Community Interaction Using Mobile Communication Devices

• US 20080167015A1
• Filed: 01/08/2008
• Published: 07/10/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/08/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WECHAT INTERNATIONAL PTE. LTD.
• Original Assignee: Envio Networks Incorporated (SKYWEAVER, INC)
• Inventors: Hariharasubramani, Girish, Sundar, Rangamani, Raman, Kumar, Iyer, Prakash R., Vishwanathan, Kumar K.
• Granted Patent: US 8,160,532 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/413
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0201 Market modelling; Market analysis; Collecting market data
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0269 based on user profile or attribute
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0631 Item recommendations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1813 for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms instant messaging H04L51/04; protocols for multimedia communication H04L65/1101; arrangements for multi-party communication H04L65/403; telephonic conference arrangements H04M3/56; television conference systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2044 Group features, e.g. closed user group
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/554 Data synchronization
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/655 Combination of telephone service and social networking messaging within social networks H04L51/52
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42374 where the information is provided to a monitoring entity such as a potential calling party or a call processing server
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold

Abstract

Techniques are provided for delivering content to mobile communication devices related to interactions of members with a user community. The method involves detecting a communication session involving a mobile communication device; determining one or more context parameters associated with the communication session; and delivering content related to the context parameters to one or more mobile communication devices. Data is stored at a central computing entity that indicates association or membership of a plurality of mobile communication device users in a user community. The central computing entity detects when an action is taken by one mobile device user that is a member of the user community, and sends a notification to members of the social circle based on the detected action. These techniques allow individuals who are involved in a user community to maintain their interaction with the user community using their mobile communication devices.

Claims

1. A method for delivering content to a mobile communication device, comprising:

a. detecting a communication session involving a mobile communication device user;

b. determining one or more context parameters associated with the communication session;

c. retrieving content from one or more web sites that the mobile communication device user or another party involved in the communication sessions may have an interest; and

d. delivering the content related to the context parameters to one or more mobile communication devices.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein (d) delivering comprises sending said content to the one or more mobile communication devices that are used by the members of a user community.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein (d) delivering comprises delivering content related to an event in a user community to one or more mobile communication devices used by members of the user community.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein (d) delivering comprises delivering content related to a message to one or more mobile communication devices used by members of the user community.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein (d) delivering comprises delivering content or a link to content informing members of the user community about membership changes in the user community.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication session is a voice call between the mobile communication device user and another party or a messaging session involving the mobile communication device user, and wherein (b) detecting comprises detecting that the mobile communication device user just terminated the voice call or the mobile communication device user completed sending or receiving a message.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein retrieving comprising retrieving content comprises retrieving unread email messages for the mobile communication device user to act upon across all email accounts the mobile communication device user may have.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein retrieving comprising retrieving information from one or more on-line message boards and peer answer groups that are of interest to the mobile communication device user.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein retrieving comprises retrieving newly available digital media content from one or more digital media content portal web sites.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein retrieving comprises retrieving information about another party that is on the voice call or at the other end of a message exchange with the mobile communication device user.

11. The method of claim 6, wherein retrieving comprises retrieving information from one or more web sites to which the other party has uploaded information including his/her interests.

12. The method of claim 6, wherein retrieving comprises retrieving information or content that is determined to be of mutual interest to both the mobile communication device user and the other party with whom the mobile communication device user is on a voice call or at the other end of a message exchange with the mobile communication device user.

13. The method of claim 6, wherein retrieving comprises retrieving content from a user community web site of which both the mobile communication device user and the other party on the voice call or at the other end of a message exchange are members.

14. A method for coordinating actions of mobile communication device users that are members of a user community, comprising:

a. storing data indicating association of a plurality of mobile communication device users in a user community;

b. detecting an action that is related to the user community; and

c. sending a notification to mobile communication devices for members of the user community based on said action.

15. The method of claim 14, and further comprising responding to a request sent from a mobile communication device user that received the notification, wherein the request indicates a desire for additional information or content related to the notification.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein said storing comprises storing data for the user community that is created by mobile communication device users.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein said storing comprises storing data for the user community that is derived by monitoring activities of mobile communication device users over time.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein said detecting comprises determining that said one mobile communication device user purchases a media content or rated a media content.

19. The method of claim 14, and further comprising storing information pertaining to trivia for media assets, and wherein said detecting comprises determining that said one mobile communication device user has added trivia information related to a particular media asset, and wherein said sending comprises sending a notification to mobile communication device users that are part of a user community dedicated to trivia related to media assets.

20. The method of claim 14, and further comprising transmitting notifications to mobile communication device users that are not part of the user community, receiving responses from mobile communication device users that are not part of the user community, and storing an identifier of mobile communication device users not part of the user community that respond to the notifications.

21. The method of claim 14, wherein detecting comprises detecting that a new media asset has been added to a database, wherein the media asset is of interest to members of the user community, and said sending comprises sending to mobile communication device users that are members of the user community a notification that indicates that the media asset is available and requesting trivia information related to the media asset.

22. The method of claim 14, wherein storing comprises storing information identifying those mobile communication device users that have conducted searches for a particular genre of media content and forming a user community of mobile communication users that have conducted such searches.

23. The method of claim 14, wherein storing comprises storing data indicating association of at least one mobile communication device user to multiple user communities, and wherein sending comprises sending a notification to mobile communication devices for members of a user community using a graphical presentation that is unique to said particular user community.

24. A method of sharing information among a plurality of mobile communication device users, comprising:

a. storing data associated with a user'"'"'s selection of an item of interest while the user views information at a web site of a vendor of goods or services, wherein said storing comprises storing the data in association with an identifier for said user; and

b. sending a notification to mobile communication device users that are members of a user community to which said user is a member, wherein said notification contains information concerning the item of interest selected by the user.

25. The method of claim 24, and further comprising associating the identifier for said user with the user'"'"'s mobile communication services account.

26. The method of claim 25, and further comprising transmitting the data to the user'"'"'s mobile communication device corresponding to the user'"'"'s mobile communication services account.

27. The method of claim 24, and further comprising storing data comprising identifiers of mobile communication device users that are part of said user community, and retrieving identifiers of mobile communication device users for whom the notification is to be sent.

28. A method, comprising:

a. storing data representing a relationship with an entity that is a vendor of goods or services;

b. storing data indicating association of a plurality of mobile communication device users in a user community;

c. detecting an action by a mobile communication device user with said entity, wherein said action is related to the user community; and

d. sending a notification to mobile communication device users that are members of the user community based on said action.