Location-Based and Time Control-Based Interactive Information Group and Distribution Platform

• US 20110035384A1
• Filed: 08/09/2010
• Published: 02/10/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Yuheng Qiu
• Original Assignee: Yuheng Qiu
• Inventors: Qiu, Yuheng
• Granted Patent: US 8,271,529 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/748
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]

Abstract

An information group is disclosed for enabling user to retrieve and modify information and interact with other user. An information group is defined by three attributes as location, time span and topic. User has to meet requirement on an information group'"'"'s location and time span attributes in order to interact with information stored inside information group and communicate with other users inside the same information group. Information group dynamically adjusts its location and life span attributes based on its interaction with user. When multiple information groups are available to a user, they are ranked based on their location attribute and user information and presented to user in the ranked order. Several applications enabled by our invention are disclosed, including but not limited to transportation sharing, connecting users that share a common interests, event signing up, or service or product promotion.

Claims

1. ) A method of creating, or providing access to, or hosting at least one information group in the format of online user community, or forum, or trading platform. One information group is uniquely identified by topic, geographical location, and time span attributes,

where geographical location attribute of an information group is defined as at least one particular geographical region that is defined as a geographical point and a surrounding area around that geographical point;

and where time span attribute of an information group is defined as the time between a starting point in time and an ending point in time. The starting point has to be a specific time, defined in either local time or universal time. The ending point can be either a specific time, defined in either local time or universal time, or an indefinite time instance,

and where user can login at least one information group if;

the time instance of user login is inside the time span of the community, and the time difference between the moment of user login and ending point in time is longer than a pre-defined time threshold; and

if user can prove he/she is located at the same geographical location specified by that community at the time of login and during the time that he/she remains in the community;

where information group has at least one content section, summarized by its topic attribute;

and where successfully logged-in user can retrieve, modify, delete, and create information stored inside information group content section,

and where successfully logged-in user can communicate with other users who are also in the same information group,

and where the value of geographical location or time span attributes of an information group will dynamically change based on its users'"'"' activity.

2. ) The claim of 1), where the topic attribute and content section of the information group relates to the geographical location attribute of the information group.

3. ) The claim of 1), where the topic attribute and content section of an information group is about sharing transportation resource.

4. ) The claim of 1), where the topic attribute and content section of an information group is about finding other user with certain types of needs or interests or can provide certain types of services.

5. ) The claim of 1), where the topic attribute and content section of an information group is about signing-on, or checking-in or adding user to sign up sheet or waiting list, for services, or activities, or events, or conferences, or meetings.

6. ) The claim of 1), where the topic attribute and content section of an information group is about promoting certain types of goods or services;

or offering incentive, in the format of coupon, or credit, or rebate.

7. ) The claim of 1), where an information group is created by specifying the value for its topic, geographical location, and time span attribute;

or by copying attribute values from other existing information groups.

8. ) The claim of 1), where the value of an information group'"'"'s geographical location or time span attribute dynamically changes based on patterns or statistics regarding user login or user staying duration inside the information group.

9. ) The claim of 1), where the value of an information group'"'"'s geographical location or time span attribute dynamically changes based on patterns or statistics regarding user retrieving, or modifying, or deleting, or creating information stored in the content section of the information group.

10. ) The claim of 1), where the value of an information group'"'"'s geographical location or time span attribute dynamically changes based on patterns or statistics regarding user leaving feedback regarding content section of the information group.

11. ) The claim of 1), where the value of an information group'"'"'s geographical location or time span attribute dynamically changes based on patterns or statistics regarding user communicating with other users through the information group.

12. ) The claim of 1), where the value of an information group'"'"'s geographical location or time span attribute dynamically changes based on patterns or statistics regarding user using the value of geographical location or time span or topic attribute of the information group to create other information groups.

13. ) The claim of 1), where the value of an information group'"'"'s geographical location or time span attributes dynamically changes based on patterns or statistics regarding user searching for the information group based on its topic attribute value.

