mobile device,

transmitting updated proximity detail data from the server to the first and second user mobile devices at predetermined intervals,

terminating the transmission of first user mobile device location data to the server when the first and second user mobile devices are within a predetermined distance of one another, and

transmitting a notification when the first user mobile device and the second user mobile device are within a predetermined fraction of the initial distance from one another, wherein the notification is a push notification, SMS message, text message, email or MMS message that notifies the first and second user mobile devices that they are a predetermined fraction of the initial distance from one another, wherein the first user mobile device includes a first geo-fence having a first radius, wherein the second user mobile device has a second geo-fence with a second radius, and

terminating the device connection when the distance between the first user mobile device and the second user mobile device is less than the sum of the first radius and the second radius.

9. The computer implemented method of claim 8 wherein the recipient can accept or reject the connection request.

10. A computer-implemented method of providing a user connection between first and second user mobile devices, the method comprising the steps of:

transmitting a location of a fixed meeting location, by a sender, from the first mobile device to the server,

transmitting a connection request, by the sender, from the first user mobile device to the server,

transmitting the connection request from the server to the second user mobile device,

wherein when the connection request is accepted by a recipient, a device connection is established and the second user mobile device transmits to the server second user mobile device location data,

transmitting from the first user mobile device location data, wherein the server determines at least a first initial distance,

transmitting proximity detail data from the server to the first and second user mobile devices, wherein the proximity detail data includes at least one of estimated time of arrival, distance until user connection, distance between the first user mobile device and the fixed meeting location, distance between the second user mobile device and the fixed meeting location or the sum of the distance between the first user mobile device and the fixed meeting location and the distance between the second user mobile device and the fixed meeting location,

transmitting updated proximity detail data from the server to the first and second user mobile devices at predetermined intervals, and

terminating the transmission of first user mobile device location data to the server when the first and second user mobile devices are within a predetermined distance of one another,

wherein the first initial distance is the sum of the distance between the first user mobile device and the fixed meeting location when the device connection is established and the distance between the second user mobile device and the fixed meeting location when the device connection is established.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the first initial distance is the distance between the first user mobile device and the fixed meeting location and a second initial distance is the second user mobile device and the fixed meeting location.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein when the sum of the distance between the first user mobile device and the fixed meeting location and the distance between the second user mobile device and the fixed meeting location is a predetermined fraction of the first initial distance a notification is transmitted to the first and second user mobile devices.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein when the distance between the first mobile device is a predetermined fraction of the first initial distance a notification is transmitted to the second user mobile device.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein when the distance between the second mobile device is a predetermined fraction of the second initial distance a notification is transmitted to the first user mobile device.