Method, device and system for creating a virtual local social network

• US 8,959,175 B2
• Filed: 10/23/2012
• Issued: 02/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wix.com Ltd.
• Original Assignee: LoyalBlocks Ltd. (Wix.com Ltd.)
• Inventors: Gaver, Ido, Kirshenboim, Eran, Armon, Aner
• Primary Examiner(s): Tiv, Backhean
• Application Number:
  US13/657,899
• Publication Number:
  US 20130173704A1
• Time in Patent Office: 847 Days
• Field of Search: 709217-219, 455/553.1, 455/554.1, 455/554.2, 455/555
• US Class Current: 709/217
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4641 Virtual LANs, VLANs, e.g. virtual private networks [VPN] LAN interconnection over a bridge based backbone H04L12/462; encapsulation techniques H04L12/4633; routing of packets H04L45/00; packet switches H04L49/00; virtual private networks for security H04L63/0272
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/043 using or handling presence information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/403 Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/21 for social networking applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication

Abstract

There is provided a system and method for creating a local social network, based on a user'"'"'s location and a user'"'"'s virtual social profile (e.g. a facebook profile, a myspace profile) on a virtual social network (e.g. facebook, myspace). The method includes the steps of: (1) associating a communication device with a user'"'"'s virtual profile, (2) detecting a communication device within an interactive region, (3) extracting unique parameters of the communication device, (4) retrieving data associated with the communication device and with the user'"'"'s virtual profile, and (5) initiating data transfer based on the retrieved data.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a mobile communication device comprising;

a processor;

a first memory;

an electromagnetic radiation receiver, sensor or detector; and

an electromagnetic transmitter; and

a remote server comprising a server coupled to a second memory and communication circuitry configured to communicate with said mobile communication device over a distributed data network;

wherein;

(1) the mobile communication device is adapted to receive, sense or detect electromagnetic radiation emitting from a first wireless device, which electromagnetic radiation does not bear a signal addressed to said mobile communication device;

(2) the mobile communication device is further adapted to detect, extract and transmit to said remote server parameters associated with the electromagnetic radiation emitting from the first wireless device;

(3) the remote server is further adapted to receive the parameters associated with said electromagnetic radiation and retrieve data associated with the first wireless device, based on said parameters; and

(4) the remote server transmits the retrieved data to the mobile communication device.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein said electromagnetic radiation is selected from the group consisting of Bluetooth, wifi, wimax and Long Term Evolution (LTE).

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein parameters associated with the electromagnetic radiation include Mac address, services provided or enabled ports.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the retrieved data is retrieved from said second memory.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein said retrieved data includes a location.

6. A method comprising the steps of:

receiving, sensing or detecting, by a mobile communication device, electromagnetic radiation emitting from a wireless device, which electromagnetic radiation does not bear a signal addressed to the mobile communication device;

detecting, by the mobile communication device, parameters associated with the electromagnetic radiation;

extracting the parameters;

transmitting the parameters to a remote server via a distributed data network;

retrieving, by the remote server, data associated with the wireless device, based on the parameters; and

transmitting the retrieved data from the remote server to the mobile communication device.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein said electromagnetic radiation is selected from the group consisting of Bluetooth, wifi, wimax and Long Term Evolution (LTE).

8. The method according to claim 6, wherein parameters associated with the electromagnetic radiation include Mac address, services provided or enabled ports.

9. The method according to claim 6, wherein said data associated with the wireless device is retrieved from a memory functionally associated with the remote server.

10. The method according to claim 6, wherein said retrieved data includes a location.

11. A mobile communication device comprising:

a processor;

a first memory;

an electromagnetic radiation receiver, sensor or detector; and

an electromagnetic transmitter;

wherein;

said mobile communication device is adapted to;

(1) receive, sense or detect electromagnetic radiation emitting from a first wireless device, which electromagnetic radiation does not bear a signal addressed to said mobile communication device;

(2) detect, extract and transmit parameters associated with the electromagnetic radiation emitting from the first wireless device;

transmit, via a distributed data network, the parameters associated with the electromagnetic radiation to a remote server; and

receive, from the remote server, data associated with the wireless device retrieved, by the remote server, based on the transmitted parameters.

12. The device according to claim 11, wherein said electromagnetic radiation is selected from the group consisting of Bluetooth, wifi, Long Term Evolution (LTE) and wimax.

13. The device according to claim 11, wherein parameters associated with the electromagnetic radiation include Mac address, services provided or enabled ports.

14. The device according to claim 11, wherein said data associated with the wireless device is retrieved from a memory functionally associated with the remote server.

15. The device according to claim 11, wherein said data associated with the wireless device includes a location.