System and method for providing communication services to mobile device users incorporating proximity determination

• US 20070030824A1
• Filed: 08/08/2006
• Published: 02/08/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jambo Networks Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Jambo Networks Incorporated
• Inventors: Young, James, Ribaudo, Charles
• Granted Patent: US 8,150,416 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/328
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0018 Transmission from mobile station to base station
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/011 Identifying the radio environment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/95 Retrieval from the web
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/222 using geographical location information, e.g. messages transmitted or received in proximity of a certain spot or area
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/52 for supporting social networking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

In certain embodiments, a method for proximity determination includes receiving one or more network identifiers, each associated with a corresponding network, from a first mobile device. The method further includes receiving one or more network identifiers, each associated with a corresponding network, from a second mobile device. The method further includes processing the network identifiers received from the first and second mobile devices to determine whether the first mobile device and the second mobile device are in proximity to one another.

Claims

1. A method for proximity determination, comprising:

receiving one or more network identifiers, each associated with a corresponding network, from a first mobile device;

receiving one or more network identifiers, each associated with a corresponding network, from a second mobile device;

processing the network identifiers received from the first and second mobile devices to determine whether the first mobile device and the second mobile device are in proximity to one another.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein processing the network identifiers comprises:

comparing the one or more network identifiers received from the first mobile device to the one or more network identifiers received from the second mobile device; and

if at least one of the one or more network identifiers received from the first mobile device matches at least one of the one or more network identifiers received from the second mobile device, determining that the first and second devices are in proximity to one another.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising communicating a notification to the first mobile device indicating that the second user is in proximity if it is determined that the first and second devices are in proximity to one another.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

receiving an indication from a user of the first mobile device defining proximity; and

communicating the notification to the first mobile device only if the second user is within the user-defined proximity for the first user.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein:

at least one of the networks for which a network identifier is received comprises a network access point; and

the network identifier of the at least one network comprises a network address of the network access point.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein:

at least one of the networks for which a network identifier is received comprises a wireless network; and

the network access point of the at least one network comprises a wireless access point.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the network identifiers comprises a media access control (MAC) address associated with the corresponding network.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the received network identifiers comprises data identifying a mobile device, the corresponding network of the network identifier comprising a range of a network interface of the mobile device.

9. The method of claim 1, comprising:

receiving a plurality of network identifiers, each associated with a corresponding network, from a plurality of other mobile devices;

comparing the one or more network identifiers received from the first mobile device to the plurality of network identifiers received from the plurality of other mobile devices; and

for any of the plurality of network identifiers received from the plurality of other mobile devices that match at least one of the one or more network identifiers received from the first mobile device, determining that the first mobile device and these other mobile devices are in proximity to one another.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a network identifier from a third mobile device;

comparing the network identifier received from the third mobile device to the one or more network identifiers received from the first and second mobile devices;

determining that the first and third mobile devices are in proximity to one another if it is determined that;

at least one of the one or more network identifiers received from the first mobile device matches at least one of the one or more network identifiers received from the second mobile device; and

at least one of the one or more network identifiers received from the second mobile device matches the network identifier received from the third mobile device.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

receiving a network identifier from a fourth mobile device;

comparing the network identifier received from the fourth mobile device to the one or more network identifiers received from the first and second mobile devices and the network identifier received from the third mobile device; and

determining that the first and fourth mobile devices are in proximity to one another if it is determined that;

at least one of the one or more network identifiers received from the first mobile device matches at least one of the one or more network identifiers received from the second mobile device;

at least one of the one or more network identifiers received from the second mobile device matches the network identifier received from the third mobile device; and

the network identifier received from the third mobile device matches the network identifier received from fourth mobile device.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising, based on the determined proximity of the first and second mobile devices, generating a tree structure that reflects relationships of the networks identified by the one or more network identifiers received from the first mobile device and the one or more network identifiers received from the second mobile device, the tree structure comprising one or more branches each comprising network identifiers for networks determined to be in proximity to one another.

13. The method of claim 12, comprising:

accessing a statistical sampling of network identifiers received from a plurality of mobile devices;

determining, based on a comparison of the network identifiers received from the plurality of mobile devices, which of the plurality of mobile devices are in proximity to one another; and

generating the tree structure based on determined relationships of the plurality of network identifiers.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein:

a particular one of the one or more network identifiers received from the first mobile device uniquely identifies a short-range wireless device; and

the method further comprises;

receiving network identifiers from a plurality of other mobile devices, each network identifier received from the plurality of other mobile devices uniquely identifying a corresponding short-range wireless device; and

determining whether the first mobile device and at least one of the plurality of other mobile devices are in proximity to one another based on comparisons of the network identifier received from the first mobile device to the network identifiers received from the plurality of other mobile devices.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein proximity comprises one or more of the following:

physical proximity of the networks corresponding to the one or more network identifiers received from the first mobile device and the one or more network identifiers received from the second mobile device; and

a predefined relationship of the networks corresponding to the one or more network identifiers received from the first mobile device and the one or more network identifiers received from the second mobile device.

