Community interaction using mobile communication devices

• US 8,868,020 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2012
• Issued: 10/21/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/08/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WECHAT INTERNATIONAL PTE. LTD.
• Original Assignee: WECHAT INTERNATIONAL PTE. LTD.
• Inventors: Vishwanathan, Kumar K., Iyer, Prakash R., Sundar, Rangamani, Raman, Kumar, Hariharasubramani, Girish
• Primary Examiner(s): PHU, SANH D
• Application Number:
  US13/420,011
• Publication Number:
  US 20120172005A1
• Time in Patent Office: 951 Days
• Field of Search: 455/310, 455/414.1, 455/414.2, 455/414.3, 455/413, 455/466, 709/224
• US Class Current: 455/310
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0201 Market modelling; Market analysis; Collecting market data
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0269 based on user profile or attribute
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0631 Item recommendations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1813 for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms instant messaging H04L51/04; protocols for multimedia communication H04L65/1101; arrangements for multi-party communication H04L65/403; telephonic conference arrangements H04M3/56; television conference systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2044 Group features, e.g. closed user group
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/554 Data synchronization
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/655 Combination of telephone service and social networking messaging within social networks H04L51/52
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42374 where the information is provided to a monitoring entity such as a potential calling party or a call processing server
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold

Abstract

Techniques are provided for delivering content to mobile communication devices related to interactions of members with a user community. The method involves detecting a communication session involving a mobile communication device; determining one or more context parameters associated with the communication session; and delivering content related to the context parameters to one or more mobile communication devices. Data is stored at a central computing entity that indicates association or membership of a plurality of mobile communication device users in a user community. The central computing entity detects when an action is taken by one mobile device user that is a member of the user community, and sends a notification to members of the social circle based on the detected action. These techniques allow individuals who are involved in a user community to maintain their interaction with the user community using their mobile communication devices.

Claims

1. A method for delivering content to a mobile communication device, comprising:

a. detecting a communication session involving a mobile communication device user;

b. determining one or more context parameters associated with the communication session;

c. retrieving content from one or more web sites that the mobile communication device user or another party involved in the communication session possibly has an interest; and

d. delivering the content related to the context parameters to one or more mobile communication devices;

wherein the communication session is a voice call between the mobile communication device user and another party or a messaging session involving the mobile communication device user,

wherein (b) detecting comprises detecting that the mobile communication device user just terminated the voice call or the mobile communication device user completed sending or receiving a message, and

wherein (c) retrieving comprising retrieving content comprises retrieving unread email messages for the mobile communication device user to act upon across all email accounts the mobile communication device user may have.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein (d) delivering comprises sending said content to the one or more mobile communication devices that are used by the members of a user community.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein (d) delivering comprises delivering content related to an event in a user community to one or more mobile communication devices used by members of the user community.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein (d) delivering comprises delivering content related to a message to one or more mobile communication devices used by members of the user community.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein (d) delivering comprises delivering content or a link to content informing members of the user community about membership changes in the user community.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein retrieving further comprises retrieving newly available digital media content from one or more digital media content portal web sites.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein retrieving further comprises retrieving information about another party that is on the voice call or at the other end of a message exchange with the mobile communication device user.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein retrieving further comprises retrieving information from one or more web sites to which the other party has uploaded information including his/her interests.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein retrieving further comprises retrieving information or content that is determined to be of mutual interest to both the mobile communication device user and the other party with whom the mobile communication device user is on a voice call or at the other end of a message exchange with the mobile communication device user.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein retrieving further comprises retrieving content from a user community web site of which both the mobile communication device user and the other party on the voice call or at the other end of a message exchange are members.

6. A method for delivering content to a mobile communication device, comprising:

a. detecting a communication session involving a mobile communication device user;

b. determining one or more communication context parameters associated with the communication session;

c. retrieving content from one or more web sites that the mobile communication device user or another party involved in the communication session possibly has an interest; and

d. delivering the content related to the context parameters to one or more mobile communication devices;

wherein the communication session is a voice call between the mobile communication device user and another party or a messaging session involving the mobile communication device user,

wherein (b) detecting comprises detecting that the mobile communication device user just terminated the voice call or the mobile communication device user completed sending or receiving a message, and

wherein (c) retrieving comprising;

based on the determined communication context parameters, automatically generating a content trigger configured to start one or more concurrency applications corresponding to the plurality of mobile communication devices; and

retrieving information from one or more on-line user communities that are of interest to the mobile communication device user using the one or more concurrency applications.

16. The method of claim 6, wherein (d) delivering comprises sending said content to the one or more mobile communication devices that are used by the members of a user community.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein (d) delivering comprises delivering content related to an event in a user community to one or more mobile communication devices used by members of the user community.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein (d) delivering comprises delivering content related to a message to one or more mobile communication devices used by members of the user community.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein (d) delivering comprises delivering content or a link to content informing members of the user community about membership changes in the user community.

12. A method of sharing information among a plurality of mobile communication device users, comprising:

a. storing data associated with a user'"'"'s selection of an item of interest while the user views information at a web site of a vendor of goods or services, wherein said storing comprises storing the data in association with an identifier for said user;

b. sending a notification to mobile communication device users that are members of a user community to which said user is a member, wherein said notification contains information concerning the item of interest selected by the user; and

c. retrieving content from one or more web sites contains information concerning the item of interest selected by the user,

wherein (c) retrieving comprising;

based on the user'"'"'s communication context parameters, automatically generating a content trigger configured to start one or more concurrency applications corresponding to the plurality of mobile communication devices; and

retrieving information from the user community that are of interest to the mobile communication device users using the one or more concurrency applications.

13. The method of claim 12, and further comprising associating the identifier for said user with the user'"'"'s mobile communication services account.

14. The method of claim 13, and further comprising transmitting the data to the user'"'"'s mobile communication device corresponding to the user'"'"'s mobile communication services account.

15. The method of claim 12, and further comprising storing data comprising identifiers of mobile communication device users that are part of said user community, and retrieving identifiers of mobile communication device users for whom the notification is to be sent.