System and method for event management and information sharing

• US 8,914,483 B1
• Filed: 03/17/2011
• Issued: 12/16/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Mishra, Arunesh, Dixon, Jonathan
• Primary Examiner(s): JEAN GILLES, JUDE
• Application Number:
  US13/050,195
• Time in Patent Office: 1,370 Days
• Field of Search: 709/223, 709/206
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/1095 Meeting or appointment
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/222 using geographical location information, e.g. messages transmitted or received in proximity of a certain spot or area
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/52 for supporting social networking services

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for real-time information sharing. A server receives, from a first user device, a request to create an event and to share information among a group of user devices only within a predetermined time period. The server receives information from the respective user devices in the group during the predetermined time period, and distributes the received information to the group of user devices during the predetermined time period. The information comprises at least one of geographic locations of the group of user devices and still pictures or video taken by one or more of the group of user devices during the event.

Claims

1. A method for providing information sharing, executable by a processor, comprising:

receiving, from a first user device, a request to create an event and to share information among a group of user devices only within a predetermined time period associated with the event;

receiving information from each respective user device in the group during the predetermined time period; and

distributing the received information only to the group of user devices during the predetermined time period;

generating a summary of the event after the predetermined time period expires; and

distributing the generated event summary to the user devices in the group,

wherein the information comprises at least one of geographic locations of the group of user devices and imagery taken by one or more of the group of user devices during the event.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving contact addresses associated with users of the group of user devices;

sending an invitation to respective ones of the received contact addresses upon the creation of the event; and

receiving responses to the invitations from respective ones of the group of user devices, the responses comprising accepting the invitation or declining the invitation.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving and publishing the received information for presentation through a user interface, wherein the user interface comprises at least one of a calendar application, a map application, and a social networking application.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a privacy setting from a respective user device of the group of devices; and

disallowing the information related to the respective user device to be transmitted to the other user devices in the group based on the received privacy setting.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising automatically registering and distributing an initial location of the group of user devices when the predetermined time period begins.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein distributing the received information to the group of user devices further comprising:

distributing a request for consensus along with a piece of the received information;

receiving responses from one or more of the group'"'"'s user devices responding to the request;

generating, based on the received responses, updated information related to the event; and

distributing the generated information to the group of user devices.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising automatically ending sharing the information when the predetermined time period expires.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending a notification to each user device in the group when information sharing extends beyond the predetermined time period.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

processing the information received during the predetermined time period, wherein the summary is based on the processed information.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving permission settings from one or more of the user devices in the group; and

distributing, after the predetermined time period expires, contact information related to the one or more user devices to other user devices in the group based on the received permission settings.

11. A server apparatus for providing real time information sharing, comprising:

a processor;

a memory coupled to the processor, the memory storing instructions executable by the processor for;

receiving, from a first user device, a request to create an event and to share information among a group of user devices only within a predetermined time period;

receiving information from each respective user device in the group during the predetermined time period; and

distributing the received information only to the group of user devices during the predetermined time period;

generating a summary of the event after the predetermined time period expires; and

distributing the generated event summary to the user devices in the group,

wherein the information comprises at least one of geographic locations of the group of user devices and imagery taken by one or more of the group of user devices during the event.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising instructions executable by the processor for automatically registering and distributing an initial location of the group of user devices when the predetermined time period begins.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising instructions executable by the processor for:

determining a user interface active on a respective one of the group of user device, wherein the user interface comprising at least one of a calendar application, a map application, and a social networking application; and

sending the received information to the active user interface for presentation to the user.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising instructions executable by the processor for:

receiving a privacy setting from a respective user device of the group of devices; and

disallowing the information related to the respective user device to be transmitted to the other user devices in the group based on the received privacy setting.

15. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising instructions executable by the processor for automatically ending sharing the information when the predetermined time period expires.

16. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising instructions executable by the processor for:

receiving contact addresses associated with users of the group of user devices;

sending an invitation to respective ones of the received contact addresses upon the creation of the event; and

receiving responses to the invitations from respective ones of the group of user devices, the responses comprising accepting the invitation or declining the invitation.

17. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising instructions executable by the processor for:

distributing a request for consensus along with a piece of the received information;

receiving responses from one or more of the group'"'"'s user devices responding to the request;

generating, based on the received responses, updated information related to the event; and

distributing the generated information to the group of user devices.

18. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising instructions executable by the processor for:

receiving permission settings from one or more of the user devices in the group; and

distributing, after the predetermined time period expires, contact information related to the one or more user devices to other user devices in the group based on the received permission settings.

19. A device for providing real time information sharing, the device being configured to communicate with other devices on a peer to peer communication protocol, the device comprising:

a user input device;

a processor in communication with the user input device and configured to process information received from the user input device; and

a memory coupled to the processor, the memory storing instructions executable by the processor for;

receiving, from the user input device, user input indicating a request to create an event and to share information among a group of devices only within a predetermined time period;

receiving information from each respective user device in the group during the predetermined time period; and

distributing the received information only to the group of user devices during the predetermined time period;

generating a summary of the event after the predetermined time period expires; and

distributing the generated event summary to the user devices in the group,

wherein the information comprises at least one of geographic locations of the group of user devices and imagery taken by one or more of the group of user devices during the event.