Geofencing of obvious geographic locations and events

• US 10,574,614 B2
• Filed: 04/20/2017
• Issued: 02/25/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PicPocket-Labs, Inc.
• Original Assignee: PicPocket-Labs, Inc.
• Inventors: Gauglitz, Wolfram K., LeBeau, Joshua M., McDonald, Paul A., Devaraj, Shanmugapriyan
• Primary Examiner(s): Williams, Clayton R
• Application Number:
  US15/493,043
• Publication Number:
  US 20170222962A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,041 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0252 based on events or environment, e.g. weather or festivals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0255 based on user history
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 Wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0621 Item configuration or customization
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/222 using geographical location information, e.g. messages transmitted or received in proximity of a certain spot or area
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/52 for supporting social networking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34
• 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 4/022 with dynamic range variability
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/21 for social networking applications

Abstract

A system for aggregating media is provided which includes a server equipped with a processor and memory and having an event database associated with it which contains a plurality of events, wherein each of the plurality of events has a temporal window and geofence associated with it; and a plurality of users, each having associated therewith a mobile technology platform equipped with a display and a memory which communicates with the server. The memory of each mobile technology platform has an instance of a software application is installed which monitors the current location of the user, prompts the user to check into events present in the event database when the user enters a geofence associated with an event within the temporal window associated with the event, associates, with one of the plurality of events, media which was captured by the user while the user was checked into the one of the plurality of events and within the temporal window and geofence associated with the one of the plurality of events, and uploads the captured media to the server.

Claims

1. A method for associating media with an event, comprising:

providing software, instances of which are installed on each of a plurality of mobile technology platforms, wherein each mobile technology platform is associated with one of a plurality of users, wherein each mobile technology platform is equipped with a display and is further equipped with a memory device in which an instance of said software is installed, and wherein said software (a) monitors a current location of the mobile technology platform, and (b) captures media in response to at least one command input by a user;

creating an event database containing a plurality of events, wherein each of the plurality of events has a temporal window and geofence associated with it;

receiving, from a one of said plurality of users, a request to modify an instance of media captured on the mobile technology platform associated with the one of said plurality of users;

ascertaining whether the one of said plurality of users is attending one of said plurality of events by (a) comparing the current location of the mobile technology platform associated with the one of said plurality of users with the geofence associated with the one of said plurality of events and (b) comparing a current time with the temporal window associated with the one of said plurality of events; and

if the one of said plurality of users is attending the one of said plurality of events, then (a) creating a modified version of the instance of media, and (b) providing the one of said plurality of users with the modified version of the instance of media.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein associating a temporal window and geofence with one of the each of the plurality of events includes receiving input from a first user which specifies the temporal window to be associated with the one of the each of the plurality of events.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein associating a temporal window and geofence with the each of the plurality of events includes receiving input from the first user which specifies the geofence to be associated with the each of the plurality of events.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein each received request to create an event is generated by an instance of a first software application which is associated with a user making the request.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said software further (c) associates each instance of captured media with the time and location at which the media was captured.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of mobile technology platforms is a hand-held device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of mobile technology platforms is a mobile phone.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein at least some of each of said plurality of mobile technology platforms are camera-watches.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of events has a temporal window associated with it.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said captured media is selected from the group consisting of images, video and audio.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of users is a member of a social network which uses a software application to share media pertaining to events.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein media pertaining to events is shared over a website associated with the social network.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein each of the plurality of users has an account.

14. A method for associating media with an event, comprising:

providing software, instances of which are installed on each of a plurality of mobile technology platforms, wherein each mobile technology platform is associated with one of a plurality of users, wherein each mobile technology platform is equipped with a display and is further equipped with a memory device in which an instance of said software is installed, wherein said software (a) monitors a current location of each mobile technology platform, and (b) captures media in response to at least one command input by a user, and wherein said plurality of mobile technology platforms includes a first mobile technology platform;

defining a geofence;

defining a temporal window;

creating a media template;

detecting a presence, within said geofence and during said temporal window, of said first mobile technology platform;

in response to the detection of the presence of said first mobile technology platform within said geofence and during said temporal window, displaying the media template on the display of said first mobile technology platform;

in response to the selection, by a user of said first mobile technology platform, of the media template and of an instance of media captured by said first mobile technology platform, applying the media template to the instance of captured media, thereby creating a modified version of the captured media; and

displaying the modified version of the captured media on the display of the first mobile technology platform.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein uploading the media template to said first mobile technology platform occurs in response to the detection of the presence of said first mobile technology platform within said geofence and during said temporal window.

16. A method for associating media with an event, comprising:

providing software, instances of which are installed on each of a plurality of mobile technology platforms, wherein each mobile technology platform is associated with one of a plurality of users, wherein each mobile technology platform is equipped with a display and is further equipped with a memory device in which an instance of said software is installed, and wherein said software (a) monitors a current location of each mobile technology platform, and (b) captures media in response to at least one command input by a user;

creating an event database containing a plurality of events, wherein each of the plurality of events in the event database has a temporal window and geofence associated with it;

determining whether one of said plurality of users is attending one of said plurality of events by (a) comparing the location of one of the each of the plurality of mobile technology platforms associated with the one of said plurality of users with the geofence associated with the one of the plurality of events and (b) comparing a current time with the temporal window associated with the one of the plurality of events;

if the one of said plurality of users is determined to be at the one of said plurality of events, then sending, to a mobile technology platform associated with the one of said plurality of users, a template associated with the event;

receiving a request from the one of said plurality of users to apply the template to at least one instance of media captured by the user; and

in response to the request, applying the template to the at least one instance of media captured by the user, thereby generating a modified version of the at least one instance of media captured by the user.