METHOD, SYSTEM AND DEVICE FOR DETERMINING CLOSE PROXIMITY OF TWO OR MORE PERSONS
First Claim
1. A computer implemented method of determining that two or more members of a subscription group are in close proximity to each other, the method comprising the steps of:
- enabling a mobile electronic device of at least one member of the subscription group to use a short range wireless communication module to detect other mobile electronic devices and, in response to detecting, to receiving and storing a unique identifier for each detected other mobile electronic device;
at a processor, comparing each stored unique identifier with known unique identifiers of mobile electronic devices of members of said subscription group; and
determining that two or more members of the subscription group are in close proximity to each other if at least one of the stored unique identifiers matches one of the known unique identifiers of mobile electronic devices of members of said subscription group.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Provided is a computer implemented method of determining that two or more members of a subscription group are in close proximity to each other. The method comprises the steps of enabling a mobile electronic device of at least one member of the subscription group to use a short range wireless communication module to detect other mobile electronic devices. In response to detecting, the detecting mobile electronic device receives and stores a unique identifier for each detected other mobile electronic device. A processor compares each stored unique identifier with known unique identifiers of mobile electronic devices of members of said subscription group. As a consequence of the comparing step, the processor determines that two or more members of the subscription group are in close proximity to each other if at least one of the stored unique identifiers matches one of the known unique identifiers of mobile electronic devices of members of the subscription group. This method can be used to infer that the two or more members of the group are sharing the same vehicle for a journey. When one of the mobile electronic devices is detected as having reached a location on or within a boundary of a geo-fence associated with a carpark, data is communicated to a system or device of a third party associated with the carpark to alert the third party and/or provide the third party with data indicative of an identity of the vehicle and/or its driver to enable the driver to access car-parking spaces allocated to car share vehicles.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A computer implemented method of determining that two or more members of a subscription group are in close proximity to each other, the method comprising the steps of:
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enabling a mobile electronic device of at least one member of the subscription group to use a short range wireless communication module to detect other mobile electronic devices and, in response to detecting, to receiving and storing a unique identifier for each detected other mobile electronic device; at a processor, comparing each stored unique identifier with known unique identifiers of mobile electronic devices of members of said subscription group; and determining that two or more members of the subscription group are in close proximity to each other if at least one of the stored unique identifiers matches one of the known unique identifiers of mobile electronic devices of members of said subscription group. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A computer implemented method of determining that two or more persons are in close proximity to each other, the method comprising the steps of:
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enabling a mobile electronic device of at least one person to use a short range wireless communication module to detect other mobile electronic devices and, in response to detecting, to receiving and storing a unique identifier for each detected other mobile electronic device; at a processor, comparing each stored unique identifier with known unique identifiers of mobile electronic devices of previously identified persons; and determining that two or more previously identified persons are in close proximity to each other if at least one of the stored unique identifiers matches one of the known unique identifiers of mobile electronic devices of previously identified persons.
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17. A mobile electronic device for determining that two or more members of a subscription group are in close proximity to each other, the device comprising:
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a memory storing machine readable instructions; a processor configured to execute said machine readable instructions to;
use a short range wireless communication module to detect other mobile electronic devices and, in response to detecting, to receiving and storing a unique identifier for each detected other mobile electronic device;compare each stored unique identifier with known unique identifiers of mobile electronic devices of members of said subscription group; and determine that two or more members of the subscription group are in close proximity to each other if at least one of the stored unique identifiers matches one of the known unique identifiers of mobile electronic devices of members of said subscription group.
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18. A system for determining that two or more members of a subscription group are in close proximity to each other, the system comprising;
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a server having a memory storing machine readable instructions and a processor configured to execute said machine readable instructions; a mobile electronic device, said device having a memory storing machine readable instructions and a processor configured to execute said machine readable instructions; the server and the mobile electronic device being configured to communicate with each other over a network; wherein the server and the mobile electronic device interoperate to; use a short range wireless communication module to detect other mobile electronic devices and, in response to detecting, to receiving and storing a unique identifier for each detected other mobile electronic device; compare each stored unique identifier with known unique identifiers of mobile electronic devices of members of said subscription group; and determine that two or more members of the subscription group are in close proximity to each other if at least one of the stored unique identifiers matches one of the known unique identifiers of mobile electronic devices of members of said subscription group.
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19. A computer readable medium storing machine readable instructions executable by a processor of a mobile electronic device or a server for implementing the steps of:
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using a short range wireless communication module to detect other mobile electronic devices and, in response to detecting, to receiving and storing a unique identifier for each detected other mobile electronic device; comparing each stored unique identifier with known unique identifiers of mobile electronic devices of members of said subscription group; and determining that two or more members of the subscription group are in close proximity to each other if at least one of the stored unique identifiers matches one of the known unique identifiers of mobile electronic devices of members of said subscription group.
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Specification