Method for finding members of a common interest group

• US 7,418,268 B1
• Filed: 09/29/1999
• Issued: 08/26/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Swisscom AG (Government of Switzerland)
• Original Assignee: Swisscom Mobile AG (Government of Switzerland)
• Inventors: Cabano, Claudio, Perels, David, Huber, Adriano
• Primary Examiner(s): SHARMA, SUJATHA R
• Application Number:
  US09/890,702
• Time in Patent Office: 3,254 Days
• Field of Search: 4554561-4563, 455/518, 455/519, 455/41.2, 455/41.3
• US Class Current: 455/518
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 2001/085 Partner search devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• 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 4/08 User group management

Abstract

Method for finding members of a common interest group with a mobile device (1), in which at least one database (50) is built, in which a plurality of interest groups are stored. These interest groups contain mobile radio network users; the database (50) is filed in at least one server (5), accessible from within a radio network (3).

Each time a member is located in the vicinity of another member of a common interest group, he is automatically sent a message.

Claims

1. A method for finding members of a common interest group with a mobile device, said method comprising the steps of:

building at least one database in which a plurality of interest groups are stored, these interest groups comprising users of terminals,

storing the database in at least one server accessible from within a radio network,

sending a message to at least one of said members if he is in the vicinity of another of said members of the common interest group, wherein said message includes identification characteristics, and

said mobile device providing said identification characteristics to said at least one of said members for enabling the identification of the another of said members by the one of said members.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein location determining means are provided that monitor the location of a plurality of members, and wherein said message is prepared by said server if it recognizes on the basis of the results of said location determining means that two members of the same interest group are in each other'"'"'s vicinity.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said location determining means determine the location of members through signals from a location determining satellite.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein said location determining means determine the location of members through signals from a plurality of basis stations in the radio network.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said message is sent as an SMS message.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said message is sent as an USSD message.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said message is sent as a GPRS packet.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said message is sent as an IP packet.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said message is sent as an e-mail.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein certain members decide that a message should be sent to them each time a member of a common interest group is nearby.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein certain members decide that they want to receive messages only when they send a specific demand to said server.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein

at least certain mobile devices contain a close-range contactless interface, and wherein

these mobile devices send said message over said contactless interface as soon as they find another mobile device in the vicinity belonging to a member of a common interest group.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the member can self-register in an interest group.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the members can register with an interest group with their mobile devices.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the members can register with an interest group with a registration message prepared with their mobile devices.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the members can register with a voice message.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the members can register with a interest group by Internet.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein third parties register members with an interest group.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein membership with a group is certified.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein membership with a group is certified by third parties.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein third parties file a registration certificate in said database.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein third parties file a registration certificate in the mobile devices of said members.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein at least certain members are only registered temporarily in an interest group.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the membership is time-limited.

25. The method of claim 1, wherein said database is managed by the operator of said radio network, and wherein the registration with a group and/or the sending of said message is billed by said operator.

26. The method of claim 1, wherein said database is managed by third parties.

27. The method of claim 1, wherein said message is electronically signed.

28. The method of claim 1, wherein said message is electronically encrypted.

29. The method of claim 1, wherein the maximum distance between the members of a common interest group is determined by the manager of said interest group in order to send said message.

30. The method of claim 1, wherein the maximum distance between the members of a common interest group is determined by said member in order to send said message.

31. The method of claim 1, wherein certain members temporarily prevent messages from being sent to them about the presence of members of common interest groups.

32. The method of claim 1, wherein certain members temporarily prevent messages from being sent to them about their present location to other members of common interest groups.

33. The method of claim 1, wherein said message contains the telephone number of said nearby member.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein said telephone number is not displayed.

35. The method of claims 33, wherein the member, having received a said message, can build a connection with said member of a common interest group without typing this member'"'"'s telephone number.

36. The method of claim 1, wherein said message contains an identification of said participant that is necessary for a connection over the close-range contactless interface.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein said close-range contactless interface is a Bluetooth interface.

38. The method of claims 36, wherein said member, having received said message, can build a direct connection with said nearby member over said contactless interface.

