Method for enabling communications dependent on user location, user-specified location or orientation
First Claim
1. A method of coupling communications between a first user and other users using a communication network, where the first and other users have user interfaces for interfacing with the network, comprising:
- receiving at a server information indicative of the location of the first user and the other users;
defining an area around the location of first user;
querying the server to determine a subset of other users located within the area; and
enabling communications between the first user and at least some of the subset of other users through their user interfaces.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for enabling communications in a wireless communications network on the basis of user-specified locations or orientations, having particular utility to vehicle-based communications. Users of the network broadcast their locations and orientations (headings) to a central server. Using his user interface, a user can specify either a location or a heading and transmit the same to the server. The server will query other system users to determine which correspond to the specified locations or orientations, and the requesting user is then permitted to contact such other users. With such functionality, a given user can, for example, be enabled to communicate with other users at or near his current location, at or near some specified distant location, or that are traveling in the same direction as the user.
60 Citations
62 Claims
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1. A method of coupling communications between a first user and other users using a communication network, where the first and other users have user interfaces for interfacing with the network, comprising:
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receiving at a server information indicative of the location of the first user and the other users;
defining an area around the location of first user;
querying the server to determine a subset of other users located within the area; and
enabling communications between the first user and at least some of the subset of other users through their user interfaces. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method of coupling a first user using a first user interface to other users in a communication network, comprising:
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receiving information indicative of the location of the first user and the other users at a server;
defining an area around the first user;
presenting a plurality of channels to the first user; and
enabling the first user to select one of the plurality of channels to allow the first user to communicate only with other users within the area that have also selected the same of the plurality of channels. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A method of defining a group in a communication network accessible by a plurality of users each using a user interface, comprising:
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allowing a first user, from his first user interface, to define the group on the basis of an area;
determining the location of other users;
allowing other users to join the group only if their determined location is within the area; and
permitting users that have joined the group to talk with the first user by pushing a button coupled to their user interface. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A method of coupling a first user using a user interface to other users, comprising:
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sending from the first user interface information indicative of a location of the first user;
presenting a plurality of channels to the first user based on the information indicative of the location of the first user; and
having the first user select one of the plurality of channels to allow the first user to communicate with other users who have joined the channel. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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37. A method of coupling communications between a first user and other users using a communication network, where the first and other users have user interfaces for interfacing with the network, comprising:
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receiving at a server information indicative of the heading of the first user and the other users;
querying the server to determine a subset of other users having substantially the same heading as the first user; and
enabling communications between the first user and at least some of the subset of other users through their user interfaces. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49)
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50. A method of coupling communications between a plurality of first user to other users using a communication network, where the first users and other users have user interfaces for interfacing with the network, comprising:
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receiving at a server information indicative of the locations and headings of the first users and the other users;
defining at least one area;
querying the server to determine a subset of other users located within the area and having substantially the same heading as the first users; and
enabling communications between the first users and at least some of the subset of other users through their user interfaces. - View Dependent Claims (51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57)
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58. A method of coupling communications between a first user and other users using a communication network having a server, where the first and other users have user interfaces for interfacing with the network, comprising:
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defining a geographic region into a plurality of cells and at least one super cell, the plurality of cells geographically located within the super cell;
establishing a first channel, the first channel associated with one of the plurality of cells;
establishing a second channel, the second channel associated with the at least one super cell;
receiving at the server information indicative of the location of the first user;
selecting one of the plurality of cells based on the information indicative of the location of the first user;
enabling communications from the first user to the server over the first channel; and
enabling communications from the server to the first user over the second channel. - View Dependent Claims (59, 60, 61, 62)
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Specification