Configurable groups of virtual walls providing proximity related privileges

• US 9,460,116 B2
• Filed: 09/27/2012
• Issued: 10/04/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Geomonkey Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Geomonkey Incorporated
• Inventors: Pilskalns, Orest
• Primary Examiner(s): Perveen, Rehana
• Assistant Examiner(s): Khong, Alexander
• Application Number:
  US13/628,335
• Publication Number:
  US 20130023291A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,468 Days
• Field of Search: 707/754
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9537 Spatial or temporal dependent retrieval, e.g. spatiotemporal queries
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

A group of common users each with a mobile device are provided access to information displayed on a group of virtual walls. Each wall corresponds to a different real world location or venue owned or associated with a common entity. The mobile devices are used for viewing information and, when in the vicinity of the real world locations, publishing location-based user content to the corresponding walls. Groups of virtual walls may be created from a set of configurable templates, each template representing a different business vertical.

Claims

1. A method for creating a group of virtual walls, comprising the computer implemented steps of:

displaying on a screen connected to a computer one or more types of groups of virtual walls, wherein individual types of groups represent a vertical;

receiving, by the computer, a selection of a type of group that is to be used as a template to create the group of virtual walls;

receiving, by the computer, an identification of one or more users that are to be given access to the group of virtual walls;

receiving, by the computer, a definition of a plurality of virtual walls; and

for each virtual wall, receiving, by the computer, an association with a different physical location and a check-in time associated with the physical location;

wherein;

each user may upload content from the mobile device to one of the virtual walls when in proximity to the corresponding associated physical location prior to the check-in time associated with the physical location.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the computer, for one or more of the virtual walls, a selection of one or more privileges that are to be accessible by users who are in proximity to its associated physical location.

3. The method according to claim 2 wherein a privilege includes:

an electronic punch card;

a special menu;

a notification of an identity of a user who has uploaded content and is proximal to the associated physical location;

or

a facility to electronically chat to other users proximal to the associated physical location.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising receiving, by the computer, inputs for configuring the group of virtual walls.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising receiving, by the computer, a definition of a geographic boundary that defines a physical location.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising automatically determining, by the computer, a geographic boundary that defines a physical location.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising receiving, by the computer, an identification of one or more further users that are to be given access to fewer than all the virtual walls.

8. A system, comprising:

one or more servers having one or more computer readable media storing, for individual virtual walls of a group of virtual walls, an association with a different physical location, wherein all physical locations are associated with an event in which event participants travel between the different physical locations, the one or more servers connected to;

a network; and

a plurality of mobile devices connected to the server via the network;

the system configured to;

determine a location of one of said mobile devices;

determine whether the location is in proximity to one of said physical locations, wherein said one physical location has an associated check-in deadline; and

based on the location of said one mobile device being in proximity to said one physical location and based on a current time being before the check-in deadline, provide privileged access to the virtual wall associated with said physical location to a user of said one mobile device via said one mobile device based at least in part on the location of said one mobile device being in proximity to said one physical location, wherein the privileged access includes a check-in functionality to record that the user arrived at said one physical location.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the privileged access further includes a facility to upload content to the virtual wall associated with said one physical location.

10. The system of claim 8 wherein the privileged access further includes at least one of:

a permission to access information;

a permission to access a type of information;

or

a permission to set up a notification.

11. The system of claim 8 wherein the privileged access further includes at least one of:

a special menu;

or

a notification of an identity of a user who has uploaded content and is proximal to the associated physical location.

12. The system of claim 8 further configured to display, on said one mobile device, details of individual virtual walls in the group of virtual walls.

13. One or more non-transitory computer readable memories, comprising:

a portion of the memories storing a group of virtual walls;

another portion of the memories storing identification of one or more users that have access to the group of virtual walls;

for individual virtual walls, still another portion of the memories storing an association with a different physical location, wherein all physical locations are associated with a single event in which event participants travel between the different physical locations and wherein each physical location has an associated check-in time; and

another portion of the memories storing, for individual virtual walls, one or more privileges, which are accessible on a mobile device that is in communication with a computer in which the one or more computer readable memories reside when the mobile device is in proximity to the corresponding associated physical location prior to the check-in time associated with the physical location, wherein the one or more privileges include a check-in functionality to record that the mobile device is in proximity to the corresponding associated physical location.

14. The one or more non-transitory computer readable memories of claim 13 further comprising computer readable instructions that, when executed by one or more processors cause:

determination of a location of one of a plurality of mobile devices;

determination of whether the location is in proximity to one of said physical locations; and

if the location is in proximity to said one physical location, provision of a privilege to a user of said one mobile device via said one mobile device.

15. The one or more non-transitory computer readable memories of claim 13, wherein a privilege includes a facility to upload content to the virtual wall associated with said one physical location.

16. The one or more non-transitory computer readable memories of claim 13, wherein a privilege includes at least one of:

a notification of an identity of a user who has uploaded content and is proximal to the associated physical location;

or

a facility to electronically chat to other users proximal to the associated physical location.

17. The one or more non-transitory computer readable memories of claim 13, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the one or more processors to display, on the mobile device, details of each virtual wall in the group of virtual walls.