Systems and methods for geo-location based message streams

• US 9,866,997 B2
• Filed: 12/06/2013
• Issued: 01/09/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: MapQuest, Inc. (System1 LLC)
• Inventors: Hughes, Jr., Joseph D., Hill, Simon, Barbara, Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): Demeter, Hilina K
• Application Number:
  US14/099,101
• Publication Number:
  US 20150163630A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,495 Days
• Field of Search: None
• 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 4/21 for social networking applications

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for communicating virtual messages through a location-based message stream for different mobile device users. A geo-fenced area surrounding a desired geographic location for a virtual message stream is generated based on parameters received from a first user. The parameters include at least one message to be sent to one or more recipients via the message stream. When a mobile device of a second user located within the generated geo-fenced area is detected and the second user is determined to be one of the message recipients, the message from the message stream is transmitted to the detected mobile device of the second user.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving, by a device and from a mobile device of a message sending user via a network, parameters for generating a message stream to be associated with a particular geographic location,

the message stream enabling a dissemination of one or more user-generated messages originating from one or more user devices including the mobile device of the message sending user,

the parameters identifying the particular geographic location based on at least one of a distance or a travel time along a route, traveled by the mobile device of the message sending user, relative to a current location along the route of the mobile device of the message sending user,

the particular geographic location corresponding to a location along the route which is ahead of or behind the current location along the route,

the parameters defining a virtual boundary surrounding the particular geographic location,

the parameters including at least one message generated by the message sending user and associated with the particular geographic location to be sent to one or more authorized recipients via the message stream, and

the parameters defining an expiration time;

generating, by the device, a geo-fenced area defined by the virtual boundary surrounding the particular geographic location for the message stream based on the parameters and associating the at least one message generated by the message sending user with the message stream,

the geo-fenced area corresponding to the route traveled by the mobile device of the message sending user, and

the message stream comprising a plurality of messages that are each associated with a respective location, of a plurality of locations, along the route,

the plurality of messages including the at least one message;

detecting, by the device, a presence of a mobile device of a message receiving user within the geo-fenced area of the message stream;

determining, by the device, that the message receiving user is one of the one or more authorized recipients based on detecting the mobile device of the message receiving user within the geo-fenced area of the message stream and based on determining that the message receiving user is the message sending user; and

transmitting, by the device, the at least one message to the mobile device of the message receiving user based on determining that the mobile device of the message receiving user is traveling along the route corresponding to the geo-fenced area of the message stream,

the transmitting of the at least one message to the mobile device of the message receiving user enabling the message receiving user to view the message stream including the at least one message and to post subsequent messages viewable by the message sending user and the message receiving user detected within the geo-fenced area of the message stream, and

the message stream and the geo-fenced area of the message stream being removed after the expiration time.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that the message receiving user is one of the one or more authorized recipients based on determining that the message receiving user is subscribed to receive messages via the message stream.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the message sending user, the message receiving user, and the one or more authorized recipients are users of a social networking service.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the one or more authorized recipients are members of a predefined social group associated with the message sending user within the social networking service.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

providing, when the message receiving user is determined to be at least one of the one or more authorized recipients, an interface at the mobile device for the message receiving user to add at least one additional message to the message stream,

wherein the at least one additional message is transmitted to the mobile device of the message sending user and one or more respective mobile devices of any of the one or more authorized recipients when the mobile device of the message sending user or the one or more respective mobile devices of the one or more authorized recipients are detected within the geo-fenced area of the message stream.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the parameters for the message stream include a scope of the message stream,

the scope specifying which users of the social networking service qualify as the one or more authorized recipients of the at least one message to be transmitted via the message stream.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the scope of the message stream is either a public scope or a private scope.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

receiving additional parameters for a private message stream corresponding to a message receiving geo-fenced area to be generated within the geo-fenced area of the message stream; and

generating the message receiving geo-fenced area within the geo-fenced area of the message stream based on the additional parameters,

wherein the message receiving geo-fenced area corresponding to the private message stream is used for transmitting messages having the private scope and the geo-fenced area corresponding to the message stream is used to transmit messages having the public scope.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the parameters for generating the message stream include a set of location points or dimensions associated with the geo-fenced area,

the set of location points or dimensions being generated by a mapping application of the one or more user devices.

