User contribution based mapping system and method

• US 9,141,918 B2
• Filed: 08/27/2011
• Issued: 09/22/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Smith Micro Software Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Location Labs (Gen Digital Inc.)
• Inventors: Rosso, Vincent, Roumeliotis, Tasos, Hotes, Scott, Hodges, Daniel, Grossman, Joel, Finkelstein, Jason
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim, Hee Soo
• Application Number:
  US13/219,669
• Publication Number:
  US 20120135756A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,487 Days
• Field of Search: 709/204, 4554561-4563
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/39 the satellite radio beacon positioning system transmitting time-stamped messages, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System], GLONASS [Global Orbiting Navigation Satellite System] or GALILEO
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0027 of actual mobile position, i.e. position determined on mobile
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9537 Spatial or temporal dependent retrieval, e.g. spatiotemporal queries
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/047 Optimisation of routes or paths, e.g. travelling salesman problem

Abstract

A computer-implemented user contribution method is provided. The method includes retrieving event data posted by a plurality of users related to a first user, the event data including indications of at least one geographic area. The event data is compared with predetermined trigger data. A quality value of the at least one geographic area is determined based on the comparison of the event data with predetermined trigger data, and an indication of the quality value of the at least one geographic area is transmitted to a second user. A user contribution based mapping system is further provided.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented user contribution method comprising:

retrieving event data posted by a plurality of users related to a first user, the event data comprising indications of at least one geographic area;

comparing the event data with predetermined trigger data;

determining a quality value of the at least one geographic area based on the comparison of the event data with predetermined trigger data; and

transmitting an indication of the quality value of the at least one geographic area to a second user.

2. The computer-implemented user contribution method of claim 1, further comprising:

retrieving identifying information of the plurality of users comprising indications of relationship statuses between the first user and the plurality of users; and

determining the quality value further based on the relationship status between the first user and at least one of the plurality of users.

3. The computer-implemented user contribution method of claim 2, further comprising:

receiving from the second user an indication of at least one preferred user relationship status; and

determining the quality value of the at least one geographic area based on the event data from at least one of the plurality of users corresponding to the at least one preferred user relationship status.

4. The computer-implemented user contribution method of claim 1, wherein the indication of the quality value comprises an indication that the at least one geographic area is unsafe if the event data corresponds to the predetermined trigger data, the method further comprising transmitting the indication that the at least one geographic area is unsafe to the second user responsive to determining the event data corresponds to the predetermined trigger data.

5. The computer-implemented user contribution method of claim 1, wherein the quality value corresponds to an indication that the at least one geographic area is unsafe, the method further comprising transmitting the indication that the at least one geographic area is unsafe responsive to:

determining the event data corresponds to the predetermined trigger data; and

receiving mobile device location information of a user mobile device corresponding to the first user indicating that the user mobile device has entered the at least one geographic area.

6. The computer-implemented user contribution method of claim 1, wherein the event data comprises a plurality of event postings, the method further comprising:

generating a score for the at least one geographic area responsive to at least one event posting corresponding to the predetermined trigger data and associated with the at least one geographic area; and

determining the quality value of the at least one geographic area responsive to the score exceeding a predetermined threshold.

7. The computer-implemented user contribution method of claim 6, the method further comprising increasing the score for the at least one geographic area responsive to the at least one event posting:

including the predetermined trigger data;

originating from a poster user who previously generated an event posting including the predetermined trigger data; and

being posted within a predetermined time period of a prior posting including the predetermined trigger data.

8. The computer-implemented user contribution method of claim 6, the method further comprising increasing the score for the at least one geographic area responsive to the at least one event posting originating from a particular one of the plurality of users who previously generated an event post including the predetermined trigger data, wherein the increase in score is based on a relationship status between the first user and the particular one of the plurality of users.

9. The computer-implemented user contribution method of claim 6, the method further comprising:

increasing the score for the at least one geographic area responsive to a second event posting originating from a particular one of the plurality of users, which second event posting does not indicate the at least one geographic area comprising the predetermined trigger data;

wherein

the second event posting is generated within a predetermined period of time after a first event posting, which first event posting indicates the at least one geographic area.

