User device group formation

• US 9,325,652 B2
• Filed: 03/31/2015
• Issued: 04/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LinkedIn Corporation (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Mallet, Vincent, Cheng, Jessica, Fiedel, Noah, Gillum, Eric William, Ramanarayanan, Ganesh, Woods, Nicholas James
• Primary Examiner(s): Lai, Michael C
• Application Number:
  US14/675,503
• Publication Number:
  US 20150281160A1
• Time in Patent Office: 392 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/17306 Intercommunication techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/285 Clustering or classification
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/287 Visualization; Browsing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/955 using information identifiers, e.g. uniform resource locators [URL]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1827 Network arrangements for conference optimisation or adaptation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/69 using geographic information, e.g. room number
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/04 Processing captured monitoring data, e.g. for logfile generation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/045 for graphical visualisation of monitoring data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/08 Annexed information, e.g. attachments
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/10 Multimedia information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/214 using selective forwarding
• 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 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 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/141 Setup of application sessions admission control or resource allocation in data switching networks H04L47/70
• 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 67/55 : Push-based network services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 : Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 : Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/08 : User group management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 : Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/186 : Processing of subscriber group data
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99935 : Query augmenting and refining, e.g. inexact access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99954 : Version management

Abstract

In an example embodiment, a message comprising location information indicating a geographic location of a first user device is received. Then environmental information indicating at least one physical environmental condition in the vicinity of the first user device, as detected by an environmental sensor is received. Values representing logical connection strengths between first user of the first user device and other users, the logical connection strengths based, at least partially, on the location information and at least partially on the environmental information, are calculated. Then a second user and a third user to form a group with the first user are determined, based on the values representing the logical connection strengths. A user group is formed containing the first user, the second user, and the third user. Content is received from the first user device and transmitted to users of the user group.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving from a first user device a message comprising location information indicating a geographic location of the first user device;

receiving from the first user device environmental information indicating at least one physical environmental condition in the vicinity of the first user device, as detected by an environmental sensor, wherein the environmental information includes orientation of the first user device;

calculating values representing logical connection strengths between a first user of the first user device and other users, the logical connection strengths based, at least partially, on the location information and at least partially on the environmental information;

determining, using at least one processor, a second user and a third user to form a group with the first user, based on the values representing the logical connection strengths;

forming a user group containing the first user, the second user, and the third user;

receiving content from the first user device; and

transmitting the content to users of the user group.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the environmental information includes atmospheric pressure.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the environmental information includes temperature.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the environmental information includes light levels.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the environmental information includes acceleration of the first user device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the environmental information includes velocity of the first user device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the environmental information includes persistent changes in acceleration of the first user device.

8. A server comprising:

at least one processor; and

memory, including instructions that, when executed on the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to;

receive from a first user device a message comprising location information indicating a geographic location of the first user device;

receive from the first user device environmental information indicating at least one physical environmental condition in the vicinity of the first user device, as detected by an environmental sensor, wherein the environmental information includes orientation of the first user device;

calculate values representing logical connection strengths between a first user of the first user device and other users, the logical connection strengths based, at least partially, on the location information and at least partially on the environmental information;

determine, using at least one processor, a second user and a third user to form a group with the first user, based on the values representing the logical connection strengths;

form a user group containing the first user, the second user, and the third user;

receive content from the first user device; and

transmit the content to users of the user group.

9. The server of claim 8, wherein the environmental information includes atmospheric pressure.

10. The server of claim 8, wherein the environmental information includes temperature.

11. The server of claim 8, wherein the environmental information includes light levels.

12. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed by at least one processor of a machine, cause the machine to perform operations comprising:

receiving from a first user device a message comprising location information indicating a geographic location of the first user device;

receiving from the first user device environmental information indicating at least one physical environmental condition in the vicinity of the first user device, as detected by an environmental sensor, wherein the environmental information includes orientation of the first user device;

calculating values representing logical connection strengths between a first user of the first user device and other users, the logical connection strengths based, at least partially, on the location information and at least partially on the environmental information;

determining, using at least one processor, a second user and a third user to form a group with the first user, based on the values representing the logical connection strengths;

forming a user group containing the first user, the second user, and the third user;

receiving content from the first user device; and

transmitting the content to users of the user group.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the environmental information includes atmospheric pressure.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the environmental information includes temperature.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the environmental information includes light levels.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the environmental information includes acceleration of the first user device.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the environmental information includes velocity of the first user device.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the environmental information includes persistent changes in acceleration of the first user device.