10. A device, comprising:

a memory; and

a processor, communicatively coupled to the memory, to;

receive, from a mobile device of a message sending user via a network, parameters for generating a message stream to be associated with a particular geographic location,

the message stream enabling a dissemination of one or more user-generated messages originating from one or more user devices including the mobile device of the message sending user,

the parameters identifying the particular geographic location based on at least one of a distance or a travel time along a route, traveled by the mobile device of the message sending user, relative to a current location along the route of the mobile device of the message sending user,

the particular geographic location corresponding to a location along the route which is ahead of or behind the current location along the route,

the parameters defining a virtual boundary surrounding the particular geographic location,

the parameters including at least one message generated by the message sending user and associated with the particular geographic location to be sent to one or more authorized recipients via the message stream, and

the parameters defining an expiration time;

generate a geo-fenced area defined by the virtual boundary surrounding the particular geographic location for the message stream based on the parameters and associating the at least one message generated by the message sending user with the message stream,

the geo-fenced area corresponding to the route traveled by the mobile device of the message sending user, and

the message stream comprising a plurality of messages that are each associated with a respective location, of a plurality of locations, along the route,

the plurality of messages including the at least one message;

detect a presence of a mobile device of a message receiving user within the geo-fenced area of the message stream;

determine that the message receiving user is one of the one or more authorized recipients based on detecting the mobile device of the message receiving user within the geo-fenced area of the message stream and based on determining that the message receiving user is the message sending user; and

transmit the at least one message to the mobile device of the message receiving user, based on determining that the mobile device of the message receiving user is traveling along the route corresponding to the geo-fenced area of the message stream,

the transmitting of the at least one message to the mobile device of the message receiving user enabling the message receiving user to view the message stream including the at least one message and to post subsequent messages viewable by the message sending user and the message receiving user detected within the geo-fenced area of the message stream, and

the message stream and the geo-fenced area of the message stream being removed after the expiration time.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein the processor is further to:

determine that the message receiving user is one of the one or more authorized recipients based on determining that the message receiving user is subscribed to receive messages via the message stream.

12. The device of claim 10, wherein each of the message sending user, the message receiving user, and the one or more authorized recipients are members of a social networking service.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein the one or more authorized recipients are members of a predefined social group associated with the message sending user within the social networking service.

14. The device of claim 12, wherein the processor is further to:

provide, when the message receiving user is determined to be at least one of the one or more authorized recipients, an interface at the mobile device for the message receiving user to add at least one additional message to the message stream,

wherein the at least one additional message is transmitted to the mobile device of the message sending user and one or more respective mobile devices of any of the one or more authorized recipients when the mobile device of the message sending user or the one or more respective mobile devices of the one or more authorized recipients are detected within the geo-fenced area of the message stream.

15. The device of claim 12, wherein the parameters for the message stream include a scope of the message stream,

the scope specifying which users of the social networking service qualify as the one or more authorized recipients of the at least one message to be transmitted via the message stream.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein the scope of the message stream is either a public scope or a private scope, and

wherein the processor is further to:

receive additional parameters for a private message stream corresponding to a message receiving geo-fenced area to be generated within the geo-fenced area of the message stream; and

generate the message receiving geo-fenced area within the geo-fenced area of the message stream based on the additional parameters,

wherein the message receiving geo-fenced area corresponding to the private message stream is used for transmitting messages having the private scope and the geo-fenced area corresponding to the message stream is used to transmit messages having the public scope.

17. The device of claim 10, wherein the parameters for generating the message stream include a set of location points or dimensions associated with the geo-fenced area,

the set of location points or dimensions being generated by a mapping application of the one or more user devices.

18. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:

receive, from a mobile device of a message sending user via a network, parameters for generating a message stream to be associated with a particular geographic location,

the message stream enabling a dissemination of one or more user-generated messages originating from one or more user devices including the mobile device of the message sending user,

the parameters identifying the particular geographic location based on at least one of a distance or a travel time along a route, traveled by the mobile device of the message sending user, relative to a current location along the route of the mobile device of the message sending user,

the particular geographic location corresponding to a location along the route which is ahead of or behind the current location along the route,

the parameters defining a virtual boundary surrounding the particular geographic location,

the parameters including at least one message generated by the message sending user and associated with the particular geographic location to be sent to one or more authorized recipients via the message stream, and

the parameters defining an expiration time;

generate a geo-fenced area defined by the virtual boundary surrounding the particular geographic location for the message stream based on the parameters and associating the at least one message generated by the message sending user with the message stream,

the geo-fenced area corresponding to the route traveled by the mobile device of the message sending user, and

the message stream comprising a plurality of messages that are each associated with a respective location, of a plurality of locations, along the route,

the plurality of messages including the at least one message;

detect a presence of a mobile device of a message receiving user within the geo-fenced area of the message stream;

determine that the message receiving user is one of the one or more authorized recipients based on detecting the mobile device of the message receiving user within the geo-fenced area of the message stream and based on determining that the message receiving user is the message sending user; and

transmit the at least one message to the mobile device of the message receiving user, based on determining that the mobile device of the message receiving user is traveling along the route corresponding to the geo-fenced area of the message stream,

the transmitting of the at least one message to the mobile device of the message receiving user enabling the message receiving user to view the message stream including the at least one message and to post subsequent messages viewable by the message sending user and the message receiving user detected within the geo-fenced area of the message stream, and

the message stream and the geo-fenced area of the message stream being removed after the expiration time.