10. The computer-implemented user contribution method of claim 9, wherein the increase in score is based on the relationship status between the first user and the particular one of the plurality of users.

11. The computer-implemented user contribution method of claim 6, the method further comprising:

increasing the score for the at least one geographic area responsive to a second event posting originating from a particular one of the plurality of users, which second event posting indicates the at least one geographic area, and which second event posting does not comprise the predetermined trigger data;

wherein

the second event posting is generated within a predetermined period of time after a first event posting which comprises the predetermined trigger data and which does not indicate the at least one geographic area.

12. The computer-implemented user contribution method of claim 11, wherein the increase in score is based on the relationship status between the first user and the particular one of the plurality of users.

13. The computer-implemented user contribution method of claim 1, further comprising:

comparing the quality value of the at least one geographic area with a predetermined range and determining whether the quality value falls within the predetermined range; and

transmitting an indication of the quality value of the at least one geographic area to the second user if the quality value of the at least one geographic area falls within the predetermined range.

14. The computer-implemented user contribution method of claim 13, wherein:

the quality value is either a first value corresponding to safe or a second value corresponding to unsafe; and

the predetermined range is defined as values not equal to the first value, wherein a determination that the quality value equals the second value triggers transmission of an indication to the second user that the at least one geographic area is unsafe.

15. The computer-implemented user contribution method of claim 1, further comprising:

comparing the quality value of the at least one geographic area with a predetermined range and determining whether the quality value falls within a first predetermined range and determining whether the quality value falls within a second predetermined range;

transmitting at a first predetermined frequency an indication of the quality value of the at least one geographic area to the second user if the quality value of the at least one geographic area falls within the first predetermined range; and

transmitting at a second predetermined frequency an indication of the quality value of the at least one geographic area to the second user if the quality value of the at least one geographic area falls within the second predetermined range.

16. The computer-implemented user contribution method of claim 15, wherein a first quality value corresponds to a safe geographic area, a second quality value corresponds to a normal unsafe geographic area, and a third quality value corresponds to a highly unsafe geographic area, and wherein the first predetermined range comprises the second and third quality values and the second predetermined range comprises the third quality value but not the second quality value.

17. The computer-implemented user contribution method of claim 15, wherein first predetermined frequency is at least one of daily, weekly and monthly, and the second predetermined frequency is substantially immediately upon a determination that the at least one geographic area falls within the second predetermined range.

18. The computer-implemented user contribution method of claim 1, further comprising:

comparing the quality value of the at least one geographic area with a predetermined range and determining whether the quality value falls within the predetermined range;

receiving mobile device location information of a user mobile device corresponding to the first user from at least one of the user mobile device and a remote telecommunication carrier server in communication with the user mobile device indicating that the user mobile device has entered the at least one geographic area; and

transmitting an indication to the second user that the user mobile device has entered the at least one geographic area if the quality value of the at least one geographic area falls within the predetermined range.

19. The computer-implemented user contribution method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an indication of a predetermined range from the second user;

comparing the quality value of the at least one geographic area with the predetermined range and determining whether the quality value falls within the predetermined range;

receiving mobile device location information of a user mobile device corresponding to the first user from at least one of the user mobile device and a remote telecommunication carrier server in communication with the user mobile device indicating that the user mobile device has at least one of entered and exited the at least one geographic area; and

transmitting an indication to the second user that the user mobile device has at least one of entered and exited the at least one geographic area if the quality value of the at least one geographic area falls within the predetermined range.

20. The computer-implemented user contribution method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving from the second user an indication of a predetermined range;

comparing the quality value with the predetermined range and determining whether the quality value falls within the predetermined range;

receiving mobile device location information of a user mobile device corresponding to the first user from at least one of the user mobile device and a remote telecommunication carrier server in communication with the user mobile device;

transmitting a warning to the second user if the location information indicates that the user mobile device has entered the at least one geographic area and if the quality value of the at least one geographic area falls within the predetermined range; and

transmitting a map to the user mobile device displaying the at least one geographic area and displaying whether the area is allowable if the quality value of the at least one geographic area falls within the predetermined range.

