Contiguous location-based user networks

• US 8,924,479 B2
• Filed: 03/18/2013
• Issued: 12/30/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Concert Technology Corporation
• Original Assignee: Waldeck Technology, LLC (Concert Technology Corporation)
• Inventors: Jennings, Kenneth, Petersen, Steven L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Philip B
• Application Number:
  US13/845,495
• Publication Number:
  US 20130232201A1
• Time in Patent Office: 652 Days
• Field of Search: 709203-205, 709223-224
• US Class Current: 709/204
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/54 Presence management, e.g. monitoring or registration for receipt of user log-on information, or the connection status of the users
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/08 User group management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals

Abstract

Contiguous location based user networks are disclosed herein. A method includes receiving an identification of an area of interest associated with a user of, and transmitting the identification of the area of interest to a server. The method includes determining a location of the user device and transmitting the location to the server. The method includes receiving information identifying a proximity group comprising the user and a plurality of other users. The proximity group includes least one other user being within a proximate area of the location of the user device and having an area of interest corresponding to the area of interest of the user. The proximate area corresponds to a second geographic region smaller than the area of interest. The proximity group further comprising at least one additional other user identified as a neighbor of each of the user and the at least one other user.

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing software for instructing a server to:

identify a first proximity group comprising a first plurality of users, each user of the first plurality of users being within a proximate area of at least one other user of the first plurality of users and having an area of interest;

each of the proximate area and the area of interest corresponding to geographic regions where the area of interest is larger than the proximate area; and

identify at least one additional user within an aggregate of the areas of interests of the first plurality of users in the first proximity group as a neighbor of each of the first plurality of users in the first proximity group.

2. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1 wherein the first proximity group comprises a first user and a second user, the first user having a first proximate area within which the second user is located and a first area of interest that is larger than the first proximate area and the second user having a second proximate area within which the first user is located and a second area of interest that is larger than the second proximate area.

3. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 2 wherein instructing the server to identify the at least one additional user within the aggregate of the areas of interest of the first plurality of users in the first proximity group comprises instructing the server to identify at least one first additional user located within the second area of interest of the second user and outside of the first area of interest of the first user as a neighbor of both the first and second users.

4. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 3 wherein instructing the server to identify the at least one additional user within the aggregate of the areas of interest of the first plurality of users in the first proximity group further comprises instructing the server to identify at least one second additional user within the first area of interest of the first user and outside of the second area of interest of the second user as a neighbor of both the first and second users.

5. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 4 wherein instructing the server to identify the at least one additional user within the aggregate of the areas of interest of the first plurality of users in the first proximity group further comprises instructing the server to identify at least one third additional user within both the first and second areas of interest as a neighbor of both the first and second users.

6. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1 wherein for each user of the first plurality of users in the first proximity group, the server to instructed to use the neighbor as a potential member of a user network of the user.

7. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 6 wherein the user network includes at least one of a social network and a peer-to-peer recommendation network.

8. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1 wherein the software is for further instructing the server to:

identify a new user that is located within the proximate area of at least one of the first plurality of users in the first proximity group; and

add the new user to the first proximity group.

9. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1 wherein the software is for further instructing the server to:

identify a new user that is located within the proximate area of at least one of the first plurality of users in the first proximity group, the new user being a member of a second proximity group comprising a second plurality of users including the new user;

merge the first and second proximity groups to provide a merged proximity group comprising the first and second pluralities of users; and

identify at least one additional user within an aggregate of the areas of interest of the first and second pluralities of users in the merged proximity group as a neighbor of each of the first and second pluralities of users in the merged proximity group.

10. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1 wherein the software is for further instructing the server to:

identify a user of the first plurality of users that is no longer within the proximate area of any other user of the first plurality of users; and

remove the user as a member of the first proximity group.

11. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 10 wherein the software is for further instructing the server to remove at least one user that is located within the area of interest of the user removed from the first proximity group and not located within the area of interest of any other user of the first plurality of users remaining in the first proximity group as a neighbor of the other users of the first plurality of users remaining in the first proximity group.

12. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 10 wherein removing the user as a member of the first proximity group severs a chain of proximity between at least two subsets of the first plurality of users, and wherein the software is for further instructing the server to:

split the first proximity group into at least two separate proximity groups, each comprising one of the at least two subsets of the first plurality of users; and

for each subset of the first plurality of users from the at least two subsets, identify at least one additional user within an aggregate of the areas of interest of the subset of the first plurality of users as a neighbor of each of the subset of the first plurality of users.

13. A method comprising:

receiving an identification of an area of interest associated with a user of a user device, the area of interest corresponding to a first geographic region;

transmitting the identification of the area of interest associated with the user to a server;

determining a location of the user device;

transmitting the location to the server; and

receiving information identifying a proximity group comprising the user and a plurality of other users, wherein the proximity group includes at least one other user of the plurality of other users being within a proximate area of the location of the user device and having an area of interest corresponding to the area of interest of the user, the proximate area corresponding to a second geographic region smaller than the area of interest, the proximity group further comprising at least one additional other user of the plurality of other users within an aggregate of the areas of interests of the user and the at least one other user and identified as a neighbor of each of the user and the at least one other user in the proximity group.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising receiving a user profile associated with the user, the user profile including the information identifying the proximity group.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the user profile further includes information identifying at least one neighbor of the user.

16. The method of claim 13 further comprising receiving, for each of the plurality of other users in the proximity group, information identifying each of the plurality of other users as a potential member of a user network of the user.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the user network includes at least one of a social network and a peer-to-peer recommendation network.

18. A user device comprising:

a control system adapted to;

receive an identification of an area of interest associated with a user of a user device, the area of interest corresponding to a first geographic region;

a location determination component configured to identify the location of the user device;

a communication interface for communicating with a server in communication with a plurality of other user devices via a network, the plurality of other user devices associated with a plurality of other users;

the communication interface configured to

transmit the identification of the area of interest associated with the user to the server;

transmit the location to the server; and

receive information identifying a proximity group comprising the user and the plurality of other users, wherein the proximity group includes at least one other user of the plurality of other users being within a proximate area of the location of the user device and having an area of interest corresponding to the area of interest of the user, the proximate area corresponding to a second geographic region smaller than the area of interest, the proximity group further comprising at least one additional other user of the plurality of other users within an aggregate of the areas of interests of the user and the at least one other user and identified as a neighbor of each of the user and the at least one other user in the proximity group.

19. The user device of claim 18 wherein the communication interface is further configured to receive a user profile associated with the user, the user profile including the information identifying the proximity group.

20. The user device of claim 19 wherein the user profile further includes information identifying at least one neighbor of the user.

21. The user device of claim 18 wherein the communication interface is further configured to receive, for each of the plurality of other users in the proximity group, information identifying each of the plurality of other users as a potential member of a user network of the user.

22. The user device of claim 21 wherein the user network includes at least one of a social network and a peer-to-peer recommendation network.

23. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing software for instructing a user device to:

receive an identification of an area of interest associated with a user of a user device, the area of interest corresponding to a first geographic region;

transmit the identification of the area of interest associated with the user to a server;

determine a location of the user device;

transmit the location to the server; and

receive information identifying a proximity group comprising the user and a plurality of other users, wherein the proximity group includes at least one other user of the plurality of other users being within a proximate area of the location of the user device and having an area of interest corresponding to the area of interest of the user, the proximate area corresponding to a second geographic region smaller than the area of interest, the proximity group further comprising at least one additional other user of the plurality of other users within an aggregate of the areas of interests of the user and the at least one other user and identified as a neighbor of each of the user and the at least one other user in the proximity group.