System and Method for Coordinating Meetings Between Users of a Mobile Communication Network

• US 20130143587A1
• Filed: 12/02/2011
• Published: 06/06/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Thryv, Inc. (Mudrick Capital Management LP)
• Original Assignee: YellowPages.com LLC (Mudrick Capital Management LP)
• Inventors: Williams, David Lothele, Chandran, Rohan Koduvayur Krishnan, Chong, Kelvin Voon-Kit, Mandyam, Srinivas A., Vedati, Krishna
• Granted Patent: US 8,812,021 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided to coordinate meetings between users of mobile devices on a mobile communications network. Users of the mobile communication network send one another meeting invitations over the network. The system receives the current geospatial position of one or more such users, as well as category selections that relate to attributes of potential meeting locations meetings. The system selects meeting locations for users using the current geospatial positions of the users and the category selections such that meeting locations are located at a geospatial positions between the users. The system can additionally select meeting locations that factor in user preferences and historical activities.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, over a network, from a first mobile device associated with a first user, an indication the first user wants to meet a second user;

receiving, over a network, a selection of a category from the first mobile device, wherein the category relates to a type of location where the first user wants to meet the second user;

receiving, over a network, a first geospatial location from the first mobile device, wherein the first geospatial location is a current geospatial location of the first mobile device;

receiving, over a network, a second geospatial location from a second mobile device associated with the second user, wherein the second geospatial location is a current geospatial location of the second mobile device;

selecting, by a computing device, a meeting location, the meeting location comprising a geospatial location of one entity of a plurality of entities, wherein the meeting location relates to the first geospatial location and the second geospatial location and a type of the one entity of the plurality of entities relates to the category; and

transmitting, over the network, a representation of the meeting location to the first mobile device and the second mobile device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the meeting location is selected such that geospatial location of the one entity of a plurality of entities is located at a geospatial position between the first geospatial location and the second geospatial position.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the geospatial position is located at an equal distance from the first geospatial location and the second geospatial position.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the geospatial position is located on a geospatial position on one route of a plurality of routes having a shortest travel time from the first geospatial location and the second geospatial location.

5. The method of claim 1, additionally comprising:

receiving, over the network, from the first mobile device, an indication the meeting location should be closer to the first geospatial position, wherein the meeting location is selected such that the geospatial location of the one entity of the plurality of entities is located at a geospatial position closer to the first geospatial location than the second geospatial location.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the second geospatial location is not received and wherein the meeting location is selected the such that the meeting location relates to the first geospatial location and the type of the one entity of the plurality of entities relates to the category.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the meeting location is selected such that the meeting location additionally relates to a preference the first user and the second user.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the meeting location is selected such that the meeting location additionally relates to a historical activity of the first user and the second user on the network.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the meeting location is selected such that the meeting location is associated with a time range reflecting times the one entity of the plurality of entities is open for business, such that a current time associated with the first mobile device is within the time range.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the representation of the meeting location is selected from the list:

text message, voice message, and multimedia message and email.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the representation of the meeting location is an update to user data on the second mobile device.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the representation of the meeting location transmitted to the second mobile device is an update to user data on the second mobile device.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the user data on the second mobile device is contact information for the first user.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the representation of the meeting location is a hyperlink to a website, the method additionally comprising:

in response to receiving, over the network, a selection of the hyperlink from the second mobile device, causing a webpage of the website to be displayed on the second mobile device, the webpage comprising a map displaying the meeting location.

15. The method of claim 1, additionally comprising:

in response to receiving the indication the first user wants to meet the second user, transmitting, over the network, a list of categories to the first mobile device, and wherein the selection of the category from the first mobile device comprises a selection of a category from the list of categories.

16. The method of claim 17, wherein the list of categories comprises a hierarchical list of categories that describe products, services and attributes of the each entity of the plurality of entities.

17. The method of claim 1, additionally comprising:

receiving, over the network, an alternate meeting location from the second mobile device; and

transmitting, over the network, a representation of the second meeting location to the first mobile device and the second mobile device.

18. The method of claim 1, additionally comprising:

receiving, over a network, a third geospatial location from a third mobile device associated with a third user, wherein the third geospatial location is a current geospatial location of the third mobile device, and

wherein the meeting location is selected such that the meeting location relates to the first geospatial location, the second geospatial location and the third geospatial location and the type of the one entity of the plurality of entities relates to the category, and

wherein a representation of the meeting location the meeting location is transmitted, over the network, to the first mobile device and the second mobile device.

19. A machine readable media storing instructions that, when executed by a data processing system, cause the data processing system to perform a method, the method comprising:

receiving, over a network, from a first mobile device associated with a first user an indication the first user wants to meet a second user;

receiving, over a network, a selection of a category from the first mobile device, wherein the category relates to a type of location where the first user wants to meet the second user;

receiving, over a network, a first geospatial location from the first mobile device, wherein the first geospatial location is a current geospatial location of the first mobile device;

receiving, over a network, a second geospatial location from a second mobile device associated with the second user, wherein the first geospatial location is received from the first mobile device, wherein the second geospatial location is a current geospatial location of the second mobile device;

selecting a meeting location, the meeting location comprising a geospatial location of one entity of a plurality of entities, wherein the meeting location relates to the first geospatial location and the second geospatial location and a type of the one entity of the plurality of entities relates to the category; and

transmitting, over the network, a representation of the meeting location to the first mobile device and the second mobile device.

20. A computer system comprising:

a memory; and

a processor coupled to the memory to;

receive, over a network, from a first mobile device associated with a first user an indication the first user wants to meet a second user;

receive, over a network, a selection of a category from the first mobile device, wherein the category relates to a type of location where the first user wants to meet the second user;

receive, over a network, a first geospatial location from the first mobile device, wherein the first geospatial location is a current geospatial location of the first mobile device;

receive, over a network, a second geospatial location from a second mobile device associated with the second user, wherein the first geospatial location is received from the first mobile device, wherein the second geospatial location is a current geospatial location of the second mobile device;

select a meeting location, the meeting location comprising a geospatial location of one entity of a plurality of entities, wherein the meeting location relates to the first geospatial location and the second geospatial location and a type of the one entity of the plurality of entities relates to the category; and

transmit, over the network, a representation of the meeting location to the first mobile device and the second mobile device.