14. ) A method of ranking multiple information groups, where each information group is in the format of online user community, or forum, or trading platform, and is uniquely identified by topic, geographical location, and time span attributes,

where geographical location attribute of an information group is defined as at least one particular geographical region that is defined as a geographical point and a surrounding area around that geographical point;

and where time span attribute of an information group is defined as the time between a starting point in time and an ending point in time. The starting point has to be a specific time, defined in either local time or universal time. The ending point can be either a specific time, defined in either local time or universal time, or an indefinite time instance,

and where user can login at least one information group if;

the time instance of user login is inside the time span of the community, and the time difference between the moment of user login and ending point in time is longer than a pre-defined time threshold; and

if user can prove he/she is located at the same geographical location specified by that community at the time of login and during the time that he/she remains in the community;

where information group has at least one content section, summarized by its topic attribute;

and where successfully logged-in user can retrieve, modify, delete, and create information stored inside information group content section,

and where successfully logged-in user can communicate with other users who are also in the same information group,

and where the value of geographical location or time span attributes of an information group will dynamically change based on its users'"'"' activity.

15. ) The claim of 14), where the criteria used for ranking multiple information groups is based on a function F that takes at least one input attribute, and where one of the input attributes is the distance(s) from the user to the geographical central point(s) of the information group.

16. ) The claim of 14), where the criteria used for ranking multiple information groups is based on a function F that takes at least one input attribute, and where one of the input attributes is the distance(s) from the farthest point covered by the geographical region(s) attribute of the corresponding information group to its central point(s).

17. ) The claim of 14), where the criteria used for ranking multiple information groups is based on a function F that takes at least one input attribute, and where one of the input attributes is the number of unique users that have either logged in or interacted with the information group in a certain time period in the past.

18. ) The claim of 14), where the criteria used for ranking multiple information groups is based on a function F that takes at least one input attribute, and where one of the input attributes is the statistics concerning staying durations for those users who have previously logged in the information group.

19. ) The claim of 14), where the criteria used for ranking multiple information groups is based on a function F that takes at least one input attribute, and where one of the input attributes is the statistics concerning users using the attribute(s) value of each information group to create other information groups.

20. ) The claim of 14), where the criteria used for ranking multiple information groups is based on a function F that takes at least one input attribute, and where one of the input attributes is the statistics concerning users searching for information group.

21. ) The claim of 14), where the criteria used for ranking multiple information groups is based on a function F that takes at least one input attribute, and where one of the input attributes is the statistics concerning users retrieving, or modifying, or deleting, or creating information stored in the information group content section, or leaving feedback regarding the content section of the information group.

22. ) The claim of 14), where the criteria used for ranking multiple information groups is based on a function F that takes at least one input attribute, and where one of the input attribute is the statistics concerning users communicating with other users through the information group.

23. ) A computer readable storage medium comprising code segments for:

creating, or providing access to, or hosting at least one information group in the format of online user community, or forum, or trading platform. One information group is uniquely identified by topic, geographical location, and time span attributes,

where geographical location attribute of an information group is defined as at least one particular geographical region that is defined as a geographical point and a surrounding area around that geographical point;

and where time span attribute of an information group is defined as the time between a starting point in time and an ending point in time. The starting point has to be a specific time, defined in either local time or universal time. The ending point can be either a specific time, defined in either local time or universal time, or an indefinite time instance,

and where user can login at least one information group if;

the time instance of user login is inside the time span of the community, and the time difference between the moment of user login and ending point in time is longer than a pre-defined time threshold; and

if user can prove he/she is located at the same geographical location specified by that community at the time of login and during the time that he/she remains in the community;

where information group has at least one content section, summarized by its topic attribute;

and where successfully logged-in user can retrieve, or modify, or delete, or create information stored inside information group content section,

and where successfully logged-in user can communicate with other users who are also in the same information group,

and where the value of geographical location or time span attributes of an information group will dynamically change based on its users'"'"' activity.

24. ) The claim of 23), where the topic attribute and content section of the information group relates to the geographical location attribute of the information group.

25. ) The claim of 23), where the topic attribute and content section of an information group is about sharing transportation resource.

26. ) The claim of 23), where the topic attribute and content section of an information group is about finding other user with certain types of needs or interests or can provide certain types of services.

27. ) The claim of 23), where the topic attribute and content section of an information group is about signing-on, or checking-in or adding user to sign up sheet or waiting list, for services, or activities, or events, or conferences, or meeting.

