Method and system for connecting proximately located mobile users based on compatible attributes

• US 6,542,749 B2
• Filed: 06/08/2001
• Issued: 04/01/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Telcontar
• Inventors: Hendrey, Geoffrey R., Tanaka, Hirohisa A., King, Joseph D., Koopman, Jr., Philip J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Maung, Nay
• Assistant Examiner(s): PERSINO, RAYMOND B
• Application Number:
  US09/876,146
• Publication Number:
  US 20020090954A1
• Time in Patent Office: 662 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456, 455/414, 455/404, 455/445, 455/421, 455/423, 455/518, 455/519, 455/62.1, 455/41, 717/104
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 2001/085 Partner search devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/08 User group management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/40 for selective distribution or broadcast
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data

Abstract

A method and system for connecting proximately located telecommunications units are disclosed. The method and system may be used in a location aware telecommunications system that can determine the location of a telecommunications unit (TU) being used within the system. A user may be connected to one or more other users when they have compatible attributes and when they are located within a predetermined distance of each other. The connection may be established between TUs of two or more users, based on attribute and distance information maintained by a server computer, upon the request of an initiating user'"'"'s TU.

Claims

1. A method for connecting telecommunications units, comprising the step of connecting a first telecommunications unit (TU) with a second TU, wherein the second TU is selected based at least in part on the physical distance between the first TU and the second TU, and at least in part on a compatibility of attribute information associated with users of the first and second TUs, the selecting of the second TU, comprising:

creating a list of users having attribute information that possibly matches attribute information of a first user of the first TU;

sorting the list in order of increasing physical distance between TUs associated with the list of users and the first TU;

searching the list for a second user having a match score at least equal to a predetermined minimum threshold, wherein the predetermined minimum threshold increases as the distance between the first TU and at least one TU associated with the list of users increases; and

selecting a TU associated with the second user to be the second TU.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein personal identifying information of each user is hidden from each other user.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the second TU must be in a first predetermined mode in order to be selected as a match for the first TU.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one TU is a mobile telecommunications unit.

5. A computer readable medium for storing computer readable instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause a computing device to perform a method for connecting telecommunications units, wherein the method comprises the step of connecting a first telecommunications unit (TU) with a second TU, wherein the second TU is selected based at least in part on the physical distance between the first TU and the second TU, and at least in part on a compatibility of attribute information associated with users of the first and second TUs, the selecting of the second TU, comprising:

creating a list of users having attribute information that possibly matches attribute information of a first user of the first TU;

sorting the list in order of increasing physical distance between TUs associated with the list of users and the first TU;

searching the list for a second user having a match score at least equal to a predetermined minimum threshold, wherein the predetermined minimum threshold increases as the distance between the first TU and at least one TU associated with the list of users increases; and

selecting a TU associated with the second user to be the second TU.

6. The computer readable medium of claim 5, wherein personal identifying information of each user is hidden from each other user.

7. The computer readable medium of claim 5, wherein the second TU must be in a first predetermined mode in order to be selected as a match for the first TU.

8. The computer readable medium of claim 5, wherein at least one TU is a mobile telecommunications unit.

9. A system for connecting telecommunications units, comprising:

a processor;

memory for storing computer readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the system to perform the step of connecting a first telecommunications unit (TU) with a second TU, wherein the second TU is selected based at least in part on the physical distance between the first TU and the second TU, and at least in part on a compatibility of personal attributes associated with users of the first and second TUs, the selecting of the second TU, comprising of;

creating a list of users having attribute information that possibly matches attribute information of a first user of the first TU;

sorting the list in a predetermined order, wherein the list is sorted in order of increasing physical distance between TUs associated with the list of users and the first TU;

searching the list for a second user having a match score at least equal to a predetermined minimum threshold, wherein the predetermined minimum threshold increases as the distance between the first TU and at least one TU associated with the list of users increases; and

selecting a TU associated with the second user to be the second TU.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein personal identifying information of each user is hidden from each other user.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the second TU must be in a first predetermined mode in order to be selected as a match for the first TU.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein at least one TU is a mobile telecommunications unit.

13. A method of transmitting data to at least one of a plurality of telecommunication units (TUs) based on attribute information associated with users of the TUs, comprising:

comparing attribute information associated with a first user with attribute information associated with other users to determine match scores, wherein each match score is based upon the number of different compatible attributes;

identifying a set of users having a match score equal to or exceeding a predetermined minimum threshold;

selecting from the identified set of users a second user having an associated TU that is within a predetermined range of the first user'"'"'s TU; and

responsive to the selection of the second user,

transmitting data to at least one of the first and second user'"'"'s TUs.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein personal identifying information of each user is hidden from each other user.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the second user'"'"'s TU must be in a first predetermined mode in order to be selected as a match.

16. A computer readable medium in a system for transmitting data to at least one of a plurality of telecommunication units (TUs) based on attribute information associated with users of the TUs, the computer readable medium having instructions contained thereon, which, when executed by a processor in the system, cause the system to perform the operations of:

comparing attribute information associated with a first user with attribute information associated with other users to determine match scores, wherein each match score is based upon a number of different compatible attributes;

identifying a set of users having a match score equal to or exceeding a predetermined minimum threshold;

selecting from the identified set of users a second user having an associated TU that is within a predetermined range of the first user'"'"'s TU; and

responsive to the selection of the second user,

transmitting data to at least one of the first and second user'"'"'s TUs.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein personal identifying information of each user is hidden from each other user.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein the second user'"'"'s TU must be in a first predetermined mode in order to be selected as a match.