21. The computer-implemented user contribution method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving from the second user an indication of a predetermined range;

comparing the quality value with the predetermined range and determining whether the quality value falls within the predetermined range;

receiving mobile device location information of a user mobile device from at least one of the user mobile device and a remote telecommunication carrier server in communication with the user mobile device; and

transmitting a warning to the user mobile device if the location information indicates that the user mobile device has entered the at least one geographic area and if the quality value of the at least one geographic area falls within the predetermined range.

22. The computer-implemented user contribution method of claim 1, further comprising:

comparing the quality value with a predetermined range and determining whether the quality value falls within the predetermined range;

receiving mobile device location information of a user mobile device corresponding to the first user from at least one of the user mobile device and a remote telecommunication carrier server in communication with the user mobile device;

transmitting a map to the user mobile device displaying the at least one geographic area and displaying whether the quality value of the at least one geographic area falls within the predetermined range; and

transmitting an indication to the second user that the user mobile device has at least one of entered and exited the at least one geographic area if the quality value of the at least one geographic area falls within the predetermined range.

23. The computer-implemented user contribution method of claim 1, further comprising:

comparing the quality value with a predetermined range and determining whether the quality value falls within the predetermined range;

receiving mobile device location information of a user mobile device corresponding to the first user from at least one of the user mobile device and a remote telecommunication carrier server in communication with the user mobile device;

transmitting a map to the user mobile device displaying the at least one geographic area and displaying whether the quality value of the at least one geographic area falls within the predetermined range; and

transmitting an indication of a reward to the user mobile device if the quality value of the at least one geographic area falls within the predetermined range and if the location information indicates that the user mobile device has not entered the at least one geographic area during a predetermined time period.

24. The computer-implemented user contribution method of claim 1, wherein retrieving the event data comprises retrieving an event posting with embedded location data.

25. The computer-implemented user contribution method of claim 1, wherein retrieving the event data comprises retrieving an event posting with location data in the body of the posting.

26. The computer-implemented user contribution method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting through a computer network a map to at least one of the first user and the second user displaying the at least one geographic area and an indication of the quality value of the at least one geographic area in relation to a surrounding area.

27. The computer-implemented user contribution method of claim 26, wherein the indication of the quality value comprises an indication of whether the at least one geographic area is safe or unsafe.

28. The computer-implemented user contribution method of claim 1, wherein retrieving the event data comprises retrieving event data posted via a social networking application by the plurality of users.

29. The computer-implemented user contribution method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined trigger data comprises at least one of predetermined text data and predetermined image data.

30. The computer-implemented user contribution method of claim 1, comprising:

assigning a risk level to at least one of the plurality of users based on the event data posted by the at least one of the plurality of users; and

determining the quality value of the at least one geographic area based on the risk level of the at least one of the plurality of users.

31. The computer-implemented user contribution method of claim 1, wherein the event data comprises a plurality of event postings and the trigger data comprises a plurality of weighted triggers, the method further comprising determining the quality value of the at least one geographic area based on a weight of at least one of the plurality of triggers in at least one of the plurality of event postings.

32. A user contribution based mapping system comprising at least one computing device including at least one memory comprising instructions operable to enable the computing device to perform a procedure comprising:

retrieving event data posted by a plurality of users related to a first user, the event data comprising indications of at least one geographic area;

retrieving identifying information of the plurality of users comprising indications of relationship statuses between the first user and the plurality of users;

comparing the event data with predetermined trigger data;

determining a quality value of the at least one geographic area based on the comparison of the event data with predetermined trigger data and based on the relationship status between the first user and at least one of the plurality of users; and

transmitting an indication of the quality value of the at least one geographic area to a second user.

33. The user contribution based mapping system of claim 32, wherein the at least one memory further comprises instructions operable to enable transmitting the indication of the quality value as an indication that the at least one geographic area is unsafe responsive to a determination the first user has entered or exited the at least one geographic area.