Systems for communicating current and future activity information among mobile internet users and methods therefor

• US 7,818,415 B2
• Filed: 09/12/2008
• Issued: 10/19/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Neeraj Jhanji
• Inventors: Jhanji, Neeraj
• Primary Examiner(s): EL CHANTI, HUSSEIN A
• Application Number:
  US12/210,065
• Publication Number:
  US 20090076889A1
• Time in Patent Office: 767 Days
• Field of Search: 709217-219, 709223-224, 709/207
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0259 based on store location
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0261 based on user location
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 Wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• 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 51/224 providing notification on incoming messages, e.g. pushed notifications of received messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/54 Presence management, e.g. monitoring or registration for receipt of user log-on information, or the connection status of the users
• 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 4/20 Services signaling; Auxiliary data signalling, i.e. transmitting data via a non-traffic channel

Abstract

The invention relates, in one embodiment to a computer-implemented method implemented via the Internet for coordinating an activity between a user of a mobile Internet device and other users communicating through the Internet. The method includes receiving activity information pertaining to the event from the user via the mobile Internet device. The activity pertains to an activity occurring during a time period that overlaps the time the activity information is received. The method further includes transmitting the activity information to a backend database coupled to the Internet, the backend database being remote from the mobile Internet device. The method further includes rendering the activity information accessible to at least one recipient via the Internet. The recipient represents a subset of the users coupled to the Internet and having access privilege to information pertaining to the event involving the user.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of presenting advertisements related to an activity proposed electronically by a user to other persons connected to that user, the method comprising:

a) receiving at a server computer, from a first user'"'"'s Internet-capable device, information indicating a desired activity of the first user; and

b) thereafter, automatically formatting for simultaneous display on the first user'"'"'s Internet-capable device, (i) information indicating a most recently updated status received from at least one second user and (ii) at least one commercial offering;

c) wherein the at least one second user is selected by the server computer based, at least in part, on data stored in a database identifying one or more persons who are associated with the first user;

d) wherein the stored data identifying persons associated with the first user is indicative of an agreed-upon connection between the first user and each of said persons; and

e) wherein the at least one commercial offering is selected by the server computer based, at least in part, on the information indicating the desired activity received from the first user'"'"'s device.

2. The method of claim 1:

(i) further comprising, receiving at a server computer, from a first user'"'"'s Internet-capable device, information indicating a most recently updated physical location of the first user; and

(ii) wherein the at least one commercial offering is selected by the server computer based, at least in part, on the information indicating the physical location of the first user'"'"'s device.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the information indicating the physical location of the first user is self-declared location information.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein:

(i) the information indicating a desired activity of the first user includes information indicative of a time of occurrence for the activity; and

(ii) the at least one commercial offering is selected by the server computer based, at least in part, on the information indicative of the time of occurrence for the activity.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one commercial offering is selected by the server computer based, at least in part, on data indicative of at least one past response by the first user to a previous commercial offering selected by the server computer.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein automatically formatting for simultaneous display comprises formatting for simultaneous display (i) information indicating a most recently updated status of only those of the plurality of second users located within a first-user-controlled geographic distance received from a most recently updated location of the first user and (ii) the at least one commercial offering.

7. The method of claim 1:

(i) further comprising, receiving a query at a server computer, from a first user'"'"'s Internet-capable device, which query contains one or more location parameters;

(ii) wherein formatting for simultaneous display further comprises automatically formatting for simultaneous display (A) information indicating the most recently updated status received from those second users whose most recently updated location information fits the location parameters and (B) the at least one commercial offering; and

(iii) wherein the at least one commercial offering is selected by the server computer based, at least in part, on at least one of the location parameters.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising, in response to a request from the first user, automatically sending, to at least one of those second users whose location information fits the location parameters, (i) an invitation from the first user and (ii) the at least one commercial offering.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising, in response to receipt of the information indicating the desired activity of the first user by the server computer, automatically making, available for review over the Internet by the at least one second user, (i) the first user'"'"'s desired activity and (ii) the at least one commercial offering.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein:

(i) the information indicating the status of the at least one second user comprises information indicating a most recently updated activity; and

(ii) the at least one commercial offering is selected by the server computer based, at least in part, on the information indicating the activity of the at least one second user.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the Internet-capable device of first user is an Internet-capable mobile device.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the Internet-capable mobile device is a cellular phone.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the Internet-capable mobile device is a laptop computer.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein the Internet-capable mobile device is a PDA.

15. The method of claim 11 wherein the at least one commercial offering comprises a bar code formatted for display on the Internet-capable mobile device.

16. A computer-readable non-transitory data storage medium storing indicia of instructions for a processor to perform a method of presenting advertisements related to an activity proposed electronically by a user to other persons connected to that user, the method comprising:

a) receiving at the server computer, from a first user'"'"'s Internet-capable mobile device, information indicating a desired activity of the first user; and

b) thereafter, automatically formatting for simultaneous display on the first user'"'"'s Internet-capable mobile device, (i) information indicating a most recently updated status received from at least one second user and (ii) at least one commercial offering;

c) wherein the at least one second user is selected by the server computer based, at least in part, on data stored in a database identifying one or more persons who are associated with the first user;

d) wherein the stored data identifying persons associated with the first user is indicative of an agreed-upon connection between the first user and each of said persons; and

e) wherein the at least one commercial offering is selected by the server computer based, at least in part, on the information indicating the desired activity received from the first user'"'"'s device.

