System and method for providing geographically-related content over a network

• US 6,629,136 B1
• Filed: 11/15/1999
• Issued: 09/30/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Original Assignee: @Security Broadband Corporation
• Inventors: Naidoo, Surendra N.
• Primary Examiner(s): VU, VIET DUY
• Application Number:
  US09/439,375
• Time in Patent Office: 1,415 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709/217, 709/219, 709/223, 709/224, 709/225, 709/226, 709/227, 709/328, 709/329, 707/10, 707/104
• US Class Current: 709/219
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9537 Spatial or temporal dependent retrieval, e.g. spatiotemporal queries
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99948 Application of database or data structure, e.g. distributed, multimedia, or image

Abstract

The present invention is designed to seamlessly deliver localized content to users on a network corresponding to each users'"'"' geographic area. In particular, the present invention considers a user'"'"'s geographic location information (such as an address) in the determination of which geographic areas, if any, correspond to the user, and automatically delivers content associated with those geographic areas. By associating a unique spatial identity with a user, the present invention may use various known digital mapping spatial techniques to provide the user with information relevant to the user'"'"'s location.

Claims

1. A method of providing content to a user on a network, comprising the steps by a network server of:

storing registration information of said user, wherein the registration information comprises specific geographic information;

determining geographic coordinates from said geographic location information; and

seamlessly providing content to said user corresponding to a geographic area containing said geographic coordinates in response to a request for content by said user, said requested content having a subject matter;

in response to said request for content by said user, said network server dynamically determining said geographic area based upon a desired geographical level, said desired geographic level determined automatically, by said network server, based upon said subject matter of said content requested by said user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said network is the Internet.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein a geocoder is used in determining geographic coordinates from said specific geographic location information.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said specific geographic location information includes an address.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said specific geographic location information corresponds to said user'"'"'s home address.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said specific geographic location information includes Global Positioning System (GPS) data.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said desired geographic level is a census tract.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said desired geographic level is a neighborhood.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein said desired geographic level is a subdivision.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein said desired geographic level is a school district.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein said desired geographic level is a trade area.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein said content includes a chat room service, said chat room service comprising the step of allowing said user to access one or more electronic chat rooms corresponding to said geographic area.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said chat room service further comprises instant messaging functionality.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein said content includes a bulletin board service, said bulletin board service comprising the step of allowing the user to access one or more electronic bulletin boards corresponding to said geographic area.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein said content includes an email distribution service, said email distribution service comprising the step of providing access to said user one or more email distribution lists corresponding to said geographic area.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein said content includes one or more promotional notices corresponding to said geographic area.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein said content includes one or more links to web sites corresponding to said geographic area.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein said content includes a directory service, said directory service comprising telephone directory information corresponding to said geographic area.

7. A communications system comprising:

a content provider node, said content provider node configured to store plural content topics and plural geographic levels, each one of said plural content topics associated with one of said plural geographic levels;

a communications device coupled to said content provider node,

wherein said communications device has an associated geographic location;

wherein said communications device is configured to provide a request for content to said content provider node, said request for content comprising a desired content topic and information relating to said associated geographic location of said communication device; and

wherein said content provider node is configured to be responsive to requests for content from said communications device by providing content to said communication device, wherein said content seamlessly corresponds to a geographic area encompassing said associated geographic location of said communication device;

said geographic area corresponding to said one of said plural geographic levels associated with said desired content topic.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein said user node is coupled to said network through a wireless medium.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein said information relating to said associated geographic location comprises GPS coordinate data of said communication device.

22. A communications system, comprising:

a content provider node, said content provider node configured to store plural content topics and plural geographic levels, each one of said plural content topics associated with one of said plural geographic levels; and

a web site hosted by said content provider node, wherein said web site is configured to be accessible by one or more remote users, wherein each of said one or more remote users has an associated geographic location, and wherein said content provider node is configured to store said associated geographic location; and

wherein said content provider node is configured to be responsive to requests for content from one or more remote users by providing content on said web site for said one or more remote users, said requests for content including a desired content topic; and

wherein said content seamlessly corresponds said desired content topic to a geographic area encompassing said associated geographic location;

said geographic area corresponding to said one of said plural geographic levels associated with said desired content topic.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein said associated geographic location comprises geocoded coordinates.

25. The system of claim 22, wherein said geographic area is dynamically determined by said content provider node based upon said geographic level associated with said desired content topic and said associated geographic location.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein said desired geographic level is a census tract.

27. The system of claim 25, wherein said desired geographic level is a neighborhood.

28. The system of claim 25, wherein said desired geographic level is a subdivision.

29. The system of claim 25, wherein said desired geographic level is a school district.

30. The system of claim 25, wherein said desired geographic level is a trade area.

31. The system of claim 22, wherein said content includes a chat service, wherein said chat service comprises one or more electronic chat rooms corresponding to said geographic area and configured to be accessible by said one or more remote users.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein said chat room service further comprises instant messaging functionality.

33. The system of claim 22, wherein said content includes a bulletin board service, wherein said bulletin board service comprises one or more electronic bulletin boards corresponding to said geographic area and configured to be accessible by said one or more remote users.

34. The system of claim 22, wherein said content includes an email distribution service, said email distribution service comprising one or more email distribution lists corresponding to said geographic area and configured to be accessible by said one or more remote users.

35. The system of claim 22, wherein said content includes one or more promotional notices corresponding to said geographic area, wherein said promotional notices are configured to be accessible by said one or more users.

36. The system of claim 22, wherein said content includes one or more links to web sites corresponding to said geographic area, wherein said one or more links are configured to be accessible by said one or more remote users.

37. The system of claim 22, wherein said content includes a directory service, said directory service including telephone directory information corresponding to said geographic area, and configured to be accessible by said one or more remote users.

24. A communications system comprising:

a user node configured to operatively couple to a network, said user node configured to provide requests for information on said network, and said user node having an associated geographic location; and

a content provider node configured to operatively couple to said network, said content provider node having a respective web site, and said content provider node configured to store plural content topics and plural geographic levels, each one of said plural content topics associated with one of said plural geographic levels;

wherein said web site is configured to be accessible by said user node, and is configured to store said associated geographic location;

wherein said content provider node is configured to be responsive to requests for information from said user node by providing content on said web site for said user node, said requests for information comprising a desired content topic; and

wherein said content seamlessly corresponds to said desired content topic and to a geographic area encompassing said associated geographic location of said user node;

said geographic area corresponding to said one of said plural geographic levels associated with said desired content topic.

38. The system of claim 24, wherein said network is the Internet.