Device and method for clustering a plurality of users in a mobile network

• US 20070008905A1
• Filed: 08/20/2004
• Published: 01/11/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Unify Patente GmbH & Co. KG (Atos Se)
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Berger, Michael, Seitz, Christian
• Granted Patent: US 8,520,551 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/254
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/08 User group management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/20 Master-slave selection or change arrangements

Abstract

A method clusters a plurality of users in a mobile network, according to a specific profile. Data regarding the user is allocated to each user. Data is immediately exchanged between at least two users as soon as said users are located in a predefined communication range in order to spot users with profiles having a given content.

Claims

1-25. -25. (canceled)

26. A method for clustering a plurality of users in a mobile network, comprising:

assigning each user a specific profile containing data about said user and at least one constraint;

performing a direct data interchange between at least two users as soon as they are in a specified communication zone; and

clustering users within the same communication zone, based on the data and constraints of their profiles.

27. The method according to claim 26,

wherein the communication zone is defined by forming at least one user cluster, each cluster having an initiator user and a plurality of other users.

28. The method according to claim 27,

wherein a user cluster has a size that is equal to or larger than a communication range of an individual user.

29. The method according to claim 27,

wherein for each cluster, the initiator user causes a communication topology to be formed.

30. The method according to claim 29,

wherein the communication topology is formed as a tree or ring structure.

31. The method according to claim 27, wherein

individual users are connected through a communication path that involves passing a signal through intermediate users, and

the communication path is defined to have a maximum number of intermediate users.

32. The method according to claim 27, wherein each user is assigned to a single cluster.

33. The method according to claim 32,

wherein each user decides autonomously to which cluster he belongs.

34. The method according to claim 27,

wherein the user cluster is redefined if a new user not hitherto belonging to the cluster is identified within the particular communication zone and the new user has a profile relevant to the user cluster.

35. The method according to claim 26,

wherein users with similar profiles are grouped in the same cluster.

36. The method according to claim 26,

wherein each user defines his profile and the at least one constraint, and

the constraint specifies the type of users to which the user wants to be clustered.

37. The method according to claim 26,

wherein the profiles are exchanged for analysis between users within a cluster.

38. The method according to claim 37,

wherein the profiles are exchanged by exchanging, data user-by-user.

39. The method according to claim 37,

wherein a communication topology is defined for data exchange and the profiles are exchanged according to the communication topology.

40. The method according to claim 26,

wherein users are clustered according to a common characteristic, and

each user in the cluster is informed of the common characteristic.

41. The method according to claim 26,

wherein the users communicate without the interposition of a central switching entity.

42. The method according to claim 26, wherein

an initiator user specifies attributes of desirable users,

the initiator user is clustered with the desirable users, and

the users in the cluster are identified to one another.

43. A device for clustering a plurality of users (1) in mobile networks, wherein each user (1) is assigned a specific profile (2) containing profile data and at least one constraint, data exchange taking place between at least two users (1) as soon as they are in a specified communication zone (3) in order to find users (1) with profiles (2) of a specified content, taking the constraints into account, in the specified communication zone (3).

44. A device according to claim 43,

wherein it has an interface for wireless data transfer.

45. A device according to claim 43,

wherein data is exchanged directly between two users each case.

50. A device according to claim 43 with program coding means stored on a machine-readable media.

46. A device according to one of 43,

wherein it is a mobile telecommunication terminal, a pocket PC, a portable computer or a means of transportation.

49. A device according to claim 46,

wherein the computer program is stored on a computer-readable data media.

47. A device according to one of,

wherein it has a computing unit for comparing its own profile or profile group with the profile or profile group of another user.

51. A method for clustering a plurality of users in a mobile network, comprising;

specifying attributes of desirable users, the attributes being specified at an initiator mobile terminal in an ad hoc communication network;

searching for users having the attributes specified by the initiator user;

clustering together users having the attributes specified by the initiator users, to thereby form a user cluster; and

providing the users or the user cluster with information regarding other users within the same cluster.

52. A computer readable medium storing a computer program to execute a method for clustering a plurality of users in a mobile network, the method comprising;

assigning each user a specific profile containing data about said user and at least one constraint;

performing a direct data interchange between at least two users as soon as they are in a specified communication zone; and

clustering users within the same communication zone, based on the data and constraints of their profiles

assigning each user a specific profile containing data about said user and at least one constraint.