Location based services in a situational network

• US 8,358,609 B1
• Filed: 10/17/2011
• Issued: 01/22/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SitNet LLC
• Original Assignee: Resource Consortium Limited
• Inventors: Cona, Thomas, Wendkos, Eli L., Igoe, Patrick T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Phan, Tri H
• Application Number:
  US13/274,696
• Time in Patent Office: 463 Days
• Field of Search: 370310-350, 4554561-460
• US Class Current: 370/315
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3415 Dynamic re-routing, e.g. recalculating the route when the user deviates from calculated route or after detecting real-time traffic data or accidents
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3461 Preferred or disfavoured areas, e.g. dangerous zones, toll or emission zones, intersections, manoeuvre types, segments such as motorways, toll roads, ferries
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3697 Output of additional, non-guidance related information, e.g. low fuel level G01C21/3679 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096716 where the received information does not generate an automatic action on the vehicle control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096741 where the source of the transmitted information selects which information to transmit to each vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096791 where the origin of the information is another vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/205 Indicating the location of the monitored vehicles as destination, e.g. accidents, stolen, rental
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/024 Guidance services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/50 for emergency connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

A method of providing location based service information in a situational network includes establishing the situational network linking a plurality of individuals in response to an indication of an occurrence of a situation. Information related to availability of a service at a plurality of service locations affected by the situation is received, where the service is provided by one or more of a plurality of service providers An individual location associated with each of the plurality of individuals is determined. The available service locations that are in closest proximity to the individual location of the respective individuals is transmitting to each of the individuals based on the availability of the service.

Claims

1. A method of communicating using a situational network, the method comprising:

broadcasting by a first mobile device corresponding to a first individual a set of positional coordinates corresponding to a location of the first individual, wherein the broadcast includes a request for at least one service;

receiving by the first mobile device from at least one other mobile device corresponding to at least one other individual a response to the request for the at least one service, the response including positional coordinates for the at least one other mobile device;

determining by the first mobile device that the at least one other mobile device is within a pre-determined proximity of the first mobile device;

establishing by the first mobile device a direct connection with the at least one other mobile device; and

exchanging information between the first individual and the at least one other individual related to the rendering of the at least one service via the direct connection.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

facilitating a personal meeting between the first individual and the at least one other individual for providing of the at least one service.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

terminating the direct connection between the first mobile device and the at least one other mobile device after the at least one service has been rendered to the first individual.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the direct connection between the at least one other mobile device and the first device creates the situational network.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first individual and the at least one other individual have no personal knowledge of each other prior to their respective devices establishing the direct connection.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the request for the at least one service includes at least one of a request for aid and a request for information.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the positional coordinates are obtained using global navigation satellite system data.

8. A method of forming a situational network, the method comprising:

discovering by a first personal information aggregator at least one other personal information aggregator within a pre-determined proximity based on receiving a message directly from the at least one other personal information aggregator, the message including positional coordinates of the at least one other personal information aggregator;

transmitting an invitation to establish a direct connection to the at least one other personal information aggregator based on a geographic location corresponding to the positional coordinates of the at least one other personal information aggregator indicating the at least one other personal information aggregator is within a pre-determined proximity to the first personal, information aggregator;

receiving at least one response from the at least one other personal information aggregator accepting the invitation;

establishing a direct multi-dimensional connection with the at least one other personal information aggregator; and

determining at least one common interest with the at least one personal information aggregator, wherein the at least one common interest corresponds to a dimension included in the connection.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

facilitating based on the common interest a personal meeting between a first user and a second user using the personal information aggregators, respectively.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

terminating the direct connection with the at least one other personal information aggregator in response to receiving new geographic position data via the direct connection, wherein the first personal information aggregator and the at least one other personal information aggregator are separated by more than the pre-defined proximity.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

exchanging information related to the common interest with the at least one other personal information aggregator.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the first personal information aggregator and the at least one other personal information aggregator have not at any previous time established a direct connection with each other.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein nodes of a multi-dimensional personal information network corresponding to the first personal information aggregator and the at least one other personal information aggregator are separated by an order of two or greater.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the affinity along the dimension corresponding to the common interest is increased.

15. A method of forming a situational network, the method comprising:

broadcasting by a first personal information aggregator corresponding to a first user a transmission including positional coordinates of the first personal information aggregator and a request for a service;

receiving a response to the request for the service from at least one other personal information aggregator, the response including positional coordinates for the at least one other personal information aggregator, the at least one other personal information aggregator corresponding to a different user;

determining by the first personal information aggregator that the at least one other personal information aggregator is within a pre-determined proximity to the first personal information aggregator, the pre-determined proximity stored in a user defined profile in the first personal information aggregator; and

establishing a direct connection with the at least one other personal information aggregator, the direct connection used to exchange information related to the rendering of the service.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

facilitating, using the personal information aggregators, a personal meeting between the first user and the different user for the purpose of providing the service based on the request for the service.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

terminating the direct connection with the at least one other personal information aggregator after service has been rendered.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the first personal information aggregator and the at least one other personal information aggregator have not at any previous time shared information through a first order connection.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the first personal information aggregator and the at least one other personal information aggregator have at some time in past shared information through a second or higher order connection.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein nodes of a multi-dimensional personal information network corresponding to the first personal information aggregator and the at least one other personal information aggregator are separated by an order of two or greater.

21. The method of claim 15, wherein the users of the first personal information aggregator and the at least one other personal information aggregator have no personal knowledge of each other prior to establishing the direct connection.

22. The method of claim 15, wherein the request for service includes at least one of a request for aid and a request for information.

23. The method of claim 15, wherein the positional coordinates are obtained using global navigation satellite system data.

24. A situational network comprising:

a first device, corresponding to a first individual, configured to broadcast a set of positional coordinates corresponding to the location of the first individual, receive a response to the request for the service from at least one other device, the response including positional coordinates for the at least one other device, determine that the at least one other device is within a pre-determined proximity to the first device, establish a direct connection with the at least one other device, and exchange information between the first individual and the at least one other individual related to the rendering of the service via the direct connection, wherein the broadcast includes a request for a service and the first device includes a GPS unit; and

the at least one other device, corresponding to the at least one other individual, configured to receive the broadcast, transmit the response to the request, connect to the first device, and exchange the information with the first device via the direct connection.