16. A system for proximity determination, the system comprising one or more computer systems each comprising one or more memory units and one or more processing units, the one or more processing units operable to:

receive one or more network identifiers, each associated with a corresponding network, from a first mobile device;

receive one or more network identifiers, each associated with a corresponding network, from a second mobile device;

process the network identifiers received from the first and second mobile devices to determine whether the first mobile device and the second mobile device are in proximity to one another.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein processing the network identifiers comprises:

comparing the one or more network identifiers received from the first mobile device to the one or more network identifiers received from the second mobile device; and

if at least one of the one or more network identifiers received from the first mobile device matches at least one of the one or more network identifiers received from the second mobile device, determining that the first and second devices are in proximity to one another.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the one or more processing units are further operable to communicate a notification to the first mobile device indicating that the second user is in proximity if it is determined that the first and second devices are in proximity to one another.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the one or more processing units are further operable to:

receive an indication from a user of the first mobile device defining proximity; and

communicate the notification to the first mobile device only if the second user is within the user-defined proximity for the first user.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein:

at least one of the networks for which a network identifier is received comprises a network access point; and

the network identifier of the at least one network comprises a network address of the network access point.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein:

at least one of the networks for which a network identifier is received comprises a wireless network; and

the network access point of the at least one network comprises a wireless access point.

22. The system of claim 16, wherein at least one of the network identifiers comprises a media access control (MAC) address associated with the corresponding network.

23. The system of claim 16, wherein at least one of the received network identifiers comprises data identifying a mobile device, the corresponding network of the network identifier comprising a range of a network interface of the mobile device.

24. The system of claim 16, wherein the one or more processing units are operable to:

receive a plurality of network identifiers, each associated with a corresponding network, from a plurality of other mobile devices;

compare the one or more network identifiers received from the first mobile device to the plurality of network identifiers received from the plurality of other mobile devices; and

for any of the plurality of network identifiers received from the plurality of other mobile devices that match at least one of the one or more network identifiers received from the first mobile device, determine that the first mobile device and these other mobile devices are in proximity to one another.

25. The system of claim 16, wherein the one or more processing units are further operable to:

receive a network identifier from a third mobile device;

compare the network identifier received from the third mobile device to the one or more network identifiers received from the first and second mobile devices;

determine that the first and third mobile devices are in proximity to one another if it is determined that;

at least one of the one or more network identifiers received from the first mobile device matches at least one of the one or more network identifiers received from the second mobile device; and

at least one of the one or more network identifiers received from the second mobile device matches the network identifier received from the third mobile device.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the one or more processing units are further operable to:

receive a network identifier from a fourth mobile device;

compare the network identifier received from the fourth mobile device to the one or more network identifiers received from the first and second mobile devices and the network identifier received from the third mobile device; and

determine that the first and fourth mobile devices are in proximity to one another if it is determined that;

at least one of the one or more network identifiers received from the first mobile device matches at least one of the one or more network identifiers received from the second mobile device;

at least one of the one or more network identifiers received from the second mobile device matches the network identifier received from the third mobile device; and

the network identifier received from the third mobile device matches the network identifier received from fourth mobile device.

27. The system of claim 16, wherein the one or more processing units are further operable to, based on the determined proximity of the first and second mobile devices, generate a tree structure that reflects relationships of the networks identified by the one or more network identifiers received from the first mobile device and the one or more network identifiers received from the second mobile device, the tree structure comprising one or more branches each comprising network identifiers for networks determined to be in proximity to one another.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the one or more processing units are operable to:

access a statistical sampling of network identifiers received from a plurality of mobile devices;

determine, based on a comparison of the network identifiers received from the plurality of mobile devices, which of the plurality of mobile devices are in proximity to one another; and

generate the tree structure based on determined relationships of the plurality of network identifiers.

29. The system of claim 16, wherein:

a particular one of the one or more network identifiers received from the first mobile device uniquely identifies a short-range wireless device; and

the one or more processing units are further operable to;

receive network identifiers from a plurality of other mobile devices, each network identifier received from the plurality of other mobile devices uniquely identifying a corresponding short-range wireless device; and

determine whether the first mobile device and at least one of the plurality of other mobile devices are in proximity to one another based on comparisons of the network identifier received from the first mobile device to the network identifiers received from the plurality of other mobile devices.

