Methods, systems, and computer program products for providing location based subscription services

• US 20070135138A1
• Filed: 12/13/2005
• Published: 06/14/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Gandhi, Shruti, Lagarde, Konrad, Brown, Michael, Rogers, Richard, Ramirez, Jessica, Halim, Salim
• Application Number:
  US11/302,854
• Publication Number:
  US 20070135138A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.300
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information

Abstract

Methods, systems, and computer program products for providing location based subscription services. The methods include receiving a geographic location of a user. The user is subscribed to an on-line community if the on-line community specifies a community location that is within a distance of the geographic location of the user, and the user is not currently subscribed to the on-line community. The user is un-subscribed from the on-line community if the community location is not within the distance of the geographic location of the user and the user is currently subscribed to the on-line community. Embodiments further include computer program products for implementing the methods.

Claims

1. A method for providing location based subscription services, the method comprising:

receiving a geographic location of a user;

subscribing the user to an on-line community if the on-line community specifies a community location that is within a distance of the geographic location of the user, and the user is not currently subscribed to the on-line community; and

un-subscribing the user from the on-line community if the community location is not within the distance of the geographic location of the user and the user is currently subscribed to the on-line community.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving a preference associated with the user, wherein the user is subscribed to the on-line community if a subject of the on-line community matches the preference associated with the user, if the on-line community specifies a community location that is within the distance of the geographic location of the user, and the user is not currently subscribed to the on-line community.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising accessing information about the geographic location based on the preference associated with the user.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising transmitting the information to the user.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein the preference includes one or more of a hobby, a business interest, a restaurant type, a restaurant name, a store type, and a store name.

6. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

receiving a future geographic location of the user;

accessing information about the future geographic location based on the preference associated with the user; and

transmitting the information about the future geographic location to the user.

7. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

receiving a future geographic location of the user;

creating a map including a path from the geographic location of the user to the future geographic location of the user;

accessing information about geographic locations along the path based on the preference associated with the user; and

transmitting the information about the geographic locations along the path to the user.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising accessing information about the geographic location.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising transmitting the information to the user.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving a request from the user to create a new on-line community; and

creating the new on-line community in response to the request, the creating including specifying a geographic location.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the creating further includes specifying a subject of the new on-line community.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the distance is specified by the user.

13. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving a future geographic location of the user;

accessing information about the future geographic location; and

transmitting the information about the future geographic location to the user.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising transmitting a request to a calendar system for the future geographic location of the user, wherein the receiving a future geographic location of the user is in response to transmitting the request the calendar

15. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving a future geographic location of the user;

creating a map including a path from the geographic location of the user to the future geographic location of the user;

accessing information about geographic locations along the path; and

transmitting the information about the geographic locations along the path to the user.

16. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving a future geographic location of the user; and

notifying on-line communities at the future geographic location that the user will be arriving at the future geographic location.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein members of the on-line community transmit and receive messages from other member of the on-line community.

18. A system for providing location based subscription services, the system comprising:

a processor; and

computer instructions executing on the processor for facilitating;

receiving a geographic location of a user;

receiving a preference associated with the user;

subscribing the user to an on-line community if the on-line community specifies a community location that is within a distance of the geographic location of the user, and the user is not currently subscribed to the on-line community; and

un-subscribing the user from the on-line community if the community location is not within the distance of the geographic location of the user and the user is currently subscribed to the on-line community.

19. The system of claim 18 further comprising receiving a preference associated with the user, wherein the user is subscribed to the on-line community if a subject of the on-line community matches the preference associated with the user, if the on-line community specifies a community location that is within the distance of the geographic location of the user, and the user is not currently subscribed to the on-line community.

20. A computer program product for providing location based subscription services, the computer program product comprising:

a storage medium readable by a processing circuit and storing instructions for execution by the processing circuit for facilitating a method comprising;

receiving a geographic location of a user;

subscribing the user to an on-line community if the on-line community specifies a community location that is within a distance of the geographic location of the user, and the user is not currently subscribed to the on-line community; and

un-subscribing the user from the on-line community if the community location is not within the distance of the geographic location of the user and the user is currently subscribed to the on-line community.