Social Networking System for Users Having Portable Electronic Devices with GPS Capabilities and Its Associated Method of Operation

• US 20140236808A1
• Filed: 02/16/2013
• Published: 08/21/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Holomaxx Technologies Corporation
• Original Assignee: Holomaxx Technologies Corporation
• Inventors: Bilynsky, Ilarion
• Application Number:
  US13/769,300
• Publication Number:
  US 20140236808A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/39
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0261 based on user location
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking
• 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

Abstract

A system and method of operating a social network for individuals who have portable electronic devices that can calculate location using GPS signals. A website is provided. Individuals and commercial entities join the social network through the website. Individuals download operational software to their portable electronic devices. Once loaded and running, the operational software forwards the location of each registered portable electronic device to the network server. The operational software enables each registered user to become an event post initiator by creating an event post. Each event post is accessible by other registered users only within a predetermined radius of the event post initiator. The event posts are displayed on the portable electronic devices of other users. Event posts can be directed to the general public or to a private network of friends.

Claims

1. A method of operating a social network for users who operate portable electronic devices that can calculate location from GPS signals, said method comprising the steps of:

loading operational software into said portable electronic devices that enable said portable electronic devices to periodically transmit said location to at least one computer network server when said operational software is running, wherein said operational software enables each of said users to transmit an event post and become an event post initiator;

displaying said event post, via said electronic portable devices, only to other of said users within a predetermined geographic area surrounding said event post initiator.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said method further includes the step of having each of said users invite other of said users to join a private connection network.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein said step of displaying said event post, via said electronic portable devices, only to other of said users within a predetermined geographic area surrounding said event post initiator, includes displaying said event post only to other of said users in said private connection network of said event post initiator.

4. The method according to claim 1, further including the step of registering commercial users, wherein said commercial users can generate commercial posts to said users within a specified geographic area.

5. The method according to claim 4, further including the step of charging a fee to said commercial users for each of said commercial posts generated.

6. The method according to claim 4, further including the step of tracking said location of each of said users who respond to said commercial posts of said commercial users.

7. The method according to claim 6, further including the step of charging said commercial users a fee proportional to said users who respond to said commercial posts.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein said event post identifies an event location and a timeframe and wherein said method further includes the step of tracking said location of each of said users to determine which of said users go to said event location within said timeframe.

9. The method according to claim 8, further including the step of having said users who go to said event location in said timeframe rank said event post initiator.

10. The method according to claim 8, further including the step of varying said specified geographic area as a function of said rank.

11. A method of operating a social network for individuals who have portable electronic devices that can calculate location using GPS signals, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a website accessible to said individuals, wherein said website is supported by at least one network server, and wherein said at least one network server has operational software downloadable to said portable electronic devices through said website;

registering at least some of said individuals through said website, therein providing individual registered users;

downloading said operational software from said network server to said portable electronic devices of said individual registered users, wherein said operational software forwards said location to said at least one network server when said operational software is running;

and wherein said operational software enables each of said individual users to create event posts and become an event post initiator, wherein said event posts are accessible by other of said individual registered users only within a predetermined radius of said event post initiator.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein said method further includes the step of having each of said individual registered users invite other of said individual registered users to join a private connection network.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein said event posts are only accessible by said individual registered users in said private connection network of said event post initiator.

14. The method according to claim 11, further including the step of registering commercial users, wherein said commercial users can generate commercial posts to said registered individual users within a specified geographic area.

15. The method according to claim 14, further including the step of charging a fee to said commercial users for each of said commercial posts generated.

16. The method according to claim 14, further including the step of tracking said location of each of said registered individual users who respond to said commercial posts of said commercial users.

17. The method according to claim 16, further including the step of charging said commercial users a fee proportional to said registered individual users who respond to said commercial posts.

18. The method according to claim 14, wherein said commercial posts identify an event location and a timeframe, and wherein said method further includes the step of tracking said location of each of said registered individual users to determine which of said registered individual users go to said event location within said timeframe.

19. A method of operating a social network for users who operate portable electronic devices that can calculate location from GPS signals, said method comprising the steps of:

downloading operational software to said portable electronic devices of said users, wherein said operational software forwards said location to at least one network server when said operational software is running;

enabling said users to post event posts that are accessible by others of said users through said portable electronic devices, wherein said event posts contain an event location and an event timeframe;

tracking which of said users respond to said event posts by going to said event location within said event timeframe.

20. The method according to claim 19, further including the step of charging a user who posts an event post a fee proportional to the number of other said users that respond to said event post.