Contiguous location-based user networks

• US 8,417,780 B2
• Filed: 02/28/2011
• Issued: 04/09/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Concert Technology Corporation
• Original Assignee: Waldeck Technology, LLC (Concert Technology Corporation)
• Inventors: Jennings, Kenneth, Petersen, Steven L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Philip B
• Application Number:
  US13/036,389
• Publication Number:
  US 20120072495A1
• Time in Patent Office: 771 Days
• Field of Search: 709203-205, 709/220, 709223-224
• US Class Current: 709/204
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• 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 4/08 User group management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals

Abstract

A system and method are provided for creating location-based user networks. In general, a proximity group including a number of users is identified. Each user in the proximity group is within a proximate area of at least one other user in the proximity group and has an area of interest. The areas of interest of the users in the proximity group are aggregated to provide an aggregate area of interest for the proximity group. Other users within the aggregate area of interest are identified as neighbors of each of the users in the proximity group. Once the neighbors are identified, each of the users in the proximity group may use the neighbors as members, or potential members, for a user network.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

identifying a first proximity group comprising a first plurality of users, each user of the first plurality of users being within a proximate area of at least one other user of the first plurality of users and having an area of interest, each of the proximate area and the area of interest corresponding to geographic regions where the area of interest is larger than the proximate area; and

identifying at least one additional user within an aggregate of the areas of interests of the first plurality of users in the first proximity group as a neighbor of each of the first plurality of users in the first proximity group.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the first proximity group comprises a first user and a second user, the first user having a first proximate area within which the second user is located and a first area of interest that is larger than the first proximate area and the second user having a second proximate area within which the first user is located and a second area of interest that is larger than the second proximate area.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein identifying the at least one additional user within the aggregate of the areas of interest of the first plurality of users in the first proximity group comprises identifying at least one first additional user located within the second area of interest of the second user and outside of the first area of interest of the first user as a neighbor of both the first and second users.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein identifying the at least one additional user within the aggregate of the areas of interest of the first plurality of users in the first proximity group further comprises identifying at least one second additional user within the first area of interest of the first user and outside of the second area of interest of the second user as a neighbor of both the first and second users.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein identifying the at least one additional user within the aggregate of the areas of interest of the first plurality of users in the first proximity group further comprises identifying at least one third additional user within both the first and second areas of interest as a neighbor of both the first and second users.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein for each user of the first plurality of users in the first proximity group, the neighbor is used as a potential member of a user network of the user.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the user network is a user network selected from a group consisting of:

a social network and a peer-to-peer recommendation network.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

identifying a new user that is located within the proximate area of at least one of the first plurality of users in the first proximity group; and

adding the new user to the first proximity group.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

identifying a new user that is located within the proximate area of at least one of the first plurality of users in the first proximity group, the new user being a member of a second proximity group comprising a second plurality of users including the new user;

merging the first and second proximity groups to provide a merged proximity group comprising the first and second pluralities of users; and

identifying at least one additional user within an aggregate of the areas of interest of the first and second pluralities of users in the merged proximity group as a neighbor of each of the first and second pluralities of users in the merged proximity group.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

identifying a user of the first plurality of users that is no longer within the proximate area of any other user of the first plurality of users; and

removing the user as a member of the first proximity group.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising removing at least one user that is located within the area of interest of the user removed from the first proximity group and not located within the area of interest of any other user of the first plurality of users remaining in the first proximity group as a neighbor of the other users of the first plurality of users remaining in the first proximity group.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein removing the user as a member of the first proximity group severs a chain of proximity between at least two subsets of the first plurality of users, and the method further comprises:

splitting the first proximity group into at least two separate proximity groups, each comprising one of the at least two subsets of the first plurality of users; and

for each subset of the first plurality of users from the at least two subsets, identifying at least one additional user within an aggregate of the areas of interest of the subset of the first plurality of users as a neighbor of each of the subset of the first plurality of users.

13. A system comprising:

a communication interface for communicating with a plurality of user devices via a network, the plurality of user devices associated with a plurality of users; and

a control system associated with the communication interface and adapted to;

identify a first proximity group comprising at least two first users of the plurality of users, each user of the at least two first users being within a proximate area of at least one other user of the at least two first users and having an area of interest, each of the proximate area and the area of interest corresponding to geographic regions where the area of interest is larger than the proximate area; and

identify at least one additional user from the plurality of users within an aggregate of the areas of interests of the at least two first users in the first proximity group as a neighbor of each of the at least two first users in the first proximity group.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the first proximity group comprises a first user and a second user, the first user having a first proximate area within which the second user is located and a first area of interest that is larger than the first proximate area and the second user having a second proximate area within which the first user is located and a second area of interest that is larger than the second proximate area.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the control system is further adapted to identify at least one first additional user located within the second area of interest of the second user and outside of the first area of interest of the first user as a neighbor of both the first and second users.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the control system is further adapted to identify at least one second additional user within the first area of interest of the first user and outside of the second area of interest of the second user as a neighbor of both the first and second users.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein the control system is further adapted to identify at least one third additional user within both the first and second areas of interest as a neighbor of both the first and second users.

18. The system of claim 13 wherein for each user of the at least two first users in the first proximity group, the neighbor is used as a potential member of a user network of the user.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein the user network is a user network selected from a group consisting of:

a social network and a peer-to-peer social recommendation network.

20. The system of claim 13 wherein the control system is further adapted to:

identify a new user from the plurality of users that is located within the proximate area of at least one of the at least two first users in the first proximity group; and

add the new user to the first proximity group.

21. The system of claim 13 wherein the control system is further adapted to:

identify a new user from the plurality of users that is located within the proximate area of at least one of the at least two first users in the first proximity group, the new user being a member of a second proximity group comprising at least two second users from the plurality of users including the new user;

merge the first and second proximity groups to provide a merged proximity group comprising the at least two first users and the at least two second users; and

identify at least one additional user from the plurality of users within an aggregate of the areas of interests of the at least two first users and the areas of interest of the at least two second users in the merged proximity group as a neighbor each of the at least two first users and the at least two second users in the merged proximity group.

22. The system of claim 13 wherein the control system is further adapted to:

identify one of the at least two first users that is no longer within the proximate area of any other user of the at least two first users; and

remove the one of the at least two first users as a member of the first proximity group.

23. The system of claim 22 wherein the at least two first users comprise a plurality of first users and removing the user as a member of the first proximity group severs a chain of proximity between at least two subsets of the plurality of first users, and the control system is further adapted to:

split the first proximity group into at least two separate proximity groups each comprising one of the at least two subsets of the plurality of first users; and

for each subset of the plurality of first users from the at least two subsets, identify at least one additional user from the plurality of users within an aggregate of the areas of interest of the subset of the plurality of first users as a neighbor of each of the subset of the plurality of first users.