Location based content aggregation and distribution systems and methods

• US 8,103,741 B2
• Filed: 01/13/2011
• Issued: 01/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Data Services LLC (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Frazier, Kristopher T., Roberts, Brian F., Relyea, Donald H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shin, Kyung H
• Application Number:
  US13/006,067
• Publication Number:
  US 20110113119A1
• Time in Patent Office: 376 Days
• Field of Search: 709/217, 709/206, 340/995.1, 717/100, 717/102
• US Class Current: 709/217
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/487 using geographical or spatial information, e.g. location
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/445 Program loading or initiating bootstrapping G06F9/4401; security arrangements for program loading or initiating G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/542 Event management; Broadcasting; Multicasting; Notifications
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0253 During e-commerce, i.e. online transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0275 Auctions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/216 Handling conversation history, e.g. grouping of messages in sessions or threads
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/52 for supporting social networking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• 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: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds

Abstract

Location based content aggregation and distribution systems and methods are disclosed. An exemplary method includes a content hub subsystem receiving a content posting from an access device connected to a network. The content posting includes data representative of a content instance created by a user associated with the access device and a geographic location associated with the content instance. The exemplary method further includes the content hub subsystem storing the content posting and selectively distributing the content instance to at least one other access device connected to the network based on the geographic location, wherein a past or present physical location of the at least one other access device within a predefined proximity of the geographic location is requisite to the distribution of the content instance to the at least one other access device. Corresponding methods and systems are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by a content hub subsystem, a content posting from an access device connected to a network, the content posting including data representative of a content instance and a geographic location associated with the content instance, the content instance created by a user associated with the access device;

storing, by the content hub subsystem, the content posting; and

selectively distributing, by the content hub subsystem, the content instance to at least one other access device connected to the network based on the geographic location;

wherein a past or present physical location of the at least one other access device within a predefined proximity of the geographic location is requisite to the distribution of the content instance to the at least one other access device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the geographic location comprises a physical location of the access device when the content instance is created by the user.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the content hub subsystem, an annotation to the content instance from at least one of the access device and the at least one other access device, the annotation created by at least one of the user associated with the access device and at least one other user associated with the at least one other access device;

associating, by the content hub subsystem, the annotation with the content instance; and

selectively distributing, by the content hub subsystem, the annotation in association with the content instance based on the geographic location.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the past or present physical location of the at least one other access device within the predefined proximity of the geographic location is requisite to the distribution of the annotation in association with the content instance to the at least one other access device.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the annotation comprises at least one of a comment about the content instance, a rating of the content instance, and an edit to the content instance.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the selectively distributing comprises:

determining that the at least one other access device is physically located within the predefined geographic proximity of the geographic location associated with the content instance; and

in response to the determination, making the content instance created by the user associated with the access device accessible to the at least one other access device.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising

receiving, by the content hub subsystem, a communication associated with the content instance from the at least one other access device;

creating, by the content hub subsystem, a hosted communication thread including the communication; and

providing, by the content hub subsystem, the access device and the at least one other access device with access to the hosted communication thread, wherein a past or present physical location of each of the access device and the at least one other access device within the predefined proximity of the geographic location is requisite to the access to the hosted communication thread.

8. The method of claim 1, embodied as computer-executable instructions on at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium.

9. A method comprising:

receiving, by a content hub subsystem, a content posting from an access device connected to a network, the content posting including data representative of a content instance and a geographic location associated with the content instance, the content instance created by a user associated with the access device;

storing, by the content hub subsystem, the content posting;

selectively distributing, by the content hub subsystem, the content instance to at least one other access device connected to the network based on the geographic location;

receiving, by the content hub subsystem, an annotation to the content instance from at least one of the access device and the at least one other access device, the annotation created by at least one of the user associated with the access device and at least one other user associated with the at least one other access device;

associating, by the content hub subsystem, the annotation with the content instance; and

selectively distributing, by the content hub subsystem, the annotation in association with the content instance based on the geographic location.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the geographic location comprises a physical location of the access device when the content instance is created by the user.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein a past or present physical location of the at least one other access device within a predefined proximity of the geographic location is requisite to the distribution of the content instance to the at least one other access device.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein a past or present physical location of the at least one other access device within a predefined proximity of the geographic location is requisite to the distribution of the annotation in association with the content instance to the at least one other access device.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the annotation comprises at least one of a comment about the content instance, a rating of the content instance, and an edit to the content instance.

14. The method of claim 9, embodied as computer-executable instructions on at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium.

15. A system comprising:

a communication module configured to receive a content posting from an access device connected to a network, the content posting including data representative of a content instance and a geographic location associated with the content instance, the content instance created by a user associated with the access device;

a memory communicatively coupled to the communication module and configured to store data representative of the content posting; and

a location based distribution module communicatively coupled to the memory and configured to selectively distribute the content instance to at least one other access device connected to the network based on the geographic location;

wherein a past or present physical location of the at least one other access device within a predefined proximity of the geographic location is requisite to the distribution of the content instance to the at least one other access device.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the geographic location comprises a physical location of the access device when the content instance is created by the user.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein:

the communication module is further configured to receive an annotation to the content instance from at least one of the access device and the at least one other access device, the annotation created by at least one of the user associated with the access device and at least one other user associated with the at least one other access device;

the memory is further configured to store data representative of the annotation in association with the content instance; and

the location based distribution module is further configured to selectively distribute the annotation in association with the content instance based on the geographic location.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the past or present physical location of the at least one other access device within the predefined proximity of the geographic location is requisite to the distribution of the annotation in association with the content instance to the at least one other access device.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the annotation comprises at least one of a comment about the content instance, a rating of the content instance, and an edit to the content instance.

20. The system of claim 15, further comprising a communication thread module communicatively coupled to the communication module, the store memory, and the location based distribution module, wherein the communication thread module is configured to

receive a communication associated with the content instance from the at least one other access device,

create a hosted communication thread including the communication, and

provide the access device and the at least one other access device with access to the hosted communication thread, wherein a past or present physical location of each of the access device and the at least one other access device within the predefined proximity of the geographic location is requisite to the access to the hosted communication thread.

21. A system comprising:

a processor; and

computing instructions embodied on a non-transitory computer readable medium, the computing instructions configured to direct the processor to

store a content posting received from an access device connected to a network to a data store, the content posting including data representative of a content instance created by a user of the access device and a geographic location associated with the user creation of the content instance, and

selectively distribute the content instance to another access device connected to the network based on the geographic location;

wherein a past or present physical location of the another access device within a predefined proximity of the geographic location is requisite to the distribution of the content instance to the another access device.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the selective distribution comprises making the content instance accessible to the access device by associating the content instance with a user profile associated with the access device in response to a determination that the past or present physical location of the another access device is within the predefined proximity of the geographic location.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the associating of the content instance with the user profile makes the content instance accessible to an additional access device associated with the user profile.