Methods, systems, and computer program products for implementing a virtual posting service

• US 8,300,550 B2
• Filed: 03/11/2009
• Issued: 10/30/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Tischer, Steven
• Primary Examiner(s): Weidner, Timothy J
• Application Number:
  US12/401,837
• Publication Number:
  US 20090168702A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,329 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 370/254
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/18 for broadcast or conference , e.g. multicast
• 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 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

Methods, systems, and computer program products for implementing virtual posting services. Methods include receiving content from a communications device located in a geographic proximity that is serviced by an access node, storing the content in a storage device that is in communication with the access node, and tracking an amount of time the content item is stored. If the amount of time does not reach a pre-established threshold, the methods include transmitting the content to another communications device in response to detecting the presence of the other communications device within the geographic proximity and in response to an inquiry from the other communications device.

Claims

1. A method for implementing virtual post services, comprising:

receiving, at a computer processor disposed at a fixed location that services a defined geographic community, content from a communications device located in the defined geographic community via an access node;

storing the content in a storage device that is in communication with the access node;

tracking an amount of time the content is stored;

detecting a presence of another communications device within the defined geographic community;

determining a mode status of the other communications device;

if the amount of time does not reach a pre-established threshold and the mode status of the other communications device is determined to be passive discover mode, automatically transmitting the content, by the computer processor, to the other communications device;

if the amount of time does not reach the pre-established threshold and the mode status of the other communications device is determined to be active discover mode, transmitting the content to the other communications device in response to an inquiry from the other communications device, the inquiry including a search criteria; and

if the amount of time reaches the pre-established threshold, deleting the content from the storage device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the communications device is a wireless device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the content is relevant to events and entities within the defined geographic community.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the content is time sensitive.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the tracking the amount of time includes associating a timestamp with the content;

and wherein further, the deleting the content if the amount of time reaches the pre-established threshold includes comparing the timestamp with a current time.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising linking the access node to another access node, the method further comprising:

receiving the inquiry from the other communications device;

searching the storage device for content relating to the inquiry;

if the content relating to the inquiry is found, transmitting the content relating to the inquiry to the other communications device; and

if the content relating to the inquiry is not found, relaying the inquiry to the other access node, the other access node searching another storage device for the content relating to the inquiry.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the searching of the storage device for the content relating to the inquiry includes searching the storage device in response to a selection made via a searchable index of content.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising linking the access node to another access node, the method further comprising:

receiving the inquiry from the other communications device;

searching the storage device for content relating to the inquiry;

if the content relating to the inquiry is found, transmitting the content relating to the inquiry to the other communications device; and

if the content relating to the inquiry is not found, storing the inquiry in the storage device and transmitting the inquiry to communications devices detected in the defined geographic community.

9. A system for implementing virtual post services, comprising:

a virtual post application embedded in a computer readable medium and executing on a computer processor that is disposed at a fixed location and services a defined geographic community, the virtual post application performing;

receiving content from a communications device located in the defined geographic community via an access node;

storing the content in a storage device;

tracking an amount of time the content is stored; and

detecting a presence of another communications device within the defined geographic community;

determining a mode status of the other communications device;

if the amount of time does not reach a pre-established threshold and the mode status of the other communications device is determined to be passive discover mode, automatically transmitting the content to the other communications device;

if the amount of time does not reach the pre-established threshold and the mode status of the other communications device is determined to be active discover mode, transmitting the content to the other communications device in response to an inquiry from the other communications device, the inquiry including a search criteria;

if the amount of time reaches the pre-established threshold, the virtual post application deletes the content from the storage device;

wherein the content is relevant to the defined geographic community.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the communications device is a wireless device.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the content is time sensitive.

12. The system of claim 9, further comprising another access node linked to the access node, the virtual post application further performing:

receiving the inquiry from the other communications device;

searching the storage device for content relating to the inquiry;

if the content relating to the inquiry is found, transmitting the content relating to the inquiry to the other communications device via the access node; and

if the content relating to the inquiry is not found, relaying the inquiry to the other access node, the other access node searching another storage device for the content relating to the inquiry.

13. The system of claim 12, further comprising a searchable index of content, wherein the searching the storage device for the content relating to the inquiry includes searching the storage device in response to a selection made via the searchable index.

14. A computer program product for implementing virtual post services, the computer program product including instructions embedded in a non-transitory computer readable medium, which when executed by a computer processor cause the computer processor to perform a method, the method including:

receiving content from a communications device located in a defined geographic community via an access node, the computer processor disposed in a fixed location that services the defined geographic community;

storing the content in a storage device that is in communication with the access node;

tracking an amount of time the content is stored;

detecting a presence of another communications device within the defined geographic community;

determining a mode status of the other communications device;

if the amount of time does not reach a pre-established threshold and the mode status of the other communications device is determined to be passive discover mode, automatically transmitting the content to the other communications device;

if the amount of time does not reach the pre-established threshold and the mode status of the other communications device is determined to be active discover mode, transmitting the content to the other communications device in response to an inquiry from the other communications device, the inquiry including a search criteria; and

if the amount of time reaches the pre-established threshold, deleting the content from the storage device.

15. The computer program product of claim 14, further comprising instructions for linking the access node to another access node, the method further comprising:

receiving the inquiry from the other communications device;

searching the storage device for content relating to the inquiry;

if the content relating to the inquiry is found, transmitting the content relating to the inquiry to the other communications device; and

if the content relating to the inquiry is not found, relaying the inquiry to the other access node, the other access node searching another storage device for the content relating to the inquiry.