47. The method of claim 1, wherein said identification characteristics have been previously stored in said database.

48. The method of claim 1, wherein said graphical image information includes a digital photograph.

39. A system with which members of a common interest group can find other members, comprising:

at least one server accessible from a radio network, in which at least one database including a plurality of interest groups stored therein, these interest groups comprising mobile phone users,

location determining means for monitoring the location of the members,

means for determining if one or more of the members of the common interest group are simultaneously situated within a predefined distance of each other,

means for sending messages if it is determined that said one or more of the members of the common interest group are simultaneously situated within said predefined distance of each other, wherein said message includes identification characteristics, and

said mobile device including means for providing said identification characteristics to said members for enabling said members to recognize said one or more of said members.

49. The system of claim 39, wherein said identification characteristics include graphical image information has been previously stored in said database.

40. A method for finding members of a common interest group with a mobile device, said method comprising the steps of:

building at least one database in which a plurality of interest groups are stored, these interest groups comprising users of terminals, said database including identification characteristics for at least some of the users;

storing the database in at least one server accessible from within a radio network,

sending a message including said identification characteristics for one of said members to at least another of said members if he is in the vicinity of the another of said members of the common interest group,

and

specifically billing a party for said sending of said message.

41. A method for finding members of a common interest group with a mobile device, said method comprising the steps of:

building at least one database in which a plurality of interest groups are stored, these interest groups comprising users of terminals,

storing the database in at least one server accessible from within a radio network,

storing a predetermined message criterion different from membership in said common interest group for determining when a message is sent to one of said members; and

sending said message to the one of said members if he is in the vicinity of another of said members and only if said message criterion is satisfied, wherein

said message contains physical identification characteristics that enable the personal recognition of the another of said members by the one of said members.

42. The method of claim 41, wherein said message criterion is an acceptable time period.

43. The method of claim 41, wherein said message criterion is an acceptable location.

44. The method of claim 41, wherein said message criterion is a location at a predefined meeting place.

45. The method of claim 41, wherein said message criterion is a permission provided by the another of said members to send said message.

46. The method of claim 41, wherein said message criterion is a permission provided by said one of said members to receive said message.

50. A method for finding members of a common interest group, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a database for storing a plurality of digital photographs, wherein each of said photographs corresponds to a different one of the members,

storing the database in at least one server accessible from within a radio network,

determining when one of said members is in the vicinity of another of said members utilizing a mobile device of the one of said members and a mobile device of the another of said members;

sending the digital photograph corresponding to the one of said members to the mobile device of the another of said members when it is determined that the one of said members is in the vicinity of the another of said members, and

utilizing said mobile device of the one of said members for enabling the visual identification of the another of said members by the one of said members.

51. A method for finding members of a common interest group, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a database for storing identifying information about each of said members,

storing the database in at least one server accessible from within a radio network,

determining when one of said members is in the vicinity of another of said members utilizing a mobile device of the one of said members and a mobile device of the another of said members;

sending said identifying information corresponding to the one of said members to the mobile device of the another of said members when it is determined that the one of said members is in the vicinity of the another of said members,

said mobile device of the one of said members using said identifying information for display to the one of said members for enabling identification of the another of said members by the one of said members, and

the one of said members getting into direct contact with the another of said members by using the displayed identifying information for identifying the another of said members.

52. A method for finding members of a common interest group with a mobile device, said method comprising the steps of:

building at least one database in which a plurality of interest groups are stored, users of terminals being members of these interest groups,

providing at least one server accessible from within a radio network for utilizing said database, and

said server sending a message to at least one of said members if he is in the vicinity of another of said members of the common interest group, wherein

said message contains personal profile information related to the another of said members.

53. A method for finding members of a common interest group, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a database for storing identifying characteristic about each of said members, said identifying characteristic being a picture of said members,

storing the database in at least one server accessible from within a radio network,

determining when one of said members is in the vicinity of another of said members utilizing a mobile device of the one of said members and a mobile device of the another of said members;

sending said identifying characteristic corresponding to the one of said members to the mobile device of the another of said members when it is determined that the one of said members is in the vicinity of the another of said members,

said mobile device of the one of said members displaying said identifying characteristic to the one of said members for enabling identification of the another of said members by the one of said members, and

the one of said members getting into direct contact with the another of said members by using the displayed identifying characteristic for identifying the another of said members.