Computer-Implemented System And Method For Triggering Events Based On User Location With Respect To Zones Of Influence

• US 20130310084A1
• Filed: 07/29/2013
• Published: 11/21/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Groundspeak, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Groundspeak, Inc.
• Inventors: Irish, Jeremy A., Alvord, Elias
• Granted Patent: US 8,706,399 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.3
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/12 involving interaction between a plurality of game devices, e.g. transmisison or distribution systems protocols for networked virtual reality, networked games H04L29/06034
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/216 using geographical information, e.g. location of the game device or player using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/30 Interconnection arrangements between game servers and game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/205 for detecting the geographical location of the game platform
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/206 Game information storage, e.g. cartridges, CD ROM's, DVD's, smart cards
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5573 player location
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/632 by branching, e.g. choosing one of several possible story developments at a given point in time
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/01 Satellite radio beacon positioning systems transmitting time-stamped messages, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System], GLONASS [Global Orbiting Navigation Satellite System] or GALILEO
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/14 specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/19 Sporting applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/131 Protocols for games, networked simulations or virtual reality
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41407 embedded in a portable device, e.g. video client on a mobile phone, PDA, laptop constructional details of equipment or arrangements specially adapted for portable computer application G06F1/1626; arrangements specially adapted for mobile receivers in broadcast systems H04H20/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42202 environmental sensors, e.g. for detecting temperature, luminosity, pressure, earthquakes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4524 involving the geographical location of the client retrieval from the Internet by querying based on geographical locations G06F16/9537; systems specially adapted for using geographical information in broadcast systems H04H60/70; protocols in which the network application is adapted for the location of the user terminal in communication control or processing H04L67/52; services making use of the location of users or terminals in wireless networks H04W4/02; locating users or terminals in wireless networks H04W64/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8541 involving branching, e.g. to different story endings
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8543 using a description language, e.g. Multimedia and Hypermedia information coding Expert Group [MHEG], eXtensible Markup Language [XML] information retrieval of semistructured data, the underlying structure being taken into account, e.g. mark-up language structure data G06F16/80
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/025 using location based information parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 : Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

A computer-implemented system and method for triggering events based on user location with respect to zones of influence is described. One or more zones of influence each having a plurality of points of geolocational data are defined. One or more user events are associated with each of the zones of influence. A location of a wireless device is identified based on geolocational data obtained by the wireless device. The geolocational data of the wireless device is compared with the geolocational data for one or more of the zones of influence. The user events associated with one such zone of influence are triggered when the geolocational data of the wireless device correlates with at least one of the points of geolocational data for that zone of influence.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented system for triggering events based on user location with respect to zones of influence, comprising:

a storage medium to store one or more zones of influence each having a plurality of points of geolocational data and one or more user events each associated with at least one of the zones of influence; and

a wireless device, comprising;

a locational module to identify a location of the wireless device based on geolocational data received by the wireless device; and

a processing module to compare the geolocational data of the wireless device with the geolocational data for one or more of the zones of influence and to trigger the user events associated with one such zone of influence when the geolocational data of the wireless device correlates with at least one of the points of geolocational data for that zone of influence.

2. A system according to claim 1, system further comprising:

a database comprising points of interest;

a retrieval module to retrieve one or more of the points of interest from the database; and

a display to display the retrieved points of interest with directions to the retrieved points of interest on the wireless device.

3. A system according to claim 2, wherein the points of interest each comprise one of restaurants, physical locations, and sponsor locations.

4. A system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a receiver to receive the geolocational data for the wireless device from at least one of global positioning system satellites and stationary global positioning system beacons.

5. A system according to claim 4, wherein the geolocational data of the wireless device is received from the stationary global positioning system beacons via wireless protocols comprising one of IEEE 802.11b and short message service.

6. A system according to claim 1, wherein the correlation of the geolocational data of the wireless device and the at least one point of geolocational data for the zone of influence comprises one of the wireless device entering that zone of influence, the wireless device exiting that zone of influence, and the wireless device positioned within a specified proximity of that zone of influence.

7. A system according to claim 1, wherein each zone of influence is defined as discrete, adjoining, overlapping, and nested relative to at least one other zone of influence

8. A system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a series of the zones of influence provided as one of a story, dialog, game, and conversation.

9. A system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a cartridge to store one or more of the zones of influence for execution by the wireless device.

10. A system according to claim 1, wherein the geolocational data of the wireless device and the zones of influence comprise at least one of latitude, longitude, altitude, time, date, identification, security code, and signal strength.

11. A computer-implemented method for triggering events based on user location with respect to zones of influence, comprising:

defining one or more zones of influence each having a plurality of points of geolocational data;

associating one or more user events with each of the zones of influence;

identifying a location of a wireless device based on geolocational data obtained by the wireless device;

comparing by the wireless device the geolocational data of the wireless device with the geolocational data for one or more of the zones of influence; and

triggering the user events associated with one such zone of influence when the geolocational data of the wireless device correlates with at least one of the points of geolocational data for that zone of influence.

12. A method according to claim 11, system further comprising:

accessing a database comprising points of interest;

retrieving one or more of the points of interest from the database; and

displaying the retrieved points of interest with directions to the retrieved points of interest on the wireless device.

13. A method according to claim 12, wherein the points of interest each comprise one of restaurants, physical locations, and sponsor locations.

14. A method according to claim 11, further comprising:

receiving the geolocational data for the wireless device from at least one of global positioning system satellites and stationary global positioning system beacons.

15. A method according to claim 14, wherein the geolocational data of the wireless device is received from the stationary global positioning system beacons via wireless protocols comprising one of IEEE 802.11b and short message service.

16. A method according to claim 11, wherein the correlation of the geolocational data of the wireless device and the at least one point of geolocational data for the zone of influence comprises one of the wireless device entering that zone of influence, the wireless device exiting that zone of influence and the wireless device positioned within a specified proximity of that zone of influence.

17. A method according to claim 11, further comprising:

specifying each zone of influence as discrete, adjoining, overlapping, and nested relative to at least one other zone of influence

18. A method according to claim 11, further comprising:

providing a series of the zones of influence as one of a story, dialog, game, and conversation.

19. A method according to claim 11, further comprising:

storing one or more of the zones of influence on a cartridge for execution by the wireless device.

20. A method according to claim 11, wherein the geolocational data of the wireless device and the zones of influence comprises at least one of latitude, longitude, altitude, time, date, identification, security code, and signal strength.

21. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium holding code for performing the method according to claim 11.