Method and system for communicating with multiple users via a map over the internet

• US 8,139,514 B2
• Filed: 02/24/2006
• Issued: 03/20/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: R2 Solutions LLC (Acacia Research Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Yahoo! Inc. (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Weber, Karon A., Trevor, Jonathan, Ho, Edward, Tripodi, Samantha
• Primary Examiner(s): Sheikh, Ayaz
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hsiung, Hai-Chang
• Application Number:
  US11/361,268
• Publication Number:
  US 20070200713A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,216 Days
• Field of Search: 370/310, 370/312
• US Class Current: 370/312
• 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: H04L 67/54 Presence management, e.g. monitoring or registration for receipt of user log-on information, or the connection status of the users

Abstract

A method, device, and system for communicating with multiple users via a map over the Internet are disclosed. The device includes a processor for executing computer programs, a memory for storing data, an input module for entering user commands, a communication module for transmitting and receiving data, and a display for showing information on a screen. The device further includes logic for selecting a group of users, logic for creating a map to share among the group of users, logic for displaying locations of the group of users on the map, and logic for broadcasting changes of a user'"'"'s location to the group over the Internet.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, over a network, from a first user, a respective identification of each user of a plurality of second users;

associating, using a computing device, the first user and each user of the plurality of second users with a user defined community;

receiving, over a network, from the first user, an image, created by the first user, of a location;

creating, using the computing device, a map of the location such that the map is associated with the user defined community;

receiving, over the network, an indication of a placement of a representation of the first user on the map;

alerting, over the network, each user associated with the user defined community that the first user is placed on the map;

receiving, over the network, from each user of a subset of users associated with the user defined community, a respective indication of a respective placement of a respective representation of a respective user on the map;

determining, using the computing device, for the first user and each user of the subset of users, a respective geographical location of the respective user; and

broadcasting, over the network, to the first user and each user of the subset of users, the respective geographical location of the first user and each user of the subset of users.

2. The method of claim 1, such that the image is selected from a group comprising:

a hand-drawn map;

a printed map; and

a photo image.

3. The method of claim 1, such that the image is selected from a group comprising:

a seating chart of a stadium;

a seating chart of a theater; and

an interior layout of a building.

4. The method of claim 1, such that creating a map further comprises downloading an existing map from a website.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, over the network, messages from the first user and each user of the subset of users; and

sending, over the network, messages to the first user and each user of the subset of users.

6. The method of claim 5, such that the message includes a format selected from a group comprising:

voice, text, video, image, and graphics.

7. A non-transitory computer readable storage media for tangibly storing thereon computer readable instructions comprising instructions for:

receiving, over a network, from a first user, a respective identification of each user of a plurality of second users;

associating the first user and each user of the plurality of second users with a user defined community;

receiving from the first user, an image, created by the first user, of a location;

creating a map of the location such that the map is associated with the user defined community;

receiving, over the network, an indication of a placement of a representation of the first user on the map;

alerting, over the network, each user associated with the user defined community that the first user is placed on the map;

receiving, over the network, from each user of a subset of the users associated with the user defined community, a respective indication of a respective placement of a respective representation of a respective user on the map;

determining, for the first user and each user of the subset of users, a respective geographical location of the respective user; and

broadcasting, over the network, to the first user and each user of the subset of users, the respective geographical location of the first user and each user of the subset of users.

8. The non-transitory computer readable storage media of claim 7, such that the image is selected from a group comprising:

a hand-drawn map;

a printed map; and

a photo image.

9. The non-transitory computer readable storage media of claim 7, such that the image is selected from a group comprising:

a seating chart of a stadium;

a seating chart of a theater; and

an interior layout of a building.

10. The non-transitory computer readable storage media of claim 7, such that creating a map further comprises downloading an existing map from a website.

11. The non-transitory computer readable storage media of claim 7, further comprising:

receiving, over the network, messages from the first user and each user of the subset of users; and

sending, over the network, messages to the first user and each user of the subset of users.

12. The non-transitory computer readable storage media of claim 11, such that the messages include a format selected from a group comprising:

voice, text, video, image, and graphics.

13. A computing device comprising:

a processor;

a non-transitory computer readable storage medium for tangibly storing thereon program logic for execution by the processor, the program logic comprising;

logic executed by the processor for receiving, over a network, from a first user, a respective identification of each user of a plurality of second users;

logic executed by the processor for associating the first user and each user of the plurality of second users with a user defined community;

logic executed by the processor for receiving from the first user, an image, created by the first user, of a location;

logic executed by the processor for creating a map of the location such that the map is associated with the user defined community;

logic executed by the processor for receiving, over the network, an indication of a placement of a representation of the first user on the map;

logic executed by the processor for alerting, over the network, each user associated with the user defined community that the first user is placed on the map;

logic executed by the processor for receiving, over the network, from each user of a subset of the users associated with the user defined community, a respective indication of a respective placement of a respective representation of a respective user on the map;

logic executed by the processor for determining, for the first user and each user of the subset of users, a respective geographical location of the respective user; and

logic executed by the processor for broadcasting, over the network, to the first user and each user of the subset of users, the respective geographical location of the first user and each user of the subset of users.

14. The computing device of claim 13, such that the image is selected from a group comprising:

a hand-drawn map;

a printed map; and

a photo image.

15. The computing device of claim 13, such that the image is selected from a group comprising:

a seating chart of a stadium;

a seating chart of a theater; and

an interior layout of a building.

16. The computing device of claim 13, such that creating a map further comprises downloading an existing map from a web site.

17. The computing device of claim 13, further comprising:

receiving, over the network, messages from the first user and each user of the subset of users; and

sending, over the network, messages to the first user and each user of the subset of users.

18. The computing device of claim 17, such that the message includes a format selected from a group comprising:

voice, text, video, image, and graphics.