Intensity-based maps

• US 8,185,137 B2
• Filed: 06/25/2007
• Issued: 05/22/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Berns, Adam T., Allard, James E., Holmdahl, Todd E., Roup, Oliver R., Sloo, David H., Wong, Curtis G., Yee, Dawson, Baker, Nicholas C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chang, Kent
• Assistant Examiner(s): Siddiqui, Kashif
• Application Number:
  US11/767,715
• Publication Number:
  US 20080318597A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,793 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 455/456.5
• 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 67/535 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 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

The claimed subject matter relates to a first architecture that can create an intensity map based upon intensity scores, and to a second architecture that can provide intensity scores and can request and receive the intensity map. Intensity scores can relate to an approval or a level of satisfaction of a current location of a user and can be conveniently provided, in some cases with a single keystroke (e.g., 0-9 from a conventional cell phone keypad) by, say, mobile device users. Numerous intensity scores can be received and aggregated to produce an intensity map of a given area or region. Portions of the intensity map can be provided to requesting devices, potentially filtered based upon a variety of criteria. As a result, the intensity map can provide in substantially real-time a visual indication of locations or entities that might be interesting to explore.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented system that creates an intensity map, comprising:

a processing device; and

one or more components operating in conjunction with the processing device, the one or more components comprising;

an evaluation component that receives an intensity score from a mobile device, the intensity score being a rating of variable scale that indicates various levels of interest, the evaluation component to gradually reduce the intensity score as time from when the intensity score is received gradually increases;

a tracking component that determines a location of the mobile device, exchanges location information with the mobile device, and provides a location based service (LBS) to the mobile device; and

a mapping component that aggregates the intensity score to an intensity map for a particular geographic location, the intensity map being configured to reflect intensity scores for the particular geographic location using coding that reflects varying degrees of correlation across the particular geographic location to interests of the user of the mobile device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the tracking component employs at least one of a Global Positioning System (GPS) or a Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) to determine the location of the mobile device.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the tracking component provides a Location-Based Service (LBS) to the mobile device in exchange for the intensity score.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the mapping component associates the location with an entity.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the evaluation component interprets the intensity score based upon a type of the entity.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein the evaluation component interprets the intensity score based upon at least one of a time in which the mobile device remains at the location or a transaction associated with the entity.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising a filtering component that filters the intensity map based upon a type of entity.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the intensity map is a global map.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the mapping component provides a subset of the intensity map to a requesting device.

10. The system of claim 9, further comprising an association component that manages associations between the mobile device and the requesting device.

11. The system of claim 10, further comprising a filtering component that filters the intensity map based upon the associations.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the association component employs a friend list to manage the associations.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the association component employs a second degree friend list to manage the associations.

14. A computer-implemented system that receives an intensity map, comprising:

a processing device; and

one or more components operating in conjunction with the processing device, the one or more components including;

a preference component that aggregates user preferences and filtering criteria;

a solicitation component that transmits to a remote system a request for an intensity map that is generated based upon the user preferences and filtered according to the filtered criteria, the solicitation component to receive the intensity map that is filtered according to the filtering criteria such that the intensity map shows an intensity score for an entity when (1) the intensity score is inputted by an individual on a friend list and (2) the individual on the friend list that inputted the intensity score is currently present at the entity.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the user preferences indicate a type of entity.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the user preferences include the friend list.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the solicitation component further transmits an intensity score to the remote system that is based upon an assessment of a local environment within the geographic location.

18. The system of claim 17, further comprising a location component that receives a LBS from the remote system in return for the intensity score.

19. A computer-implemented method for generating an intensity map, comprising:

receiving one or more intensity scores from a mobile device;

associating the received one or more intensity scores with preferences of a user of the mobile device;

determining a location of the mobile device;

mapping the location to coordinates of an intensity map;

applying the one or more intensity scores to the coordinates of the intensity map;

receiving a request for an intensity map that is based on a set of user preferences, the request stipulating that the intensity map be generated for a zip code;

receiving the set of user preferences in addition to the request; and

generating the requested intensity map by aggregating the one or more intensity scores related to the zip code that share commonalities with the set of user preferences, the intensity map reflecting the aggregates of intensity scores using color-coding configured to reflect a greater and lesser degree of correlation for the zip code to the user preferences, the color-coding being updated in real-time or near real-time based on newly received intensity scores originating from mobile devices used by users having preferences that correlate with the set of user preferences.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

determining an entity associated with the location;

filtering the intensity map based upon a type of entity;

filtering the intensity map based upon a friend list;

providing a LBS as an incentive for receiving the intensity score; and

transmitting a subset of the intensity map to a requesting device.