Location-based discovery of network members by personal attributes using dynamic and static location data

• US 9,357,352 B1
• Filed: 01/19/2016
• Issued: 05/31/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wireless Discovery LLC
• Original Assignee: Wireless Discovery LLC
• Inventors: Alharayeri, Ramzi
• Primary Examiner(s): Brandt, Christopher M
• Assistant Examiner(s): GENACK, MATTHEW W
• Application Number:
  US15/000,960
• Publication Number:
  US 20160135014A1
• Time in Patent Office: 133 Days
• Field of Search: 455/41.2, 455/412.2, 455/414.1, 455/426.1, 455/432.3, 455/434, 455/456.3
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/275 Synchronous replication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/00 User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/56 Unified messaging, e.g. interactions between e-mail, instant messaging or converged IP messaging [CPM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4594 Address books, i.e. directories containing contact information about correspondents telephone directories in user terminals H04M1/27453
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• 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 67/56 Provisioning of proxy services store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/025 using location based information parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/08 User group management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/21 for social networking applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

A technique for allowing members of the same social network using mobile devices to discover others in the vicinity by personal attributes and in specific picture(s) and name for the purpose of connecting, and the ability to use functions provided by a social network such as SMS, e-mail, chat/instant messaging, multimedia, or video by using unique hardware identification of each member mobile device and personal login information that are stored in a network server computing device; and associating the unique apparatus of the members'"'"' hardware with the members'"'"' personal profile such that when a search is initiated between members, the results contain the members'"'"' profile'"'"'s picture(s), name, location and additional information as stored in the profiles. The proximity of the users is determined by static or dynamic location of the actual device location identified through mobile radio frequency location technology and internet IP information and saved in the user profile.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a computing device configured to communicate with various mobile and terminal devices to manage introduction and connection of members belonging to a same network by sharing personal attributes between members such as picture(s) and name, wherein said computing device associates unique hardware identification of member devices and login credentials with member profiles and via a search process returns searches of members for others in a vicinity or in proximity thereto, and with personal attributes comprising pictures and names bringing an image of a human face to a device allocation in said search process; and

a first user using a respective first mobile communications device and a second user using a respective second mobile communications device each capable of connecting to the internet through any of a mobile telecommunications provider network and a local area wireless network,

wherein said computing device being in communication with the first and second mobile communication devices through internet connection via an application installed on the respective first and second mobile communication devices of the users, and configured to provide access to stored user profile information about said first user and said second user, respectively, including personal attributes comprising picture(s), a name, information, and a location,

wherein said computing device is configured to store static locations of members and receive information identifying current dynamic locations of all members based on real time location reporting from a client side application,

wherein said computing device is configured to calculate and determine a proximity of user locations based on any of a static and a dynamic location of the members which are updated on a profile database of said members,

wherein said computing device is configured to send to said first user upon inquiring of other members in the vicinity of said first user, personal attributes of all other members based on proximity calculations to select members that said first user may wish to connect with, and to send to said second mobile communication device an invitation on behalf of said first user and including first user personal attributes for said second user to accept connecting with said first user,

wherein said computing device is configured to connect said first user and said second user through a members-only-social-network communication tools between said first user and said second user, wherein said communication tools comprise any of SMS, E-mail, chat/instant messaging, multimedia, voice, and video, and

wherein said computing device is configured to locate information about said second user from a social network storage file of said second user, and transmit this information to said first mobile communications device for further information beyond first introductory attributes such as picture and name only.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first and second users are members of a same social network, and wherein said computing device is operable to disclose social network attributes of said first and second users in the vicinity or within a particular distance from one another for connecting members.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said computing device is configured to receive customized parameters from said first user on a search vicinity scope and a customized selection of a start point other than a current user location.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein said computing device is operable to provide any user with said social network attributes of all members in said social network in the vicinity or in proximity thereto.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein said computing device is configured to receive an inquiry from said first user regarding members in proximity to a first user location.

6. The system of claim 2, wherein said computing device is configured to recommend to members other members in the vicinity to connect with to promote social interaction.

7. The system of claim 2, wherein said computing device is configured to report to said first user social network attributes of all members of said social network who are in proximity to said first user.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein said computing device is configured to receive from said first user a selection of one or more additional users with whom said first user wishes to connect with through said social network.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein said computing device is configured to send to said first user further social attributes of one or more of selected additional users beyond the picture and name used in the introductory search results.

10. The system of claim 2, wherein said computing device is configured to obtain permission of a selected user prior to revealing further information beyond an introductory picture and name when a user preference is set for such a permission requirement.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein said computing device is configured to update profile information to indicate that the first and second users are connected.

12. The system of claim 2, wherein said computing device is configured to update profile information to indicate that the first and second users are connected.

