GEO-CODED COMMENTS IN A MESSAGING SERVICE

• US 20110238762A1
• Filed: 02/09/2011
• Published: 09/29/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Lee, Steven J., Wilson, Marc Peter Tarca, Gilbert, Fred, Vazquez, Ana Maria Ulin, Soni, Punit, Kennberg, Aleksandr V., Lee, Li-Wei, Balez, Mathieu P., Whitt, Carlos E., Mavinkurve, Sanjay
• Application Number:
  US13/023,877
• Publication Number:
  US 20110238762A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3679 Retrieval, searching and output of POI information, e.g. hotels, restaurants, shops, filling stations, parking facilities G01C21/3611 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/222 using geographical location information, e.g. messages transmitted or received in proximity of a certain spot or area
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/52 for supporting social networking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

Some techniques feature a computer-implemented method for messages associated with a user location. The method involves determining, by a mobile computing device, an estimated geographic location of the mobile computing device. The method includes receiving, at the mobile computing device, one or more messages associated with an area within the estimated geographic location, where the one or more messages include messages posted by users of a system that associates messages that those users posted about the area within the estimated geographic location. The method involves providing, on a display of the mobile computing device, one or more posted message icons that are presented in a layer over a map, where the one or more posted message icons represent the one or more posted messages. In a system, the one or more posted messages may not appear on mobile devices after a predetermined amount of time from their respective postings.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for real-time messages associated with a user location, the method comprising:

determining, by a mobile computing device, an estimated geographic location of the mobile computing device;

receiving, at the mobile computing device, one or more messages associated with an area around the estimated geographic location, wherein the one or more messages comprise messages posted by users of a system that associates messages that those users posted about the area around the estimated geographic location; and

providing, on a display of the mobile computing device, one or more posted message icons that are presented together in a layer over a map, wherein the one or more posted message icons represent the one or more posted messages.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising accessing data for an area comprising a venue, a business, a street, or an address.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a user input of a selection of one of the posted message icons to present information associated with the posted message associated with the posted message icon, and obtaining the information about the posted message from a server system.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, further comprising, in response to receiving the user input of the selection of the posted message icon, presenting the information for the posted message.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4, further comprising accessing the information for the posted message comprising a user text message, a user identification (ID), and at least one of a time of the posting of the message or a day of the posting of the message.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 4, further comprising accessing the information for the posted message comprising a picture corresponding to the user identification (ID).

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 4, further comprising accessing the information for the posted message comprising a user-provided picture.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising posting the one or more posted message icons that are presented in the layer over the map within a predetermined time period of their respective postings.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein the predetermined time period comprises 24 hours, and the method further comprises removing the one or more posted message icons from the layer over the map after the predetermined time period expires.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising presenting a selectable icon that, when selected, presents a selectable list of the one or more posted messages.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a user input, at the mobile computing device, for composing a message to post to at least one other user;

receiving, at the mobile computing device, the composed message to post; and

posting, from the mobile computing device, the composed message to a server system.

12. A computer-implemented method for managing real-time messages associated with a user location, the method comprising:

receiving, at a mobile computing device, one or more messages associated with an area within a geographic location, wherein the one or more messages comprise messages posted by users of a system that associates messages that those users posted about an area within a geographic location;

providing, on a display of the mobile computing device, one or more posted message icons that are presented in a layer over another layer in the display, wherein the one or more posted message icons represent the one or more posted messages;

receiving, at the mobile computing device, a user input of a selection of one of the posted message icons to present information associated with the posted message associated with the posted message icon; and

presenting, on the mobile computing device, the information associated with the posted message on the display of the mobile computing device.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 12, further comprising accessing information for the other layer comprising a venue layer, a satellite layer, a map, a two-dimensional rendering of the area, a three-dimensional rendering of the area, a street view layer, or an augmented reality layer.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 13, further comprising:

configuring at least one of the other layers to be overlaid on top of at least one of the other layers; and

configuring one or more of the other layers to be toggled on or off by a user selection on the mobile computing device.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 13, further comprising receiving user input on the mobile computing device to subscribe to compose a message for posting.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 13, further comprising:

receiving user input on the mobile computing device to present a list of venues; and

based upon the receiving user input for the list of venues, presenting a list of venues on the mobile computing device.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 16, further comprising:

receiving user input on the mobile computing device to present information associated with one or more posted messages of a selected venue in the list of venues; and

based upon receiving the user input for the venue selection, presenting the information associated with the one or more posted messages of the selected venue.

18. The computer-implemented method of claim 13, wherein the information associated with the posted message on the display of the mobile computing device comprises venue information, and the method further comprises:

receiving a user input, at the mobile computing device, regarding the venue information; and

presenting the venue information in an interface on the mobile computing device.

19. The computer-implemented method of claim 18, wherein the presented venue information comprises a list of posted messages associated with the venue.

20. The computer-implemented method of claim 19, wherein one or more of the posted messages in the list of posted messages are deleted from the list if the posted message has been listed over a predetermined amount of time.

21. The computer-implemented method of claim 19, wherein a new posted message appears in the list of posted messages when a subscriber of the system posts the new posted message.

22. A system for real-time messages associated a user location, the system comprising:

a mobile computing device configured to;

receive one or more messages associated with an area within an estimated geographic location, wherein the one or more messages comprise messages posted by users of the system to associate messages that those users posted about the area within the estimated geographic location; and

provide one or more posted message icons that are presented in a layer over a map, wherein the one or more posted message icons represent the one or more posted messages; and

a location-identification unit to determine the estimated geographic location of the mobile computing device; and

a server to receive the estimated geographic location and forward the one or more posted messages associated with the area to the mobile computing device.