Method and system for selectively connecting mobile users based on physical proximity

• US 20020107008A1
• Filed: 06/08/2001
• Published: 08/08/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Telcontar
• Inventors: Philip, Koopman Jr., Hendrey, Geoffrey R., Tanaka, Hirohisa A.
• Granted Patent: US 6,542,750 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/416
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 2001/085 Partner search devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/08 User group management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/40 for selective distribution or broadcast
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data

Abstract

A method and system for selectively connecting proximately located telecommunications units are disclosed. The method and system may be used in a location aware telecommunications system that can determine the location of a telecommunications unit (TU) being used within the system. Proximately located TUs within a predefined group may be connected when an initiating TU requests a group connection. A predetermined number of group TUs located within a predetermined distance of the initiating TU may be connected together with the initating TU in a single telecommunications connection.

Claims

1. A method for selectively connecting telecommunications users, comprising the steps of:

(i) receiving from an initiating telecommunications unit (TU), a user input indicating that a group connection is to be initiated;

(ii) determining the distance from the initiating TU to each TU associated with each group member; and

(iii) creating a telecommunications connection between the initiating TU and at least one group member TUs within a predetermined distance of the initiating TU;

wherein at least one TU is a mobile telecommunications unit.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the connection is created between the initiating TU and every group member TU within the predetermined distance of the initiating TU.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

(iv) receiving from the initiating TU, a user input indicating a specific group for which the group connection is to be initiated.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

(iv) displaying a message on a display of the initiating TU when no group member TUs are within the predetermined distance of the initiating TU.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein, in step (iii), when more than a predetermined number of group member TUs are within the predetermined distance to the initiating TU, selecting the predetermined number of group member TUs that are closest to the initiating TU.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein, in step (iii), when less than a predetermined number of group member TUs are within the predetermined distance, iteratively enlarging the predetermined distance until the predetermined number of group member TUs are within the enlarged predetermined distance to the initiating TU.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising the step of:

(iv) when a group member TU disconnects from the connection before the initiating TU, adding to the connection a new group member TU within the enlarged predetermined distance from the initiating TU.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

(iv) when a group member TU disconnects from the connection before the initiating TU, adding to the connection a new group member TU within the predetermined distance from the initiating TU.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein, in step (iii), when there are more than a predetermined number of group member TUs within the predetermined distance from the initiating TU, the predetermined number of group member TUs are selected such that the distance spread of all TUs in the connection is minimized.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein each TU is a mobile telecommunications unit.

11. A system for selectively connecting telecommunications users, comprising:

a processor;

memory for storing computer readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the system to perform the steps of;

(i) receiving from an initiating telecommunications unit (TU), a control message indicating that a group connection is to be initiated;

(ii) determining the distance from the initiating TU to each TU associated with each group member in a group corresponding to the group connection; and

(iii) creating a telecommunications connection between the initiating TU and a predetermined number of group member TUs within a predetermined distance of the initiating TU;

wherein at least one TU is a mobile telecommunications unit.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the connection is created between the initiating TU and every group member TU within the predetermined distance of the initiating TU.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the computer readable instructions further cause the system to perform the step of:

(iv) receiving from the initiating TU, a control message indicating a specific group for which the group connection is to be initiated.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the computer readable instructions further cause the system to perform the step of:

(iv) when no group member TUs are within the predetermined distance of the initiating TU, displaying a message on a display of the initiating TU.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein, in step (iii), when more than a predetermined number of group member TUs are within the predetermined distance to the initiating TU, selecting the predetermined number of group member TUs that are closest to the initiating TU.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein, in step (iii), when less than a predetermined number of group member TUs are within the predetermined distance, iteratively enlarging the predetermined distance until the predetermined number of group member TUs are within the enlarged predetermined distance to the initiating TU.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the computer readable instructions further cause the system to perform the step of:

(iv) when a group member TU disconnects from the connection before the initiating TU, adding to the connection a new group member TU within the enlarged predetermined distance from the initiating TU.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein the computer readable instructions further cause the system to perform the step of:

(v) when a group member TU disconnects from the connection before the initiating TU, adding to the connection a new group member TU within the predetermined distance from the initiating TU.

19. The system of claim 11, wherein, in step (iii), when there are more than a predetermined number of group member TUs within the predetermined distance from the initiating TU, the predetermined number of group member TUs are selected such that the distance spread of all TUs in the connection is minimized.

20. The system of claim 11, wherein each TU is a mobile telecommunications unit.

21. A computer readable medium for storing computer readable instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause a computing device to perform the steps of:

(i) receiving from an initiating telecommunications unit (TU), a control message indicating that a group connection is to be initiated;

(ii) determining the distance from the initiating TU to each TU associated with each group member; and

(iii) creating a telecommunications connection between the initiating TU and a predetermined number of group member TUs within a predetermined distance of the initiating TU;

wherein at least one TU is a mobile telecommunications unit.

22. The computer readable medium of claim 21, wherein the connection is created between the initiating TU and every group member TU within the predetermined distance of the initiating TU.

23. The computer readable medium of claim 21, wherein the computer readable instructions further cause the computing device to perform the step of:

(iv) receiving from the initiating TU, a user input indicating a specific group for which the group connection is to be initiated.

24. The computer readable medium of claim 21, wherein the computer readable instructions further cause the computing device to perform the step of:

(iv) displaying a message on a display of the initiating TU when no group member TUs are within the predetermined distance of the initiating TU.

25. The computer readable medium of claim 21, wherein, in step (iii), when more than a predetermined number of group member TUs are within the predetermined distance to the initiating TU, selecting the predetermined number of group member TUs that are closest to the initiating TU.

26. The computer readable medium of claim 21, wherein, in step (iii), when less than a predetermined number of group member TUs are within the predetermined distance, iteratively enlarging the predetermined distance until the predetermined number of group member TUs are within the enlarged predetermined distance to the initiating TU.

27. The computer readable medium of claim 26, wherein the computer readable instructions further cause the computing device to perform the step of:

(iv) when a group member TU disconnects from the connection before the initiating TU, adding to the connection a new group member TU within the enlarged predetermined distance from the initiating TU.

28. The computer readable medium of claim 21, wherein the computer readable instructions further cause the computing device to perform the step of:

(iv) when a group member TU disconnects from the connection before the initiating TU, adding to the connection a new group member TU within the predetermined distance from the initiating TU.

29. The computer readable medium of claim 21, wherein, in step (iii), when there are more than a predetermined number of group member TUs within the predetermined distance from the initiating TU, the predetermined number of group member TUs are selected such that the distance spread of all TUs in the connection is minimized.

30. The computer readable medium of claim 21, wherein each TU is a mobile telecommunications unit.