30. The system of claim 16, wherein proximity comprises one or more of the following:

physical proximity of the networks corresponding to the one or more network identifiers received from the first mobile device and the one or more network identifiers received from the second mobile device; and

a predefined relationship of the networks corresponding to the one or more network identifiers received from the first mobile device and the one or more network identifiers received from the second mobile device.

31. Software for proximity determination, the software being embodied in a computer-readable medium and when executed, operable to:

receive one or more network identifiers, each associated with a corresponding network, from a first mobile device;

receive one or more network identifiers, each associated with a corresponding network, from a second mobile device;

process the network identifiers received from the first and second mobile devices to determine whether the first mobile device and the second mobile device are in proximity to one another.

32. The software of claim 31, wherein processing the network identifiers comprises:

comparing the one or more network identifiers received from the first mobile device to the one or more network identifiers received from the second mobile device; and

if at least one of the one or more network identifiers received from the first mobile device matches at least one of the one or more network identifiers received from the second mobile device, determining that the first and second devices are in proximity to one another.

33. The software of claim 31, further operable to communicate a notification to the first mobile device indicating that the second user is in proximity if it is determined that the first and second devices are in proximity to one another.

34. The software of claim 33, further operable to:

receive an indication from a user of the first mobile device defining proximity; and

communicate the notification to the first mobile device only if the second user is within the user-defined proximity for the first user.

35. The software of claim 31, wherein:

at least one of the networks for which a network identifier is received comprises a network access point; and

the network identifier of the at least one network comprises a network address of the network access point.

36. The software of claim 35, wherein:

at least one of the networks for which a network identifier is received comprises a wireless network; and

the network access point of the at least one network comprises a wireless access point.

37. The software of claim 31, wherein at least one of the network identifiers comprises a media access control (MAC) address associated with the corresponding network.

38. The software of claim 31, wherein at least one of the received network identifiers comprises data identifying a mobile device, the corresponding network of the network identifier comprising a range of a network interface of the mobile device.

39. The software of claim 31, operable to:

receive a plurality of network identifiers, each associated with a corresponding network, from a plurality of other mobile devices;

compare the one or more network identifiers received from the first mobile device to the plurality of network identifiers received from the plurality of other mobile devices; and

for any of the plurality of network identifiers received from the plurality of other mobile devices that match at least one of the one or more network identifiers received from the first mobile device, determine that the first mobile device and these other mobile devices are in proximity to one another.

40. The software of claim 31, further operable to:

receive a network identifier from a third mobile device;

compare the network identifier received from the third mobile device to the one or more network identifiers received from the first and second mobile devices;

determine that the first and third mobile devices are in proximity to one another if it is determined that;

at least one of the one or more network identifiers received from the first mobile device matches at least one of the one or more network identifiers received from the second mobile device; and

at least one of the one or more network identifiers received from the second mobile device matches the network identifier received from the third mobile device.

41. The software of claim 40, further operable to:

receive a network identifier from a fourth mobile device;

compare the network identifier received from the fourth mobile device to the one or more network identifiers received from the first and second mobile devices and the network identifier received from the third mobile device; and

determine that the first and fourth mobile devices are in proximity to one another if it is determined that;

at least one of the one or more network identifiers received from the first mobile device matches at least one of the one or more network identifiers received from the second mobile device;

at least one of the one or more network identifiers received from the second mobile device matches the network identifier received from the third mobile device; and

the network identifier received from the third mobile device matches the network identifier received from fourth mobile device.

42. The software of claim 31, further operable to, based on the determined proximity of the first and second mobile devices, generate a tree structure that reflects relationships of the networks identified by the one or more network identifiers received from the first mobile device and the one or more network identifiers received from the second mobile device, the tree structure comprising one or more branches each comprising network identifiers for networks determined to be in proximity to one another.

43. The software of claim 42, operable to:

access a statistical sampling of network identifiers received from a plurality of mobile devices;

determine, based on a comparison of the network identifiers received from the plurality of mobile devices, which of the plurality of mobile devices are in proximity to one another; and

generate the tree structure based on determined relationships of the plurality of network identifiers.

44. The software of claim 31 wherein:

a particular one of the one or more network identifiers received from the first mobile device uniquely identifies a short-range wireless device; and

the software is further operable to;

receive network identifiers from a plurality of other mobile devices, each network identifier received from the plurality of other mobile devices uniquely identifying a corresponding short-range wireless device; and

determine whether the first mobile device and at least one of the plurality of other mobile devices are in proximity to one another based on comparisons of the network identifier received from the first mobile device to the network identifiers received from the plurality of other mobile devices.

45. The software of claim 31, wherein proximity comprises one or more of the following:

physical proximity of the networks corresponding to the one or more network identifiers received from the first mobile device and the one or more network identifiers received from the second mobile device; and

a predefined relationship of the networks corresponding to the one or more network identifiers received from the first mobile device and the one or more network identifiers received from the second mobile device.