Social networking on a wireless communication system

• US 8,923,887 B2
• Filed: 09/24/2007
• Issued: 12/30/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent SA (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent SA (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: McKiou, Kevin W., Sankisa, Arun
• Primary Examiner(s): ZEWDU, MELESS NMN
• Application Number:
  US11/860,477
• Publication Number:
  US 20090082038A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,654 Days
• Field of Search: 4554561-457, 455/404.2, 455/412.1, 455/403, 455/422.1, 455/412, 4554141-4142, 455415-416, 455418-420, 4554561-4563, 4554565-4566, 701425-426, 701/438, 701/451, 701/516, 709/203, 709/22, 715750-753, 715/758, 707/722, 707724-725, 707732-734, 707/736, 707/769, 707/784, 705/319
• US Class Current: 455/456.3
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/185 with management of multicast group membership
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

Wireless communication systems and methods are described that provide location-based social networks to mobile communication devices. Mobile users of the wireless communication system define social networking profiles storing characteristics of the user. The wireless communication system determines a location of a user'"'"'s mobile communication device and identifies a set of other mobile users that are geographically proximate to the user. The wireless communication system then filters the set of other mobile users based on characteristics of the social networking profiles of the other mobile users, and transmits identifiers of the filtered set of other mobile users to the user'"'"'s mobile communication device. The mobile communication device then displays the identifiers of the filtered set of other mobile users to the user allowing the user to initiate contact with any of the other mobile users that are of interest.

Claims

1. A method for providing location-based social networks for mobile communication devices, the method comprising:

identifying a location of a mobile communication device of a first mobile user;

identifying a set of second mobile users that are in a geographic area proximate to the location;

filtering the set of second mobile users by;

identifying first search criteria provided by a social networking profile of the first mobile user; and

removing second mobile users from the set based on whether they match the first search criteria;

defining a social network by;

for each second mobile user of the filtered set;

identifying second search criteria provided by a social networking profile of the second mobile user;

determining whether the first mobile user matches the second search criteria; and

removing the second mobile user from the filtered set if the first mobile user does not match the second search criteria;

receiving a message from the mobile communication device;

determining a location of interest that is distinct from the location of the mobile communication device; and

providing the message to members of the filtered set of second mobile users that are proximate to the location of interest.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the location of interest is indicated by at least one identifier selected from the group comprising street addresses and business names.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the second search criteria includes physical characteristics.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the second search criteria includes interests of a second mobile user.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

defining a private channel for the defined social network; and

determining whether the first mobile user is a member of the private channel;

wherein said filtering the set of second mobile users further comprises filtering the set of second mobile users based on whether each of the second mobile users is a member of the private channel.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving input from the first mobile user defining a private channel; and

receiving input from the first mobile user, adding at least one of the second mobile users as a member of the private channel;

wherein said filtering the set of second mobile users further comprises filtering the set of second mobile users based on whether each of the second mobile users is a member of the private channel.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

providing the message to members of the defined social network that become proximate to the location of interest over a limited period of time.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

anchoring a service to the location of interest; and

providing the anchored service to the members of the defined social network that are proximate to the location of interest.

9. A content system for providing location-based social networks, the content system comprising:

a profile storage system adapted to store social networking profiles for mobile users;

a processing system adapted to;

identify a location of a mobile communication device of a first mobile user;

identify a set of second mobile users that are in a geographic area proximate to the location;

filter the set of second mobile users by;

identifying first search criteria provided by a social networking profile of the first mobile user; and

removing second mobile users from the set based on whether they match the first search criteria;

define a social network by;

for each second mobile user of the filtered set;

identifying second search criteria provided by a social networking profile of the second mobile user;

determining whether the first mobile user matches the second search criteria; and

removing the second user from the filtered set if the first mobile user does not match the second search criteria;

process a message from the mobile communication device; and

determine, based on the message, a location of interest that is distinct from the location of the mobile communication device; and

a transmission system adapted to provide a message to members of the filtered set of second mobile users that are proximate to the location of interest.

10. The content system of claim 9 wherein:

the location of interest is indicated by at least one identifier selected from the group comprising street addresses and business names.

11. The content system of claim 9 wherein the second search criteria includes physical characteristics.

12. The content system of claim 9 wherein the second search criteria includes interests of a second mobile user.

13. The content system of claim 9 wherein the processing system is further adapted to:

define a private channel for the defined social network;

determine whether the first mobile user is a member of the private channel; and

filter the set of second mobile users based on whether each of the second mobile users is a member of the private channel.

14. The content system of claim 9 wherein the processing system is further adapted to:

receive input from the first mobile user defining a private channel;

receive input from the first mobile user authorizing at least one of the second mobile users as a member of the private channel; and

filter the set of second mobile users based on whether each of the second mobile users is a member of the private channel.

15. The content system of claim 9 wherein the processing system is further adapted to:

provide the message to members of the defined social network that become proximate to the location of interest over a limited period of time.

16. The content system of claim 15 wherein the processing system is further adapted to:

anchor a service to the location of interest; and

provide the anchored service to members of the defined social network that are proximate to the location of interest.

17. A method for providing location-based social networks, the method comprising:

identifying a location of a mobile communication device of a first mobile user, wherein the first mobile user has a social networking profile;

identifying a set of second mobile users in a geographic area proximate to the location, wherein each of the second mobile users have a social networking profile;

identifying social networking profiles of the second mobile users;

retrieving a first search criteria of the first mobile user from the social networking profile of the first mobile user;

filtering the set of second mobile users by;

for each second mobile user of the set;

identifying second search criteria provided by the social networking profile of the second mobile user;

determining whether the first mobile user matches the second search criteria; and

removing the second mobile user from the set if the first mobile user does not match the second search criteria;

defining a social network by;

identifying first search criteria provided by the social networking profile of the first mobile user; and

removing second mobile users from the filtered set based on whether they match the first search criteria;

receiving a message from the mobile communication device;

determining a location of interest that is distinct from the location of the mobile communication device; and

providing the message to members of the filtered set of second mobile users that are proximate to the location of interest.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising:

transmitting a social networking profile of at least one of the second mobile users to the mobile communication device for display to the first mobile user.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the social networking profiles of the second mobile users include physical characteristics.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the first search criteria comprises physical characteristics.