Mobile handset proximity social networking

• US 20100151887A1
• Filed: 12/14/2009
• Published: 06/17/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: xG Technology, Inc.
• Original Assignee: xG Technology, Inc.
• Inventors: Bobier, Joseph A.
• Application Number:
  US12/653,445
• Publication Number:
  US 20100151887A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/457
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information

Abstract

A system and method which allows for a more direct form of presenting useful information to a mobile handset user is disclosed. More specifically a method to facilitate social networking activated by the relative proximity of one mobile handset user to another that alerts mobile users when friends or co-workers are within a given proximity is disclosed.

Claims

1. A method for social networking between mobile phone or personal digital assistant users within a set proximity without using a base station comprising:

two or more users using a mobile phone or personal digital assistant having a social networking application software that stores information regarding friends and is capable of notifying a user of friends information;

said mobile phone or personal digital assistant transmitting beacons not processed by a base station with information regarding the identity of a user;

said mobile phone or personal digital assistant being capable of receiving said beacons when one user is within a set proximity of another user; and

,

wherein when said one user'"'"'s said mobile phone or personal digital assistant receives said beacons of said another user'"'"'s mobile phone or personal digital assistant within a set proximity said one user'"'"'s mobile phone or personal digital assistant uses said social networking application software program to parse out the identity of said another user from said beacons and to notify said one user of the identity of said another user thus letting said one user know said another user is within a set proximity and said social networking application software program displays information regarding said another user to said one user through said mobile phone or personal digital assistant'"'"'s display screen.

2. A method for social networking between mobile phone or personal digital assistant users within a set proximity by using a base station comprising:

two or more users using a mobile phone or personal digital assistant having global positioning satellite location capability and a social networking application software that stores information regarding friends and is capable of notifying a user of friends information;

said mobile phone or personal digital assistant transmitting to a base station information regarding the identity of a user and location information;

said base station transmitting the identity and location information of a user to said mobile phone or personal digital assistant of two or more users within a set proximity;

said mobile phone or personal digital assistant being capable of using said social networking application software to recognize when one user is within a set proximity of another user; and

,

wherein when said one user'"'"'s said mobile phone or personal digital assistant recognizes that one user is within a set proximity of another user said one user'"'"'s mobile phone or personal digital assistant uses said social networking application software program to notify said one user of the identity of said another user and said social networking application software program displays information regarding said another user to said one user through said mobile phone or personal digital assistant'"'"'s display screen.

3. The method for social networking between mobile phone or personal digital assistant users within a set proximity by using a base station of claim 2 wherein triangulation is used to determine location information.