Method and system for selective wireless communication

• US 20050170845A1
• Filed: 02/04/2004
• Published: 08/04/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: M-Systems Flash Disk Pioneers Ltd. (Western Digital Corporation)
• Inventors: Moran, Dov
• Granted Patent: US 7,398,081 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.100
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2745 using static electronic memories, e.g. chips
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/27453 Directories allowing storage of additional subscriber data, e.g. metadata
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2746 Sorting, e.g. according to history or frequency of use
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/10 including a GPS signal receiver
• 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 4/08 User group management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/186 Processing of subscriber group data

Abstract

Methods, devices and systems for wireless communication. A device user defines a list of contacts and receives a collective indication of which contacts are located within a neighborhood of the device. The neighborhood is defined at the device, for example by the device itself or by the user. A plurality of device users define respective user profiles including user attributes. One of the users defines a target attribute, and receives an indication of which other users that have that attribute have devices in the first user'"'"'s neighborhood. The devices communicate among themselves either indirectly, for example via cellular base stations, or directly.

Claims

1. A method of communication by a user of a first wireless device, comprising the steps of:

(a) defining a contact list that includes at least one contact name;

(b) defining a neighborhood of the first wireless device, said defining being effected at the first wireless device; and

(c) indicating which of said at least one contact name is associated with a respective other wireless device located within said neighborhood.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said defining of said neighborhood is effected by the user.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said defining of said neighborhood is effected by steps including defining a radius of said neighborhood.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said defining of said neighborhood is effected by steps including defining a minimum received signal strength.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

(d) if one of said at least one contact name is associated with a respective other wireless device located within said neighborhood;

communicating with said other wireless device, by the user of the first wireless device.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said communication is direct.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein said communication is indirect.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said contact list includes, for at least one of said at least one contact name, at least one respective attribute;

wherein the method further comprises the step of;

(d) defining a target attribute, by the user;

and wherein said indicating also indicates whether said target attribute is among said at least one respective attribute of said at least one contact name that is associated with said respective other wireless device located within said neighborhood.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein only said at least one contact name, that is associated with said respective other wireless device located within said neighborhood and that has said target attribute among said at least one respective attribute thereof, is indicated.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

(d) for at least one of said at least one contact name that is associated with a respective other wireless device located within said neighborhood;

indicating a geographical location of said respective other wireless device.

11. A method of communication by a plurality of users of respective wireless devices, comprising the steps of:

(a) defining a respective user profile for each user, at least one said user profile including at least one user attribute;

(b) defining a target attribute, by one of the users;

(c) defining a neighborhood of the respective wireless device of said one user, said defining being effected at the respective wireless device of said one user; and

(d) indicating to said one user which of the respective wireless devices of the other users, whose respective user profiles include said target attribute among said user attributes thereof, are within said neighborhood.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said defining of said neighborhood is effected by said one user.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said defining of said neighborhood is effected by steps including defining a radius of said neighborhood.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein said defining of said neighborhood is effected by steps including defining a minimum received signal strength.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of:

(e) if a respective wireless device of another user, whose respective profile includes said target attribute, is within said neighborhood;

communicating with said other user, by said one user.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of:

(e) for at least one of said respective wireless devices of the other users whose respective user profiles include said target attribute among said user attributes thereof and that are within said neighborhood;

indicating a geographical location of said at least one respective wireless device.

17. A wireless communication device, comprising:

(a) a transceiver for communicating with other wireless devices;

(b) a contact list memory for storing a contact list that includes at least one contact name;

(c) a mechanism for defining a neighborhood of the wireless communication device; and

(d) a mechanism for indicating which of said at least one contact name is associated with a respective said other wireless device located within said neighborhood.

18. The wireless communication device of claim 17, further comprising:

(e) a mechanism for setting up a piconet that includes the wireless communication device and said respective other wireless device that is located within said neighborhood.

19. The wireless communication device of claim 17, further comprising:

(e) a navigation mechanism for determining a location of the wireless communication device.

20. The wireless communication device of claim 17, further comprising:

(e) a mechanism for indicating, for at least one of said at least one contact name that is associated with a respective said other wireless device located within said neighborhood, a geographical location of said respective other wireless device.

