Methods and devices for attracting groups based upon mobile communications device location

• US 8,649,798 B2
• Filed: 01/25/2007
• Issued: 02/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Aaron, Jeffrey
• Primary Examiner(s): Magloire, Vladimir
• Application Number:
  US11/627,260
• Publication Number:
  US 20080182586A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,574 Days
• Field of Search: 4554561-457, 455/404.2, 455/459, 455/518, 455/519
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• 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 4/08 User group management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/186 Processing of subscriber group data

Abstract

Individuals carrying a mobile communications device may send and/or receive attractor signals that specify where pre-defined groups are meeting at large gathering such as sporting events or concerts. The groups may be open to the public or may be private. The attractor signals are sent to those mobile communications devices of the group that are currently present at the event location rather than to all potential members of the group. The attractors may present information regarding where the meeting point is, who initiated the attractor signal, which individuals have responded to the attractor or are already at the meeting point, and so forth. The attractors maybe updated to with more current information including new guidance data as the user receiving the attractor changes location in an attempt to find the meeting point.

Claims

1. A method, for attracting together individuals using a plurality of wireless communications devices, comprising:

receiving, by a system using a processor, from a first wireless communications device of the plurality of wireless communications devices, a request to generate an attractor to be made availabe to other wireless communications devices of the plurality of wireless communications devices;

obtaining, by the system, a first location, of the first wireless communications device;

identifying, by the system, an event area corresponding to the first location;

identifying, by the system, a predefined subscriber group, of multiple predefined subscriber groups, associated with the event area identified;

generating, by the system, the attractor being for the predefined subscriber group and associated with the event area;

obtaining, by the system, a second location, of a second wireless communications device of the plurality of wireless communications devices;

making available, by the system, to the second wireless communications device, in response to determining that the event area includes the second location, the attractor corresponding to the predefined subscriber group and to the event area; and

making available, by the system, to the second wireless communications device, instructions for finding a group location corresponding to the predefined subscriber group.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, from the second wireless communications device, a response to the attractor; and

sending, to the first wireless communications device, a communication indicating the response to the attractor received from the second wireless communications device.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the communication indicates progress in finding the group location.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the event area corresponds to a pre-defined event held periodically at the event area.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein making available, by the system, the instructions for finding the group location comprises making available information having an indication that a group meeting point will be changed.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein making available, to the second wireless communications device, the attractor corresponding to the predefined subscriber group and to the event area comprises sending the attractor to the second wireless communications device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein making available, to the second wireless communications device, the attractor corresponding to the predefined subscriber group and to the event area comprises permitting access to the attractor for the second wireless communications device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein making available, to the second wireless communications device, the instructions for finding the group location comprises sending the instructions to the second wireless communications device.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein sending the instructions is performed in response to receiving a request sent by the second wireless communications device in response to receipt of the attractor at the second wireless communications device.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein sending the instructions to the second wireless communications device comprises sending the instructions as part of sending the attractor to the second wireless communications device.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein making available, to the second wireless communications device, the instructions for finding the group location comprises permitting access to the instructions for the second wireless communications device.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein making available the instructions is performed in response to receiving a request sent by the second wireless communications device in response to receipt of the attractor at the second wireless communications device.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein, in making available instructions for finding the group location, the group location is the first location.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the processor of the system is in operative communication with a database; and

the event area identified is associated in the database with the predetermined subscriber group and with subscribed members of the group, including the second wireless communications device.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining, by the system, that the first wireless communications device is subscribed as a member of the predetermined subscriber group.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the generating is performed in response to determining that the first wireless communications device is a subscribed member of the predetermined subscriber group.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

prompting a user of the second wireless communications device for a password defined for the predetermined subscriber group associated with the attractor generated; and

receiving the password from the second wireless communications device;

wherein making the instructions available to the second wireless communications device is performed in response to receiving the password from the second wireless communications device.

18. A computer-readable storage device comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations, for attracting together individuals using a plurality of wireless communications devices, comprising:

receiving from a first wireless communications device of the plurality of wireless communications devices, a request to generate an attractor to be made available to other wireless communications devices of the plurality of wireless communications devices;

obtaining a first location, of the first wireless communications device;

identifying an event area corresponding to the first location;

identifying a predefined subscriber group, of multiple predefined subscriber groups, associated with the event area identified;

generating the attractor being for the predefined subscriber group and associated with the event area;

obtaining a second location, of a second wireless communications device of the plurality of wireless communications devices;

making available, by the system, to the second wireless communications device, in response to determining that the event area includes the second location, the attractor corresponding to the predefined subscriber group and to the event area; and

making available to the second wireless communications device, instructions for finding a group location corresponding to the predefined subscriber group.

19. The computer-readable storage device of claim 18, wherein the operation of making available, to the second wireless communications device, the attractor corresponding to the predefined subscriber group and to the event area comprises a function selected from a group consisting of:

sending the attractor to the second wireless communications device; and

permitting access to the attractor for the second wireless communications device.

20. The computer-readable storage device of claim 18, wherein the operation of making available, to the second wireless communications device, the instructions for finding the group location comprises a function selected from a group consisting of:

sending the instructions to the second wireless communications device; and

permitting access to the instructions for the second wireless communications device.

21. A system comprising:

a processor; and

a computer-readable storage device comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations, for attracting together individuals using a plurality of wireless communications devices, comprising;

receiving from a first wireless communications device of the plurality of wireless communications devices, a request to generate an attractor to be made available to other wireless communications devices of the plurality of wireless communications devices;

obtaining a first location, of the first wireless communications device;

identifying an event area corresponding to the first location;

identifying a predefined subscriber group, of multiple predefined subscriber groups, associated with the event area identified;

generating the attractor being for the predefined subscriber group and associated with the event area;

obtaining a second location, of a second wireless communications device of the plurality of wireless communications devices;

making available, by the system, to the second wireless communications device, in response to determining that the event area includes the second location, the attractor corresponding to the predefined subscriber group and to the event area; and

making available to the second wireless communications device, instructions for finding a group location corresponding to the predefined subscriber group.