Location-based meeting system

• US 9,945,680 B1
• Filed: 02/08/2016
• Issued: 04/17/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DP Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: DP Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Kahn, Philippe Richard, Kinsolving, Arthur
• Primary Examiner(s): Sterbane, Larry
• Application Number:
  US15/018,526
• Time in Patent Office: 799 Days
• Field of Search: 4554561-4566
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3438 Rendez-vous, i.e. searching a destination where several users can meet, and the routes to this destination for these users; Ride sharing, i.e. searching a route such that at least two users can share a vehicle for at least part of the route
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/04 Forecasting or optimisation specially adapted for administrative or management purposes, e.g. linear programming or "cutting stock problem" market predictions or forecasting for commercial activities G06Q30/0202
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/047 Optimisation of routes or paths, e.g. travelling salesman problem
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063116 Schedule adjustment for a person or group
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/1095 Meeting or appointment
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096716 where the received information does not generate an automatic action on the vehicle control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096741 where the source of the transmitted information selects which information to transmit to each vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096775 where the origin of the information is a central station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/14 indicating individual free spaces in parking areas
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• 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 4/024 Guidance services
• 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 4/21 for social networking applications

Abstract

A method or apparatus to provide a display of friends in a local area to a user, receive a request to meet, and calculate an optimal location for a meeting is described. In one embodiment, the system provides guidance to the user to the optimal location.

Claims

1. A method of calculating an optimal location for a meeting for a plurality of people using a wireless or wired device comprising:

determining a current location for each of the plurality of people;

identifying a mode of transport for each of the plurality of people; and

selecting the optimal location based on an estimated travel time for each of the plurality of people, where for a driver the estimated travel time includes travel to a parking location and time to get from the parking location to the optimal location, and each of the plurality of people have approximately equal estimated travel time to the optimal location;

providing a plurality of proposed meeting sites near the optimal location;

receiving a ranking of the proposed meeting sites from the plurality of people; and

selecting a highest ranked proposed meeting site as the actual meeting site.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising;

providing guidance to the actual meeting site.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein selecting a meeting site takes into account historical location data obtained from a network, indicating past locations of the plurality of people.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

enabling a user to select the plurality of people for meeting, from a list of contacts.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

enabling a user to invite a subgroup of contacts for the meeting, wherein the subgroup comprises one or more of;

a subgroup of friends, members of a social group, members of a work-related group, and a manually selected set from the contacts.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the estimated travel time takes traffic into consideration.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing a proposed meeting site, and enabling a user to approve or reject the proposed meeting site.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing an estimated time of arrival to a user.

9. A mobile computer including a mobile application, comprising:

a location sharing feature configured to determine a current location for each of a plurality of people;

a processor to implement an optimal location selector configured to select an optimal location based on an estimated travel time for each of the plurality of people, wherein each of the plurality of people have approximately equal estimated travel time to the optimal location, and where for a driver the estimated travel time includes travel to a parking location and time to get from the parking location to the optimal location; and

a user interface configured to provide a plurality of proposed meeting sites, receive a ranking of the proposed meeting sites from each of the plurality of people, and select a highest ranked proposed meeting site as the actual meeting site.

10. The application of claim 9, further comprising;

a routing system coupled to the mobile application via a network, further comprising routing logic configured to provide guidance to the meeting site.

11. The application of claim 10, wherein selecting a meeting site takes into account historical location data obtained from the network, indicating past locations of the plurality of people.

12. The application of claim 9, further comprising:

a user interface configured to enable a user to select the plurality of people for meeting, from a plurality of contacts.

13. The application of claim 12, further comprising:

the user interface configured to enable the user to invite a subgroup of the contacts for the meeting, wherein the subgroup comprises one or more of;

a subgroup of friends, members of a social group, members of a work-related group, and a manually selected set from the contacts.

14. The application of claim 9, wherein the estimated travel time is configured to take traffic into consideration.

15. A mobile device comprising:

a location system to determine a location of a user;

a user interface enabling the user to select one or more people for a meeting;

a mapping location display on the user interface to show locations of the one or more people that have chosen to share their current location with the user; and

a processor to implement an optimal location selector to select an optimal location for the meeting based on the location of the user, and the locations of the one or more people and based on an estimated travel time for the one or more people, wherein the optimal location has approximately equal travel time for the user and the one or more people, where for a driver travel time includes travel to a parking location and time to get from the parking location to the optimal location;

a user interface to provide a plurality of proposed meeting sites, receive a ranking of the proposed meeting sites a plurality of the one or more people, and select a highest ranked proposed meeting site as the actual meeting site.

16. The device of claim 15, further comprising;

a routing logic to provide guidance to the meeting site.

17. The device of claim 15, further comprising:

an ETA calculator, to calculate an estimated time of arrival for the user and the one or more people; and

a reservation logic to make a reservation at the meeting location, based on the estimated time of arrival.

18. The device of claim 15, further comprising:

the user interface configured to enable a user to select the plurality of people for meeting, from a plurality of contacts.

19. The device of claim 18, further comprising:

the user interface configured to enable the user to invite a subgroup of the contacts for the meeting, wherein the subgroup comprises one or more of;

a subgroup of friends, members of a social group, members of a work-related group, and a manually selected set from the contacts.

20. The device of claim 15, wherein the estimated travel time is configured to take traffic into consideration.