13. The system of claim 2, wherein said computing device is configured to store communication between members and synchronize saved communication on a client side application used on devices for communication.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein said computing device is configured to assess a proximity of users to one another based on any of a static location information in a user profile and updated location indicators of a user dynamic location.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein updated location indicators are based on user location information reported to said computing device by any of mobile device real time location reporting technology and internet protocol address location information and saved to profiles of users.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein said computing device permits discoverable members to have their respective devices turned on or turned off at a time of a search being conducted by said first user, wherein said computing device permits said discoverable members to have their respective devices unconnected to an internet connection service at said time of the search being conducted by said first user, and wherein any of turned off devices and disconnected devices is discoverable by said computer device as said internet connection service is configured to report said any of turned off devices and disconnected devices as discoverable based on a latest static and dynamic location in proximity to said first user.

17. A method comprising:

using a computing device to communicate with various mobile and terminal devices to manage introduction and connection of members belonging to a same network by sharing personal attributes between members such as picture(s) and name, wherein said computing device associates unique hardware identification of member devices and login credentials with member profiles and via a search process returns searches of members for others in a vicinity or in proximity thereto, and with personal attributes comprising pictures and names bringing an image of a human face to a device allocation in said search process;

providing a first user using a respective first mobile communications device and a second user using a respective second mobile communications device each capable of connecting to the internet through any of a mobile telecommunications provider network and a local area wireless network;

using said computing device to be in communication with the first and second mobile communication devices through internet connection via an application installed on the respective first and second mobile communication devices of the users, and to provide access to stored user profile information about said first user and said second user, respectively, including personal attributes comprising picture(s), a name, information, and a location;

using said computing device to store static locations of members and receive information identifying current dynamic locations of all members based on real time location reporting from a client side application;

using said computing device to calculate and determine a proximity of user locations based on any of a static and a dynamic location of the members which are updated on a profile database of said members;

using said computing device to send to said first user upon inquiring of other members in the vicinity of said first user, personal attributes of all other members based on proximity calculations to select members that said first user may wish to connect with, and to send to said second mobile communication device an invitation on behalf of said first user and including first user personal attributes for said second user to accept connecting with said first user;

using said computing device to connect said first user and said second user through a members-only-social-network communication tools between said first user and said second user, wherein said communication tools comprise any of SMS, E-mail, chat/instant messaging, multimedia, voice, and video; and

using said computing device to locate information about said second user from a social network storage file of said second user, and transmit this information to said first mobile communications device for further information beyond first introductory attributes such as picture and name only.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the first and second users are members of a same social network, and wherein said method further comprises using said computing device to disclose social network attributes of said first and second users in the vicinity or within a particular distance from one another for connecting members.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising using said computing device to receive customized parameters from said first user on a search vicinity scope and a customized selection of a start point other than a current user location.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising using said computing device to provide any user with said social network attributes of all members in said social network in the vicinity or in proximity thereto.

21. The method of claim 18, further comprising using said computing device to receive an inquiry from said first user regarding members in proximity to a first user location.

22. The method of claim 18, further comprising using said computing device to recommend to members other members in the vicinity to connect with to promote social interaction.

23. The method of claim 18, further comprising using said computing device to report to said first user social network attributes of all members of said social network who are in proximity to said first user.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising using said computing device to receive from said first user a selection of one or more additional users with whom said first user wishes to connect with through said social network.

25. The method of claim 23, further comprising using said computing device to send to said first user further social attributes of one or more of selected additional users beyond the picture and name used in the introductory search results.

26. The method of claim 18, further comprising using said computing device to obtain permission of a selected user prior to revealing further information beyond an introductory picture and name when a user preference is set for such a permission requirement.

27. The method of claim 17, further comprising using said computing device to update profile information to indicate that the first and second users are connected.

28. The method of claim 18, further comprising using said computing device to update profile information to indicate that the first and second users are connected.

29. The method of claim 18, further comprising using said computing device to store communication between members and synchronize saved communication on a client side application used on devices for communication.

30. The method of claim 17, further comprising using said computing device to assess a proximity of users to one another based on any of a static location information in a user profile and updated location indicators of a user dynamic location.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein updated location indicators are based on user location information reported to said computing device by any of mobile device real time location reporting technology and internet protocol address location information and saved to profiles of users.

32. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

using said computing device to permit discoverable members to have their respective devices turned on or turned off at a time of a search being conducted by said first user; and

using said computing device to permit said discoverable members to have their respective devices unconnected to an internet connection service at said time of the search being conducted by said first user,

wherein any of turned off devices and disconnected devices is discoverable by said computer device as said internet connection service is configured to report said any of turned off devices and disconnected devices as discoverable based on a latest static and dynamic location in proximity to said first user.