Systems for communicating current and future activity information among mobile internet users and methods therefor
First Claim
1. A computer-implemented method for sharing current location information among users by using relationship information stored in a database, the method comprising:
- a) receiving data sent from a sender'"'"'s communication device, the data containing self-declared location information indicating a physical location of the sender at the time the sender sent the data determined without the aid of automatic location determination technology;
b) determining from the data the sender'"'"'s identity and based on the sender'"'"'s identity and the relationship information stored in the database, determining a plurality of users associated with the sender and who have agreed to receive messages about the sender, each of the plurality of users having a communication device;
c) wherein the data sent from the sender'"'"'s communication device does not contain an indication of contact information of said plurality of users; and
d) sending a notification message to the communication devices of, among the users, only the determined users, the notification message containing the sender'"'"'s self-declared location information.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A computer-implemented method implemented via the Internet for coordinating a current or future event between a user of a mobile Internet device and other users communicating through the Internet. The method includes receiving the current or future activity information pertaining to the future event from the user via the mobile Internet device. The current activity pertains to an activity occurring at a current time relative to a time the future activity information is received. The future activity pertains to an activity occurring at a future time relative to a time the future activity information is received. The method further includes transmitting the current or future 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 current or future 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 current or future event involving the user.
37 Citations
83 Claims
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1. A computer-implemented method for sharing current location information among users by using relationship information stored in a database, the method comprising:
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a) receiving data sent from a sender'"'"'s communication device, the data containing self-declared location information indicating a physical location of the sender at the time the sender sent the data determined without the aid of automatic location determination technology; b) determining from the data the sender'"'"'s identity and based on the sender'"'"'s identity and the relationship information stored in the database, determining a plurality of users associated with the sender and who have agreed to receive messages about the sender, each of the plurality of users having a communication device; c) wherein the data sent from the sender'"'"'s communication device does not contain an indication of contact information of said plurality of users; and d) sending a notification message to the communication devices of, among the users, only the determined users, the notification message containing the sender'"'"'s self-declared location information. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9)
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8. A computer-implemented method for sharing current location information among users by using relationship information stored in a database, the method comprising:
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a) receiving data sent from a sender'"'"'s communication device, the data containing self-declared location information indicating a physical location of the sender at the time the sender sent the data, wherein the physical location has a name and the sender manually enters the self-declared location information into the sender'"'"'s communication device by selecting the name of the physical location from a list of location names generated with the aid of automatic location-determination technology; b) determining from the data the sender'"'"'s identity and based on the sender'"'"'s identity and the relationship information stored in the database, determining a plurality of users associated with the sender and who have agreed to receive messages about the sender, each of the plurality of users having a communication device; c) wherein the data sent from the sender'"'"'s communication device does not contain an indication of contact information of said plurality of users; and d) sending a notification message to the communication devices of, among the users, only the determined users, the notification message containing the sender'"'"'s self-declared location information.
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10. A computer-implemented system for sharing current location information between a sender having a communication device and a plurality of users, each having a communication device, comprising:
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a) a database unit having stored therein contact information for the plurality of users, and relationship information associating the sender with each of the plurality of users based on a relationship between the sender and the each of the plurality of users; and b) a server device coupled to the database unit and to a communications network, wherein the server device receives data sent from the sender'"'"'s communication device that contains self-declared location information indicating a physical location of the sender at the time the sender sent the data determined without the aid of automatic location determination technology, wherein in response to receiving the data the server device; i. determines from the data the sender'"'"'s identity, ii. determines, based on the sender'"'"'s identity and the relationship information, a plurality of users to whom to send a notification message and who are associated with the sender and have agreed to be sent the notification message, and iii. sends the notification message to the communication devices of, among the users, only the determined users, the notification message containing the sender'"'"'s self-declared location information; c) wherein the data sent from the sender'"'"'s communication device does not contain an indication of contact information of said plurality of users. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18)
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17. A computer-implemented system for sharing current location information between a sender having a communication device and a plurality of users, each having a communication device, comprising:
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a) a database unit having stored therein contact information for the plurality of users, and relationship information associating the sender with each of the plurality of users based on a relationship between the sender and the each of the plurality of users; and b) a server device coupled to the database unit and to a communications network, wherein the server device receives data sent from the sender'"'"'s communication device that contains location information indicating a physical location of the sender at the time the sender sent the data, wherein the physical location has a name and the sender manually enters the self-declared location information into the sender'"'"'s communication device by selecting the name of the physical location from a list of location names generated with the aid of automatic location-determination technology, wherein in response to receiving the data the server device; i. determines from the data the sender'"'"'s identity, ii. determines, based on the sender'"'"'s identity and the relationship information, a plurality of users to whom to send a notification message and who are associated with the sender and have agreed to be sent the notification message, and iii. sends the notification message to the communication devices of, among the users, only the determined users, the notification message containing the sender'"'"'s self-declared location information; c) wherein the data sent from the sender'"'"'s communication device does not contain an indication of contact information of said plurality of users.
