Implicit group formation around feed content for mobile devices

• US 20060240856A1
• Filed: 08/15/2005
• Published: 10/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Schwartz, Jordan LK, Counts, Scott J., Farnham, Shelly D.
• Granted Patent: US 7,684,815 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/518
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/06 Optimizing the usage of the radio link, e.g. header compression, information sizing , discarding information system modifying transmission characteristic according to link quality by modifying frame length H04L1/0007; dynamic adaptation of the packet size for flow control or congestion control H04L47/365
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/08 User group management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/186 Processing of subscriber group data

Abstract

A unique system and method that facilitates group-based mobile communication around external feed content is provided. The system and method involve adding external feed content to content generated within a group. Both types of content can be viewed on the mobile devices of the group. Updates to the feed content can be obtained and communicated to the group. When multiple feeds are subscribed to by a group, one or more group members can display such feed content in a selective manner. For example, splinter groups can be formed off of the original group for members who wish to receive a subset of feeds (feed content) to assist them in focusing on a topic of interest. Group members can also employ display filters to restrict feed content displayed on their mobile devices. Users can also search for available feeds and form new groups around such content or join an existing group.

Claims

1. A group-based mobile communication system that facilitates group formation around feed content comprising:

a group of users that comprises at least two members and that generates within-group content;

at least one external feed source that provides feed content to the group subscribing thereto; and

a group communication component can integrates the feed content with the within-group content to enhance group communication via mobile devices.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprises a feed update component that checks with the external feed source for updates to the feed content and communicates any updates to the group.

3. The system of claim 2, the feed update component performs checks on at least one of a scheduled basis or on demand by the group or by a group member.

4. The system of claim 1 further comprises a group formation component that forms at least one subgroup off of the group, wherein the subgroup receives a subset of the feed content.

5. The system of claim 4, the subset of feed content comprising at least one feed when the group has subscribed to more than one feed.

6. The system of claim 1 further comprises a display filter that selectively displays feed content to at least one group member.

7. The system of claim 6, the feed content is displayed to the at least one group member when at least one other group member has commented on the feed content.

8. The system of claim 1, the feed content is communicated to the mobile devices of the group via a communication protocol, the protocol comprising any one of HTTP, SMS, MMS, or any other protocol.

9. A user interface that facilitates group-based mobile communication comprising:

one or more group-generated communications organized by group, the communications comprising at least one of text or media sent by at least one group member; and

feed content received from the external feed source integrated with the group-generated communications to enhance communications exchanged within the group.

10. The user interface of claim 9, the one or more existing groups are at least one of public or private.

11. The user interface of claim 9 further comprises a group formation control that allows the user to form a new group around a selected feed chosen from the available feeds.

12. The user interface of claim 9 further comprises a feed search control that searches for available external feeds based at least in part on one or more search terms entered by a user, wherein returned search results comprise at least one of the following:

one or more available external feeds and one or more existing groups corresponding to the search terms.

13. A group-based communication method that facilitates group communication among mobile devices, the method comprising:

establishing at least one group;

generating content within the group; and

integrating external feed content with the content generated within the group.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprises updating the feed content at least in part by checking at least one external feed source for updates to the feed content.

15. The method of claim 13 further comprises searching for feed content.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprises forming a new group around any found feed content.

17. The method of claim 13 further comprises filtering feed content display at least in part by setting one or more conditions that are to be satisfied before displaying at least a portion of the feed content on a mobile device.

18. The method of claim 13 further comprises selectively displaying at least a portion of the feed content to at least one group member.

19. The method of claim 13 further comprises forming at least one subgroup derived from the group whereby the subgroup receives a subset of the feed content to facilitate focusing on at least one feed.

20. The method of claim 13 further comprises controlling membership of the group.