19. A system for transmitting data to at least one of a plurality of telecommunication units (TUs) based on attribute information associated with users of the TUs, comprising:

a processor;

memory for storing instructions, which, when executed by the processor, cause the system to perform the operations of;

comparing attribute information associated with a first user with attribute information associated with other users to determine match scores, wherein each match score is based upon the number of different compatible attributes;

identifying a set of users having a match score equal to or exceeding a predetermined minimum threshold;

selecting from the identified set of users a second user having an associated TU that is within a predetermined range of the first user'"'"'s TU; and

responsive to the selection of the second user,

transmitting data to at least one of the first and second user'"'"'s TUs.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein personal identifying information of each user is hidden from each other user.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein the second user'"'"'s TU must be in a first predetermined mode in order to be selected as a match.

22. A method of transmitting data to at least one of a plurality of telecommunication units (TUs) based on attribute information associated with users of the TUs, comprising:

determining a distance between a first TU and a second TU;

determining compatibility between a first user associated with the first TU and a second user associated with the second TU based on attribute information, wherein the steps of determining distance and compatibility occur substantially simultaneously; and

responsive to the distance being within a predetermined range and a determination that attribute information associated with the first and second users are compatible,

transmitting data to at least one of the first and second user'"'"'s TUs.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein a multi-dimensional search algorithm is used to determine distance and compatibility.

24. A computer readable medium in a system for transmitting data to at least one of a plurality of telecommunication units (TUs) based on attribute information associated with users of the TUs, the computer readable medium having instructions contained thereon, which, when executed by a processor in the system, cause the system to perform the operations of:

determining a distance between a first TU and a second TU;

determining compatibility between a first user associated with the first TU and a second user associated with the second TU based on attribute information, wherein the steps of determining distance and compatibility occur substantially simultaneously; and

responsive to the distance being within a predetermined range and a determination that attribute information associated with the first and second users are compatible,

transmitting data to at least one of the first and second user'"'"'s TUs.

25. The computer readable medium of claim 24, wherein a multi-dimensional search algorithm is used to determine distance and compatibility.

26. A system for transmitting data to at least one of a plurality of telecommunication units (TUs) based on attribute information associated with users of the TUs, comprising:

a processor;

memory for storing instructions, which, when executed by the processor, cause the system to perform the operations of;

determining a distance between a first TU and a second TU;

determining compatibility between a first user associated with the first TU and a second user associated with the second TU based on attribute information, wherein the steps of determining distance and compatibility occur substantially simultaneously; and

responsive to the distance being within a predetermined range and a determination that attribute information associated with the first and second users are compatible,

transmitting data to at least one of the first and second user'"'"'s TUs.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein a multi-dimensional search algorithm is used to determine distance and compatibility.

28. A method of transmitting data to at least one of a plurality of telecommunication units (TUs) based on attribute information associated with users of the TUs, comprising:

determining a distance between a first TU and a second TU;

determining compatibility between a first user associated with the first TU and a second user associated with the second TU based on attribute information, wherein the distance is determined before compatibility is determined; and

responsive to the distance being within a predetermined range and a determination that attribute information associated with the first and second users are compatible,

transmitting data to at least one of the first and second user'"'"'s TUs.

29. A computer readable medium in a system for transmitting data to at least one of a plurality of telecommunication units (TUs) based on attribute information associated with users of the TUs, the computer readable medium having instructions contained thereon, which, when executed by a processor in the system, cause the system to perform the operations of:

determining a distance between a first TU and a second TU;

determining compatibility between a first user associated with the first TU and a second user associated with the second TU based on attribute information, wherein the distance is determined before compatibility is determined; and

responsive to the distance being within a predetermined range and a determination that attribute information associated with the first and second users are compatible,

transmitting data to at least one of the first and second users TUs.

30. A system for transmitting data to at least one of a plurality of telecommunication units (TUs) based on attribute information associated with users of the TUs, comprising:

a processor;

memory for storing instructions, which, when executed by the processor, cause the system to perform the operations of;

determining a distance between a first TU and a second TU;

determining compatibility between a first user associated with the first TU and a second user associated with the second TU based on attribute information, wherein the distance is determined before compatibility is determined; and

responsive to the distance being within a predetermined range and a determination that attribute information associated with the first and second users are compatible,

transmitting data to at least one of the first and second user'"'"'s TUs.

31. A method of generating data associated with a plurality of telecommunication units (TUs), comprising:

determining if a first TU was within a first predetermined distance from a geographic location at a reference time;

determining if the TU was within a second predetermined distance of a second TU at the reference time; and

responsive to the determination that the first TU was within the first predetermined distance from the geographic location at the reference time and within the second predetermined distance of the second TU at the reference time,

generating data associated with at least one of the first and second TUs.

32. A method of notifying a first telecommunication unit (TU) of a future location of a second TU, comprising:

determining a first location of the second TU at a first time;

determining a second location of the second TU at a second time based on the first location and the first time; and

notifying the second TU of the first location.