METHOD AND TOOL FOR COMMUNITY-BASED PHYSICAL LOCATION AWARENESS

• US 20080294724A1
• Filed: 05/25/2007
• Published: 11/27/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Wong, Albert T., Strong, Margaret A.
• Application Number:
  US11/753,724
• Publication Number:
  US 20080294724A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/205
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management

Abstract

A solution for enhancing awareness of physical location within a community is provided. A method may include detecting a device affiliated with a member of the community, when the device is within a specified proximity to a user; and notifying the user of the detection of the member within the specified proximity. In one embodiment, a system for applying the method is disclosed. In one application, a location awareness enhancement (e.g., community locating) program is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A method of enhancing awareness of physical location within a community, the method comprising:

detecting a device affiliated with a member of the community, when the device is within a specified proximity to a user; and

notifying the user of the detection of the member within the specified proximity.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

selecting at least one individual to be a member of the community.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the selecting includes:

opting for the at least one individual to be on a list of detectable members of the community.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

selecting the specified proximity for detection by the user.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein a plurality of the members of the community each have a device affiliated therewith.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the notifying includes displaying on a central display device of the detection of the member within the specified proximity.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the central display device is further configurable to coordinate an in-person meeting between the user and the detected member.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the community comprises a plurality of members and wherein the members each have at least one common:

employer, employment division, supervisor, membership, association, hobby, and interest.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the detecting and notifying includes using at least one selected from a group consisting of:

general packet radio service (GPRS), a code division multiple access (CDMA) protocol, radio frequency identification (RFID), a Bluetooth protocol, a subscriber identity module (SIM) card, and a smart card.

10. A system for enhancing awareness of physical location within a community, the system comprising:

a detection system for detecting a device affiliated with a member of the community, when the device is within a specified proximity to a user; and

a notification system for notifying the user of the detection of the member within the specified proximity.

11. The system of claim 10, further comprising:

a selection system for allowing selecting at least one individual to be a member of the community.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the selection system includes:

an optioning system for allowing opting for the at least one individual to be on a list of detectable members of the community.

13. The system of claim 10, further comprising:

a proximity system for allowing selecting a specified proximity for detection by the user.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein a plurality of the members of the community each have a device affiliated therewith.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the notification system includes a central display device for displaying the detection of the member within the specified proximity.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the central display device is further configurable to coordinate an in-person meeting between the user and the detected member.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein the community comprises a plurality of members and wherein the members each have at least one common:

employer, employment division, supervisor, membership, association, hobby, and interest.

18. The system of claim 10, wherein at least one of the detection system and the notification system uses at least one selected from a group consisting of:

general packet radio service (GPRS), a code division multiple access (CDMA) protocol, radio frequency identification (RFID), a Bluetooth protocol, a subscriber identity module (SIM) card, and a smart card.

19. A program product stored on a computer readable medium, which when executed, enables a computer system to enhance awareness of physical location within a community, the computer readable medium comprising program code for:

detecting a device affiliated with a member of the community, when the device is within a specified proximity to a user; and

notifying the user of the detection of the member within the specified proximity.

20. The program product of claim 19, wherein at least one of the detecting and notifying includes using at least one selected from a group consisting of:

general packet radio service (GPRS), a code division multiple access (CDMA) protocol, radio frequency identification (RFID), a Bluetooth protocol, a subscriber identity module (SIM) card, and a smart card.

21. A method for deploying an application for enhancing awareness of physical location within a community, comprising:

providing a computer infrastructure being operable to;

detect a device affiliated with a member of the community, when the device is within a specified proximity to a user; and

notify the user of the detection of the member within the specified proximity.