System and method for managing group communications

• US 20090233639A1
• Filed: 11/17/2008
• Published: 09/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Disney Enterprises Incorporated (The Walt Disney Company)
• Original Assignee: Disney Enterprises Incorporated (The Walt Disney Company)
• Inventors: Watson, Scott, Shively, Orrin J., Gilbert, Jonathan, Swirsky, Robert, Brown, Ben, Santana, Armando
• Granted Patent: US 8,428,635 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/519
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1822 Conducting the conference, e.g. admission, detection, selection or grouping of participants, correlating users to one or more conference sessions, prioritising transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1831 Tracking arrangements for later retrieval, e.g. recording contents, participants activities or behavior, network status
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication

Abstract

Provided is a system for managing group communications. The system comprises a communications server accessible by a group of users having a first mobile communication device and a second mobile communication device; a local services network interactively connected to the communications server; a group management application resident on the communications server, the group management application configured to activate a group communication session corresponding to an identification code assigned to the group, to support communications among the first mobile communication device, the second mobile communication device, and the local services network during the group session, and to terminate the group session after a predetermined time interval; the system designed to manage and distribute communications across the members of the group during the group communication session.

Claims

1. A system for managing group communications, the system comprising:

a communications server accessible by a group of users having a first mobile communication device and a second mobile communication device;

a local services network interactively connected to the communications server;

a group management application resident on the communications server, the group management application configured to activate a group communication session corresponding to an identification code assigned to the group, to support communications among the first mobile communication device, the second mobile communication device, and the local services network during the group session, and to terminate the group session after a predetermined time interval;

the system designed to manage and distribute communications across the members of the group during the group communication session.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the group communications managed by the system comprise a communication originating from a group administrator.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the group management application is configured to support communications via short message service (SMS) text messaging.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the group management application is configured to support communications via email.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising a group communication control software capable of being downloaded to the first mobile communication device and the second mobile communication device;

the group communication control software configured to enable communication among the communications server, the local services network, and the group including the first mobile communication device and the second mobile communication device over a local area network (LAN).

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the LAN comprises a Wi-Fi network.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the LAN comprises a Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX) network.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the system is implemented to manage group communications at a venue corresponding to the local services network.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the venue comprises a theme park.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the venue comprises a destination resort.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the group message originates from a second mobile communication device assigned to the group.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the group message originates from a group administrator.

11. A method for managing group communications, the method comprising:

receiving a group identification code sent from a first mobile communication device;

authenticating activation of a group communication session corresponding to the group identification code;

assigning the first mobile communication device to a group of users corresponding to the group identification code;

sending a confirmation message to the first mobile communication device;

receiving a group message for distribution to the group of users using a plurality of mobile communication devices including the first mobile communication device;

disseminating the group message to the plurality of mobile communication devices including the first mobile communication device; and

terminating the group communication session after a predetermined time interval.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the group message comprises a short message service (SMS) text message.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the group message comprises an email message.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising providing a group communication control software capable of being downloaded to the first mobile communication device;

the group communication control software configured to enable communication among a communications server, a local services network, and the group over a local area network (LAN).

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the LAN is one of a Wi-Fi network, a Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX) network, and a Bluetooth network.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the method is implemented to manage group communications at a venue.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the venue comprises a theme park.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the venue comprises a destination resort.