User contribution based mapping system and method

• US 8,447,810 B2
• Filed: 12/04/2011
• Issued: 05/21/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Smith Micro Software Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Wavemarket Incorporated (Gen Digital Inc.)
• Inventors: Roumeliotis, Tasos, Hotes, Scott, Hodges, Daniel, Grossman, Joel, Finkelstein, Jason Matthew
• Primary Examiner(s): Zong, Ruolei
• Application Number:
  US13/310,768
• Publication Number:
  US 20120077523A1
• Time in Patent Office: 534 Days
• Field of Search: 709204-206, 709217-219, 455/456.3, 455/414, 455/2, 455/456.1, 455/422.1
• US Class Current: 709/204
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/047 Optimisation of routes or paths, e.g. travelling salesman problem

Abstract

A computer implemented user contribution method is provided. The method includes receiving identifying information from a plurality of users and receiving from the plurality of users indications of one or more geographic areas. A quality value of the one or more geographic areas is determined based on the indications of the one or more geographic areas from the plurality of users, and the quality value is transmitted to one or more of the plurality of users. The present invention further provides a user contribution based mapping system.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented user contribution method comprising:

receiving a plurality of user identifying criteria from a plurality of users;

receiving from the a plurality of users indications of at least one geographic area comprising ratings of the at least one geographic area;

receiving from a first user an indication of at least one preferred user identifying criteria and an indication of a predetermined range of quality value;

determining a quality value of the at least one geographic area based on at least one indication of the at least one geographic area received from at least one of the plurality of users corresponding to the at least one preferred user identifying criteria;

comparing the quality value of the at least one geographic area with the predetermined range and determining whether the quality value falls within the predetermined range;

receiving via a network mobile device location information of a user mobile device corresponding to a second user from at least one of the user mobile device and a remote telecommunication carrier server in communication with the user mobile device indicating that the user mobile device has at least one of entered and exited the at least one geographic area; and

transmitting an indication of communication permissions revoked from the user mobile device when the user mobile device has exited the at least one geographic area if the quality value of the at least one geographic area falls within the predetermined range.

2. The computer-implemented user contribution method of claim 1, further comprising receiving the user identifying criteria as at least one of a user address, a user age, a user gender, and a user occupation from the plurality of users.

3. The computer-implemented user contribution method of claim 1, wherein the first user comprises at least one of the plurality of users, and the indication comprises a warning.

4. The computer-implemented user contribution method of claim 3, further comprising transmitting a map to the user mobile device displaying the at least one geographic area and displaying whether the quality value of the at least one geographic area falls within the predetermined range.

5. The computer-implemented user contribution method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting a map to the user mobile device displaying the at least one geographic area and displaying whether the quality value of the at least one geographic area falls within the predetermined range.

6. The computer-implemented user contribution method of claim 1, further comprising establishing a user account for each of the plurality of users using the user identifying criteria.

7. The computer-implemented user contribution method of claim 1, wherein receiving the indications of at least one geographic area further comprises receiving an indication of an address.

8. The computer-implemented user contribution method of claim 1, further comprising receiving the at least one rating of the at least one geographic area as an indication that the at least one geographic area is at least one of residential and commercial.

9. The computer-implemented user contribution method of claim 1, further comprising receiving the at least one rating of the at least one geographic area as a safety rating.

10. The computer-implemented user contribution method of claim 1, wherein receiving the indications of at least one geographic area comprises receiving a plurality of ratings of the at least one geographic area from the plurality of users, and wherein the quality value is determined as an average of the plurality of ratings from the plurality of users.

11. The computer-implemented user contribution method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting through a computer network a map to the first user displaying the at least one geographic area and the quality value of the at least one geographic area in relation to a surrounding area.

12. The computer-implemented user contribution method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting the quality value of the at least one geographic area to the first user.

13. The computer-implemented user contribution method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving from the plurality of users indications of a plurality of geographic areas;

receiving mobile device location information of the user mobile device from at least one of the user mobile device and a remote telecommunication carrier server in communication with the user mobile device indicating that the user mobile device has at least one of entered and exited at least one of the plurality of geographic areas; and

transmitting an indication to the first user that the user mobile device has at least one of entered and exited the at least one of the plurality of geographic areas if the quality value of the at least one of the plurality of geographic areas falls within the predetermined range.

14. The computer-implemented user contribution method of claim 1, wherein the at least one geographic area comprises a plurality of geographic areas, and wherein the indication transmitted to the first user is transmitted if the user mobile device corresponding to the second user has at least one of entered and exited one of the plurality of geographic areas.

15. The computer-implemented user contribution method of claim 1, wherein receiving the indications of at least one geographic area comprises receiving a plurality of scaled numeric ratings of the at least one geographic area from the plurality of users, and wherein the quality value is determined as an average of the plurality of scaled numeric ratings from the plurality of users.

16. A user contribution based mapping system comprising at least one computing device including at least one memory comprising instructions operable to enable the computing device to perform a procedure comprising:

receiving user identifying criteria from at least a first user and a second user;

receiving from the at least the first user and the second user indications of at least one geographic area comprising ratings of the at least one geographic area;

receiving an indication of at least one preferred user identifying criteria and an indication of a predetermined range of quality value from a third user;

determining a quality value of the at least one geographic area based on the indications of the at least one geographic area from the at least the first user and the second user in response to the at least the first user and the second user corresponding to the at least one preferred user identifying criteria;

comparing the quality value of the at least one geographic area with the predetermined range and determining whether the quality value falls within the predetermined range;

receiving mobile device location information of a user mobile device corresponding to a fourth user from at least one of the user mobile device and a remote telecommunication carrier server in communication with the user mobile device indicating that the user mobile device has at least one of entered and exited the at least one geographic area; and

transmitting an indication of communication permissions revoked from the user mobile device when the user mobile device has exited the at least one geographic area if the quality value of the at least one geographic area falls within the predetermined range.

17. The user contribution based mapping system of claim 16, wherein the at least one memory further comprises instructions operable to enable receiving from the third user at least one indication of the at least one geographic area.

18. The user contribution based mapping system of claim 16, wherein the at least one geographic area comprises a plurality of geographic areas, and wherein the indication transmitted to the third user is transmitted if the user mobile device corresponding to the fourth user has at least one of entered and exited one of the plurality of geographic areas.