MOBILE SOCIAL CONNECTION TOOL, SYSTEM, AND SERVICE

• US 20160323707A1
• Filed: 05/02/2016
• Published: 11/03/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/2015
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: WYC Enterprises, LLC
• Original Assignee: WYC Enterprises, LLC
• Inventors: Dupuy, Chris, Vidal, Afife Soraya
• Application Number:
  US15/143,689
• Publication Number:
  US 20160323707A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/043 using or handling presence information
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• 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 4/21 for social networking applications

Abstract

A location-based mobile social connection tool facilitates social interaction with other users in a physical setting by integrating various technologies in a user-friendly application to easily identify who is available or willing to engage in social interaction.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented location-based mobile social connection method comprising steps of:

providing a mobile social connection tool comprising a graphical user interface on a client device associated with a first user, said mobile social connection tool facilitating user interaction with a location-based mobile social connection service hosted by a server;

configuring the server to interact with the client device through the graphical user interface, said configuring comprising;

configuring a user interface engine to receive;

input comprising socially relevant data from the first user; and

a check-in request from the first user while said first user is present in a zone participating in the location-based mobile social connection service;

configuring a check-in engine to provide a check-in screen to the mobile social connection tool upon receiving the request, wherein providing the check-in screen comprises providing a social selection tool whereby the first user selects a social status indicating said first user'"'"'s current willingness to socialize while in the zone;

configuring an interaction control engine to receive the social status from the first user;

using the check-in engine operably coupled with the interaction control engine, checking in the first user to the zone, said checking in comprising;

revealing the social status and the socially relevant data of the first user to other participants in the zone where said first user is currently checked in;

providing the social status and the socially relevant data of other participants in the zone where the first user is currently checked in; and

enabling/disabling social interaction among participants in the zone, depending on the social status selections and check-in status; and

configuring a monitoring engine to monitor a continued presence and the social status selections of participants in the zone.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving a request from the first user to locate a zone within proximity to the first user'"'"'s client device;

receiving a location of the first user'"'"'s client device; and

configuring a location/zone engine to provide a location of an at least one zone that is in close proximity to the location of the first user'"'"'s client device.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2 wherein providing the location of the zone comprises providing a map view of said zone.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 2 further comprising providing a count of participants currently located within the zone.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein providing the social selection tool comprises providing:

a first selectable graphical image representing a high willingness to socialize with the other participants in the zone;

a second selectable graphical image representing a limited willingness to socialize with the other participants in the zone; and

a third selectable graphical image indicating no willingness to socialize with the other participants in the zone;

wherein the first, second, and third selectable graphical images are visually distinguishable from each other such that the social status is easily identified.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5 further comprising providing the first, second, and third selectable graphical images as radio buttons in different and distinct colors.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 5 further comprising providing the first, second, and third selectable graphical images as icons in different and distinct images.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein monitoring the continued presence and social status comprises:

continuously monitoring the location of a checked-in participant by querying a positioning tool of the client device; and

checking out the checked-in participant from a zone when said checked-in participant is determined to have left said zone.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 further comprising configuring a monetization engine to receive a fee for providing the location-based mobile social connection service.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein enabling/disabling social interaction among the participants comprises enabling said participants to view, send, receive, and block messages from another participant within the zone.

9. The computer-implemented method 1 wherein receiving the input comprising socially relevant data comprises:

configuring a register engine to register the first user with the location-based mobile social connection service;

propagating a user profile with the input provided by the first user, said input selected from a group consisting of;

a name, a nickname, gender, age, hobbies, interests, beverage of choice, marital status, likes, and dislikes; and

storing the user profile in a data store associated with the server.

12. A location-based mobile social connection tool provided on a client device, said location-based mobile social connection tool comprising:

a graphical user interface facilitating user interaction with a location-based mobile social connection service hosted on a server, said graphical user interface performing;

accepting input comprising socially relevant data from a user of the client device;

accepting a check-in request from the user while said user is present in a zone participating in the location-based mobile social connection service;

providing a check-in screen comprising a social selection tool whereby the user selects a social status indicating said user'"'"'s current willingness to socialize while in the zone; and

responsive to receiving confirmation from the location-based mobile social connection service that the user has successfully checked in to the zone, performing;

revealing the social status and the socially relevant data of said user to other participants checked into the zone where said user is currently checked in;

providing the social status and the socially relevant data of other participants in the zone where the first user is currently checked in; and

enabling/disabling social interaction among participants in the zone, depending on social status selections.

13. The location-based mobile social connection tool of claim 12 operably coupled with a location tool providing a location of the user'"'"'s client device to the server.

14. The location-based mobile social connection tool of claim 13 wherein the social selection tool comprises:

a first selectable graphical image representing a high willingness to socialize with the other participants in the zone;

a second selectable graphical image representing a limited willingness to socialize with the other participants in the zone; and

a third selectable graphical image indicating no willingness to socialize with the other participants in the zone;

wherein the first, second, and third selectable graphical images are visually distinguishable from each other such that the social status is easily identified.

15. The location-based mobile social connection tool of claim 14 wherein the first, second, and third selectable graphical images comprise radio buttons in different and distinct colors.

16. A computer-implemented location-based mobile social connection system comprising:

a mobile social connection tool comprising a graphical user interface provided on a client device associated with a first user, said mobile social connection tool facilitating user interaction with a location-based mobile social connection service hosted on a server;

wherein said graphical user interface is configured to receive;

input comprising socially relevant data from the first user; and

a check-in request from the first user while said first user is present in a zone participating in the location-based mobile social connection service; and

the server hosting the location-based mobile social connection service, said server comprising;

a check-in engine configured to confirm check-in upon receiving the check-in request and a social status of the first user indicating said first user'"'"'s current willingness to socialize while in the zone;

an interaction control engine operably coupled with the check-in engine;

wherein the check-in engine checks in the first user to the zone, said checking in comprising;

revealing the social status and the socially relevant data of the first user to other participants in the zone where said first user is currently checked in; and

providing the social status and the socially relevant data of other participants in the zone where the first user is currently checked in; and

wherein the interaction control engine enables/disables social interaction among participants in the zone, depending on the social status selections; and

a monitoring engine monitoring a continued presence and the social status selections of participants in the zone.

17. The computer-implemented location-based mobile social connection system of claim 16 wherein the server further comprises a monetization engine configured to receive a fee for providing the location-based mobile social connection service.

18. The computer-implemented location-based mobile social connection system of claim 16 further comprising a register engine configured to:

register the first user with the location-based mobile social connection service;

propagate a user profile with the input provided by the first user, said input selected from a group consisting of;

a name, a nickname, gender, age, hobbies, interests, beverage of choice, marital status, likes, and dislikes; and

storing the user profile in a data store associated with the server.

19. The computer-implemented location-based mobile social connection system of claim 16 wherein the monitoring engine monitors the continued presence and social status by:

continuously monitoring the location of a checked-in participant by querying a positioning tool of the client device; and

checking out the checked-in participant from a zone when said checked-in participant is determined to have left said zone.

20. The computer-implemented location-based mobile social connection system of claim 16 further comprising a location/zone engine configured to perform:

receiving a request to locate a zone within proximity to the first user'"'"'s client device;

accessing a location of the first user'"'"'s client device;

providing a location of an at least one zone that is in close proximity to the location of the first user'"'"'s client device; and

providing a count of participants currently located within the at least one zone.