LOCAL MAP CHAT

• US 20090254840A1
• Filed: 04/04/2008
• Published: 10/08/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: R2 Solutions LLC (Acacia Research Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Yahoo! Inc. (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: O'SULLIVAN, Joseph, GOODMAN, Elizabeth, CHURCHILL, Elizabeth F.
• Granted Patent: US 8,312,380 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/753
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• 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 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]

Abstract

Information communication technology operable to provide users with a means for sharing information and comments is disclosed. The information communication technology provides a means for participants to place chat comments on an interactive graphic such as a dynamically rendered map that participants can track, edit and collaboratively work with in order to decide on a suitable meeting location.

Claims

1. A graphical information communication system, comprising logic for:

providing an interactive graphic suitable for presentation on a webpage display;

receiving a first text string from a first user who is one of a plurality of users, wherein the first text string is associated with a first location on the interactive graphic; and

providing the first text string from the first user for presentation at the first location on the interactive graphic.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the interactive graphic comprises a map.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the interactive graphic comprises a photograph.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising logic for receiving a second text string from a second user who is one of the plurality of users in response to receiving the first text string from the first user, wherein the second text string is associated with a second location on the interactive graphic.

5. The system of claim 4, further comprising logic for providing the second text string from the second user for presentation on the interactive graphic at or near the second location on the interactive graphic with which the second text string is associated.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein the first location is different from the second location.

7. The system of claim 4, wherein the first and second locations are the same.

8. The system of claim 4, further comprising a chat database for storing the first text string from the first user and the second text string from the second user.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising logic for inviting a user from the plurality of users to participate in a conversation.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising logic for receiving the first location on the interactive graphic from at least one of the users.

11. The system of claim 1, further comprising logic for presenting a chat bubble on the interactive graphic.

12. The system of claim 11, further comprising an instant message bubble generator module operable for generating the chat bubble.

13. The system of claim 12, further comprising an instant message spooler module operable for providing instant messages to the instant message bubble generator module.

14. The system of claim 1, further comprising a map information page generator module operable for presenting the interactive graphic on a webpage.

15. The system of claim 1, further comprising a database operable for storing the interactive graphic.

16. The system of claim 1, further comprising a local information database operable for storing local'"'"'s recommendations.

17. The system of claim 16, further comprising a search results database operable for storing search results pertaining to the local information database.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein the interactive graphic is dynamically rendered.

19. A method for map information communication, the method comprising:

receiving a first text string from a first user who is one of a plurality of users;

receiving a first location on a graphic for the first text string from the first user; and

providing the first text string for presentation on an interface at the first location on the graphic.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising receiving a second text string from a second user who is one of the plurality of users in response to receiving the first text string from the first user.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising retrieving the first text string and the second text string from earlier text strings in relation to earlier first and second locations on the graphic respectively.

22. The method of claim 19, further comprising inviting a user from the plurality of users to participate in providing a second text string relative to the first location.

23. The method of claim 21, further comprising receiving the second text string relative to the first location.

24. The method of claim 21, further comprising receiving the second text string relative to a second location.

25. The method of claim 19, wherein the interactive graphic is dynamically rendered.

26. A computer-readable medium comprising program code for graphical information communication, the program code for:

receiving a first text string from a first user who is one of a plurality of users;

receiving a location for the first text string from the first user; and

providing the first text string for presentation on a webpage at a location on an interactive graphic in a relation to the location.

27. The computer-readable medium of claim 26, further comprising program code for receiving a second text string from a second user who is one of the plurality of users in response to receiving the first text string.

28. The computer-readable medium of claim 27, further comprising program code for providing the second text string from the second user for presentation on the webpage at or near the location on the interactive graphic.

29. The computer-readable medium of claim 26, wherein the interactive graphic is dynamically rendered.

30. An interface for presentation on a webpage, the interface comprising:

an interactive graphic of an area of interest operable for presentation of conversational commentaries in relation to locations on the interactive graphic; and

a plurality of commentary submission areas for input of the conversational commentaries.

31. The interface of claim 30, further comprising, a recommendation area for presenting reviews.

32. The interface of claim 30, further comprising, an invite button operable to invite at least one user from a plurality of users to participate in the conversational commentaries.

33. The interface of claim 30, further comprising, a user icon area for presenting a list of users.

34. The interface of claim 30, further comprising, a chat log area for presenting a list of earlier commentaries in the relation to locations on the interactive graphic.

35. The interface of claim 34, wherein the list of earlier commentaries is operable to be viewed by a user.

36. The interface of claim 35, wherein the list of earlier commentaries comprise commentaries pertaining to a plurality views of the interactive graphic.

37. The interface of claim 30, wherein the interactive graphic is dynamically rendered.

38. The interface of claim 30, wherein the conversational commentaries comprise video data.

39. The interface of claim 30, wherein the conversational commentaries comprise audio data.

40. The interface of claim 30, wherein the conversational commentaries comprise text data.