Hot news neighborhood banter in a geo-spatial social network

• US 9,098,545 B2
• Filed: 07/10/2007
• Issued: 08/04/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Raj Abhyanker, Raj Abhyanker Professional Corporation
• Original Assignee: Raj Abhyanker
• Inventors: Abhyanker, Raj Vasant
• Primary Examiner(s): Mills, Frank D
• Application Number:
  US11/827,400
• Publication Number:
  US 20090019085A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,947 Days
• Field of Search: 715/201
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24 Querying
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• 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

A method and system of hot news neighborhood banter in a geo-spatial social network are disclosed. In one aspect, a method includes identifying a hot news story, associating the hot news story with a specific geographic location, generating a map concurrently displaying a headline of the hot news story and the specific geographic location, and simultaneously generating in the map, profiles associated with a plurality of users surrounding the specific geographic location associated with the hot news story. The method may further include processing a submission form, having an audio file, a video file, a photo, and/or a comment, associated with the hot news story, of a neighboring user located a threshold distance away from the specific geographic location of the hot news story.

Claims

1. A method for providing users of information with timely information about a news story related to the geographic locations of the users, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a submission of a news story from the Internet via a computer network interface device, the news story comprising a geographic location of the news story, a description of the details of the news story and information related to the marketing of goods associated with the news story;

searching a contact database, the contact database stored on a computer and comprising electronic contact information and geographic location information for a plurality of users, to select users whose geographic locations indicate a proximity to the geographic location of the news story;

providing, via the computer network interface device, the selected users with the geographic location of the news story, the description of the details of the news story, and the information related to the marketing of goods associated with the news story;

enabling an interested user to form an immediate communication in the form of an online interview with at least one of a neighboring user surrounding the specific geographic location of the news story;

generating a contact information of users, wherein the contact information comprises at least one of an email address, an instant message identification and a telephonic contact number; and

permitting other users to access the contact information of the user when the user makes a submission in order to permit immediate communication between at least the other user and the submitter user.

2. The method of claim 1, where:

the description of the details of the news story comprises an audio file.

3. The method of claim 1, where:

the description of the details of the news story comprises a video file.

4. The method of claim 1, where:

the description of the details of the news story comprises a photograph.

5. The method of claim 1, where:

the description of the details of the news story comprises text.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

allowing one of the selected users to communicate with another of the selected users regarding the news story.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

allowing one of the selected users to upload comments associated with the news story.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

allowing one of the selected users to upload photographs associated with the news story.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

allowing one of the selected users to upload audio associated with the news story.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

allowing one of the selected users to upload video associated with the news story.

11. The method of claim 1, where:

the step of providing the selected users with the description of the details of the news story is accomplished using email.

12. The method of claim 1, where:

the step of providing the selected users with the description of the details of the news story is accomplished using instant messaging.

13. The method of claim 1, where:

the step of providing the selected users with the description of the details of the news story is accomplished by displaying it on a user interface.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of creating a group of users comprising at least the other user and the submitter user.

16. The computer system of claim 14, where:

the description of the details of the news story comprises an audio file.

17. The computer system of claim 14, where:

the description of the details of the news story comprises a video file.

18. The computer system of claim 14, where:

the description of the details of the news story comprises a photograph.

19. The computer system of claim 14, where:

the description of the details of the news story comprises text.

20. The computer system of claim 14, where:

the processor further comprises software for allowing one of the interested users to communicate with another of the interested users regarding the news story.

21. The computer system of claim 14, where:

the processor further comprises software for allowing an interested user to upload comments associated with the news story.

22. The computer system of claim 14, where:

the processor further comprises software for allowing an interested user to upload photographs associated with the news story.

23. The computer system of claim 14, where:

the processor further comprises software for allowing an interested user to upload audio associated with the news story.

24. The computer system of claim 14, where:

the processor further comprises software for allowing an interested user to upload audio associated with the news story.

25. The computer system of claim 14, where:

the software notifies the interested users of the news story via email.

26. The computer system of claim 14, where:

the software notifies the interested users of the news story via instant messaging.

27. The computer system of claim 14, where:

the software notifies the interested users of the news story by displaying it on a user interface.

15. A computer system for providing interested users with timely information about a news story occurring near the physical address of the interested users, the computer system comprising:

an interface to a first computer, the first computer being associated with a submitter of a news story, the news story comprising a geographic location of the news story, a description of the details of the news story and information related to the marketing of goods associated with the news story;

an interface to a plurality of additional computers, the additional computers being associated with interested users of the news story;

a contact database of information about potential interested users, the information comprising an electronic address and a physical address for each of the potential interested users;

a processor comprising software for receiving the news story via the interface to the first computer, for searching the contact database to select interested users, from among the potential interested users, whose physical addresses indicate a proximity to the geographic location of the news story, for electronically notifying the interested users about the news story via the interface to the additional computers, for enabling an interested user to form an immediate communication in the form of an online interview with at least one of a neighboring user surrounding the specific geographic location of the news story, generating a contact information of users, wherein the contact information comprises at least one of an email address, an instant message identification and a telephonic contact number, and permitting other users to access the contact information of the user when the user makes a submission in order to permit immediate communication between at least the other user and the submitter user.