Method and system for enabling the creation and maintenance of proximity-related user groups

• US 9,380,120 B2
• Filed: 06/24/2015
• Issued: 06/28/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Groupon Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Groupon Incorporated
• Inventors: Holden, Jeffrey Alan, Ayars, Jeffrey M., Conklin, Gregory J., Shariff, Shafiq, Scholl, Nathaniel Blake, Kim, John
• Primary Examiner(s): GESESSE, TILAHUN
• Application Number:
  US14/748,983
• Publication Number:
  US 20160088100A1
• Time in Patent Office: 370 Days
• Field of Search: 455/517, 455/518, 455/519, 455/427
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1044 Group management mechanisms management of multicast group membership H04L12/185; reconfiguring of node membership in a computing system to eliminate errors G06F11/1425
• 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: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• 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 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/08 User group management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/21 for social networking applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/186 Processing of subscriber group data

Abstract

Techniques are described for providing location-based information and functionality to people and computing devices in various ways. In at least some situations, the techniques include enabling multiple people in a common geographic area to interact in various ways, such as via devices capable of communications (e.g., cellular telephones, computing devices with wired and/or wireless communications capabilities, etc.), while in other situations at least some users who are remote from a particular geographic area may be allowed to intercommunicate with one or more other users or other entities in or related to that geographic area. In addition, the techniques include enabling the creation and maintenance of location-based virtual groups of users (also referred to as “clouds”), such as for users of mobile and/or fixed-location devices. Such clouds may enable various types of interactions between group members, and may be temporary and/or mobile.

Claims

1. A location-based virtual group management apparatus comprising:

at least one processor;

one or more non-transitory memories comprising computer-executable program code instructions stored therein, the computer-executable program code instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the location-based virtual group management apparatus to;

enable an administrative entity to establish a geographical boundary for the location-based virtual group,

wherein the administrative entity is a business and the geographic boundary comprises each of one or more physical locations;

enable the administrative entity to define configuration information for the location-based virtual group,

the enabling the administrative entity to define configuration information comprising;

establishing membership criteria for admittance to the location-based virtual group;

establishing rules of interaction among one or more members of that the location-based virtual group;

identify one or more users located with the geographic boundary by;

receiving location information from at least one user device; and

identifying at least one user associated with the at least one user device;

invite the one or more users meeting the membership criteria to be the members the location-based virtual group;

enable the administrative entity to utilize the location-based virtual group to;

transmit a first content to each of the one or more members meeting the membership criteria and identified as being located within the geographic boundary;

transmit a second content to each of the one or more members not located within the geographic boundary; and

transmit a third content to each of one or more users who have been invited but have not yet joined and are identified as being located within the geographic boundary.

2. The location-based virtual group management apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the one or more non-transitory memories and the computer-executable program code instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, are further configured to cause the location-based virtual group management apparatus to:

allow a remote user to join the location-based virtual group, the remote user meeting the admission criteria and not located within the geographic boundary.

3. The location-based virtual group management apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the one or more non-transitory memories and the computer-executable program code instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, are further configured to cause the location-based virtual group management apparatus to:

invite all users physically present within the geographical boundary to join the location-based virtual group.

4. The location-based virtual group management apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the one or more non-transitory memories and the computer-executable program code instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, are further configured to cause the location-based virtual group management apparatus to:

invite a user that performs one or more specified actions to join the location-based virtual group.

5. The location-based virtual group management apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the one or more non-transitory memories and the computer-executable program code instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, are further configured to cause the location-based virtual group management apparatus to:

transmit user-specific content to a specific member.

6. The location-based virtual group management apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the one or more non-transitory memories and the computer-executable program code instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, are further configured to cause the location-based virtual group management apparatus to:

enable a user to check in to establish presence within the geographic boundary.

7. The location-based virtual group management apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the one or more non-transitory memories and the computer-executable program code instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, are further configured to cause the location-based virtual group management apparatus to:

enable the administrative entity and one or more members identified as being located within the geographic boundary to engage in a transaction.