28. ) The claim of 23), where the topic attribute and content section of an information group is about promoting certain types of goods or services;

or offering incentive, in the format of coupon, or credit, or rebate.

29. ) The claim of 23), where an information group is created by specifying the value for its topic, geographical location, and time span attribute;

or by copying attribute values from other existing information groups.

30. ) The claim of 23), where the value of geographical location or time span attributes of an information group dynamically changes based on patterns or statistics regarding user login or user staying duration inside the information group.

31. ) The claim of 23), where the value of geographical location or time span attributes of an information group dynamically changes based on patterns or statistics regarding user retrieving, or modifying, or deleting, or creating information stored in the content section of the information group.

32. ) The claim of 23), where the value of geographical location or time span attributes of an information group dynamically changes based on patterns or statistics regarding user leaving feedback regarding content section of the information group.

33. ) The claim of 23), where the value of geographical location or time span attributes of an information group dynamically changes based on patterns or statistics regarding user communicating with other users through the information group.

34. ) The claim of 23), where the value of geographical location or time span attributes of an information group dynamically changes based on patterns or statistics regarding user using the value of geographical location or time span or topic attribute of the information group to create other information group.

35. ) The claim of 23), where the value of geographical location or time span attributes of an information group dynamically changes based on patterns or statistics regarding user searching for the information group based on its topic attribute value.

36. ) A computer readable storage medium comprising code segments for:

ranking multiple information groups, where each information group is in the format of online user community, or forum, or trading platform, and is uniquely identified by topic, geographical location, and time span attributes,

where geographical location attribute of an information group is defined as at least one particular geographical region that is defined as a geographical point and a surrounding area around that geographical point;

and where time span attribute of an information group is defined as the time between a starting point in time and an ending point in time. The starting point has to be a specific time, defined in either local time or universal time. The ending point can be either a specific time, defined in either local time or universal time, or an indefinite time instance,

and where user can login at least one information group if;

the time instance of user login is inside the time span of the community, and the time difference between the moment of user login and ending point in time is longer than a pre-defined time threshold; and

if user can prove he/she is located at the same geographical location specified by that community at the time of login and during the time that he/she remains in the community;

where information group has at least one content section, summarized by its topic attribute;

and where successfully logged in user can retrieve, or modify, or delete, or create information stored inside information group content section,

and where successfully logged in user can communicate with other users who are also in the same information group,

and where the value of geographical location or time span attributes of an information group will dynamically change based on its users'"'"' activity.

37. ) The claim of 36), where the criteria used for ranking multiple information groups is based on a function F that takes at least one input attribute, and where one of the input attributes is the distance(s) from the user to the geographical central point(s) of the information group.

38. ) The claim of 36), where the criteria used for ranking multiple information groups is based on a function F that takes at least one input attribute, and where one of the input attributes is the distance(s) from the farthest point covered by the geographical region(s) attribute of the corresponding information group to its central point(s).

39. ) The claim of 36), where the criteria used for ranking multiple information groups is based on a function F that takes at least one input attribute, and where one of the input attributes is the number of unique users that have either logged in or interacted with the information group in a certain time period in the past.

40. ) The claim of 36), where the criteria used for ranking multiple information groups is based on a function F that takes at least one input attribute, and where one of the input attributes is the statistics concerning staying durations for those users who have previously logged in the information group.

41. ) The claim of 36), where the criteria used for ranking multiple information groups is based on a function F that takes at least one input attribute, and where one of the input attributes is the statistics concerning users using the attribute(s) value of each information group to create other information group.

42. ) The claim of 36), where the criteria used for ranking multiple information groups is based on a function F that takes at least one input attribute, and where one of the input attributes is the statistics concerning users searching for information group.

43. ) The claim of 36), where the criteria used for ranking multiple information groups is based on a function F that takes at least one input attribute, and where one of the input attribute is the statistics concerning users retrieving, or modifying, or deleting, or creating information stored in the information group content section, or leaving feedback regarding the content section of the information group.

44. ) The claim of 36), where the criteria used for ranking multiple information groups is based on a function F that takes at least one input attribute, and where one of the input attribute is the statistics concerning user communicating with other users through the information group.