17. The computer-readable non-transitory data storage medium of claim 16 wherein the computer-readable non-transitory data storage medium further storing indicia of instructions for a processor to perform a method:

(i) further comprising, receiving at a server computer, from the first user'"'"'s Internet-capable mobile device, information indicating a physical location of the first user; and

(ii) wherein the at least one commercial offering is selected by the server computer based, at least in part, on the information indicating the physical location of the first user'"'"'s device.

18. The computer-readable non-transitory data storage medium of claim 16 wherein the computer-readable non-transitory data storage medium further storing indicia of instructions for a processor to perform a method wherein:

(i) the information indicating a desired activity of the first user includes information indicative of a time of occurrence for the activity; and

(ii) the at least one commercial offering is selected by the server computer based, at least in part, on the information indicative of the time of occurrence for the activity.

19. The computer-readable non-transitory data storage medium of claim 16 wherein the computer-readable non-transitory data storage medium further storing indicia of instructions for a processor to perform a method wherein the at least one commercial offering is selected by the server computer based, at least in part, on data indicative of at least one past response by the first user to a previous commercial offering selected by the server computer.

20. The computer-readable non-transitory data storage medium of claim 16 wherein the computer-readable non-transitory data storage medium further storing indicia of instructions for a processor to perform a method:

(i) further comprising, receiving a query at a server computer, from a first user'"'"'s Internet-capable mobile device, which query contains one or more location parameters;

(ii) wherein formatting for simultaneous display further comprises automatically formatting for simultaneous display A) information indicating the most recently updated status received from those second users whose location information fits the location parameters and (B) the at least one commercial offering; and

iii) wherein the at least one commercial offering is selected by the server computer based, at least in part, on at least one of the location parameters.

21. The computer-readable non-transitory data storage medium of claim 20 wherein the computer-readable non-transitory data storage medium further storing indicia of instructions for a processor to perform a method that further comprises, in response to a request from the first user, automatically sending, to at least one of those second users whose location information fits the location parameters, (i) an invitation from the first user and (ii) the at least one commercial offering.

22. The computer-readable non-transitory data storage medium of claim 16 wherein the computer-readable non-transitory data storage medium further storing indicia of instructions for a processor to perform a method wherein the at least one commercial offering comprises a bar code formatted for display on the Internet-capable mobile device.

23. A computer system for presenting advertisements related to an activity proposed electronically by a user to other persons connected to that user, the system comprising:

a) a database storing entries indicative of an agreed-upon connection between pairs of the users; and

b) a computer having an Internet interface, coupled to the database, and structured and programmed;

(i) to receive, from a first user'"'"'s Internet-capable mobile device, information indicating a desired activity; and

(ii) in response to receipt of the activity information, to select at least one commercial offering based, at least in part, on the desired activity and to format for simultaneous display, on the first user'"'"'s Internet-capable mobile device, (A) the at least one commercial offering and (B) information indicating a most recently updated status received from at least one second user, which second user is selected based, at least in part, on said entries stored in the database associated with the first user.

24. The computer system of claim 23 wherein the computer is further structured and programmed:

(i) to receive from the first user'"'"'s Internet-capable mobile device, information indicating a physical location of the first user; and

(ii) to automatically select the at least one commercial offering based, at least in part, on the information indicating the physical location of the first user'"'"'s device.

25. The computer system of claim 23 wherein the computer is further structured and programmed:

(i) to receive from the first user'"'"'s Internet-capable mobile device, information indicating a time of occurrence for the desired activity; and

(ii) to automatically select the at least one commercial offering based, at least in part, on the information indicating the time of occurrence for the desired activity.

26. The computer system of claim 23 wherein the computer is further structured and programmed to automatically select the at least one commercial offering based, at least in part, on the information indicative of at least one past response by the first user to a previous commercial offering selected by the server computer.

27. The computer system of claim 23 wherein the computer is further structured and programmed:

i) to receive a query from the first user'"'"'s Internet-capable mobile device, which query contains one or more location parameters;

ii) to automatically select the at least one commercial offering based, at least in part, on the one or more location parameters; and

ii) in response to receipt of the query, to automatically format for simultaneous display (A) the at least one commercial offering and (B) information indicating the most recently updated status received from those second users whose location information fits the location parameters.

28. The computer system of claim 27 wherein the computer is further structured and programmed to, in response to a request from the first user, automatically send, to at least one of those second users whose location information fits the location parameters, (A) an invitation from the first user and (B) the at least one commercial offering.

29. The computer system of claim 23 wherein the at least one commercial offering comprises a bar code formatted for display on the first user'"'"'s Internet-capable mobile device.