21. A system for wireless communication, comprising:

(a) a plurality of wireless communication devices of claim 17;

and

(b) at least one base station for managing wireless communication among said wireless communication devices.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein at least one said base station includes a mechanism for determining respective geographical locations of said wireless communication devices.

23. The system of claim 21, wherein each said wireless communication device includes a respective navigation mechanism for determining a respective geographical location of said each wireless communication device.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein each said navigation mechanism also is operative to inform said at least one base station of said respective geographical location of said respective wireless communication device.

25. The wireless communication device of claim 17, wherein with at least one said at least one contact name is associated at least one respective attribute;

wherein the wireless communication device further comprises;

(e) a mechanism for defining a target attribute;

and wherein said mechanism for indicating which of said at least one contact name is associated with said respective other wireless device, that is located within said neighborhood, also indicates, for each said contact name with which is associated said at least one respective attribute, whether said target attribute is among said at least one respective attribute that is associated with said at least one contact name.

26. The wireless communication device of claim 25, wherein only said at least one contact name, that is associated with said respective other wireless device and that has said target attribute among said at least one respective attribute thereof, is indicated.

27. A system for wireless communication, comprising:

(a) a plurality of wireless communication devices of claim 17;

and

(b) at least one user profile memory for storing, for each said wireless communication device, a respective user profile;

wherein at least one said user profile includes at least one respective user attribute; and

wherein for each said wireless communication device;

if said respective other wireless device is another of said plurality of wireless communication devices, and if said respective user profile of said respective other wireless device includes said at least one respective user attribute;

then said mechanism, of said each wireless communication device, for indicating which of said at least one contact name is associated with said other wireless communication device, indicates whether said target attribute is among said at least one respective user attribute of said respective user profile of said respective other wireless communication device.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein only said at least one contact name, whose said other wireless communication device has said target attribute among said at least one respective user attribute of said respective user profile thereof, is indicated.

29. The system of claim 27, wherein each said wireless communication device includes a respective one of said at least one user profile memory, said respective user profile of said each wireless communication device being stored in said respective user profile memory of said each wireless communication device.

30. The system of claim 27, further comprising:

(c) at least one base station, for managing communication among said wireless communication devices, and including said at least one user profile memory.

31. A wireless communication device, comprising:

(a) a transceiver for communicating with other wireless devices;

(b) a mechanism for defining a neighborhood of the wireless communication device;

(c) a mechanism for defining a target attribute; and

(d) a display mechanism for indicating whether a respective said other wireless device, of a user who has said target attribute, is located within said neighborhood.

32. The wireless communication device of claim 31, further comprising:

(e) a mechanism for setting up a piconet that includes the wireless communication device and said respective other wireless device that is located within said neighborhood.

33. The wireless communication device of claim 31, further comprising:

(e) a navigation mechanism for determining a location of the wireless communication device.

34. The wireless communication device of claim 31, further comprising:

(e) a mechanism for indicating, for at least one of said respective other wireless devices that are located within said neighborhood, a geographical location of said at least one respective other wireless device.

35. A system for wireless communication, comprising:

(a) a plurality of wireless communication devices of claim 31;

and

(b) at least one base station for managing wireless communication among said wireless communication devices.

36. The system of claim 35, wherein said base station includes a mechanism for determining respective locations of said wireless communication devices.

37. The system of claim 35, wherein each said wireless communication device includes a navigation mechanism for determining a respective location of said each wireless communication device and informing said at least one base station of said respective location.

38. A system for wireless communication, comprising:

(a) a plurality of wireless communication devices of claim 31;

and

(b) at least one user profile memory for storing, for each said wireless communication device, a respective user profile;

wherein at least one said user profile includes at least one respective user attribute;

and wherein, for each said wireless communication device;

if said respective other wireless device is another of said plurality of wireless communication devices, and if said respective user profile of said respective other wireless device includes said at least one respective user attribute;

then said display mechanism of said each wireless communication device indicates that said respective other wireless device is located within said neighborhood if said target attribute is among said at least one respective user attribute of said respective user profile of said respective other wireless communication device.

39. The system of claim 38, wherein each said wireless communication device includes a respective one of said at least one user profile memory, said respective user profile of said each wireless communication device being stored in said respective user profile memory of said each wireless communication device.

40. The system of claim 38, further comprising:

(c) at least one base station, for managing communication among said wireless communication devices, and including said at least one user profile memory.