Methods, systems, and computer program products for implementing a virtual posting service

• US 7,525,932 B2
• Filed: 03/21/2005
• Issued: 04/28/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Tischer, Steven
• Primary Examiner(s): Orgad; Edan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Weidner; Timothy J
• Application Number:
  US11/085,662
• Publication Number:
  US 20060209744A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,499 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 370/310
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/18 for broadcast or conference , e.g. multicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/00 User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
• 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: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
• 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 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

Methods, systems, and computer program products for implementing virtual posting services. Methods include receiving content from a communications device located in a geographic proximity that is serviced by an access node, storing the content in a storage device that is in communication with the access node, and tracking an amount of time the content item is stored. If the amount of time does not reach a pre-established threshold, the methods include transmitting the content to another communications device in response to detecting the presence of the other communications device within the geographic proximity.

Claims

1. A method for implementing virtual post services, comprising:

receiving content from a communications device located in a geographic proximity that is serviced by an access node;

storing the content in a storage device that is in communication with the access node;

tracking an amount of time the content item is stored; and

if the amount of time does not reach a pre-established threshold, transmitting the content to another communications device in response to detecting the presence of the other communications device within the geographic proximity

further comprising linking the access node to another access node, the method further comprising;

receiving an inquiry from the other communications device;

searching the storage device for content relating to the inquiry;

if the content relating to the inquiry is found, transmitting the content relating to the inquiry to the other communications device; and

if the content relating to the inquiry is not found, performing at least one of;

relaying the inquiry to the other access node, the other access node searching an other storage device for the content relating to the inquiry; and

storing the inquiry in the storage device and transmitting the inquiry to communications devices detected in the geographic proximity.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

if the amount of time meets or exceeds the pre-established threshold, deleting the content from the storage device.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the tracking an amount of time includes associating a timestamp with the content;

and wherein further, the deleting the content if the amount of time meets or exceeds the pre-established threshold includes comparing the timestamp with a current time.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the communication devices is a wireless device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the content is relevant to the geographic proximity.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the content is time sensitive.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the searching of the storage device for the content relating to the inquiry includes searching the storage device in response to a selection made via a searchable index of content.

8. A system for implementing virtual post services, comprising:

a virtual post application embedded in a computer readable medium and executing on

a processor, the virtual post application performing;

receiving content from a communications device located in a geographic proximity that is serviced by the access node;

storing the content in a storage device;

tracking an amount of time the content item is stored; and

if the amount of time does not reach a pre-established threshold, transmitting the content to an other wireless communications device in response to detecting the presence of the other wireless communications device within the geographic proximity;

an other access node linked to the access node, the virtual post application further performing;

receiving an inquiry from the other communications device;

searching the storage device for content relating to the inquiry;

if the content relating to the inquiry is found, transmitting the content relating to the inquiry to the other communications device via the wireless access node; and

if the content relating to the inquiry is not found, performing at least one of;

relaying the inquiry to the other access node, the other access node searching an other storage device for the content relating to the inquiry; and

storing the inquiry in the storage device and transmitting the inquiry via the access node to wireless communications devices detected in the geographic proximity.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein if the amount of time meets or exceeds the pre-established threshold, the virtual post application deletes the content from the storage device.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the tracking an amount of time includes associating a timestamp with the content;

and wherein further, the deleting the content if the amount of time meets or exceeds the pre-established threshold includes comparing the timestamp with a current time.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein at least one of the communications devices is a wireless device.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the content is relevant to the geographic proximity.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the content is time sensitive.

14. The system of claim 8, further comprising a searchable index of the content, wherein the searching the storage device for the content relating to the inquiry includes searching the storage device in response to a selection made via the searchable index.

15. A computer-readable storage medium for implementing virtual post services, the computer-readable storage medium including instructions embedded in a computer-readable medium for causing a processor to perform a method, the method including:

receiving content from a communications device located in a geographic proximity that is serviced by an access node;

storing the content in a storage device that is in communication with the access node;

tracking an amount of time the content item is stored;

if the amount of time does not reach a pre-established threshold, transmitting the content to an other communications device in response to detecting the presence of the other communications device within the geographic proximity;

receiving an inquiry from the other communications device;

searching the storage device for content relating to the inquiry;

if the content relating to the inquiry is found, transmitting the content relating to the inquiry to the other communications device; and

if the content relating to the inquiry is not found, performing at least one of;

relaying the inquiry to the other access node, the other access node searching an other storage device for the content relating to the inquiry; and

storing the inquiry in the storage device and transmitting the inquiry to communications devices detected in the geographic proximity.

16. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein if the amount of time meets or exceeds the pre-established threshold, the method includes deleting the content from the storage device.

17. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the tracking an amount of time includes associating a timestamp with the content;

and wherein further, the deleting the content if the amount of time meets or exceeds the pre-established threshold includes comparing the timestamp with a current time.

18. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein at least one of the communications devices is a wireless device.

19. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the content is relevant to the geographic proximity.

20. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the content is time sensitive.

21. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, further comprising a searchable index of the content, wherein the searching the storage device for the content relating to the inquiry includes searching the storage device for content in response to a selection made via the searchable index.