Method and system for using a situational network

• US 10,375,759 B1
• Filed: 10/18/2018
• Issued: 08/06/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SitNet LLC
• Original Assignee: Resource Consortium Limited
• Inventors: Cona, Thomas, Igoe, Patrick T., Kravets, Leonid, Ehrlacher, Edward A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Philip B
• Application Number:
  US16/164,715
• Time in Patent Office: 292 Days
• Field of Search: 709219, 709223
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3415 Dynamic re-routing, e.g. recalculating the route when the user deviates from calculated route or after detecting real-time traffic data or accidents
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3461 Preferred or disfavoured areas, e.g. dangerous zones, toll or emission zones, intersections, manoeuvre types, segments such as motorways, toll roads, ferries
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3697 Output of additional, non-guidance related information, e.g. low fuel level G01C21/3679 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096716 where the received information does not generate an automatic action on the vehicle control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096741 where the source of the transmitted information selects which information to transmit to each vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096791 where the origin of the information is another vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/205 Indicating the location of the monitored vehicles as destination, e.g. accidents, stolen, rental
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/024 Guidance services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/50 for emergency connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

A network system for accessing situation related information is disclosed. In one embodiment, the system includes a network connection for receiving an indication of an occurrence of a situation; a situational network formed based on the occurrence of the situation, the situational network including a plurality of participant devices determined to be geographically proximate to the situation, each of the participant devices corresponding to a participant in the situational network; a second network connection for presenting a roll call query to each of the plurality of participant devices soliciting a reply related to a status of the participant; a plurality of network connections established for receiving a status response from the participant devices; and a database for aggregating the status responses from responsive participants into a roll call list.

Claims

1. A server for accessing roll call related information, the server comprising:

a network controller configured to receive an indication of an occurrence of a situation; and

a central processing unit, coupled to the network controller, configured to identify a participant device that is geographically proximate to the situation;

wherein the network controller is further configured to;

provide a roll call query to the participant device, wherein the roll call query solicits a response related to a status; and

receive a status response to the roll call query from the participant device;

wherein the central processing unit is further configured to;

generate a message board based on the indication;

aggregate the status response into a roll call list; and

provide the participant device with access to at least a portion of the roll call list via the message board.

2. The server of claim 1, wherein the central processing unit is further configured to:

update a profile of a user associated with the participant device based on the received status response; and

provide a supplemental information item to the participant device based on the profile of the user.

3. The server of claim 1, wherein:

the network controller is further configured to receive a request to access the message board from a first device that is not geographically proximate to the situation, wherein the first device is associated with a first user;

the central processing unit is further configured to identify a second user related to the first user, wherein the second user is associated with a second participant device; and

the network controller is further configured to present a portion of the roll call list to the first device, wherein the portion of the roll call list includes a status response received from the second participant device.

4. A method of accessing roll call related information:

receiving an indication of an occurrence of a situation;

identifying a participant device, wherein the participant device is determined to be geographically proximate to the situation;

providing a roll call query to the participant device, wherein the roll call query solicits a response related to a status;

generating a message board based on the indication;

receiving a status response for the roll call query;

aggregating the status response into a roll call list; and

providing the participant device with access to at least a portion of the roll call list via the message board.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

updating a profile of a user associated with the participant device based on the received status response; and

providing a supplemental information item to the participant device based on the profile of the user.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

retrieving demographic information from a profile of a user associated with the participant device; and

providing a supplemental information item to the participant device based on the demographic information.

7. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

in response to determining whether the participant device accessed the message board;

selecting from a plurality of supplemental information items, a supplemental information item relevant to users that reside near a location of the situation; and

providing the supplemental information item to the participant device.

8. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

in response to determining whether the participant device accessed the message board;

selecting from a plurality of supplemental information items, a supplemental information item relevant to users that that do not reside near a location of the situation; and

providing the supplemental information item to the participant device.

9. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

identifying a supplier that is geographically proximate to the participant device; and

providing a supplemental information item associated the supplier.

10. The method of claim 4, further comprising updating a profile of a user associated with the participant device based on the determination that the participant device is geographically proximate to the situation.

11. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

receiving a request to access the message board from a first device that is not geographically proximate to the situation, wherein the first device is associated with a first user;

identifying a second user related to the first user, wherein the second user is associated with a second participant device; and

presenting a portion of the roll call list to the first device, wherein the portion of the roll call list includes a status response received from the second participant device.

12. The method of claim 4, further comprises:

receiving, from a first device, a second status response that comprises a second status for a user not associated with the first device; and

updating the message board to display the received second status.

13. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

determining a location associated with the device; and

providing a supplemental information item to the participant device based on the determined location.

14. A method of accessing roll-call information, the method comprising:

transmitting, by a participant device, a location of the participant device, wherein the location is geographically proximate to a location of a situation;

receiving, by the participant device, a roll call query, wherein the roll call query solicits a response related to a status; and

receiving access to a message board generated based on an indication of an occurrence of the situation, wherein receiving access to the message board comprises;

receiving at least a portion of a roll-call list that aggregates status responses from responsive participant devices.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising in response to receiving the roll call query, transmitting a status response.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising receiving, at the participant device, a supplemental information item that was targeted, based on the status response, to a user associated with the participant device.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the supplemental information item was targeted based on demographic information of the user associated with the participant device.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the supplemental information item was targeted based on a determination that the user associated with the participant device resides near the location of the situation.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the supplemental information item was targeted based on a determination that the user associated with the participant device does not reside near the location of the situation.

20. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

transmitting, by the participant device, a second status response that comprises a second status for a user not associated with the participant device.