System and method for proximity area networking for selection of messaging

• US 8,265,654 B2
• Filed: 07/20/2011
• Issued: 09/11/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pinterest, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Yahoo! Inc. (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Mgrdechian, Richard, Lee, Man-ho Lawrence
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, NHAN T
• Application Number:
  US13/186,911
• Publication Number:
  US 20120015668A1
• Time in Patent Office: 419 Days
• Field of Search: 455/414.1, 455418-420, 455/456.1, 455/456.3, 455/550.1, 370/328, 370/338, 370/349, 709/203, 709/219
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0269 based on user profile or attribute
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/00 User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/52 for supporting social networking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/21 for social networking applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/04 adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention include improved communication system and methods. In one embodiment, the present invention includes a wireless communication method comprising, on a first wireless device, receiving one or more wireless device identifications associated with one or more other wireless devices, and transmitting at least one of the one or more wireless device identifications from the first wireless device to a remote computer system, and on the remote computer system, receiving the at least one wireless device identification, and accessing information associated with the at least one wireless device identification. Embodiments of the present invention may be used for electronic dating, social networking and other communication applications.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

communicating, via a server, a request for position information of a first device;

receiving, at the server, the position information and a device ID of the first device;

storing the position information and device ID in a database;

receiving, at the server, profile information associated with a user of the first device in response to said request;

storing the profile information in the database, said storage associated with stored the position information and device ID;

receiving, at the server, a request from a second device for the position information, device ID of the first device and the profile information associated with the user of the first device;

determining, via the server, if the position information of the first device is within a proximity of the second device; and

if the first device is within the proximity, transmitting a notification to the second device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

if the first device is not within the proximity, transmitting a message to the second device indicating that the first device is not within the proximity.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

based on the profile information, determining whether the user of the first device and the user of the second device have a relationship.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

determining a degree of relationship between the user of the first device and the user of the second device.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

based on a degree of relationship, incorporating the position information and profile information of the user of the first device in a user profile of the user of the second device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the proximity is preset by the server.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the proximity is preset by the first device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the proximity is preset by the second device.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in response to said request, receiving at the server a second request from the first device for position information of a third device, the request extending to other devices within a proximity of the first device;

receiving the position information and device ID of the third device; and

storing the position information and device ID of the third device in the database.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

if the first device is not within the proximity, correlating the position information for the third device with the position information of the first device to create an expanded range of devices.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

transmitting a second notification to the second device second device identifying the third device based on the expanded range.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the second notification identifies the first device as a node between the second device and the third device.

13. A system comprising:

a database comprising stored data;

a server comprising a plurality of processors in communication with the data in the database, the server programmed to perform a plurality of operations, comprising;

communicating a request for position information of a first device;

receiving the position information and a device ID of the first device;

storing the position information and device ID in the database;

receiving profile information associated with a user of the first device in response to said request;

storing the profile information in the database, said storage associated with stored the position information and device ID;

receiving a request from a second device for the position information, device ID of the first device and the profile information associated with the user of the first device;

determining if the position information of the first device is within a proximity of the second device; and

if the first device is within the proximity, transmitting a notification to the second device.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the server is programmed to perform further operations comprising:

if the first device is not within the proximity, transmitting a message to the second device indicating that the first device is not within the proximity.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the server is programmed to perform further operations comprising:

based on the profile information, determining whether the user of the first device and the user of the second device have a relationship.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the server is programmed to perform further operations comprising:

determining a degree of relationship between the user of the first device and the user of the second device.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the server is programmed to perform further operations comprising:

based on a degree of relationship, incorporating the position information and profile information of the user of the first device in a user profile of the user of the second device.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein the server is programmed to perform further operations comprising:

in response to said request, receiving at the server a second request from the first device for position information of a third device, the request extending to other devices within a proximity of the first device;

receiving the position information and device ID of the third device; and

storing the position information and device ID of the third device in the database.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the server is programmed to perform further operations comprising:

if the first device is not within the proximity, correlating the position information for the third device with the position information of the first device to create an expanded range of devices.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the server is programmed to perform further operations comprising:

transmitting a second notification to the second device second device identifying the third device based on the expanded range.