Location based social networking system and method

• US 9,626,726 B2
• Filed: 10/10/2012
• Issued: 04/18/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Thammaiah, Pramod
• Primary Examiner(s): Sison, June
• Assistant Examiner(s): DABIPI, DIXON F
• Application Number:
  US13/648,719
• Publication Number:
  US 20140101246A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,651 Days
• Field of Search: 709204, 709205, 709206, 4454563
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking

Abstract

A method, computer program product, and computer system for receiving, at a first computing device, location information of a second computing device and one or more computing devices. The location information is received in response to an action performed with at least one of the first computing device and the one or more computing devices. At the first computing device, the one or more computing devices that are within a pre-defined distance from the second computing device are identified based upon, at least in part, the location information. At least a portion of automatically-suggested user information associated with the one or more computing devices within the pre-defined distance from the second computing device is sent from the first computing device to the second computing device.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving, at a first computing device, first location information of a second computing device and second location information of a third computing device, in response to an action performed with one or both of the second computing device and the third computing device;

determining whether one or more of the first location information and the second location information are stale based on one or more of whether a predetermined amount of time has passed since a fist time associated with the first location information and whether the predetermined amount of time has passed since a second time associated with the second location information;

when neither the first location information nor the second location information is determined to be stale, identifying, at the first computing device, whether the third computing device is within a pre-defined distance from the second computing device based on the received first location information and the received second location information;

when one or more of the first location information and second location information are determined to be stale, requesting, at the first computing device, updated location information for a computing device associated with location information determined to be stale;

when one or more of the first location information and second location information are determined to be stale and the requested updated location information is available, identifying, at the first computing device, whether the third computing device is within the pre-defined distance from the second computing device based on the updated location information;

when one or more of the first location information and second location information are determined to be stale and the requested updated information is unavailable, identifying, at the first computing device, whether the third computing device is within the pre-defined distance from the second computing device based on the received first and second location information; and

sending, from the first computing device to the second computing device, automatically-suggested user information associated with the third computing device, when the third computing device is determined to be within the pre-defined distance from the second computing device.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the action performed includes an application opening on the second computing device and the third computing device.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the action performed includes the second computing device moving relative to the third computing device.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein sending the automatically-suggested user information includes sending to the second computing device a distance of the third computing device relative to the second computing device.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein sending the automatically-suggested user information includes organizing, by one or more of the first computing device and the second computing device, the automatically-suggested user information associated with the third computing device and automatically suggested user information associated with a fourth computing device based on a first distance of the third computing device from the second computing device relative to a second distance of the fourth computing device from the second computing device.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the first location information of the second computing device and the second location information of the third computing device received, by the first computing device, in response to the action are updated after a pre-determined time interval.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein receiving the first and second location information includes requesting, by the first computing device, a most recent place of interest within the pre-defined distance of one or more of the second computing device and the third computing device.

8. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer usable medium including a computer readable program, wherein the computer readable program when executed on a computer cause the computer to:

receive first location information of a second computing device and second location information of a third computing device, in response to an action performed with one or both of the second computing device and the third computing device;

determine whether one or more of the first location information and the second location information are stale based on one or more of whether a predetermined amount of time has passed since a fist time associated with the first location information and whether the predetermined amount of time has passed since a second time associated with the second location information;

when neither the first location information nor the second location information is determined to be stale, identify whether the third computing device is within a pre-defined distance from the second computing device based on the received first location information and the received second location information;

when one or more of the first location information and second location information are determined to be stale, request updated location information for a computing device associated with location information determined to be stale;

when one or more of the first location information and second location information are determined to be stale and the requested updated information is available, identify whether the third computing device is within the pre-defined distance from the second computing device based on the updated location information;

when one or more of the first location information and second location information are determined to be stale and the requested updated information is unavailable, identify whether the third computing device is within the pre-defined distance from the second computing device based on the received first and second location information; and

send to the second computing device, automatically-suggested user information associated with the third computing device, when the third computing device is determined to be within the pre-defined distance from the second computing device.

9. The computer program product of claim 8 wherein the action performed includes an application opening on the second computing device and the third computing device.

10. The computer program product of claim 8 wherein the action performed includes the second computing device moving relative to the third computing device.

11. The computer program product of claim 8 wherein sending the automatically-suggested user information includes sending to the second computing device a distance of the third computing device relative to the second computing device.

12. The computer program product of claim 8 wherein sending the automatically-suggested user information includes organizing, by one or more of the computer and the second computing device, the automatically-suggested user information based on a first distance of the third computing device from the second computing device relative to a second distance of the fourth computing device to the second computing device.

13. The computer program product of claim 8 wherein the first location information of the second computing device and the second location information of the third computing device received, in response to the action are updated after a pre-determined time interval.

14. The computer program product of claim 8 wherein receiving the first and second location information includes requesting a most recent place of interest within the pre-defined distance of one or more of the second computing device and the third computing device.

15. A system comprising:

one or more processors; and

one or more memories storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the system to;

receive first location information of a second computing device and second location information of a third computing device, in response to an action performed with one or both of the second computing device and the third computing device;

when neither the first location information nor the second location information is determined to be stale, identify whether the third computing device is within a pre-defined distance from the second computing device based on the received first location information and the received second location information;

when one or more of the first location information and second location information are determined to be stale, request updated location information for a computing device associated with location information determined to be stale;

when one or more of the first location information and second location information are determined to be stale and the requested updated information is available, identify whether the third computing device is within the pre-defined distance from the second computing device based on the updated location information;

when one or more of the first location information and second location information are determined to be stale and the requested updated information is unavailable, identify whether the third computing device is within the pre-defined distance from the second computing device based on the received first and second location information; and

send to the second computing device, automatically-suggested user information associated with third computing device, when the third computing device is determined to be within the pre-defined distance from the second computing device.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the action performed includes one or more of:

an application opening on at least the second computing device and the third computing device; and

the second computing device moving relative to the third computing device.

17. The system of claim 15 wherein the automatically-suggested user information includes organizing the automatically-suggested user information associated with the third computing device and automatically suggested user information associated with a fourth computing device based on a first distance of the third user device from the second computing device relative to a second distance of the fourth computing device from the second computing device.

18. The system of claim 15 wherein the first location information of the second computing device and the second location information of the third computing device received in response to the action are updated after a pre-determined time interval.

19. The system of claim 15 wherein receiving the first and second location information includes receiving a request for a most recent place of interest within the pre-defined distance of one or more of the second computing device and the third computing device.