8. The location-based virtual group management apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the one or more non-transitory memories and the computer-executable program code instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, are further configured to cause the location-based virtual group management apparatus to:

determine that users who are members of the location-based virtual group are also members of a second location-based virtual group.

9. The location-based virtual group management apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the one or more non-transitory memories and the computer-executable program code instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, are further configured to cause the location-based virtual group management apparatus to:

provide functionality or capabilities to the one or more users identified as being located within the geographic boundary that are not available to users not located within the geographic boundary.

10. The location-based virtual group management apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the one or more non-transitory memories and the computer-executable program code instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, are further configured to cause the location-based virtual group management apparatus to:

log user actions; and

transmit additional content based on the user actions.

11. The location-based virtual group management apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the geographic boundary comprises a plurality of distinct geographical areas enabling the one or more users to be within the geographical boundary of the location-based virtual group when in any of plurality of distinct geographical areas.

12. A location-based virtual group management computer program product, the computer program product comprising at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable program code instructions stored therein, the computer-executable program code instructions comprising program code instructions for:

enabling an administrative entity to establish a geographical boundary for the location-based virtual group,

wherein the administrative entity is a business and the geographic boundary comprises each of one or more physical locations;

enabling the administrative entity to define configuration information for the location-based virtual group,

the enabling the administrative entity to define configuration information comprising;

establishing membership criteria for admittance to the location-based virtual group;

establishing rules of interaction among one or more members of that the location-based virtual group;

identifying one or more users located with the geographic boundary by;

receiving location information from at least one user device; and

identifying at least one user associated with the at least one user device;

inviting the one or more users meeting the membership criteria to be the members the location-based virtual group;

enabling the administrative entity to utilize the location-based virtual group to;

transmit a first content to each of the one or more members meeting the membership criteria and identified as being located within the geographic boundary;

transmit a second content to each of the one or more members not located within the geographic boundary; and

transmit a third content to each of one or more users who have been invited but have not yet joined and are identified as being located within the geographic boundary.

13. The computer program product according to claim 12, wherein the computer-executable program code instructions further comprise program code instructions for:

allowing a remote user to join the location-based virtual group, the remote user meeting the admission criteria and not located within the geographic boundary.

14. The computer program product according to claim 12, wherein the computer-executable program code instructions further comprise program code instructions for:

inviting all users physically present within the geographical boundary to join the location-based virtual group.

15. The computer program product according to claim 12, wherein the computer-executable program code instructions further comprise program code instructions for:

inviting a user that performs one or more specified actions to join the location-based virtual group.

16. The computer program product according to claim 12, wherein the computer-executable program code instructions further comprise program code instructions for:

transmitting user-specific content to a specific member.

17. The computer program product according to claim 12, wherein the computer-executable program code instructions further comprise program code instructions for:

enabling a user to check in to establish presence within the geographic boundary.

18. The computer program product according to claim 12, wherein the computer-executable program code instructions further comprise program code instructions for:

enabling the administrative entity and one or more members identified as being located within the geographic boundary to engage in a transaction.

19. The computer program product according to claim 12, wherein the computer-executable program code instructions further comprise program code instructions for:

determining that users who are members of the location-based virtual group are also members of a second location-based virtual group.

20. The computer program product according to claim 12, wherein the computer-executable program code instructions further comprise program code instructions for:

provide functionality or capabilities to the one or more users identified as being located within the geographic boundary that are not available to users not located within the geographic boundary.

21. The computer program product according to claim 12, wherein the computer-executable program code instructions further comprise program code instructions for:

logging user actions; and

transmitting additional content based on the user actions.

22. The computer program product according to claim 12, wherein the geographic boundary comprises a plurality of distinct geographical areas enabling the one or more users to be within the geographical boundary of the location-based virtual group when in any of plurality of distinct geographical areas.