System and method for finding people to share spontaneous activity or event in a particular geographic area

• US 20060136498A1
• Filed: 12/20/2005
• Published: 06/22/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Jonathan S. Insley
• Original Assignee: Jonathan S. Insley
• Inventors: Insley, Jonathan S.
• Application Number:
  US11/312,128
• Publication Number:
  US 20060136498A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management

Abstract

A method comprises storing a first profile of a first participant; storing a second profile of a second participant; creating for the first participant a post that details an offer of an activity to take place in a particular geographic location, the post expiring after a short time period; and searching on behalf of a second participant to find a post which is unexpired and details an offer of a desirable activity in a desirable geographic location.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

storing a first profile of a first participant;

storing a second profile of a second participant;

creating for the first participant a post that details an offer of an activity to take place in a particular geographic location, the post expiring after a short time period; and

searching on behalf of a second participant to find a post which is unexpired and details an offer of a desirable activity in a desirable geographic location.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising registering the first participant as a member.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising registering the second participant as a member.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the geographic location identifies an informal partition.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the short time period is less than a day.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the short time period is less than three days.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein

the first profile includes a first photo of the first participant,

the second profile includes a second photo of the second participant,

the photo of the first profile is maintained as public,

the photo of the second profile is maintained as private, and

in response to the first participant being contacted by the second participant, the second photo is automatically made available to the first participant.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the searching includes matching of profile information.

9. A system comprising:

means for storing a first profile of a first participant and a second profile of a second participant;

means for creating for the first participant a post that details an offer of an activity to take place in a particular geographic location, the post expiring after a short time period; and

means for searching on behalf of a second participant to find a post which is unexpired and details an offer of a desirable activity in a desirable geographic location.

10. A system comprising:

a database for storing a first profile of a first participant and a second profile of a second participant;

a posting module for creating for the first participant a post that details an offer of an activity to take place in a particular geographic location, the post expiring after a short time period; and

a searching module for searching on behalf of a second participant to find a post which is unexpired and details an offer of a desirable activity in a desirable geographic location.

11. The system of claim 10, further comprising a member sign-up module for registering the first participant as a member.

12. The system of claim 10, further comprising a member sign-up module for registering the second participant as a member.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the geographic location identifies an informal partition.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the short time period is less than a day.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the short time period is less than three days.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein

the first profile includes a first photo of the first participant,

the second profile includes a second photo of the second participant,

the first photo of the first profile is maintained as public,

the first photo of the second profile is maintained as private, and

in response to the first participant being contacted by the second participant, the user interface unlocks the second photo automatically for the first participant to view.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein the searching module matches profile information.

18. A method comprising:

partitioning a government delineated region into a set of informal partitions; and

enabling participants to search a database based on the informal partitions.

19. A method, comprising:

providing a web site with a plurality of areas, including a main meeting area, a meeting area for users presently online, and a member account area; and

providing in the main meeting area postings, to users who log in to the web site, about one or more selectable events or activities available within a particular geographic area which remain selectable for a predefined number of hours from the time a user logs in.

20. A method as in claim 19, wherein the particular geographic area defines a city zone, a city block, a neighborhood, an area delineated by a Zip code, or a combination thereof.

21. A method as in claim 19, further comprising:

providing in the meeting area for users online profile search criteria and access to profile search results obtained based on the profile search criteria, wherein the profile search criteria includes a particular geographic area defined by a city zone, a city block, a neighborhood, an area delineated by a Zip code, or a combination thereof.

22. A method as in claim 19, further comprising:

providing in the member account area a plurality of sections, including member profile section with editable fields for entry of member data, a section for posts, a search section, a lists section and a suggestions section.

23. A method as in claim 22, wherein the member profile section include space for a member photo, and allowing a member to prevent access to the member'"'"'s photo which remains hidden except in the event that such member initiates a contact with another member with a publically accessible photo and/or when both members agree to exchange photos.

24. A method as in claim 23, wherein the photos of two members are displayed side-by-side.

25. A method as in claim 22, wherein the posts are launched in the main meeting area.

26. A method as in claim 19, wherein the main meeting area includes an in-box associated with each member, the method further including sending notification to a particular member about a message in their in-box.

27. A method as in claim 26, wherein the in-box is associated with a message history.

28. A method as in claim 26, wherein each message in the in-box is linked to a member profile of the sender of such message.

29. A method as in claim 19, further providing in the main meeting area an instant messaging facility for users to meet by exchanging messages and a push/pull facility to push such members off the web site once the have met.

30. A method as in claim 22, further comprising creating posts in the member account area by prompting a member to enter spontaneous event or activity data including who, what, where and when.