System and method for managing group communications

• US 8,428,635 B2
• Filed: 11/17/2008
• Issued: 04/23/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Disney Enterprises Incorporated (The Walt Disney Company)
• Original Assignee: Disney Enterprises Incorporated (The Walt Disney Company)
• Inventors: Watson, Scott, Santana, Armando, Shively, Orrin J., Swirsky, Robert, Gilbert, Jonathan, Brown, Ben
• Primary Examiner(s): Safaipour, Bobbak
• Application Number:
  US12/313,231
• Publication Number:
  US 20090233639A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,618 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456.03, 455/3.06, 455/6.01, 455/466, 455/3.01, 455517-519, 455/563, 455/411, 455/414.3, 455/550.1, 455/418, 455/456.3, 370/338, 725/53
• US Class Current: 455/519
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1822 Conducting the conference, e.g. admission, detection, selection or grouping of participants, correlating users to one or more conference sessions, prioritising transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1831 Tracking arrangements for later retrieval, e.g. recording contents, participants activities or behavior, network status
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication

Abstract

Provided is a system for managing group communications. The system comprises a communications server accessible by a group of users having a first mobile communication device and a second mobile communication device; a local services network interactively connected to the communications server; a group management application resident on the communications server, the group management application configured to activate a group communication session corresponding to an identification code assigned to the group, to support communications among the first mobile communication device, the second mobile communication device, and the local services network during the group session, and to terminate the group session after a predetermined time interval; the system designed to manage and distribute communications across the members of the group during the group communication session.

Claims

1. A system for managing group communications for groups of users visiting a recreational venue, the system comprising:

a communications server accessible by a group of users having a plurality of mobile communication devices including a first mobile communication device and a second mobile communication device;

a group management application resident on the communications server, the group management application configured to;

receive a group identification code sent from a first mobile communication device;

activate a group communication session corresponding to the group identification code;

assign the first mobile communication device to the group of users corresponding to the group identification code in response to receiving the group identification code sent from the first mobile communication device;

send a confirmation message to the first mobile communication device in response to receiving the group identification code sent from the first mobile communication device;

receive the group identification code sent from a second mobile communication device;

assign the second mobile communication device to the group of users corresponding to the group identification code in response to receiving the group identification code sent from the second mobile communication device;

send a confirmation message to the second mobile communication device in response to receiving the group identification code sent from the second mobile communication device;

receive a group message for distribution to the group of users;

disseminate the group message to the plurality of mobile communication devices including the first mobile communication device and the second mobile communication device; and

terminate the group communication session after a predetermined time interval;

wherein sequential identification codes are not assigned to successive groups of the groups of users visiting the recreational venue, thereby preventing one to anticipate the group identification code assigned to the group of users.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the group message is from a group administrator.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the group management application is configured to support communications via short message service (SMS) text messaging.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the group management application is configured to support communications via email.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising a group communication control software capable of being downloaded to the first mobile communication device and the second mobile communication device;

the group communication control software configured to enable communication among the communications server and the group of mobile communication devices including the first mobile communication device and the second mobile communication device over a local area network (LAN).

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the LAN comprises a Wi-Fi network.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the LAN comprises a Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX) network.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the system is implemented to manage group communications at the recreational venue corresponding to a local services network.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the recreational venue comprises a theme park.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the recreational venue comprises a destination resort.

11. A method for managing group communications for groups of users visiting a recreational venue, the method comprising:

receiving a group identification code sent from a first mobile communication device;

activating a group communication session corresponding to the group identification code;

assigning the first mobile communication device to a group of users corresponding to the group identification code in response to the receiving of the group identification code sent from the first mobile communication device;

sending a confirmation message to the first mobile communication device in response to the receiving of the group identification code sent from the first mobile communication device;

receiving the group identification code sent from a second mobile communication device;

assigning the second mobile communication device to the group of users corresponding to the group identification code in response to the receiving of the group identification code sent from the second mobile communication device;

sending a confirmation message to the second mobile communication device in response to the receiving of the group identification code sent from the second mobile communication device;

receiving a group message for distribution to the group of users;

disseminating the group message to the plurality of mobile communication devices including the first mobile communication device and the second mobile communication device; and

terminating the group communication session after a predetermined time interval;

wherein sequential identification codes are not assigned to successive groups of the groups of users visiting the recreational venue, thereby preventing one to anticipate the group identification code assigned to the group of users.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the group message originates from a group administrator.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the group message comprises a short message service (SMS) text message.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the group message comprises an email message.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising providing a group communication control software capable of being downloaded to the first mobile communication device;

the group communication control software configured to enable communication among a communications server, a local services network, and the group over a local area network (LAN).

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the LAN is one of a Wi-Fi network, a Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX) network, and a Bluetooth network.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the method is implemented to manage group communications at the recreational venue.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the recreational venue comprises a theme park.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the recreational venue comprises a destination resort.

20. A method for managing group communications for groups of users visiting a recreational venue, the method comprising:

receiving a group identification code sent from a first mobile communication device;

activating a group communication session corresponding to the group identification code;

assigning the first mobile communication device to a group of users corresponding to the group identification code in response to the receiving of the group identification code sent from the first mobile communication device;

sending a confirmation message to the first mobile communication device in response to the receiving of the group identification code sent from the first mobile communication device;

receiving the group identification code sent from a second mobile communication device;

assigning the second mobile communication device to the group of users corresponding to the group identification code in response to the receiving of the group identification code sent from the second mobile communication device;

sending a confirmation message to the second mobile communication device in response to the receiving of the group identification code sent from the second mobile communication device;

receiving a message from the first mobile communication device for distribution to at least one other user in the group of users;

disseminating the message to the at least one other use in the group of users by sending the message to at least the second mobile communication device; and

terminating the group communication session after a predetermined time interval;

wherein sequential identification codes are not assigned to successive groups of the groups of users visiting the recreational venue, thereby preventing one to anticipate the group identification code assigned to the group of users.