GROUP NOTIFICATION SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR IMPLEMENTING AND INDICATING THE PROXIMITY OF INDIVIDUALS OR GROUPS TO OTHER INDIVIDUALS OR GROUPS

• US 20030020623A1
• Filed: 02/28/2001
• Published: 01/30/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: eBay Inc.
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Cao, Kevin Trung, Kraft, Reiner, Ford, Daniel Alexander
• Granted Patent: US 6,529,136 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/686.6
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• 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 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/00 User notification, e.g. alerting and paging, for incoming communication, change of service or the like

Abstract

A group notification system and associated method that allow particular activities to be executed based on the group dynamics, such as the dynamics of organizing meetings. The system facilitates the availability of knowledge concerning the proximity and direction of movement of individuals, objects, or groups, and whether this information satisfies preset criteria or rules. One such criterion is that the proximity distance of the group members be less than a predetermined threshold range. The threshold range can be adjustable or programmable.

Claims

1. A method of implementing a group proximity driven activity, comprising:

specifying an event associated with the activity to be implemented;

storing an executable code corresponding to the activity;

determining current locations of at least two user modules of the group;

storing a proximity range for the at least two user modules of the group;

determining whether the current locations are within the proximity range; and

executing the executable code if the current locations are within the proximity range.

2. The method according to claim 1, further including transmitting the current locations of the at least two user modules to a group location alert server.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein transmitting the current locations includes transmitting over a network.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein transmitting over the network includes transmitting over the Internet.

5. The method according to claim 2, further including downloading a software code from the group location alert server to a user module.

6. The method according to claim 5, further including executing the software code on the user module.

7. The method according to claim 2, wherein the step of executing includes executing the executable code on the group location alert server.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein determining a current location of a user module includes using a GPS coordinate frame.

9. The method according to claim 1, further including defining the proximity range of the group as any one or more of:

a distance between two or more group members;

a distance between the majority, or all the group members;

a distance between the majority or all the group members, and a dynamic geometric center (GC) formed by interpolating the positions of the majority or all the group members;

or

a distance between one group and another group or user.

10. A computer program product for implementing a group proximity driven activity, comprising:

a group location alert server for specifying an event associated with the activity to be implemented, for storing an executable code corresponding to the activity, and for determining current locations of at least two user modules of the group;

a database for storing a proximity range for the at least two user modules of the group; and

the event proximity server determining whether the current locations are within the proximity range, and executing the executable code if the current locations are within the proximity range.

11. A system for implementing a proximity driven activity, comprising:

a group location alert server for specifying an event associated with the activity to be implemented, for storing an executable code corresponding to the activity, and for determining current locations of at least two user modules of the group;

a database for storing a proximity range for the at least two user modules of the group; and

the event proximity server determining whether the current locations are within the proximity range, and executing the executable code if the current locations are within the proximity range.

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein the group location alert server calculates the current locations of the at least two user modules.

13. The system according to claim 12, wherein the at least two user modules and the group location alert server communicate over a network.

14. The system according to claim 13, wherein the at least two user modules and the group location alert server communicate over the Internet.

15. The system according to claim 12, wherein the group location alert server downloads a software code to a user module.

16. The system according to claim 15, wherein the user module executes the software code.

17. The system according to claim 11, wherein the at least two user modules include any one or more of:

a personal computer, a personal digital assistant, or a cellular telephone.

18. The system according to claim 11, wherein the proximity range is any one or more of:

a distance between two or more group members;

a distance between the majority, or all the group members;

a distance between the majority or all the group members, and a dynamic geometric center (GC) formed by interpolating the positions of the majority or all the group members;

or

a distance between one group and another group or user.