SHORT-RANGE COMMUNICATION-ENABLED MOBILE DEVICE, METHOD AND RELATED SERVER ARRANGEMENT
First Claim
1. A mobile communications device (102, 202, 302) for enhancing context awareness in social networking comprising a processor (220) for processing data, a memory (222) for storing data, a wireless transceiver (224, 224B) for wirelessly transmitting and receiving data relative to remote devices, and a short-range wireless transceiver (224, 224A), such as an NFC (near field communication) transceiver, for wirelessly transmitting and receiving data relative to remote devices equipped with a compatible short-range communications adapter, such as a mobile communications device or a tag, said device further comprisinga social contact registration logic (206, 604) configured to obtain information from a mobile communications device of a social contact via the short-range wireless transceiver, said information identifying the social contact and/or the mobile communications device of the social contact, and further configured to store said information in the memory,a context detection logic (206, 608) configured to obtain, via the short-range wireless transceiver, data distinctive to and provided by a tag disposed in a location accessible by the user of the mobile communications device in light of the range of short-range data transfer, said distinctive data being thus indicative of the current location-based context of the mobile communications device and the user thereof, and further configured to store said data in the memory, anda context notification logic (206, 606) configured to transmit an indication of the detected location-based context, such as at least part of said obtained data, to a remote entity, such as a server or another mobile communications device, via the wireless transceiver in order to enable providing, by access to the indication, at least one social contact of the user of the mobile communications device with knowledge of the current context of the mobile communications device and the user thereof.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A mobile device for enhancing context awareness in social networking includes a processor for processing data, a memory for storing data, a wireless transceiver for wirelessly transmitting and receiving data relative to remote devices, a short-range wireless transceiver, for wirelessly transmitting and receiving data relative to remote devices equipped with a compatible short-range interface, a social contact registration logic configured to obtain information from a mobile communications device of a social contact via the short-range wireless transceiver, the information identifying the social contact and/or the mobile communications device of the social contact, a context detection logic configured to obtain, via the short-range wireless transceiver, data distinctive to and provided by a tag disposed in a location accessible via the short-range data transfer, the distinctive data being thus indicative of the current location-based context of the mobile communications device and the user thereof, and a context notification logic configured to transmit an indication of the detected location-based context to a remote entity, via the wireless transceiver in order to enable providing at least one social contact of the user of the mobile communications device with knowledge of the current context.
97 Citations
19 Claims
-
1. A mobile communications device (102, 202, 302) for enhancing context awareness in social networking comprising a processor (220) for processing data, a memory (222) for storing data, a wireless transceiver (224, 224B) for wirelessly transmitting and receiving data relative to remote devices, and a short-range wireless transceiver (224, 224A), such as an NFC (near field communication) transceiver, for wirelessly transmitting and receiving data relative to remote devices equipped with a compatible short-range communications adapter, such as a mobile communications device or a tag, said device further comprising
a social contact registration logic (206, 604) configured to obtain information from a mobile communications device of a social contact via the short-range wireless transceiver, said information identifying the social contact and/or the mobile communications device of the social contact, and further configured to store said information in the memory, a context detection logic (206, 608) configured to obtain, via the short-range wireless transceiver, data distinctive to and provided by a tag disposed in a location accessible by the user of the mobile communications device in light of the range of short-range data transfer, said distinctive data being thus indicative of the current location-based context of the mobile communications device and the user thereof, and further configured to store said data in the memory, and a context notification logic (206, 606) configured to transmit an indication of the detected location-based context, such as at least part of said obtained data, to a remote entity, such as a server or another mobile communications device, via the wireless transceiver in order to enable providing, by access to the indication, at least one social contact of the user of the mobile communications device with knowledge of the current context of the mobile communications device and the user thereof.
-
10. A server arrangement (232, 332, 344, 348) for enhancing context awareness in social networking between a number of users comprising a processor (450) for processing data, a memory (452, 346) for storing data, and a communications interface (454) for transferring data via a communications network, said arrangement further comprising
a social contact management logic (458, 706) for maintaining, relative to a user, a database of one or more social contacts and corresponding contact information for addressing at least one mobile communications device of the contact in view of data transfer capability, and a context management logic (458, 708) for obtaining and maintaining context indications provided by a mobile communications device of a user, said indications being based on data distinctive to and provided by a tag disposed in a location accessible by the user of the mobile communications device with the short-range wireless transceiver of the device, said distinctive data being thus indicative of the current location-based context of the close mobile communications device and the user thereof, said context management logic being further arranged to provide at least one entity, such as a social contact of the user of the mobile communications device and/or another server, with knowledge of the current context of the mobile communications device and thereby the user thereof.
-
17. A method for enhancing context awareness in social networking by a mobile communications device, comprising
obtaining (804) a mobile communications device comprising a wireless transceiver for wirelessly transmitting and receiving data relative to remote devices, and a short-range wireless transceiver, such as an NFC (near field communication) transceiver, for wirelessly transmitting and receiving data relative to remote devices equipped with a compatible short-range transmitter or transceiver, such as a mobile communications device or a tag, respectively, establishing (806, 808) a social contact by information received from a mobile communications device of a social contact via the short-range wireless transceiver, said information identifying the social contact and/or the mobile communications device of the social contact, detecting (810, 812) current context by obtaining, via the short-range wireless transceiver, data distinctive to and stored by a tag disposed in a location accessible by the user of the mobile communications device in light of the range of short-range data transfer, said distinctive data being thus indicative of the current location-based context of the mobile communications device and the user thereof, and transmitting (814) an indication of the detected location-based context, such as at least part of said obtained data, to a remote entity, such as a server or another mobile communications device, via the wireless transceiver in order to enable providing, by access to said indication, at least one social contact of the user of the mobile communications device with knowledge of the current context of the mobile communications device and the user thereof.
Specification