Methods and systems for walkie-talkie communications

• US 9,756,485 B2
• Filed: 10/02/2015
• Issued: 09/05/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bloomerang LLC
• Original Assignee: Liam Williams, Melissa Pinard
• Inventors: Pinard, Deborah Lynn, Pinard, Melissa, Williams, Liam
• Primary Examiner(s): REGO, DOMINIC E
• Application Number:
  US14/873,369
• Publication Number:
  US 20160100295A1
• Time in Patent Office: 704 Days
• Field of Search: 455 902, 4554121, 4554141, 455518-520, 455416, 370352, 370389, 370338, 370328
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/06 Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/08 User group management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/10 Push-to-Talk [PTT] or Push-On-Call services

Abstract

Walkie-talkies are a common means of coordinating activities at events but must be handed out, transferred as shifts and personnel in roles change, and collected. Further, walkie-talkies have a set range and the bigger the range the more expensive the walkie-talkie. Accordingly, it would be beneficial to provide individuals, enterprises, organizers, etc. with the ability to establish communications to individuals or group of individuals rapidly, with low complexity and management overhead, exploiting walkie-talkie style communications upon mobile devices connected to wireless networks over varying geographical areas without requiring distribution of walkie-talkies etc. as the mobile device is the user'"'"'s own smartphone or cellphone. Further, it would be beneficial for such communications to be managed through a software application such that the user'"'"'s virtual walkie-talkie automatically assigns channels etc. based upon the user'"'"'s role, the event, their location etc.

Claims

1. A method of managing communications mobile communications comprising:

receiving content within an event application in execution upon an electronic device associated with a user and connected to a network from another electronic device also connected to the network executing the event application and associated with another user;

associating the received content with a communication based upon a filter defined by a policy chain established within the event application in dependence upon a role associated with the user within an event; and

presenting the information upon the electronic device;

wherein

the another user is also associated with the event and a second role within the event; and

the user and the another user have no association other than that they are both members of a group of users associated with the event whose contact data is stored within a database accessible by a user notification server connected to the network through which the communication from the another user to the user is routed.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the database stores data relating to roles for registered users of the event application, specific times for which a registered user is associated with a specific role, and an event for which the user will perform the specific role at the specific times.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein

the event application supports emulation of a walkie-talkie by an electronic device and provide communications that mimic use of walkie-talkies by participants;

and

a channel of a plurality of channels upon which a message is at least one of received and transmitted is established in dependence upon a policy chain including the role the user is currently associated with.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein

the policy chain is dynamically established in dependence upon at least one of the role, a location, a venue, a shift, a shift status, and the event for which the user is registered.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein

the filter is dynamically established in dependence upon at least one of the role, a location, a venue, a shift, a shift status, and the event for which the user is registered.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein

the electronic device upon which the content is provided is either a walkie-talkie or an electronic device comprising a display and at least one of an audio input interface, an audio output interface, and a keyboard.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein

the electronic device upon which the content is an electronic device and the content is provided to the user via the event application as a web page of a plurality of web pages.

8. Computer readable instructions for execution by a microprocessor stored in a non-volatile, non-transitory memory, the instructions when executed relating to a process comprising:

receiving content within an event application in execution upon an electronic device associated with a user and connected to a network from another electronic device also connected to the network executing the event application and associated with another user;

associating the received content with a communication based upon a filter defined by a policy chain established within the event application in dependence upon a role associated with the user within an event; and

presenting the information upon the electronic device;

wherein

the another user is also associated with the event and a second role within the event; and

the user and the another user have no association other than that they are both members of a group of users associated with the event whose contact data is stored within a database accessible by a user notification server connected to the network through which the communication from the another user to the user is routed.

9. The instructions according to claim 8, wherein

the database stores data relating to roles for registered users of the event application, specific times for which a registered user is associated with a specific role, and an event for which the user will perform the specific role at the specific times.

10. The instructions according to claim 8, wherein

the event application supports emulation of a walkie-talkie by an electronic device and provide communications that mimic use of walkie-talkies by participants;

and

a channel of a plurality of channels upon which a message is at least one of received and transmitted is established in dependence upon a policy chain including the role the user is currently associated with.

11. The instructions according to claim 8, wherein

the policy chain is dynamically established in dependence upon at least one of the role, a location, a venue, a shift, a shift status, and the event for which the user is registered.

12. The instructions according to claim 8, wherein

the filter is dynamically established in dependence upon at least one of the role, a location, a venue, a shift, a shift status, and the event for which the user is registered.

13. The instructions according to claim 8, wherein

the electronic device upon which the content is provided is either a walkie-talkie or an electronic device comprising a display and at least one of an audio input interface, an audio output interface, and a keyboard.

14. The instructions according to claim 8, wherein

the electronic device upon which the content is an electronic device and the content is provided to the user via the event application as a web page of a plurality of web pages.