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19. A computer-implemented method for sharing current activity information among users by using relationship information stored in a database accessible by a server computer, the method comprising:
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a) receiving data sent from a sender'"'"'s communication device, the data containing activity information indicating a current activity of the sender at the time the sender sent the message; b) the server computer determining from the data the sender'"'"'s identity and based on the sender'"'"'s identity and the relationship information stored in the database, determining a plurality of users associated with the sender who have agreed to receive messages about the sender, each of the plurality of users having a communication device; c) wherein the data sent from the sender'"'"'s communication device does not contain an indication of contact information of said plurality of users; and d) sending a notification message to the communication devices of, among the users, only the determined users, the notification message containing the activity information indicating the current activity of the sender. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A computer-implemented method for exchanging messages among a plurality of users, using relationship information stored in a database accessible by a server computer, the method comprising:
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a) receiving at the server computer, from a first user'"'"'s Internet-capable device, a message, along with location information indicating a most recently updated physical location of the first user; and b) in response thereto, automatically causing the message and the location information to be sent over the Internet to at least one second user, and, among the plurality of users, to only the at least one second user; c) wherein the at least one second user is selected by the server computer based, at least in part, on data stored in the database identifying one or more users of the plurality of users who are associated with the first user; d) wherein the stored data identifying users of the plurality of users associated with the first user is indicative of an agreed-upon connection between the first user and each of said users of the plurality of users; and e) wherein the message and the location information received at the server computer does not contain an indication of contact information of said at least one second user. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59)
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60. A computer-implemented method for exchanging messages among a plurality of users, using relationship information stored in a database accessible by a server computer, the method comprising:
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a) receiving at the server computer, from a first sending user'"'"'s Internet-capable device, a message, which message identifies the user who originated the message, and self-declared location information indicating a most recently updated physical location of the first sending user; b) in response thereto, automatically causing the message and the self-declared location information to be sent over the Internet to a plurality of receiving users, and, among the plurality of users, to only the plurality of receiving users; and c) repeating parts (a) and (b) for messages received at the server computer from a plurality of second sending users; d) wherein the receiving users are selected by the server computer based, at least in part, on entries in a database identifying those of the plurality of users associated with each sending user; e) wherein the entries in the database are indicative of an agreed-upon connection between sending user and a user of the plurality of users associated with that sending user; and f) wherein the messages and the self-declared location information received at the server computer from the first sending user and from the second sending user do not identify either the receiving users or the contact information of the receiving users for said messages. - View Dependent Claims (61, 62, 63)
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64. A computer-implemented method for sharing current activity information among a plurality of users, using relationship information stored in a database accessible by a server computer, the method comprising:
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a) receiving at the server computer, from a first user'"'"'s Internet-capable device, activity information indicating a current activity of the first user at the time the first user sent the activity information; and b) in response thereto, automatically causing the activity information to be sent over the Internet to at least one second user, and, among the plurality of users, to only the at least one second user; c) wherein the at least one second user is selected by the server computer based, at least in part, on data stored in the database identifying one or more users of the plurality of users who are associated with the first user; d) wherein the stored data identifying users of the plurality of users associated with the first user is indicative of an agreed-upon connection between the first user and each of said users of the plurality of users; and e) wherein the activity information received at the server computer does not contain an indication of contact information of said at least one second user. - View Dependent Claims (65, 66, 67, 68, 69)
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70. A computer-implemented method for exchanging messages among a plurality of users, using relationship information stored in a database accessible by a server computer, the method comprising:
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a) receiving at the server computer, from a first user'"'"'s Internet-capable device, activity information indicating a current activity of the first user at the time the first user sent the activity information, along with location information indicating a most recently updated physical location of the first user; and b) in response thereto, automatically causing the activity information and the location information to be sent over the Internet to at least one second user, and, among the plurality of users, to only the at least one second user; c) wherein the at least one second user is selected by the server computer based, at least in part, on data stored in the database identifying one or more users of the plurality of users who are associated with the first user; d) wherein the stored data identifying users of the plurality of users associated with the first user is indicative of an agreed-upon connection between the first user and each of said users of the plurality of users; and e) wherein the activity information and the location information received at the server computer does not contain an indication of contact information of said at least one second user. - View Dependent Claims (71, 72, 73, 74, 75)
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76. A computer-readable non-transitory data storage medium comprising indicia of instructions for a processor to perform a method of exchanging messages among a plurality of users, using relationship information stored in a database accessible by a server computer, the method comprising:
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a) receiving at the server computer, from a first user'"'"'s Internet-capable device, a message, and location information indicating a most recently updated physical location of the first user; and b) in response thereto, automatically causing the message and the location information to be sent over the Internet to at least one second user, and, among the plurality of users, to only the at least one second user; c) wherein the at least one second user is selected by the server computer based, at least in part, on data stored in the database identifying one or more of the plurality of users who are associated with the first user; d) wherein the stored data is indicative of an agreed-upon connection between the first user and each of the associated users; and e) wherein the message and the location information received at the server computer from the first sending user does not identify the at least one second users. - View Dependent Claims (77, 78, 79)
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80. A computer system for exchanging messages between a plurality of users comprising:
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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 to receive from a first user'"'"'s Internet-capable device, a message, and location information indicating a most recently updated physical location of the first user, and in response, to; i. select at least one second user based, at least in part, on the entries stored in the database associated with the first user; and ii. automatically cause the message and location information to be sent over the Internet to the at least one second user, and among the plurality of users other than the first user, to only the at least one second user; c) wherein the message and the location information received at the computer from the first user'"'"'s Internet-capable device does not identify the recipient of said message. - View Dependent Claims (81, 82, 83)
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Specification